Hi there --

Does anyone else experience inconsistency regarding tightness of the band? I was banded in February, have a had a few fills, one unfill, and then a slight refill.

I am very happy with my weight loss, and usually, with my level of restriction, but lately it has been very strange ... one day, I can eat almost anything and the next day I am extremely tight and barely able to do Soup. When I do PB, it is not a feeling of immediate relief. For example, today I had a few bites of chicken for lunch ... some thing I have eaten dozens of times without problem. I could tell that today was a tight day so I stopped as soon as it felt "off" and sure enough, have been miserable for about 4 hours. I PBed once and that helped slightly, but I still feel miserable. It was like this on Saturday, but yesterday was fine.

Any advice? I do not want to live on soup, but almost getting to the point of being scared to eat.

Any thoughts or advice? Thanks.

Cynthia

When i first got the band I was really tight until around 3-4 p.m so I just went with it and drink my slimfast ect. If you get stuck and don't get relief try meat tenderizer it works awesome just put a little in a little warm water stir and drink little sips until what ever is stuck will come up, I have had to do this more then once. you still might be alittle tight if it keeps on i would call your dr and let him know what is going on.You have to get your protien in or you will have a whole other set of problems. Good luck

I just had this conversation with my doctor's PA today because I went in for a fill - she put in 2 cc's which was pretty large because she said my band looked too loose - I had a fill 3 weeks ago but a small one - if she thought it looked so loose why only fill it .50 3 weeks ago but 2 today - I told her it was hard to know what the right amount is because some days I can eat steak or whatever I want but in smaller portions and some days food gets stuck even if pieces are small - I have never gotten a straight answer from anyone other than (1) tighter in morning because dehydrate during the night (2) right after a fill the stomach swells tightening the band and loosens up in about a week (3) other explanations that frankly don't make sense - I have yet to have someone tell me why some days tight some days loose. You would think it would be pretty much the same every day at least until you have lost more weight and band gets looser that way - I have only lost 10 lbs - they say am eating too much but I am not eating much at all. I stay frustrated most of the time and confused whether I should have the band or not.

The tightness of my band fluctuates on a daily basis, sometimes even hourly. It's weird. I can eat something for lunch with no problem, but sometimes I can't eat it again for dinner that same day. Other days it's no problem. I never know from day to day. I exercise quite a bit so I'm not sure if that's it or if it's a water retention thing or what! It's frustrating at times. I'm sorry I don't have any advice, I just kind of go with the flow. I can tell almost immediately if I'm going to have trouble and I stop. Since being banded I've not been able to eat chicken, then all of the sudden I could eat is some of the time. Go figure! There are days when eating almost seems like a chore instead of a pleasure. On those days, I eat to live and eat what I can like soup, yogurt, protein shakes, etc. I'm all ears if anyone else has any answers or suggestions.

I spoke with the PA today about this topic when I went for a fill. She also has had the surgery, and said the same happened with her. But didn't give me a reason for it happening. But I am the same way...some days I can eat a lot, and then some days I can barely eat.

Maybe it's hormonal? Are there any banded men with the same problem? Today it took me 45min to get down oatmeal, but lunch was just fine (two or three small oxtails with two very small chopped up potatoes and three chopped pieces of carrots), dinner-1 small chicken wing and it's hard to swallow my own spit! I am ovulating (I know TMI) and I'm full as hell...what gives!!!!!

Thanks, everyone. At least I am not crazy!

I definitely see the impact of hormones, and, sometimes, I think stress.

I've gone 9 months with no issues what so ever, and could basically eat anything I wanted as long as I chewed well. I was completely unfilled the first of August due to gallbladder surgery. I had to start over again. Prior to surgery I was filled to 5.5 in a 10 CC band. I was filled to 5 cc on September 17th. So I'm still not up to where I was. But now starting last week on Monday, I have PBd 8 times. Prior to that I only PB twice in 9 months. What is up with that? This is all new to me. I don't know what to make of it. Protein foods seem to be the worst culprits, but even green beans had me in the bathroom seeking relief. Some meals I can eat just fine, with no problem. I had veal last night for dinner, and it was wonderful. But at lunch yesterday, I had two bites of fish, and couldn't even swallow spit. It came right back up. HORRIBLE. Since it's come and go, and differs day to day and meal to meal, I don't know if I should get an unfill or not. I'm not really experiencing any hunger, and don't feel weak, so I don't know if I should go with it or not. I'm finally losing at a really good pace and hate to ruin it. I've been losing slowly up to now. I'm confused about what to do.

Maybe it's hormonal? Are there any banded men with the same problem? Today it took me 45min to get down oatmeal, but lunch was just fine (two or three small oxtails with two very small chopped up potatoes and three chopped pieces of carrots), dinner-1 small chicken wing and it's hard to swallow my own spit! I am ovulating (I know TMI) and I'm full as hell...what gives!!!!!

As a banded man, I can definitely tell you that it is NOT just the girls that experience this. I was banded on 10-15-07. I currently have ~9 cc in a 10 cc band. I am in "the zone", and have lost 105 lbs to date.

Even so, some days, I feel like I can eat a lot more than normal for this fill level, and other days, I am extremely tight, and PB on just about anything other than soup.

As a banded man, I can definitely tell you that it is NOT just the girls that experience this. I was banded on 10-15-07. I currently have ~9 cc in a 10 cc band. I am in "the zone", and have lost 105 lbs to date.

Even so, some days, I feel like I can eat a lot more than normal for this fill level, and other days, I am extremely tight, and PB on just about anything other than soup.

Thanks for speaking up. I've always wondered about that. Congrats on your weight loss! That is awesome! Happy Bandisversary next week!!