Oooops! Stretched pouch

[gingerbug 3]

Thought I need a fill and she checked me and I have a stretched pouch. Needless to say, I did not get the fill and i get to do a week of liquids. I am overly worried about it and I plan to add a few days onto my liquids stage and ease back into solids nice and slow. I was told that I should have my previous restriction level back and if I dont, I should come back in to get it checked out to make sure it went back down. She did not seem overly concerned and she told me she has seen pouches much much more stretced out than mine. I had my fun and learned my lesson. No more playing around for me. I really hope several days of liquids will be enough.

[KTATOM 0]

How did you stretch out your pouch??????

[short1 2]

I asked my Dr. about streching the pouch and he said lapband pouches do not strech. I was shocked :thumbup:. He said the bypass people can strech their pouches, but we throw up if we over eat. My Dr. cautioned me not to over eat because throwing up can cause the band to slip. How could they tell your pouch was streched? I am still confused on this issue.

[Boo Boo Kitty 3]

Ginger glad everything will be ok then!

And as far as I know you CAN stretch your pouch. You do tend to throw up if you eat too much, but I was also told you can stretch it as well. The good thing is if we do it can be reset. Not like the bypass at all!

[gingerbug 3]

How did you stretch out your pouch??????

I am usually a rule follower but I slipped and started to 'eat around the band' too much. Then I started to get too hungry and would eat more.

I asked my Dr. about streching the pouch and he said lapband pouches do not strech. I was shocked :thumbup:. He said the bypass people can strech their pouches, but we throw up if we over eat. My Dr. cautioned me not to over eat because throwing up can cause the band to slip. How could they tell your pouch was streched? I am still confused on this issue.

The stomach stretches, whether there is a lapband around the stomach or not. I would drink that stuff that illuminates under xray and they watch the liquid go down. It illuminates on the screen the pouch and then they print our pictures for reference. My doc office does this before and after every fill.

Also, I went in for a check today and my 6 days of liquids did shrink my pouch down so I can eat today. I have to weigh my food and no more than 4-6 ounces at a time. I am so close to goal, I can totally stay on track now.

[short1 2]

This is an email from my Dr. Just wanted to share.

I shared your email with Dr. Clark and this was his response...I hope it makes sense...it really isn't anything to worry about...<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

"The pouch dilates when the band is too tight and goes back to normal when the band is deflated. It isn't like the gastric bypass where the pouch can permanently increase in size."<o:p></o:p>

[gingerbug 3]

This is an email from my Dr. Just wanted to share.

I shared your email with Dr. Clark and this was his response...I hope it makes sense...it really isn't anything to worry about...<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

"The pouch dilates when the band is too tight and goes back to normal when the band is deflated. It isn't like the gastric bypass where the pouch can permanently increase in size."<o:p></o:p>

I did not claim my pouch was permanently stretched. It is already back to the size it is supposed to be.

[gardengrl 0]

I've been wondering if I stretched my stomach pouch as well - did you have pain? I do and will be seeing my dr. this week.

[gingerbug 3]

Well, it did when I ate too much and that is the rason my pouched stretched. I dont think the pouch itself hurt from being stretched just the amount of food I was packing in.

[labgab29 0]

i am dealing with a swollen pouch I think and cannot get my MD to take out the Fluid, He says I am to tight and I know I am because I watch the xray and know there is extreme restriction, but I can eat what I want.. so, I think it has to be swollen. He says just to watch my portions, which is very hard because I can eat just like I did before the band and feel hungry 2-3 hours after eating.. I am 2 years post op and have lost 139 and have done so well since this started.. it first started with reflux then vomiting, now none of those problems just no restriction.. please help with your advise.. lisa

[gingerbug 3]

i am dealing with a swollen pouch I think and cannot get my MD to take out the Fluid, He says I am to tight and I know I am because I watch the xray and know there is extreme restriction, but I can eat what I want.. so, I think it has to be swollen. He says just to watch my portions, which is very hard because I can eat just like I did before the band and feel hungry 2-3 hours after eating.. I am 2 years post op and have lost 139 and have done so well since this started.. it first started with reflux then vomiting, now none of those problems just no restriction.. please help with your advise.. lisa

Well, as it was explained to me, even though my restriction was good my pouch was stretched making it possible for me to eat so much more that I should have been able to and making me me so hungry. I am under strict orders to measure and weight my food from now on and to stick with it 100% of the time. I did liquids for a week and I portion out every.single.thing. Guess what? I have my restriction back and it ROCKS. I am in no position to give anyone advice BUT if I were to make a suggestion, give yourself a few days of liquids to get back in the saddle then be a nazi about measuring your food.< /p>

[bjr 0]

how can u tell if u have restriction if ur able to eat a lot of food. i eat a lot and dont throw up. i been banded since 2/08. lost 60 pounds but i still dont understand restriction. i have 10cc in a 12 cc band. im goin nuts.seems like if u have restriction u could not eat enuf to stretch ur pouch in the first place. im so confused. please help me. brenda

[gingerbug 3]

how can u tell if u have restriction if ur able to eat a lot of food. i eat a lot and dont throw up. i been banded since 2/08. lost 60 pounds but i still dont understand restriction. i have 10cc in a 12 cc band. im goin nuts.seems like if u have restriction u could not eat enuf to stretch ur pouch in the first place. im so confused. please help me. brenda

The nurse told me that I dont feel my restriction because I had stretched my pouch. I had been doing things that I was not supposed to do like drink a little pop, drinking a bit with my meals. It started out slow then one day I realized I was hungry all the time and could eat so much. Iwent in for a fill and found out what was going on and I was put on a liquid diet for a week so my pouch could go back down to the size of an egg (it was twice its size). So, in my case, even with restriction, I was able to stretch out my pouch. If oyu are concerned, you may want to ask your doc to check it under flouro. All I can talk about is my experience and what I was told by my 'people'.

[labgab29 0]

i am dealing with a swollen pouch I think and cannot get my MD to take out the Fluid, He says I am to tight and I know I am because I watch the xray and know there is extreme restriction, but I can eat what I want.. so, I think it has to be swollen. He says just to watch my portions, which is very hard because I can eat just like I did before the band and feel hungry 2-3 hours after eating.. I am 2 years post op and have lost 139 and have done so well since this started.. it first started with reflux then vomiting, now none of those problems just no restriction.. please help with your advise.. lisa

thanks for the advise, we sound like our problems are just alike.. I am on day 2 of liquids... I am so scared it will not shrink back down so reading your post gives me hope.. I have been so successful so don't want to gain it all back.. thanks again,

[gingerbug 3]

thanks for the advise, we sound like our problems are just alike.. I am on day 2 of liquids... I am so scared it will not shrink back down so reading your post gives me hope.. I have been so successful so don't want to gain it all back.. thanks again,

It took me 6 days to shrink it back down. I saw the before and after on the screen after flouro and I am confident that my liquid diet worked. I can for sure tell I have my restriction back now because I am FULL after about 2-3 ounces of protien and a few bites of veggies. Best of luck!!