Since I'm fairly new to this, please be patient. :alien In all of the research I've done regarding lap banding and my 2 hour consult with my surgeon and a personal experience because my sister got one last year, there is still something I do not understand: If the band does not move, then the size of the stomach stays the same, right? If the stomach size is the is the same, why do we need fills? Does the band deflate or something and cause the stomach to get bigger (the small part)? How can one eat more after awhile if the size of the banded portion of the stomach does not change?? I hope this makes sense!

Thanks!

Kelli

Think of it like you're tying a string around your tooth, it can go around there just fine without doing anything but once you pull on it it tightens up. It's kinda like the same thing, the band doesn't change your stomach until you get a fill that makes it squeeze. I think anyway

Kelli, your stomach is made of organic tissue, soft, pliable, and full of Fluid and fat cells. As you lose weight, your stomach tissue can thin out, resulting in less restriction over time. You can also experience fluctuations in restriction in short-term arcs, just because of the way fluid is retained in your bodily tissues.

There are more moving parts to the equation of restriction than just the amount of fluid in the band. Adjustments (which is a more accurate way of saying it than "fills") are what make the band fit your body perfectly. Some people find that over time they actually need to have a little fluid taken out, perhaps because the stomach tissue thickens up in response to the pressure from the band. Who knows?

The beauty of the band is that it IS adjustable, and you will get the restriction that's right for you. In this, one size does not fit all.

Another thought...the band doesn't change the size of the upper stomach, it changes how fast the food flows through the banded part. Does that makes sense?

Also, as people lose weight, they lose bulk inside around their stomach, so the is more room inside your body cavity.

Okay, I think it is becoming a bit more clear. The thing I do not understand, though, is how one can eat and maybe not feel as restricted as before. For instance, I have spoken with a couple of banders who are 1+ years postop and they can eat more than in the beginning. How is that so,if the size of the banded portion of the stomach does not stretch or change?

Thanks!

Kelli

I understand it to be that the fat in the abdonminal cavity and on the exterior of the stomach is less (because of weight loss) so the EXTERIOR pressure on the band (squeezing it tighter) is lessened, and the fills keep that restriction up as the fat is lost by our bodies

Okay, I think it is becoming a bit more clear. The thing I do not understand, though, is how one can eat and maybe not feel as restricted as before. For instance, I have spoken with a couple of banders who are 1+ years postop and they can eat more than in the beginning. How is that so,if the size of the banded portion of the stomach does not stretch or change?Thanks!

Kelli

There are a couple of things at work here, I think. Over time, the pouch does indeed stretch a little and can accommodate a bit more at a time. Stomach tissue is not rigid and of course can stretch as food is introduced.

But even more important is that over time, the nerves at the site become less sensitive, and we are less aware of the sensations of over-fullness. This can become more pronounced if we're not careful, because pouch-packing (eating more than the pouch can hold) turns into esophagus-packing. And that can have seriously negative effects on the esophagus, which is NOT designed as a reservoir for food.

I'm at that place now, 2.5 years out, and have been working to re-recognize when enough is enough. I'm happy to say that my band is still working beautifully; I just have to pay a bit more attention to it than before when it was new to my system. I'm getting "used" to it, and that can lead to complacency.

Whether in reality the pouch can hold more or we just think it can doesn't really matter. We must continue to eat small portions, carefully chewed, for as long as we are banded.