Stretched pouch?

[loseit 28]

I have been banded almost 2years. I have 8.4cc in my 10cc band. I can get anything. I have lost 60lbs and still need to lose 15 more, but I can't seem to lose anymore. Have I stretched my pouch? How will I know?

[Jack 855]

Usually the less we have to lose, the more difficult it is to do such. As the 'low hanging fruit' is easily picked from the ground, we need a ladder to reach the stuff at the top.

I once picked cherries one summer after high school. I know the problem with ladders & going after the hard to reach stuff. The goal of topping our your tree is balanced with the extra time & effort for smaller return in the pick bag.

Stretching your pouch is an issue only your surgeon can determine.

Losing 15 pounds more has little to do with the pouch size, and much to do with what and how much you eat, how much exercies, etc.

If you think you have a pouch issue talk with your surgeon. If you need to tighten up your INTAKE calories, there's a host of remedies, include talking with your dietician.

Only 15 # to go??? Congratulations!!!!

[NaNa 878]

I have been banded almost 2years. I have 8.4cc in my 10cc band. I can get anything. I have lost 60lbs and still need to lose 15 more, but I can't seem to lose anymore. Have I stretched my pouch? How will I know?

The only way to tell if your pouch is stretched is have your surgeon compare your orginal pouch calibrated size when you had your surgery to the size of your pouch now....and you'd have to get an Upper Gi series or esophagram...

[B-52 7,113]

I have been banded for 3 years, have been in the Green for over 2 years...after that time, I have come to expect just how much the band will allow to me to eat at any one sitting...I have grown accustomed to the portion sizes the band allows me to consume....because of experiencing it once or twice a day, day after day after day....

Having said that.....there comes a time, every now and then, that I realize I am eating more than usual, with little to no problems...larger portions than usual....

When that happens, I go full liquids for a few days, to let everything return to normal....after which, when I begin to eat reg. food again all is behaving as I am accustomed to....

Some people call this the "5 Day Pouch Test"...why a test, I don't know....but for me it does work...so much so that I do it on a regular basis about every 5-6 weeks, just for maintenance....have not had a fill in over 2-1/2 years, yet doing this keeps things as good as the day I had my last fill....

Plus gives everything a "Time out" from over use....

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

by doing a fluro/barium swallow, you will see if the band is stretched..

at my last xray, i asked to see what one looked like.....its a hum dinger of the thing to see and it is a reminder of what not to do (overeat etc).

so for best results and answers, go to your dr, let them do an xray/barium swallow under fluro and get that answer you are seeking as that is where you will get the correct answer

Edited January 13, 2014 by ☠carolinagirl☠

[steph2012 252]

It is true, your sugeon is the only one that can determine if you have stretched your pouch. It's done by way of a Upper GI (Barium swallow).

One of the signs of a stretched pouch (dilated esophagus) is lost of restriction. As I understand it, if you have stretched your pouch, food begins to process on top of your band. Because it is not passing through your band, the typical nerves that are triggered to send the 'full/satisfied' message to your brain is not being triggered.

While a stretched band is one reason you may not lose weight, I suspect this is not your case. As contributors before me have said, you are likely into the tough weight & the last few pounds are just going to take a little more work...