stupid me thought that the 1.5 oz. on the bottom of a Peanut Butter cracker package was just that....1.5 oz.

stupid me didn't realize (or want to) that that was more than my body could handle when I ate 4 oz of whatever was on the bottom of a package.

so Im pretty convinced Ive ruined my band...because I am always hungry

I was banded in december of 2009. Ive had 3 fills. Im positive my pouch is stretched out and I have no hope.

I feel like such an idiot!

Now eating only half a cup is NOTHING...

I feel like a failure.

What do I do? :thumbup:

I do not think you stretched your pouch. You should go on liquids for 2 or 3 days and then mushies 2 days and see how you feel. Call your doctor and see if you can come in for a floro or x-ray to check it out. But keep stopping at ½ cup hungry or not. We ALL get hungry sometime you just have to stop hungy or not. Fill up with extra Water. Good luck!! Stop stressing it will only make you feel worse

Cheri

I'm kind of confused, but I encourage you to go to your surgeon's office. My best bet is just that you need a fill :thumbup:

If your band is stretched, go in for a fluoro and have them check. At my office they would take all the fluid out for a few weeks and hope that it goes back to normal. Not a big deal... keep your chin up... And good luck.

I think you are being more than a little hard on yourself and, to be brutally honest, a bit silly really! Don't let your imagination panic you into fearing the worst when it is really not likely :thumbup:

4oz of anything, eaten 4 months after banding, is not going to "ruin" your band! Goodness me, if they were that fragile, most of us would have ruined bands by now and the whole idea of banding would have been deemed to be a poor long term option!

Being always hungry is a good indicator that you need another fill, that's all. You've had three so far - great! Go back and have another one. You'll find that fills sometimes work for a while but then, when you lose a bit of weight, the band comes loose again and you need another one. It is a continual adjustment process and one that you will go through several times more, I'm sure, before you hit goal.

Three fills is nothing... I've had around 20 since Nov. 08. As you lose weight, you lose fat around your stomach too.

If you look at what many people are advised to eat postop, you'll realize that 4 ounces is not a worrisome amount.

Peanut Butter crackers, OTOH, really probably are not your best friend in terms of satiety---refined carbs and things that get mushy and slide right through can trigger hunger. If you're not yet restricted, it's a good idea to aim for foods that stick with you longer, like solid Protein.

It sounds like a visit to the doctor for reassurance and fill would be a good idea.

They include some fat between the band and the stomach to help prevent erosion. As you shrink some of that fat the band will loosen up and you will need a little fill. The best thing you can do is see your Dr. and do your best to stick to the food he/she tells you is OK to eat. I hope you feel better about the situation soon.

Believe me, it isn't that easy to ruin the band. You are fine, but I do think you need a fill. Whenever you are worried though, it is a good idea to run it by your doctor. Hugs!!!

My heart goes out to you because I can see you are so pained by this...

but I think you are going to be just fine!

Like everyon else, I believe the best bet is to get yourself back to your surgeon's office... and then stay away from peanut butter crackers..... :thumbup:

Cheer up... we ALL have off days.. even off weeks! Good luck... and keep us posted!

HUGS

I am a bit silly arent I? :thumbup: give me a break, I have extreme OCD lol!

I dont like talking to my doctor about my worries because I feel threatened when I do....like they wont do a fill if Im not doing everything exactly right and I dunno....

Hi Kel,

if you feel threatened by your doc if you have concerns then a get a new doc. you have nothing to worry about. I believe you need a fill. So go see your doc or get a new one that is going to better cater to your needs. living with a band is not easy and you are not alone. So find a doc you can voice all your concerns with. I myself am going to switch doc soon.

Kels, All you have to do is tell the Doc you are getting very hungry between meals and that you think it's time for a fill. You don't even need to bring up how you felt after eating the crackers. Just do it ..... go get a fill.

Hi Kels,

You've had great advice thus far.

I'd like to add that I am not a weigh and measure my food type of person. I do the eyeball thing of a deck of cards is 3 oz of meat..yada yada. After over 2 years, I am getting pretty good at gauging what is a proper portion. FINALLY!

Anywho....I have some days where I can eat more, and some days where I can eat less. It is normal. I look at my normal weight friends, and they are the same.

As Betsy pointed out, your choice was most likely a slider and that explains why you could eat so much of it. I have amazed myself at the quantity of somethings I could cram down when I let my guard slip.

This is a journey. It's a learning process. If you are worried, see your doctor, then forgive yourself and move on! :thumbup: