For all you bandsters who have eroded or slipped in the past. I have yet a new worry.....Your honest opinion please....here is my story, I was originally banded February 2004 with a 4 cm band and all went will with a wt loss of 133 pounds until October 2004, Then my band slipped but was completely unaware of it till my doc did a fluro in January 2005, then was rebanded with an 11 cc band in February. My weightloss has only been 15 pounds since that time with only 6 cc in my 11 cc band thusfar.

Have had really good restriction up till this week, I had got a piece of chicken stuck and has some major pain for about 2 hours then if felt like it passed. My stomach area where my band is was very sore the next day I went on the liquid diet for next 24 hours and started back on solid food today with virtually no restriction.

I have a huge fear that my band has slipped again because I have no restriction all the sudden, in your honest opinon what would you do?

I am cringing to even think that i have a 2nd band and that the one incident of food getting stuck could have caused it? My insides (stomach band area) was sore the entire next day. A first for me (the soreness afer a food sticking) I am scared to even tell my husband it might be another slip cause he has been skeptical all along about the band.... What would you do? THanks for any tips, hints or advice!

Brenda Fain

What would I do? I'd wait a couple of days and see if it gets better. There's no reason to think it slipped just because of one instance of stuckage; obviously you're inclined to think that way but it's not necessarily so. Remembering that when you did have a slip you had NO symptoms, pain now isn't necessarily related.

Just take it easy for a couple of days and see how it goes. It's more likely that you pulled a small muscle or something and that's the source of your pain. Good luck!

Thanks Alex but what about the missing restriction all the sudden? That is what makes me think of erosion or slippage.... .I know I worry too much, but after going through a rebanding, I can't help but worry....

I'm convinced restriction is a function of much more than just the tightness of the band. The tissues of your stomach may have...retreated...in a way; thinned out in reaction to the trauma of having something stuck. I've definitely felt the same phenomenon, both right after fills (when you'd think there would be MORE restriction) and after a negative episode.

Again, I'd just give it a couple of days. It's so easy to leap to the conclusion that something is terribly wrong, when 999 times out of 1000 it's just a matter of letting the system rest and recover.

I was only banded this past July so I guess I am still a newbie, but here is what my doc told me when I called with the exact same situation just 10 days ago. : " Relax, take a nice deep breath and do mushies for a few days, when you start back on food it may take upto a week for the restriction to return. The stoma has gone through some trauma and needs time to heal and recover. Give it that time and it will return to normal 99.9% of the time." I had a nasty PB on broccoli, it lasted almost 4 hours and eventually came up with major force, it took 4 days for my restriction to return to what it had been before, I needed a fill before the PB and I still need one now, I am going next week. It will be ok, think positive and positive will happen. ~Mandy

Jack, I mean able to eat more than normal all the sudden, not increase in hunger. I still stop though when I think I am satisfied, but have not ventured to real solid foods yet scared to I guess, did a chicken tender yesterday and some refried Beans today.

No there have been no similar episodes, and this something new.

Thanks for your prayers for me on this...I will keep everyone posted here at the boards.

Mandy, thanks for your advice, I am hoping the restriction comes back on its own, and I have let the band rest with soft foods since it occurred. Just scares me because I have PB'd before and never lost the restriction that way.... thanks if you can say a prayer for me duing this time.... I am a worry wart I know...take care..

Hey BigEthel (really gotta change that name soon ) heh,

It could be that because you're still on soft foods, this is why you feel you're able to eat more? Solids - Proteins - those are what make us feel fuller. See how you go after you make that transition and if you're still not having much restriction, it may just be time for another fill. That's a big band and its only about half way full *nods*...

Hope you feel better soon.

Jess, thanks for your advice and reassurance, I hope indeed that is all that it is -that I simply need another fill/adjustment, but it is weird I feel no restriction.... when it was there prior to the PB episode. I will keep you posted. Hope they can fit me in this week. Take care...

No Jack, I am not gorging by any means, just regular small bandster size portions that used to fill me up fine 1/2 cup to 3/4 of good solid food. Just don't have any feeling of restirction with this amount now, and did have good restriction with this amount prior to my food getting stuck on Wednesday. I am still stopping at the bandster size portions even though I feel I could eat more, just want my restriction back! I have a voicemail in to my surgeon... thanks for your support....

Hi Ethel,

I agree with Alexandra. But then, I always seem to agree with Alex. When you go on liquids and back to solids, it just might seem that you have no restriction, since you gave yourself a couple of days of resting the esophagus. I have the opposite problem. I have more restriction since my turkey PB's from more than a week ago. I think my esophagus is still a little irritated and rebelling. I hope you get your restriction back, but maybe some is psychological cause you are chewing extra well and worried about a a repeat occurence? Just guessing here..... I dont think your band slipped though.... Well at least I hope not....

Babs in TX

334/180/170

-154 ish give or take...