Is it "normal" to sometimes have a lot of restriction and then others have very little? Does anyone have any explanation for this? I have made two fill appts. only to have to cancel them days before because I am having a lot of restriction. Then after a few days pass it seems like I have little restriction at all. Help anyone????? :help:

I have noticed that 3 days before my period I totally shut off. Then when I start, I can eat ANYTHING, then after I stop I am back to tight in the morning, can eat mushies at lunch, and hard Protein at night. I thought I was too tight after my last fill, but have adjusted to my "fickle" band. When I try to eat early in the day, I drink coffee and can get some things down. But some days that does not work either.

Every body is different. You just have to modify and adjust your life to your new little helper. If you are way too tight, you will know, and will need an unfill. I do not recommend getting another fill if you have tight days right now. Don't want to end up with problems.

Good luck!

Thanks for the input Poodles.

The only problem is the the restricted days are very few here and there and most of the time I can eat whatever I want. I have not paid any attention to my period and how or if that might affect it.

I know one big problem is that I still rely on the band totally instead of using it as a tool and I'm working on trying to change that.

Thanks for the input Poodles.

The only problem is the the restricted days are very few here and there and most of the time I can eat whatever I want. I have not paid any attention to my period and how or if that might affect it.

I know one big problem is that I still rely on the band totally instead of using it as a tool and I'm working on trying to change that.

im the same some days i can hardly eat and others i can, i find some times it depends on your mood and how u are feeling that day, if u are relaxed and happy so is your stomach and food goes down easily, if your tense, upset or stressed this tightens you stomach walls up and stops me eating, it is different for every one but this is my experience of resriction/no restriction senario.

We have to remember that restriction is a function of both the tightness of the band, which doesn't change, and the thickness of our stomach walls, which does change. Stomach tissue is prone to the exact same swelling and retraction that the rest of the human body is sometimes. You know how your rings feel tight some days or some times of day and not others? No one thinks the ring is changing in size, and it's the exact same thing going on inside your body.

It's all about Water retention, and that varies from person to person. If you know your body well, you might be able to minimize or at least predict fluctuations in water retention. If it's a problem, drinking a lot is the single best thing you can do to flush excess Fluid out of your body. I know for me, not drinking enough is a sure path to increased restriction.

Our stomachs are not rigid and we can't expect them to behave as if they are. No mystery about it!

i have found that when i drink to much i am loose....

any others ????? i worry about stretching my pouch....

I worry about the same thing melreece. Mornings and lunch i'm restricted...at night there's nothing. WHY

cant figure that out... very disturbing... meeting with my surgeon wed... will update...

when was your surgery ????

Yes, I have the same problem. The one thing I can't get used to is the paranoya that comes with it. "I can eat anything...have I slipped...eroded?" At least I'm not alone in this. I hate it. It's like another stresser in my life. The constant worry. It's like a rollercoaster.

I totally agree with you Solitaire. Many times I am worried that the band has slipped or something like that and then I have a day where I can't seem to keep down any food. Ultimately I know that I need to use the band to change my way of eating though so that if I do have days with less restriction then I will still eat as if I were restricted (if it were only that easy).

Oh yeah, and Alexandra that does really mak a lot of sense about the water retention and the swelling of the body. Unfortunately I don't think I know my body well enough to determine when I will and won't have more or less restrictive days. I definitely can tell when my hands and feet are swollen and maybe then I can expect to have a more restricted day. I will keep be sure to take note of that the next time. Thanks.

Drinking is not going to stretch your pouch.

As far as restriction goes, like others have mentioned, I am tight in the mornings and can only get liquids down the first few hours I am up. I also get tighter around my period. And what Alexandra said is so true. I had mentioned to my surgeon that I am very tight in the morning. The first thing he asked me was if my rings are tight when I first get up. I said yes. He said a lot of people tend to retain Water during the night. Just like your fingers and ankles swell when you retain water, your body tissue/stomach can also swell, causing you to be tighter. So, if you do have some days where you seem to be really tight, check your water intake and see if you are a bit below where you should be, resulting in your retaining water.

I am also trying to get the tickler to work without success. Any help? On another note. I don't think I have any restriction right now I feel like I could eat anything even though I haven't as I am still on liquid for 2more days. I did have some chicken noodle soup (just a little) I felt like I was starving? Any other new bandsters feel like that?

I am going to start walking tomorrow morning . Dusted off the treadmill and am ready now I am 12 days postop. Brendab

I was banded November of last year :confused: