Therefore rendering the lapband ineffective?

I think you can

BUT, I cant see this is possible unless you abuse your band..

the band HURTS and causes symptoms when its having trouble passing food through it..

tightness or pain in the chest.. producing lots of saliva, hiccupps

slime and PB's and golf balls..

IF you avoid these things.. I assume your avoiding filling the pouch so much and streaching it..

Thats mY opinion.

The answer is yes, the pouch can stretch to accommodate too much food, but there is a limit. Food will start backing up into your esophagus, causing discomfort or vomiting. This effect will lessen over time--I know I feel it less readily now, after 2.5 years--making "pouch-packing" easier to do.

Can your pouch stretch permanently? I don't know. Still, now when I eat "a lot" it's NOTHING like what it was before banding. The restrictive effect changes somewhat but the fact remains, I can't eat more than a certain amount without discomfort.