:help: I went in for a fill today and the woman told me that my pouch was stretched...then she told me it was no big deal. I asked if it would go back and she said not without a total unfill...then I would gain. She told me it was not necessary and sent me on my way like everything was ok. I need more information...this can't be as simple as she made it out to be. What did I do to myself (ok I know I overate) but what are the effects?

...Malice...:help:

The sad thing is that I know it is. I KNOW I over ate and I knew it while I was doing it, I just thought that nothing would happen, either that or was trying to sabotage myself. I'm all about personal responsibility I guess. I do need to call and speak with the Dr. and will take it easy and strive to do my best. Thank you Leatha for your advice and your comforting words though. It's nice to actually talk to someone about this.

Try to relax...we've either been through this or know someone who has...and MOST OF THEM have no long term problems of any kind. So...chill. Really!

Think of a funnel. Made out of leather. (Yeah, weird, but it kind of works.) You can pour in infinite amount of a liquid in there, but solids--just by sitting there and exerting force on the funnel--can start to stretch the darned thing. This does NOT mean is it ripped or thrashed or broken...it's just a little stretched out.

If I were a gambling women I'd put my money on "eating too fast." Because we are used to trying to fill up a STOMACH, we have no idea of how little it takes to fill up a FUNNEL. If you give your food time to get there, and send a signal that it's there on up to your brain, your esophagus will not have a reason to stay enlarged and it will reduce itself.

Remember, unlike that leather funnel, it is a living organ. It changed by getting bigger and it can change and get smaller. You may need to figure out if YOU are stretching it (best option, because you can stop it). Start there.

Exhale, now!!!

Another question, my throat feels dilated. This weird "Open" feeling in the back of my throat.

I am assuming this is esophagus dilation? Has anyone else ever had that feeling?

I think I still may be eating too fast. If I continue to slow down will it go away?

Another question, my throat feels dilated. This weird "Open" feeling in the back of my throat.

I am assuming this is esophagus dilation? Has anyone else ever had that feeling?

I think I still may be eating too fast. If I continue to slow down will it go away?

Okay...you win the "creative complication question contest!" I really don't think I've ever heard that one before!?!

To the best of my knowledge, though, the dilation--which for some reason the medical dudes thought needed an additional syllable, so they call it "esophageal dilatation" (probably because they were science majors, not English majors)--as we are talking about it here, begins at the bottom of the esophagus, where food stacks up waiting to get into the stomach.

It's not an easy thing to find photos of, because "esophageal dilatation" is BOTH a symptom of what banded and other people have when we have inadvertently enlarged our esophaguses (esophagi?)...but it's also a medical procedure performed by gastroenterologists to WIDEN an esophagus narrowed by strictures or disease. So it's a good thing (the procedure) and a bad thing (what we do.)

So my guess would be...no...the back of the throat would not be involved. The images I've seen have been of an esophagus that was just wider a the bottom. Like an upside down skinny letter Y.

Any chance you've lost enough weight that some of the fatty tissue in that area has just disappeared making a "normal" opening (that you aren't used tohaving) feel "different?"

Did your insurance pay for the second banding?

Yes ma'am. I had Cigna PPO with my initial banding. Cigna HMO with my second. I had moved to another city, so I had to locate another doctor which was a nightmare, but fortunately my employer has chosen to cover banding, so I've been very fortunate in that aspect.

Thank you for you reply. You've given me hope. I lost my band 8 months ago. The Dr. who did it is no longer doing them. I went on line and after awhile I found a new Dr. I have an appointment tomorrow. From what I can tell he's willing if the insurnce is. How do I fight it if they turn me down?

I'm sorry to hear about your band loss. I really can't answer your question adequately, regarding your insurance due to the fact that all insurances are different. In my case, I was rebanded the day they tried to reposition my slipped band. Apparently, in trying to reposition the band they broke it and had to replace it, according to the Dr.

I actually had to have my second surgery approved, same as the first, but it was considered medically necessary as my band had slipped. I guess this far out, your insurance company would look at the fact that you are not currently banded and whether your BMI/Co-morbidities still warrented gastric banding. In my opinion (and I don't know your specifics), unless there was extensive healing that needed to take place, it would have been better for you to have had the band replaced at the time of your removal surgery. This would have kept the ordeal all in one surgery and one recovery time. I really hope you get it worked out!

You know I had no signs, other than me over eating I felt nothing different. Anyone ever actually been through this and came out on top?

I've been a bit worried about this as well because I'm only supposed to be eating around 200ml of food, but I seem to be able to eat more then that. I just figured that some of the food was passing through the band while i was still eating (since I eat pretty slow). I don't think I'm stretching it, but I guess it could always be a possibility... at least its not a serious problem.

I have a stretched pouch, also (and I lost my band several months ago.) I wish I had more information for you but everything's already been said. Eat too much or sneeze the wrong way and the stomach can protrude upwards (also known as slippage.) The band isn't for everyone, which is why my erosion was probably a blessing in disguise because I never caught on to eating small portions. I'm a bulk-eater. I eat huge quantities of food out of bad addiction habits and obsession with food.

The good news is that your problem can heal itself if you stick to liquids and small amounts of mushies for awhile. You really need to respect the band or it won't be nice to you. Good luck. Sip Water, walk, move, and stay away from big portions. xo

thats becoming my problem now, i see the food on my plate, and it doesnt look like enough. so i add more but then i end up stuffed.

Has some one posted a portions guide any where? So I know more or less how much of normal foods I should be eating?

Knock it off Kat, now! KISS. (Keep It Simple, Stupid.) Use your fist as a guide and don't overcomplicate food portions. Thumb equals an ounce. Palm a fish/protein portion. Do you want to end up like me with no band, or do you want your investment to pay out in the form of skinny, sexy mammas?

skinny sexy momma please........a thumb is an ounce, wow didnt know that...rock on sista!

I don't think it's an ounce if you weigh it, but it's a good rule of thumb (thumb pun intended!) LQQK at an ounce of chicken, for example. It's about the size of your thumb. But don't screw with me today because I'm NOT in the mood, so if you think you can run out and get three inch acrylic nails to extend the size of your cheese hunk, try again. Don't count the nail! I think I have a book somewhere that has guestimates of food portions. I'll see if I can find it for you.