Stoma size -- very interesting

[SpideyMom 1]

At my last support group, my PA showed me a rubber replica of a band that was at approximately 80% restriction. It was amazing to see how small the little hole was for the food to go through! I could just get the tip of my pinkie finger into it.

Take a second to look down at the top of your pinkie (or, men, look at an average woman's pinkie finger) and see how small the circumference is. That is how much room there is for food to pass through your top pouch to your bottom stomach. No wonder food gets stuck so easily!!

And the height of the band was probably just shy of an inch long, so that means the whole stoma is this very tiny narrow tube that can so easily get plugged up with a bite or two of chicken and other problem foods.

It was very enlightening... more so than just seeing a band wrapped around a stomach, like the doc showed me before I had surgery.

Made me realize that I need to cut my food even smaller and chew even more! :bored:

[Mamadot 0]

That is interesting, Ann, thank-you for sharing. I would love to see something like that. Like you said, it would help me better relate to what is happening when food is not passing through, and may help reinforce band basics re: small bites and chew, chew, chew! I'm going to ask my program facilitator if they have anything similar they could share at an upcoming Lap Band support group meeting.

[SpideyMom 1]

If it helps, my PA said she got it from the Realize rep at a conference. But she said the rep comes into the office also, and she was going to ask the rep for more. I'd like one myself!

[Lana24 10]

great info, thanks for sharing

[Sue Magoo 71]

Hi:

My doctor said that when at good restriction the size of the opening is a little bigger than an M&M. Most of us can relate to the size of an M&M:blushing:.

I try to think of that when I'm cutting my food.

Sue

[Mamadot 0]

I asked about this at my support group meeting, and our program facilitator brought up the model of the stomach with the lap band. She said the opening (at good restriction) is about the size of a dime, and the pouch above the band starts out about the size of a walnut.

[maggi 0]

Thanks for the information. That is so interesting and it also gives me some idea in how big I need to cut my bites when I start on solid foods. :thumbup: I am new at this and love all the info I can get. I want to do this right!

[bevanfranks 0]

That's good to know. I tend to forget to chew my food enough times- or I get too excited and end up eating too quickly and then I can totally FEEL my mistake! I have to make a concious effort to chew, chew, chew. . .

[SpideyMom 1]

Wow, mamadot, our pouch is the size of a walnut? Really? Yikes. I had no idea! :Yawn: