Start off good then get too tight...help

[amillerjones 0]

Hey ladies; been banded for a year and had the same problem as you all. Every month right before my period my band is so tight that I throw up everything I eat even fluids then I am fine. I lost tons of weight but it was a rather miserable process. I went from 229 to 130 but looked malnourished and took all the Fluid out. Felt healthy but gained weight rapidly and am now at 174. I had to get another fill to get around 150; which is where i want to be and it's that week again and I threw up everything today including my coffee and have acid reflux, but I know that this will go away in a few days like it always does.

[coltonwade 27]

Hey ladies; been banded for a year and had the same problem as you all. Every month right before my period my band is so tight that I throw up everything I eat even fluids then I am fine. I lost tons of weight but it was a rather miserable process. I went from 229 to 130 but looked malnourished and took all the Fluid out. Felt healthy but gained weight rapidly and am now at 174. I had to get another fill to get around 150; which is where i want to be and it's that week again and I threw up everything today including my coffee and have acid reflux, but I know that this will go away in a few days like it always does.

Does your doc know you do this ?

maybe u can talk to him about slightly unfilling you during your period ?

You must swell really bad during the TOM ?

You are risking slipping your band if you keep throwing up like that. Plus its not a good thing.

If you have not already i would talk to your doc about getting slight unfills if not total unfills during your TOM .

My doc is INSISTENT that you avoid throwing up at all costs. if you get the flu you need to get unfilled so this would be similar ?

HTH

Mindy

[coltonwade 27]

I just thought of something else.

If you happen to be on the pill. You could maybe get on the pill that you take that causes u to NOT have a period. Seasonal i think its called ?

That might avoid the situation all together.

HTH

mindy

[JeepGal 0]

Random thought...maybe it's stress that is making you so tight?

If I'm worried about being stuck, I know that I'll get stuck. I've started to do a little meditation whenever I think I might be getting stuck and I know I've chewed well enough. I started doing this on advice of a friend and it's worked great.

At work, if it's busy and I'm worried about anything...I don't even try to eat until I'm at home home for a few hours and relaxed from the day.

Also when I get a fill. I can not go with out someone to talk to or I worry about the fill and every single time I end up going back up the next day for an unfill.

It's just odd that at one time you could handle 5 or 6 cc's and now you're down to 3.

If you're a worry wart like me, this might be your problem.

Best of luck!

[cantweight2go 1]

Hi everyone,

I saw my surgeon today and I thought she would have some answers for me about the difficulties I have been having with tightness. She was very insensitive. She did not listen very well and at one point she even asked me if I wanted the band taken out. It was almost like she thought I was insulting her by questioning what was going on.

I was smart enough to bring my husband along and he was not happy with her either. I left there feeling that I was not heard. She made sure that I knew that I was ahead on my weight loss and that the health issues I was having had nothing to do with the band. I never said that my health issues had to do with the band, I did say that I did not feel healthier right now. That I worried about the fact that I had so much tightness over and over again.

Anyway, I did not get a fill or unfill this time. I will go back in in 2 months to see her again. My husband and I decided to exercise more just incase stress is an issue for the tightness. I am also going to check out a yoga class too. I know when all is said and done that I am giving this my all. I have no intention of doing this half @$$ed.

Oh, she also said that I must be eating too fast and not chewing well enough. At that point my DH spoke up and told her that I take FOREVER to finish my very small meals and that i cut things into tiny bites. I don't think she heard what he had to say either.

I am not giving up on this. I am in this for the long run.

[olneyangel 0]

This is exactly what I have been looking for - some expert advice on how to deal with this sudden change of events. I've been banded since January 2008 and was doing quite well until September when I started having trouble suddenly but only occasionally with keeping food down. I'm currently at 4.7 or 8 cc's in a 10 cc band. The past two weeks have been really horrible, although not nearly as bad as the person has said they vomited 15x in a day. But, I'm fine at Breakfast (always a Protein shake) and then I go to eat lunch and before I know it I'm in terrible pain and I can't eat anymore. I've usually only had two or three bites of food but I loose it all within minutes. Sometimes I can get dinner down if I puree it but that is no guarantee. I had thought that maybe weather might be a factor - you know how damp days can affect people with joint problems, I thought this could be the same thing. I'm seeing the doctor this week, so I'm thinking about asking to have some Fluid removed. My only concern is that I have been steadily loosing weight since my first fill in March. I've lost 61 lbs and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the weight loss, but I can't go on like this anymore either. I'd appreciate any advice out there. Thanks much.

[coltonwade 27]

This is exactly what I have been looking for - some expert advice on how to deal with this sudden change of events. I've been banded since January 2008 and was doing quite well until September when I started having trouble suddenly but only occasionally with keeping food down. I'm currently at 4.7 or 8 cc's in a 10 cc band. The past two weeks have been really horrible, although not nearly as bad as the person has said they vomited 15x in a day. But, I'm fine at breakfast (always a Protein shake) and then I go to eat lunch and before I know it I'm in terrible pain and I can't eat anymore. I've usually only had two or three bites of food but I loose it all within minutes. Sometimes I can get dinner down if I puree it but that is no guarantee. I had thought that maybe weather might be a factor - you know how damp days can affect people with joint problems, I thought this could be the same thing. I'm seeing the doctor this week, so I'm thinking about asking to have some Fluid removed. My only concern is that I have been steadily loosing weight since my first fill in March. I've lost 61 lbs and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the weight loss, but I can't go on like this anymore either. I'd appreciate any advice out there. Thanks much.

If you are a person that Stress affects you in your stomach , you get headaches from stress, you get stomach aches from stress, if weather affects your body , you get headaches from weather change, your back hurts when its cold ect, you can almost bet those things will affect your band.

Example, if your band is tight check the barometric pressure in your area. The lower it is the better chance your band is tight.

For me , I get Migraines chronically , if the barometric pressure drops i get a Migraine. If i get stressed i get a migraine. The same things that affect my migraines affect my band.

BUT if im SO Tight that the stress wont allow me to eat I have to get an unfill. You said you wanted to not jeopardize your weight loss. Your putting your band in jeopardy by keepign it too tight if you are.

If your too tight and you get a slight unfill, you will still lose weight.

Mindy

[coltonwade 27]

I just read your post again .

The band is meant to be used as a tool to allow you to eat SOLID FOODS normally just less of them .

If your haivng to BLEND your food is that "normal" to you or is that how you want to eat food to lose weight ?

My guess would be NO . that's not what the band is for.

If your tight off and on , and are blending food to eat in order to keep it down YOUR TOO TIGHT Go get an unfill before you slip your band, plain and simple !!!

It wont hurt your weight loss but it WILL Hurt your band if you do not !!

Mindy

[olneyangel 0]

Thanks Mindy for the advice. I'm definitely going to ask the doc for an unfil this week when I see him. I'll let you know how it goes.

Catherine

[Jkck660 0]

I am so glad that I found this post. I too have had the same problems. I got so tight out of no where that I started to throw up everything. I could eat something one day and still be throwing it up the next because the food would never go down. At one point I was so miserable that I couldnt get Water down. So I had an complete unfill. A week later I had severe pain under my right ribs. Found out I had gall stones. so I had my gallbladder taken out. Right now I am sitting out for a couple of weeks with very very little fill in the band(my dr. doesnt tell you how much Fluid he puts in or takes out of the band) to let my stomach settle. i cant even tell that I have a band at this point. I know this is necessary, however, I am scared to death of gaining weight back. Anyway, I get to have a fill the week after thanksgiving. I am ready to hit it hard again and loose the rest of this weight!! However, apparantly I am really sensitive to fills and we have to go really slowly. Does anyone know why it can take up to two weeks for a fill to kick in????

Also, my ticker is not right I have actually lost 55 pounds!

