I've been banded for a little over 3 months with no fills, but losing weight. I'm just not that hungry any more. In the last week, my band feels 'tighter", but I haven't had a fill. I also had a couple of "sliming" incidents during this past week, as well (this hadn't happened before). Has anyone else experienced this? Weird.

For me the tightness of the band fluctuates pretty wildly! Tight in the morning (just like my wedding ring) and quite loose in the evening. Tighter if I am sick even just with a cold and much tighter if I have had to throw up. Also tighter depending on the menstrual cycle...I have been banded two and a half years and it still mystifies me!

I'm surprised you have that much restriction with no fills yet. But hey, that's great you are feeling it, sliming and all. That's a sign you're right in the thick of it! Now you have to continue to work it to your advantage.

Also it is possible that there is some fluid in your band. My doc told be that they usually flush the band after they insert it and that usually leaves some fluid in the band. For me he made sure that my band was empty because I had plication done at the same time.

Thanks for the info. My doctor said he left about 2.5cc in my 10cc band after surgery. So I have likely had some level of restriction since Day 1. I am glad to hear that the variable tightness is relatively normal.

It is very normal. You will also find that your band can tighten up during your TOM, when you're stressed out or just for no apparent reason. This is just part of life with the band...never a dull moment!

I got my first fill today and as of right now can feel no difference.

i have been banded 8 months and my band tightens and looses all the time. the morning is the worst, but i've grown used to it. my band makes my hiccup when i am full. its so funny cuz my coworkers hear my hiccup and they all tell me to stop eating. it's quite funny. but the tightness varies with the weather, stress and TOM. so weird.

Weather seems to be my big key. Some mornings I know nothing will go down so I don't try. Other days no problem. But if the weather has a big change I can get tight for days. The first time I didn't know what was going on, I hadn't had a fill in over 6 months. I thought I had eaten to fast or something, the "incidents" were daily and I had to have some fluid taken out. Now I know and just heat up the soup and roll on.

I also haven't had any fills either (although I believe 2cc's were put in during surgery). I also have had a few stuck episodes the past week. I do find the band to be tepermental. Very strange, but I am glad it reminds me that it is there.

That may be part of the reason I am trying to do this without fills, as I HATE getting stuck. It is so uncomfortable for me as I am sure it is for most of you. I can't imagine having more episodes or for longer durations. Ugh!

Well first fill was yesterday and today I can feel more restriction which is good cuz I'm eating less. But it is a little bit uncomfortable but manageable.

Thanks for all the comments. Weather wins for me! I live in a place where the daily temperature has varied from -30C to +10C daily (chinooks) during the winter. I didn't realize the band could be so tempermental. But stress and time of day can also affect it. This is truly weird.

I have had 3 fills at 7.2 cc. I have lost 41 lbs since Aug. My band varies too. I have more trouble in the morning than any other time. I also get the hick-ups when im full. I have discovered that on days that I feel real tight its best to stay liquid.

I've had my band for 13 months now, and have very little in my band. I recently got TOM, and this time was the first time, I really think my band got quite a bit tighter than ever before (I must have been extremely bloated before because the scale was up 3 lb, and I know that it is not real fat gain) for the first time I feel like I got stuck. Ive had things slow going down before and felt a tightness in my chest, but this time I actually almost vomited, I mean I ran to the bathroom thinking it was going to come up, but luckily it didn't and it just went down. It didn't last to long, so not sure if I was "officially"stuck, but now I'm going to be more careful around TOM.

I have noticed that some days my band is tighter than other days. Maybe not for a week but certainly sometimes. Also at Breakfast I feel extremly tight an have to eat a little at a time as to not get stuck.

FeFe

Lapband with Plication: April 11 2011

I remember immediately after my surgery, barely able to eat a few bites of yogurt or Soup. Then the swelling went down, and I had to keep getting fills over the course of 6 months. I then went a year without a fill, and was concerned that I could eat a jr hamburger (yes, I was tempted, and was able to eat it). The Dr. said I shouldn't wait so long to come in, the Water can evaporate (how that's possible in a closed system is beyond me). So I got a good fill, and was back on the road to weight loss. Then this month (it's been another year since my last fill, but I've lost 25 lbs in the last year - so I wasn't going to run in and get a fill when I keep losing weight) I lost 10 lbs. Feels like my band is tight, like I just had a fill. That's how I found this site. I wondered if rapid weight loss might cause the band to tighten. I am definitely not complaining. in the 2yrs and 4 months since my surgery i've lost 70 lbs. I just took in a bunch of custom clothes I had made, after my first big weight loss, to the tailor to have them altered 3 pant sizes.

My brain has definitely been trained. I used to drive by McDonalds and stop to get fries (even if I wasn't hungry). Now I keep driving. I can't barely eat 1 or 2 fries without regurgitating them. I eat soup and salad most days. My appetite is a fraction of what it used to be (I would order 2 combo meals for lunch and 2 combo meals for dinner...now I can't even do 2 fries!).

This surgery was the best thing I could do for my health. My Blood Pressure is better, I feel better, and I save so much money on NOT eating out, or even eating period.