Too tight. FYI

[travelgirl 3]

I don't know if anyone here will even remember me, because it's been a LONG time since I posted anything. But I wanted to come here and share what I've learned recently.

I hadn't been to see my band doc in over a year. I got a fill in May of '08. It was just a small fill. I couldn't even tell you how much of a fill I had total in my band, but the last one was .25 cc.

Anyway, I started out having a few problems (ok a LOT of problems) getting stuck every time I ate. I chalked it up to either eating too fast, too much or not chewing properly. But I kept trying, thinking it was just me not paying attention, and then after some time, this became my new "normal".

Until recently, when I started talking on a daily basis to a friend of mine who was also banded. I would tell her every time I got stuck, and she finally said to me, You know, I think you might be too tight. Go see your surgeon. Well, of course I know best, and didn't really think I needed to, because I just needed to be more careful, right? RIGHT?

I finally started listening to myself and paying attention to how often I got stuck and how severe each time was, whether I would regurgitate or not, and how long the episode lasted.

In the past 13 months, I've GAINED 18 pounds, because I was eating easy foods, and making terrible choices. If I did happen to be eating "bandster" proper foods, they had to be swimming in gravy, butter or sauce in order for me to be able to choke them down.

I even started waking up with a little bit of a cough in the morning. It never occurred to me that this was probably band related, even though I'd seen it talked about here several times.

Anyway, I finally had enough. Decided that I was either going to have to have my band completely unfilled or at least have a partial unfill, to see if that helps.

When I sat down in the office to get the unfill, there...staring me in the face was this chart:

and I looked at it and knew immediately that this is exactly where I needed to be, doing exactly what I needed to do. Every single symptom listed in the red zone was happening to me.

So now, with a partial unfill, maybe I can resume my weight loss journey.

I just wish I hadn't been so hard-headed and waited so long, because I knew in my heart of hearts that every time I got stuck eating something, I was putting myself in danger of stretching my pouch, slipping the band, and other things too scary for me to even think about.

Please take a good long look at the chart and decide for yourself where you fit on there, and don't be afraid to go see your band doc. They're there to help you.

Love to all.

Edited July 10, 2009 by travelgirl

[lucyavery 0]

Hey thanks for posting the chart. I needed a good look at that. I found myslelf to tight about 3 weeks ago and finally decided to go and have some taken out. I felt much better and could drink plenty of Water, yea!!!

But now I can see myself in the yellow zone. I am a lot hungrier and eat way to much at one setting. This has me terribly concerned. But I am a little embaressed to go back to the doctor because i was just there a couple of weeks ago getting some taken out, now do I go back and get some put back in? I feel like a druggie chasing that perfect sweet spot. I had it once after my third fill but it has been long gone, kind of like a druggie chasing that frist high they often speak of, lol.....but not really funny :confused:

[als74 1]

Don't feel bad, the same thing happened to me. I was too tight, went in for an unfill, they took too much out and 2 weeks later I went back in for a small fill. I am very happy where I am at now, but they told me about a side affect I didn't and still don't know a lot about.

They told me about a woman who went 3 months too tight, and by the time she came in for an unfill, there was a problem with permanent dilation. Does anyone know what that means? I was afraid to ask, but it sounded bad.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

that's the chart in my doc's office too. Glad you finally decided to read it! :confused:

It's bad to be too tight, but a lot of people just don't think it is.

[travelgirl 3]

that's the chart in my doc's office too. Glad you finally decided to read it!

It's bad to be too tight, but a lot of people just don't think it is.

It's not that I didn't bother to read it before, it wasn't ever there before. I asked the PA how long they've had that, and he said just a few months.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Ok didn't mean to insult. It's been all over my docs office and they even handed out little cards with the info on it; he even went over it in the seminar. I guess we're just "forward" down here in San Antonio!