[olneyangel 0]

I am so glad that I found this post. I too have had the same problems. I got so tight out of no where that I started to throw up everything. I could eat something one day and still be throwing it up the next because the food would never go down. At one point I was so miserable that I couldnt get Water down. So I had an complete unfill. A week later I had severe pain under my right ribs. Found out I had gall stones. so I had my gallbladder taken out. Right now I am sitting out for a couple of weeks with very very little fill in the band(my dr. doesnt tell you how much Fluid he puts in or takes out of the band) to let my stomach settle. i cant even tell that I have a band at this point. I know this is necessary, however, I am scared to death of gaining weight back. Anyway, I get to have a fill the week after thanksgiving. I am ready to hit it hard again and loose the rest of this weight!! However, apparantly I am really sensitive to fills and we have to go really slowly. Does anyone know why it can take up to two weeks for a fill to kick in????

Also, my ticker is not right I have actually lost 55 pounds!

Dear Jennifer,

I think you have been wise in getting the Fluid out for awhile. I know I just went to the doctor last week and they took out .7cc's of fluid and I feel like a new person. I can actually eat a meal now comfortably and without pain:thumbup:. Going slow on the fills is also a good idea for those of us who happen to be ultra sensitive.

I have not heard about this idea of fills taking up to two weeks to kick in - it should be immediate.

Don't worry about the weight loss. My doctor encouraged me by saying that taking some fluid out will probably aid in my loosing more weight. The idea being that I will be able to eat more nutritionally sound solid food instead of pureeing all my food with a lot of added fat. Hang in there you'll do fine.

[coltonwade 27]

I am so glad that I found this post. I too have had the same problems. I got so tight out of no where that I started to throw up everything. I could eat something one day and still be throwing it up the next because the food would never go down. At one point I was so miserable that I couldnt get Water down. So I had an complete unfill. A week later I had severe pain under my right ribs. Found out I had gall stones. so I had my gallbladder taken out. Right now I am sitting out for a couple of weeks with very very little fill in the band(my dr. doesnt tell you how much Fluid he puts in or takes out of the band) to let my stomach settle. i cant even tell that I have a band at this point. I know this is necessary, however, I am scared to death of gaining weight back. Anyway, I get to have a fill the week after thanksgiving. I am ready to hit it hard again and loose the rest of this weight!! However, apparantly I am really sensitive to fills and we have to go really slowly. Does anyone know why it can take up to two weeks for a fill to kick in????

Also, my ticker is not right I have actually lost 55 pounds!

Why can it take up to 2 weeks for fills to kick in ?

because your stomach is being manipulated every time you get a fill . Every time you get a fill your stomach swells.

Each person is different , each person takes a different time for the swelling to go down in order for the true feel of the fill to kick in . My fills typically kick in from 4-7 days after my fill. I also swell A LOT after each fill.

does that answer your question any ?

Mindy

[shannongetsslim 0]

Hi everyone,

Thank goodness for this thread. I have been having problems for over a week now. One day I can eat a decent amount and drink my shakes, another day I am so tight that it takes 5 mins for a sip of something to slide down. I am under a lot of stress right now, new job, mom was in a car accident, and is fine, my little brother is an addict and trying to plan a wedding. I worry about stuff I should and night shifts also play havok with my digestive system.

So here is where my concern is. My surgeon isn't the most sensitive man. Dr. Leung there are forums on him if ur interested. I don't want to go and have all my fill taken out.Because the restriction I had prior to all this stress was great. I was finally seeing the band work and was using it as the tool that I should. I also was sick had the 24 hour flu bug and was heaving even when my tummy was empty. I am not starving and can keep a shake down at the worst of times, there might be a bit of pain and it may take a bit but I am not starving.

I just don't know what to do. I am not ready to start from the begining and wonder if my stomach will settle down if I give it some time. I know it is so easy to say go to the doc, cause I dont want to mess up my body, but I also don't want to loose the progress I have made.

I hope you all are doing better, this thread is a life saver!

shannon