4 bite syndrome?

I have great restriction since my third fill...I'm not hungry very often, I don't PB unless I forget and take too big of a bite or forget to chew.  Liquids go down fine as does solid food if I take tiny bites and chew the heck out of it. 

What I am finding is that I'm really tight in the morning and all I can have is a hot cup of coffee or tea.  By the time I get a little hungry around 11:30 or 12, I eat some solid protein and after 4 bites or so I get a pressure on my chest and in my head, and within a minute or so I hiccup, which has been my soft stop.  I try to be aware to take a minute break between bites as well.

I don't feel full but apparently I've hit the wall with food which I find strange...I think eating less than 1/4 of a cup of protein at a meal is not enough.  Has anyone had this issue at all?

Michelle

I have had this since my 3rd fill. I can't eat anything in the morning and at lunch I take a few bites and I get that same feeling. I did go to my doctors yesterday and told him about this and he said that he wants to give me another two weeks before he does an unfill.  He said that since I am loosing weight that he wants to wait the two weeks to see if the band loosens up a little. I guess that tends to happen when we lose weight. So, I am just going to continue doing what I have been doing and see what happens.
I know that there are things that I can't eat. Like chicken, eggs, some bread, some cheese. I just love chicken so its hard for me to not to be able to eat that.
Do you have problems with the food other then the ones I listed?


I do hope things get better for you!

IMHO As long as you are getting in enough protein at other time like dinner perhaps then you should be ok.  Just be careful not to dip too low in calories and keep your protein level pretty decent.  We should try for *60grams each day. 

I can eat chicken as long as it's really moist and I take small bites & chew.  Hardboiled eggs have given me trouble the last 2 weeks but scrambled & poached is fine.  Red meat has been a no-go since I was able to get back on solid foods so I don't even try.  The last few days almonds have also made me slime and if I take my pills in the morning, which I cut up into tiny pieces and take with hot tea, I slime also...I'm getting really tired of foaming at the mouth!

My doc said I'm definitely not too tight, but I have an appointment in 2 weeks so we'll see how it goes then.

Thanks!

That sounds a great deal like me except I have no problems in the morning. Altho I do have a big cup of coffee while I read the paper and then eat breakfast so that may be why. Also I read that we are somewhat dehydrated in the AM from no liquids all night so you might try getting in more fluids in the AM. I found my biggest problem is that the better my restriction the more I'm bothered with swallowed air, what used to go on thru now gets hung up above the band so I have to burp like a longshoreman to be able to finish even a small meal. Don't have any help for that tho because try as I will I still get the air and usually I just have to wait and take abit longer to finish my meal. Just don't take too long as you may eat too much. Good luck!

The morning tightness is quite common - I am the same way and know of many others who are too.

Can you eat in the evening? IMO unless you are getting too tired and lethargic in the mornings, as long as you get enough protein in overall, there isn't a major problem.

Kate

I have heard, though I havent read the medical facts behind it, that your metabolism decides how fast/hard/well it will work in a day by the calories consumed in the first 2 hours you are awake. *IF* that is true, could you do a carnation instant breakfast with N/F milk? You can add things to it to add protein and can make it hot if you can do colds in the AM.

Just a thought, Im no expert!

I often hiccup or burp (and sometimes feel a bit tight) within 1-4 bites. After a few minutes, I proceed with eating/finishing my bandster portion. . . It seems my hiccup or burp, is just a greeting, not my stop sign! (Actually, they serve as soft stops as well, but it's easy to know the difference.)

Sipping a small warm beverage before a meal really makes a difference for me. I finally tried it.

I, for whatever reason, have recently started having trouble with any pill, any size. It's worse if I break it in half leaving the rough edges. My new approach to my daily small pill is to cru**** on a plate and take it with yogurt. There is nothing worse that having a half-pill digging into the stoma. Uck!

The mystery of the band is none of the above applies all of the time. . . Keeps me guessing and adjusting. . . but it's doable and worth all the confusion.

I don't know if any of this will help, but you raised a good topic.

Cindy

My experience may not be the norm, but I think its important to share with you just to be aware of the possibility.  After my 4th or 5th fill last October, it took me longer to transition to solid foods.  When I did get back to regular foods, I very often found myself feeling uncomfortable after a few bites.  Liquids went down fine, and I wasn't PB/sliming all the time so I considered myself A-ok.  Then as time went on I found that the discomfort of eating was actually discouraging me from eating real food (chicken, vegetables, etc.)  At first I compensated by eating between meals, then I turned to eating softer foods just so I could get to the point of feeling satisfied again without pain.  Many of the "easy" foods were not healthy, but I felt like i HAD to eat to be alive (and happy.)  Five months of this in denial, gaining a few pounds along the way I eventually got stuck on soup (how rediculous does that sound?! LOL).  I went to the doctor and explained what I was feeling and he said I was overtight and had developed maladaptive eating habits.  He said it's natural and wished I had come in sooner with the lack of weight loss and he could have helped diagnose it sooner.  After that UNFILL, I felt like a new person.  Being able to eat healthy foods and feel satisfied washed away all the cravings for the "easy" foods.

So certainly there may be no harm in waiting a bit to see how things go.  Just be wary of what CAN happen.

I can't eat in the morning either until I get in at least 20 oz water first, then I do fine.  I usually go to the gym 1st thing so I have no problem gettin in close to 40 oz water, but with the time crunch I usually just drink a protein shake on my way to work, so I'm sure I'm getting enough in for the day.  I have never been a big breakfast person, so I'm ok with not having food until lunch.
Sherie