This will show you the band and how it works.

http://www.weightless.com.au/medical/xrays/ie_index.html#

Good find. That's an awesome video that finally begins to show us exactly what's going on. I'd love to see the same video done with food instead of the barium. If you look above the band, you can't even see the pouch - it's just like the pouch leads right into the esophagus? Like a long tube? Sure would be nice to see that with food to show exactly how much food can fit without stretching. Did that make any sense?

OH my gosh... I just went back and clicked on the "too tight" option. It shows the barium backing up and a more defined pouch. Wow, good find on this video!

Betty,

Those are amazing pictures. I especially liked the different kinds of viewing options. You can really see something is not right in those ones that are tight!

Wow, very similar to the "study" or whatever I had done at 7 days post-op in the ER when I went in for fluids. The "Nearly Normal" and "Too Tight" were close to what I was seeing on the live screen. Very interesting! Barium, however, is not food. I agree with you DeLarla. I want to see what food does!

Hey, I have a friend who is a nurse who could look at my band with her Ultrasound. Think it would work? We could watch me eat something, see what happens? I wonder if I could see it if it's not barium? Whaddya think, nurses out there?

EXCELENT!

these trully describes the band

My question is ...is there a pouch above our band or not? It's hard to tell from those pics?

Thanks Betty, those were awesome. I too, would like to see my food going down or sitting which ever the case may be.

My question is ...is there a pouch above our band or not? It's hard to tell from those pics?

Jasper, check out this old thread...

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6339

this has some pics of some tests I had run back when I was post-op and the swelling was bad, and barely any contrast Fluid could go through. It went through, but OH so slowly. The pics aren't all that great, but you can see the shape of the Upper pouch where the fluid pooled because it couldn't flow on through. Very similar to what you saw here on the too tight films. There are 2 pics to start, and another 2 a bit further down the thread. Hope that helps.

I'm not really understanding how all this works either. I have always assumed that you fill the upper pouch and you stay full longer, but it may not be quite that simple...not sure.

That's my question, too. None of these pics allow me to see where the pouch is. It just looks like our whole esophagus accomodates our food intake. Where does the pouch cut off in comparison to the whole espohagus?

That's my question, too. None of these pics allow me to see where the pouch is. It just looks like our whole esophagus accomodates our food intake. Where does the pouch cut off in comparison to the whole espohagus?

When I had my study or whatever done, I could see the valve at the bottom of my esophogus letting the contrast fluid past, but then when my upper somach would lurch or squeeze to try and get the fluid down through the stoma, it just pushed it back up past that valve and that's what caused the heartburn/tight chest/discomfort. I was definately too tight. So I guess the area above the band and below the valve coming from the esophogus is about the size of a Walnut? I have heard. Dunno.

So the big bowl of salsa and chips i just ate is sitting in my esophagus? I kinda figured that much. i will get second fill tomorrow. I got first fill May 10 and have had occassional mild pb when i eat a bite of chicken fish or meat too fast and don't chew well, but I can graze on chips and guacamole and salsa for hours. So it must not be tight enough. And I have only lost 1.5 lbs since the fill.

To answer the question about looking at food going through with ultrasound, this won't work. I am a sonographer and do ultrasound for a group of radiologists here in town. Ultrasound cannot be used effectively to evaluate the digestive tract since sound waves cannot travel through the gas and air. Same with lungs, these are best seen on fluouroscopy Xray or CT. If you knew a radiologist, he might do a study for you. He could take before, during and after pictures, but it would take too much radiation to watch food go through in real time. Trust me, I have tried to see my band. The best I could get was a little Fluid collection around the port post op and the actual port itself. I am going to see Dr. Martinez in the morning. I will ask him to take a picture right when the pouch fills and see if he will give it to me to show.

Wish me luck!

Susie

Hey Susie, thanks for answering the ultrasound question. I, too, can eat chips, guac and salsa. Yummy! I had it for lunch today with a bit of refried beans and it filled me up, but I ate a pretty good amount. A whole avocado, maybe 1/2 cup beans and the rest, who knows. It was more than I should have been able to eat and it's fill time for me, too. I guess the bulk of what we eat goes on through the band slowly. At some point, it has to collect up there to give us that full feeling? I know for certain that I am able to eat more than enough to fill that pouch, so it has to be going down through the band during the meal. Eating the hard protien first is what makes that pouch fill up and stay fuller longer. I know for certain that the upper part of the stomach squeezes when you put something in it. As long as you aren't too tight, food goes down and not back up into the esophogus. hmmm.

Your welcome Kathy. I am off to Tijuana for my fill, then shopping for boots (duaghter is leaving for horsebacking riding camp) and it's always cheaper in Mexico.

I am curious about most everyone's weight loss time-bands that are posted. Are most people losing that 1-2 lbs per week? I don't see too many people reposting new weight loss very often. I wonder if more are stuck on a plateau like me. Almost all of my weight loss was the 6 weeks of liquids and yogurt. I only lost 1.5 lbs after my first fill. Somedays I am down 3-4 lbs and the next time I weight I am right back were I was the week before.

I guess I will find out today with Dr. Martinez. I was able to call him on his cell yesterday and he said no problem just come in at 11:00 and they would work me in to the schedule. I am so glad I don't have to wait weeks for the fill. I will be vacationing this August and would like to look a little thinner.

Susie

I have lost a total of 17 pounds, 15 of that I lost in the first 12 days after surgery. I maintained the loss and managed to go down another 2, but this morning I had gained that 2 back. So, yes, I am fighting the plateau. Time for a fill. This banding journey is something else! It really takes work and determination, just like dieting does. I am able to go the long haul with the band though, unlike dieting which lasts for a week or two, then, forget it!

The thing that makes me certain about needing a fill for me is that I don't get full eating a Lean Cuisine or other frozen entree. I need something more (at least I feel like I do!) If I were properly filled, that meal should be plenty for hours.

Good luck on your fill! Let us know how it goes and whether or not you are getting good restriction. I sure wish I could be-bop over to TJ, or I'd be there with you today!! It's a long flight from NC. sigh.