Band too tight? -OR- Eating too fast?

nothingcomesez · February 20, 2009

Always glad to hear that us talking about these things helps someone else! I'm only three days out since my unfill and I am keeping things down! It's funny how we can have a love for food and a fear of it all at the same time! Now that I am keeping things down finally I am afraid of not losing any weight even though logically I know I have to eat to lose weight. See- I knew those 6 weeks of throwing up would mess with my mind.

I have the same problem too with dinner. When the band is so tight in the morning I don't hardly eat anything, a little something for lunch... and dinner? Well, I'm really trying not to eat too fast or too much, cause I think I'm starving. My stomach is embarassing, always growling up a storm! Take Care All!

WASaBubbleButt · February 21, 2009

I am kind of in this stage too. I have restriction for the first time since I got my band in october 2008. It is very difficult to know how much to eat. I am very tight in the morning. So I usually can only get down 1/2 a yogurt. Then the afternoon is better. 1/2 cup of food at lunch. I just got my fill on monday, so if it gets any tighter I may have to have some removed. Hope we all get this thing figured out. The hardest thing for me is to slow down, at dinner. By the time dinner comes I am starving.

Water load.

When you are super hungry you naturally eat too fast and too much and hurl. Don't do that.

Kill the initial "overly hungry" feeling by Water loading THEN eat your food. You will eat more slowly and naturally, eat less, and do better overall.

Some docs say to not drink water 30 minutes before eating. I disagree. Their thinking is that there is a mucus plug that forms in your stoma and that keeps food in your pouch longer. Thing is, it takes about 12 hours for that mucus plug to form so what's the use of this 30 minute rule? I'd personally prefer to see someone water load to kill the "overly hungry" feeling vs. puke and stoma spew over eating too much and too fast due to extreme hunger.

And.. make that cold water if you tolerate it. It will make you more restricted and you'll eat less. ;o)

Bandana · February 21, 2009

I am so glad I found this site. It is what I've been looking for. I could quote all of you. I'm doing the same things. I've had my band for 13 months and I'm still having these problems. One would think I would learn. But I'm always fearful of not losing weight if I get an unfil. I can't wait to hear how you girls did with the unfils because I'm thinking of getting one next Friday when I see the doctor.

Thank you all for your posts. It's really good to find this thread and to know that you're not alone.

nothingcomesez · February 21, 2009

Glad to know that this is helping! I wanted some opinions from others as well, which is why I sought out this site too. I am doing well with my unfill. It's nice to keep food down for a change. If you have been dealing with this for a long time that's not good. It's not good for your head, weight loss, or your lap band. We are all different and you need to do what works for you, but don't sabotage yourself. You don't want to throw up all the time so you think that's the only way to deal with food, and if you don't consume enough calories your weight loss will stop or even possibly gain, (depending on your eating habits) and lastly, throwing up your food all the time and having a band that's too tight is not good for your band. (It could possibly cause band erosion or slipage) If you go in and get an unfill and you know that it's still not right. (Meaning you still need more out, or you need some back in) Then that's what you do! At least you know you tried to do something! Right? If things are not going the way you would like right now, then you have nothing to lose! (Other then more weight, right?) Well, you can only do what works for you, but do something though- you will be glad you did in the end! I really contemplated going and having an unfill but I am glad I did. I'm eating again and losing weight faster. Hang in there!

Bandana · February 21, 2009

Talk about messing with your head, I was able to eat dinner last night. It felt so good to get food down and keep it down. I was so happy. To be able to taste and eat food was like a gift. Talk about loving and fearing food at the same time, I'm right there with you. And, I was also able to control myself from nightime eating (when the band is looser).

FYI, I went onto this other site last night, and it was about using a warming plate to keep food warm until you're able to eat it all. Got to get me one of those. For anyone interested the site is Keep Warm Dish - ElderStore.

desertwoman · February 23, 2009

I frequently have trouble with hiccups because I eat too fast. If I remember to eat slow and chew, chew, chew, I don't have that problem. I am really bad at lunch time because I have such a short time to eat. I think I would probably do better just to drink a Protein Drink for lunch but I am sure I would be hungry before dinner. I am going to schedule another fill soon. Hope that helps.

nothingcomesez · February 23, 2009

Bandana, I guess that means you did get your unfill?

I was blown away when I got to keep down my first real meal and mine was after only 6 weeks of throwing every thing up, yours was way longer, right? How's it going? By the way, funny you said something about a warming plate. When I had to see another Dr. before surgery he suggested getting a warming plate. I thought to myself, who would actually use one of them? Now that I know I have to eat slow and my food is cold, I'm thinking that it doesn't sound like such a bad idea! Take care!

Jaffa · February 23, 2009

I would do exactly what wasabubblebut is talking about. I would get overly hungry for dinner, and then eat too fast with too big of bites and have trouble.

Now I make a point of drinking 16oz of Water 30-45 minutes prior to eating if I'm really hungry. It makes all the difference in the world, and yes I have found that I eat less this way, with less problems.

If I'm not really hungry I do just fine and don't have to worry about it.

