food getting stuck in the band

I had my band placed on 7/19/06. I would like to know when does food get stuck? Is it as we are eating, or after we have eaten and the food is getting digested and ready to pass into the lower stomach? I keep reading about problems and fortunately haven't experienced any unpleasantness. I am constantly on the lookout for the too full feeling but stop before this happens. It also is a concern as I don't know if I am eating too little since I do get feelings of hunger about 2 1/2 hours after having eaten. I manage to eat approximately 1 cup of food at a time. I have had 2 fills. To be honest, though, I haven't scheduled myself into 3 set mealtimes and snack time.

Perhaps, Sheri, you might want to pay a visit to one of the nutritionists and get more info. Nancy Murphy is awesome. She is in Fairfield. Give her a call. She is Fairfield County Lifestyle Consultants. Towanda

Sheri: I guess that there are different kinds of "stuck". There's food that gets "bogged down" on the way INTO your stomach, and that usually eventually drops down or comes back up. Foods that get stuck in such a way as to require medical attention are usually blobs of food that can't pass through the hole (the "stoma" )between your new "baby" stomach and the rest of it. More often than not, it's just a piece of food that wasn't chewed sufficiently (with me, it's usually meat) to reach the size that will pass through the stoma and it just sits there. Most times it WILL break down enough on its own the get through; some times you will eventually vomit it out, along with the food behind it that can't move along either. But some times you might need to have your band unfilled to allow the chunk through, then have the band refilled. I haven't had to have a unfill but I know some folks who have. Talk to Doc Floch regarding how you know whether something is truly stuck and if you might need an unfill. As for the rest : the not-full feeling, the amounts of food - those do need to be discussed with either your doc, one of the PA's and/or a nutritionist. Bette

For me it gets stuck on it's way down - that's why it's so important to put my fork down between bites and make sure one bite gets to where it needs to go before I put another bite on top of it....Sometimes I'll know it right away - others it will sneak up on me.... However, it doesnt' take too long from when you swallow to when you know - Oh NO I'm stuck - so I guess in my experience the answer to your question would be as I'm eating..... It's so awesome to hear that you haven't experienced this issue - I hope you never do! Most people don't get restriction until 3 to 5 fills - but you might be the exception! Best of luck on your journey. Tammy