Stuck or full?

 I have had my band for seven weeks now.  I am still trying to figure everything out.  I had a fill last Thursday (3cc's in a 10 cc band).  That fill has changed my world!  LOL  I have been trying to figure out my soft stop.  I cannot figure it out.  The past few days I get this "stuck" feeling.  I take a papaya enzyme and all is good.  I then go on liquids for close to 24 hours.  Today, while eating lunch, I measured out my food and started eating.  About 1/2 way through the meal I start to get that stuck/chest tightening feeling.  I decided to just wait and see what happened instead of rushing to the papaya enzymes.  I immediately quit eating of course and it passed within a couple of minutes. Do you think I was stuck or is this my bodies way of saying enough food?  What do you thinK?

Are you eating to big of bites ?  eating to fast ? That can cause that stuck feeling .  I dont have anything in my band and that can happen to me if I do those two things .

As far as looking for a soft stop not everybody gets them I dont . I just eat my cup of food and I know in my mind that is enough and that is all I  eat.

If you are not eating to fast, or not eating to big of bites and still getting stuck then you might have to much fill and they will need to take some out.

You should not be getting stuck at meal times and you dont want to stay that way because that is when you will start having major problems with your band.  Never keep your band to the point you are getting that feeling it's not good.

 Thank you Steeler Fan.  I have been watching that I am not taking too big of bites or eating too fast.  That is why I am worried I might need a slight unfill.  THe problem is for two meals a day I do fine.  I eat my 1/2 cup and I am very satisfied.  Then it seems like one meal a day I get stuck.  This has been happening for a few days.  This is hard to figure out!  LOL  I am glad I am not the only one who doesn't have a soft stop.  I did right after surgery.  I would get a small pain in my shoulder after eating for a bit.  However, as the swelling went down, the soft stop disappeared.  I was hoping it would return, but hasn't yet.  It is fine at home because I measure.  When we go out to eat it is an issue.  I am not a good eyeballer at portions.  All of a sudden I feel too full and know to stop.  I just know I shouldn't get to that "too full" state before stopping.  I am trying to get better when eating out.

Eating out is hard to do sometimes.

Usually if you try to find something that is about 4 or 5 oz of protein that is a 1/2 cup of food.

I usually eat that and then some of my veggies and I pick at my hubby's carbs lol. I never order mine own just pick off everybody else's plates :o) 
 

This is what I usually eat

1/2 cup of protein  1/4 cup of veggies and then 1/4 cup of carbs. 

That 'tight' feeling is a signal to stop --- whether it is a 'soft stop' or not, it is a sign to STOP.

Personally, I think that you need to put the enzyme away, and not rely on it to allow you to eat too much.

Cut your food into tiny, tiny bites (I used to break my Wheat Thins into 1/4's and eat a pinch of tuna salad on each 1/4 of a cracker).

Chew, swallow and allow your mouth to be empty before you reach for the next bite.

You are teaching yourself to slow down.

Every few minutes, assess your body -- whether there is still food on your plate or not.
If you are no longer hungry, or you feel anything tight, or a deep sigh, or a hiccup, or a runny nose, or a burp ---- STOP eating.

Put the food away -- telling yourself that you can have more later if you really want it ---- and see how long you can remain satisfied.

You need to train yourself to AVOID the 'tight' or 'stuck' or 'full' feeling --- you want to stop one or 2 bites before that point.

At 7 weeks out I can totally understand you are still learning --  I'm still learning myself at almost 2 years out.

I've noticed I get this feeling when I eat too fast. Maybe I am not taking small enough bites, but I have to actually set my fork down between bites and chew,chew, chew, swallow and then wait. If I do 3 or 4 bites without doing that I get the feeling you just described. It definitely takes some getting use to.  One thing I especially like about about the band is that it forces me to eat slowly enough that I lose interest in most foods after about 20 minutes. Most of the time I could physically eat more, but by then I'm like, eh, no big deal to pu**** away because I'm satisfied. Before surgery I could inhale a lot of food in 20 minutes and therefore take in way too many calories.

Good luck to you!

Trixie

 Thank you ladies for the support!  I am using the enzymes to relieve the stuck feeling.  I quit eating though when I get to that point.  It just hits all of a sudden.  I thought I was eating slow enough, but after reading what you ladies do, I do not think I am.  I usually eat another bite as soon as the one bite is swallowed.  I will try putting my utensil down and waiting for one bite to really be chewed, swallowed, and in the pouch for a few seconds.  It sure is an adjustment to get used to eating the way we do!  Thanks again!

Which meal is it at which you are getting the stuck feeling?  I am always tighter in the morning. 

Are you tense or rushed, or stressed when you eat that certain meal?  Tension will cause my band to tighten up so much, I can barely eat at that time.  Just a thought!