My Banded Time

Friday, April 22, 2011

Sweet Spot...6.5 cc I think-What is yours?

This last fill has been hard but great...Great in that I think I've reached my sweet spot, hard in that I've been throwing up a lot.  Now I understand why they give you such conservative fills each time because it gives you time to adjust to modify your eating habits.  To be honest for my last fills I've felt very little except when I'd try to eat bread or overeat a lot.  Now I feel restriction at about 3/4 to 1 cup of food.  And I feel a jolt if I eat too fast or drink to fast.  I noticed a couple things about managing the band:

1) Stretching-Stretching your pouch with sneaky overeating is easy...
2)  Sliders-When I'm struggling with a fill, I get hungry and try to fill myself up with sliders...
3)  Getting Back into Shape-after If I felt as though I've stretched my pouch a couple meals of liquids helps me get my restriction back.
4)  Learning Curve-learning how to eat properly has been a learning curve for me...it's been hard for me to break bad habits.

WHEN DID YOU GET YOUR SWEET SPOT?

To my wonderful support group...have a wonderful Easter.  It's weird I haven't met any of you but I feel a general sense of appreciation and affection for you!

4 comments:

  1. Hey Rachel.. You may or may not be at your sweet spot just yet.. let me explain. I too thought at 8.25 or so (in an 11 cc band) I was there. Its not particularly the volume in your band it is (IMHO) how you manage the eating part. You undoubtably have restriction. But what I found with being in my geen zone (so to speak) is that you really do change the way you eat and what you eat and how much you can eat. First the chewing rule kicks in with anything that has density (steak, chicken for example). you need to chew chew chew and perhaps only 1/4 cup in volume is all I can take in.
    If its yogurt and cheese (these tend to be a bit easier to consume, digest or move through the pouch easier so I would say volume wise I can take in more than 1/4 cup. I have no problem with salad, but again limited volume.
    As far as the hunger feeling, I really do not feel hungry unless I have not eaten in 10 hours or so, and even then the feeling is more a growl in my stomach. I do not advocate going that long without food, but I am just saying some days I can not fit a meal in.. I may have a protein bar or something just so I am getting protein in or a baby bell light cheese..
    Breads are completely off my list.
    So food volume 1/2 cup seems to be my limit the more dense the food, the less volume.
    Hunger really seems to have faded, my last fill was Dec. 3rd and I am still holding strong to the above.
    Everyone is different. I just want to emphasize this is my personal experience.

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  2. And a very Happy Easter to you. I think all those things you listed are things I"m still trying to learn. I definitely find that when I'm eatin ghte right htings, I certainly eat less. It's when I'm eating the really yummy things, I get in trouble.

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  3. I am really loving this fill I just got as well. I am hoping the restriction sticks around, and the doc seems to think it will. He said about five or six months should be the soonest I get back in for another fill! I'm hoping to be at goal by then, and just maintaining! Best of luck with the fill, and I hope you stop with the bp'ing!

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  4. Ditto on everything you have said Rachel.........and Happy Easter to you and yours!!

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