How do you know when you are at the "Sweet Spot"?

[Phranp 46]

This past Friday I had my third fill. My doc said this might be the last one. He had me drink Water while filling my band and the Water felt like it was bubbling up into my esophagus. I was on liquids for 24 hours and then eased into food the next day, per my doc.

Here's my issue, if I take too big of a bite or eat too fast I seem to feel it in my esophagus, but once I slowed down I am able to eat more than a cup. It's not that I can eat a lot, but it is more than I think I should at the "sweet spot". I have an appt with my doc next week to see if I am sufficiently "filled". While I don't feel like I have quite the "right" amount in my band (4.5 cc in a 10 cc band), I am afraid that if I get another fill the pain will be much worse in my esophagus when I eat. Am I confusing two different things or am I asking for problems if I get another fill?

Help, please.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

google Lap band Green Zone. There's a chart that will tell you.

Otherwise briefly...you get "satisfied" (not full) on small amounts of food (up to about a cup or so) and stay full for a long time (6 hours?) AND you lose at least 1-2 pounds a week.

Feeling pain when you eat too fast isn't a function of "the sweet spot" but it's a function of the mechanics of eating as a bandster. In other words, if you eat too fast, don't chew well, or take bites that are too large it will hurt whether you are at your sweet spot or just mildly restricted. You can't use that as a ruler. It just means you need to pay attention and chew well. RARELY you will be so tight you can't eat food and then that pain means "UNFILL" but you aren't there....

[innwtitdtity 57]

I had a fill on Fri, I am now at 9 in a 14cc band, and I think I may have my sweet spot. YEAH!!!!!!! First time thinking this. When I was at 8.5 I could feel food going thur the band (which I had never felt before). I did have trouble yesterday while eating a nectarine (fresh fruit I always eat too fast) but I belive it was how I was eating, not that I am too tight. My doc said there is more room in the band, so I am anticipating that once I loose some weight (I have lost 9 since Fri but I stayed on liquids until Sun) I may loose this sweet spot and need another fill. Good luck!

[Phranp 46]

Thanks for the info. Believe it or not my doc does not give me much info ... I had to do a lot of reading and I use the forums. If I ask a question, he will aswer, but when I go in for a fill I see him for maybe 5 mins. It has been a challenge to say the least. I appreciate the information I glean from this forum.

Thanks again.

[lapdog 0]

I might be wrong, but I don't know if everyone will reach a sweet spot. i'm at 8cc on a 10cc band. I was there for 2 weeks then I could eat way more than I should be able to.

Next fill coming up in a little over a week, thinking about 1/2 cc. At present I can eat a lb of food easily, so I hope the next fill will be the one. I also can have a problem eating nectarines,lol.. The deal with chasing the sweet spot is if you overshoot it then there will be a problem to deal with.

Best of luck to all.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

The goal of the band is "the green zone" (what's called sweet spot here) so yes, everyone should reach it.

And honestly if you have a surgeon who is inaccessible, who doesn't (or whose staff doesn't) give you direction, FIND ANOTHER!!!

The aftercare is VITAL to this thing working. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 not mattering, getting the band is about a 3, aftercare about a 7!