I was banded almost three years ago and did great the two years, and was well on my way to losing the last 20 pounds I wanted to lose.

I had a bad episode of something getting stuck one evening and afterwards began having problems with waking up and choking each night. Doc said the band was too tight and caused the choking. He removed all Fluid from the band and I had to go six weeks without a fill and immediately gained 15 lbs back.

I went back and he refilled but only about half of what the original fill was, went back a second time due to still gaining and he gave me a tiny bit more. I finally got frustrated and went to another place for my fill, and at that time was told my stomach pouch has stretched and they took more of my fill OUT! Now I don't feel like I have any restriction at all, I can eat anything without difficulty and I'm gaining weight again!!!!

This is so depressing. What do I do now to get the stomach pouch to shrink again, and get back on track with this thing? I can't even imagine going back to where I was before.

Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, I could sure use some friendly advice and support.

I'm 5'4 , 175 and am currently comfortable In a size 12. But I think the difference here comes for a few different reasons. There can be a pretty big gap between a 12 depending on whether its a misses, junior or womens size. Also depends on how tall someone is and how they're built. My BF is almost 5 inches taller than me so she can get into some 12s at 200lbs. whereas at that weight I was still In a tight 16 or an 18.

If I ever weigh 130, I better not be in a size 12!! I better be in no larger than a size 8 or 10 or I will be very angry at the makers of my jeans!! LOL. I'm in an 18 or 20 at 229.

ahb08

when did 175 lbs become a size 12?

The last time I was at my ideal weight (centuries ago) I just managed at size 12 at 130 lbs. I wore a size 14 at weight 150 lbs.

Have women's sizes changed their numbers but not their inches?

thank you guys for clearing that up for "ALFUSO" as that was an ignorant comment, for your info im almost 5'6 so thats when my 175lbs is a 12...thanks again everyone for putting ur upmost logical inputs in!!

I am approximately 175 lbs. and at 5' 4" I wear all size 12's and some 10's.

I'm 5'4, 174 and in a size 12. Some of them are on the lose side already. my next purchases are gonna be 10's. Ahbo8 if you're 5'6 175 is probably gonna be a 10 on you. Good luck you will be in a 12 or a 10 before you know it.

Sorry I haven't responded with more info earlier, I was out of town.

My doc and the clinic and went to are associated. The Doc did a barium swallow, gave me a slight fill and I still was able to overeat, went back, gave me another slight fill. Still able to overeat, so went to the clinic to see about another fill and see what they would say. They also took a barium swallow and at that point then did a still shot and actually pointed out my pouch on the screen and compared it to an earlier shot of my pouch. It was definitely stretched way beyond what it needs to be. I have found now that in order to see if I can get it to shrink again, I will need to go on a liquid diet. They told me five days, and I did, but it didn't make much difference, so now with vacation over, I will get back on the liquid diet and try to stay with it as long as I can to see if I can get back on track and if the pouch will really shrink.

If not, what are the options? I don't know, will have to ask my Doc about it, but scared I will lose my band and don't want that. I just can't face being so overweight again!

OMG that FREAKS me OUT! I'm so scared of that happening to me. What are the indications of a stretched pouch? How can you avoid it?

ahb08

when did 175 lbs become a size 12?

The last time I was at my ideal weight (centuries ago) I just managed at size 12 at 130 lbs. I wore a size 14 at weight 150 lbs.

Have women's sizes changed their numbers but not their inches?

I think sizes have gotten more "generous" over the last few decades. As a teen in the '80's at 125 lb & 5' 3" I wore a snug fitting size 9. Back in 2002, I remained @ 5'3" and went from 215 and wearing a size 18/20W to 155 and was in a comfy Misses size 10 on the bottom & 12 on the top (I am top heavy :redface:).

Edited July 1, 200917 yr by TSB

KatyLady,

I am in a similar situation. I got too much of a fill, so everything was kind of backing up since whatever I ate or drank was slowly going through the band. My pouch is stretched some. My doctor did a slight unfill and told me to come back in a few weeks. I thought about going back to liquids to see if it would help shrink my pouch back some. I am worried and not happy about the situation at all.

I did notice that I was starting to get reflux again. That is about the only "sign" that I had. When I got my last fill about 3 wks ago, the nurse and the technician commented that my pouch was bigger, so I asked the doctor about it when I went in for my checkup. He did an Xray and said that I was overfilled and that my pouch had stretched.

Good luck with your situation!

There was a report on how clothes manufacturers have made their clothes inches bigger and kept the number lower. This is to encourage us to continue to purchase clothes. I have two thin sisters that have been the same weight their entire adult lives. One was a 9 and is now a 3-5. The other one was a 5 and is now a 0-1. One is 50 and the other 55. So, they have been the same size for over 30 years, but their size number has gotten smaller.

ahb08

when did 175 lbs become a size 12?

The last time I was at my ideal weight (centuries ago) I just managed at size 12 at 130 lbs. I wore a size 14 at weight 150 lbs.

Have women's sizes changed their numbers but not their inches?

I know we're off topic here, but even though sizes DO fit different weights/bodies differently, I can attest to the fact that sizes have become WAY more generous. I have tons of old pants, some from college 30 years ago and a size 12 then is much smaller than a size 12 now. My DD can't fit into my wedding dress, or some of my old pants (I wore an 8 -10 then) but she wears a 4 or 6 in pants now, nothing larger.

The good news is that us old folks will feel even skinnier when we go buy our new clothes in even smaller sizes! :redface:

Edited July 1, 200917 yr by Band_Groupie

The good news is that us old folks will feel even skinnier when we go buy our new clothes in even smaller sizes! :tongue2:

LOL-- so true--- back in the 80's I can remember feeling "fat" @ 125! As a 40 year old I LOVE that clothing manufacturers are being more "generous" in their sizing these days!

If you stretch your pouch, they have to take out fluid from the band so your stomach falls back down - kind of like starting over again if I explained this the right way.

I think the sizes have changed...definitely. Especially big sizes. Lane Bryant, for example. I have an old Lane Bryant shirt (size 14/16, their smallest) that will not even go over my arms. I weighed 200 lbs when I wore it a few years ago. I bought a similar style (dress shirt) in a 14/16 there a few months ago and it fits perfectly. I think they have changed the sizes to accommodate our growing waistlines. Not helping! :-)

There was a report on how clothes manufacturers have made their clothes inches bigger and kept the number lower. This is to encourage us to continue to purchase clothes. I have two thin sisters that have been the same weight their entire adult lives. One was a 9 and is now a 3-5. The other one was a 5 and is now a 0-1. One is 50 and the other 55. So, they have been the same size for over 30 years, but their size number has gotten smaller.

It is true! I actually do wear a smaller size now than I did when I weighed 15 pounds less 25 yrs ago.......at least in jeans.

I have read numerous times that people have shrunk their pouches after a week or two on a liquid diet. Good luck to the poster with that.