Hello everyone! I had my second fill a few weeks ago, and my band is pretty tight. Since getting back to solids, I find that I have to drink hot tea, crystal light, coffee(whatever hot liquid I can get my hands) on before I eat, or my food will get stuck. Anyone else have this issue? I think it may be a mucus thing.. Thoughts?

I am with you Kim,

I just had my 4th 2 weeks ago and I get stuck on everything. Today, I've been sick for 2 days so I thought I'll eat a couple of ritz crackers, after 1 I got stuck, so then I fried me a hamburger and cut me up 1/4 in small pieces drowned in ketchup, got stuck. I've heard people say they can't handle cold drinks and I've always got unsweet iced tea in my hands (decaf) so I guess I also need to try the hot thing. Let me know if you figure it out.

I do the hot tea thing. I have gotten some really strange looks when ordering a hot tea when it's 90 outside. I also do decaf coffee when we go out. I have even started to carry a tea bag or two with me when I go out just in case they only have crap tea to offer. ~Mandy

Hot tea is the best. Yes I have to.

A hot drink in the morning helps me a ton. I've also learned that if I get really stuck and can't seem to get rid of the golfball in my chest, I can drink something hot and it relaxes enough to move on.

I thought u weren't supposed to drink with food?

Ideally you don't drink with your meals. But some bands really tighten down, especially over night, and warm liquid seems to relax them. Personally, I don't need to drink anything, but until I get up and moving, eating or drinking is not the best. I usually get up, and go for a morning walk, and by the time I get back, I am opened up more. My DH has a theory that the saline settles into the lower area being the band over night, and that until we open it up or move around and get the fluid redistributed along the tubing etc. we remain tight. Now this I repeat is his theory...not something anyone medical told me!!! Whatever--it keeps him from hounding me about eating breakfast!!!

Kat

Yep something hot to help me get thru a meal *yes*

Me too. Big cup of hot coffee before anything to eat for Breakfast, Soup or hot tea before lunch, and soup again at dinner time before eating anything else. I didn't have this problem till my second fill (1.5 cc in 4 cc band). I hadn't thought of trying a hot drink to chase the golfball feeling away (Bandacat mentioned above), but I'll give it a try next time. It certainly doesn't help to drink cold Water when something is stuck!

Deana.

I always have a hot drink before breakfast to relax the band. I've had terrible experiences (as have others I know) trying to drink something to 'help' with a stuck situation.....it just backs up and comes right out.

Ideally you don't drink with your meals. But some bands really tighten down, especially over night, and warm liquid seems to relax them. Personally, I don't need to drink anything, but until I get up and moving, eating or drinking is not the best. I usually get up, and go for a morning walk, and by the time I get back, I am opened up more. My DH has a theory that the saline settles into the lower area being the band over night, and that until we open it up or move around and get the Fluid redistributed along the tubing etc. we remain tight. Now this I repeat is his theory...not something anyone medical told me!!! Whatever--it keeps him from hounding me about eating breakfast!!!

Kat

Here is another theory for you.....You know how when you walk too much or at the end of the day your hands and feet swell? My theory is that when we sleep (laying down) the fluid evenly distributes in our bodies, thus more water/fluid in the torso and more pressure on the pouch. When we get up and move around the water/fluid moves into our arms and legs and away from the pouch. Make sense? I was sent a rather snippy PM recently telling me that all of the changes were my body, because the restriction in the band cannot change without a fill. Of course the PM came from a pre-bandsters...I know that sometimes my band allows certain foods and sometimes is doesn't, maybe my fill doc is sneaking in at night like the tooth fairy and filling/unfilling my band??? ~Mandy

Here is another theory for you.....You know how when you walk too much or at the end of the day your hands and feet swell? My theory is that when we sleep (laying down) the Fluid evenly distributes in our bodies, thus more water/fluid in the torso and more pressure on the pouch. When we get up and move around the water/fluid moves into our arms and legs and away from the pouch. Make sense? .... ~Mandy

Mandy, I recently complained to my doctor about being too tight in the morning, even at midday, then eating too much at night because I couldn't eat the rest of the day. He said that it's absolutely normal to feel extra tight in the morning, and he gave your theory as the explanation (but also said that I shouldn't be making up for it at night!)

All of your reasons sound so logical- so why am I looser in the morning and by dinner can barely choke it down? Works great for me even if it uncomfortable as dinner was my biggest meal. I have lost 8 lbs since my last fill when this started ( 2 and a half weeks ago.) My theory was I am empty in the morning and at lunch but full up by dinner! Who knows?! It seems we are all different! ( Thankfully!!!)

Another Gayle, in Minnesota!

All of your reasons sound so logical- so why am I looser in the morning and by dinner can barely choke it down? Works great for me even if it uncomfortable as dinner was my biggest meal. I have lost 8 lbs since my last fill when this started ( 2 and a half weeks ago.) My theory was I am empty in the morning and at lunch but full up by dinner! Who knows?! It seems we are all different! ( Thankfully!!!)

Another Gayle, in Minnesota!

Maybe eating causes your pouch to swell and that is the end result? Each body is so different, weird huh? ~Mandy

Another Gayle.....my theory on that is that my band tightens with stress and some days (like, all of them) bring stress. What do you think?

This Gayle

This Gayle,

I have nothing to measure that by- this time of year is major stress at work so I can't remember a time since my last fill when I haven't been stressed! I will have to check that out when the holiday season is over and I can stop thinking and dreaming about work.

Another Gayle