Hi everyone. I started mushies this past Saturday. My family took my mother out yesterday to Steak and Ale for her birthday. I had one beet from the salad bar, about 4 tbs of french onion Soup (just the broth) and a 1/2 of a small baked potato - I mashed all food up with my fork. We went back to my sister's for dessert and I had a paper thin piece of cake and about 8 cheese doodles. Last night, I had the other 1/2 of the baked potato. In between I drank, drank, drank. Not a great day but nothing like it would have been pre-band.

My question is...what are the signs that your pouch is stretching?

I'm concerned. I believe I have stretched my pouch. I received a lapband on October 17, 2006. I have since gained 10 lbs. I'm nervous. I received a band adjustment two weeks ago. I don't feel any fullness. I feel like I'm gaining weight. What should I do??????

Get another fill.

From what I can tell from my doctor's book on lap band patients, it's not pouch stretching that actually happens; it is pouch dilatation, caused by the band's slipping downward and increasing the size of the upper stomach pouch. In other words, we are talking about band slippage. Causes of slippage are:

Ignoring the post op liquid phase

Vomiting

Bad Eating Habits--eating too much, too fast, or not chewing enough.

He doesn't go into symptoms of slippage, but as I understand it they are similar to not having a proper fill--being able to eat very little or too much. Since it's hard to tell if your band has slipped just from how you feel, I like to get fluoroscopy with my fills so the doctor can check out band placement.

Bridget, it sounds like you got the bread stuck in your stoma--the opening between the upper pouch and the lower stomach. Yeah, it hurts. Consider it a tool to help you remember to avoid doing it again.

I'm concerned. I believe I have stretched my pouch. I received a lapband on October 17, 2006. I have since gained 10 lbs. I'm nervous. I received a band adjustment two weeks ago. I don't feel any fullness. I feel like I'm gaining weight. What should I do??????

Do you have the option of getting a fluoroscopy to see what your band placement looks like? That is what I would do.

What is your fill history and fill level now?