Bandana · March 2, 2009

Hey nothingcomesesy, foxy mana, psalm and shell shock

I'm waiting to hear how your unfils are giong. I hope you're feeling better and losing weight. Let us all know.

SD Chick · March 5, 2009

I have had a horrible time - I have been vomiting all afternoon - lets start with some history - had my band in July 07 - haven't really lost much weight - about 36# anyway - went to a new Dr. on Tues. He did a barrium swallow and they thought the band was too loose otherwise it looked good. I had a .2cc fill. Ate liquids the first day - second day - ate Cereal for Breakfast, WW pizza for lunch - all was great. Last night I tried to eat some turkey and sweet pot. and it came back up - since that time - nothing is staying down. I tried oatmeal for breakfast - bad - tried a sandwich at noon - no good. by 3:00 I was feeling great and tried again to eat part of that same sandwich - I have been vomiting every since and it is 5:50 now. Water goes down for about 2 min and then back up. Please give me some advice. The Dr. thought I was drinking too close to my meals but this morning I hadn't had anything since last night early. today I got about 1 cup of iced coffee to go down about 3:00.

WASaBubbleButt · March 6, 2009

I have had a horrible time - I have been vomiting all afternoon - lets start with some history - had my band in July 07 - haven't really lost much weight - about 36# anyway - went to a new Dr. on Tues. He did a barrium swallow and they thought the band was too loose otherwise it looked good. I had a .2cc fill. Ate liquids the first day - second day - ate cereal for breakfast, WW pizza for lunch - all was great. Last night I tried to eat some turkey and sweet pot. and it came back up - since that time - nothing is staying down. I tried oatmeal for breakfast - bad - tried a sandwich at noon - no good. by 3:00 I was feeling great and tried again to eat part of that same sandwich - I have been vomiting every since and it is 5:50 now. Water goes down for about 2 min and then back up. Please give me some advice. The Dr. thought I was drinking too close to my meals but this morning I hadn't had anything since last night early. today I got about 1 cup of iced coffee to go down about 3:00.

Each time you hurl you cause stoma swelling. If you barf you swell, when you eat you barf and swell some more. Each time you barf go on liquids for the rest of the day.

Sounds like it took a few days for the fill to kick in. Go on Clear Liquids for a day, if that goes well full liquids for a day, if that works soft foods for a day.

If oatmeal doesn't go down then a sandwich darn sure isn't going to go down. You have to break the hurling/swelling cycle. You have to stay on liquids until the swelling is gone.

Also, you just had a fill. pizza and bread may well be a thing of the past.

Numbrgirl · March 6, 2009

WASA - you're still the best - giving great advice/feedback. Haven't seen you on a thread in a while - wanted to say HELLO!!!

My last fill left me feeling a little too tight for a few weeks but thank God it has recently started to relax and I fill really good. It is definitely not fun to be overly tight.

I have to agree about the Water - it really, really serves the purpose.

WASaBubbleButt · March 6, 2009

WASA - you're still the best - giving great advice/feedback. Haven't seen you on a thread in a while - wanted to say HELLO!!!
My last fill left me feeling a little too tight for a few weeks but thank God it has recently started to relax and I fill really good. It is definitely not fun to be overly tight.

I have to agree about the Water - it really, really serves the purpose.

Good to see you!

I think I had just about every complication of banding short of dilation and slips when I was banded. ;o) I should have it down pat now. Heh...

Don't stay tight too long, that's a great way to get a slip or erosion. As long as it's loosening up, that's a good thing!

nothingcomesez · March 6, 2009

SD Chick, with your recent fill you may not be able to eat any solids before dinner time. Remember the band is tighter after sleeping all night. I even was sick one day and spent the entire day basically between being in bed and being on the couch. Guess what? I couldn't even get dinner down from laying around all day the band just never loosened up. Once your feeling better and the swelling goes down, it's ok to just have a liquid breakfast (protien shake) and a soft lunch (yogurt, hard boiled egg) and by dinner time the band should be loosend up for a more solid meal. (Try a hot drink a few minutes before dinner!) Remember, I KNOW -TRUST ME! I have to remind myself CONSTANTLY. CHEW, EAT SLOW, and make good food choices. You may have to admit to yourself now that the band is tighter there is no eating certain foods. You will run across those that always bother you and ones that are iffy. (Bread, heavy Pasta, rice, what not) We are all different, try to be in tune with your body, you need to find what works for you and we will be here to give advice, ideas, our experiences- you take what works for you!!! GOOD LUCK!

SD Chick · March 6, 2009

Thanks so much - I should have checked this before I tried to eat Cheerios for breakfast - they have stayed down - I ate about 1/4 cut but at least its down - have been trying to pb but so far it is slime - hope it passes soon as I have to go to my MD for blood work.

I will try the liquids only in the morning and see what happens. I do like Soup so guess I will try some of that for lunch.

Please keep the suggestions coming - I am going to succeed with this band one way or another. One thing .....not keeping things down - I am loosing weight - but not the way I want. :unsure: