Can a band get too tight 2 months after a fill?

[LisaMc 1]

I had my last fill about 2 months ago. I thought I had finally hit the sweet spot. FINALLY! I had good restriction, could eat just about what I wanted to, and I was losing! For the last 2 days, everything I eat gets stuck. Once that happens, I am pretty much done with the meal. Because I am not eating much, I get super hungry. When I eat, I get sick! Could it be that this band is too tight 2 months after getting a fill? How could that be?

Here is my example for today. I had 2 cups of coffee like I do every morning. I was starving for lunch. Aware of the problem, I tried to think of soft and mushy things I could eat. I warmed up 1/2 a cup of mashed potatoes. That's it. I had 2 small bites, it got stuck. I threw up, and I still feel super nauseous.

Help me please!!

[JRFAN88 1]

Welcome to my world... Lol... That has happened to me over the course of my LAP-BAND®. Everytime that I think I've finally arrived at the sweet spot & start finally losing weight, I get so tight that not even Water will go down & stay. I get dehydrated & have to go for an unfill. Then I'm right back where I was, not having enough restriction, gain back some weight & start the process over. It usually happens right at 6 weeks out for me. Sometimes I think it's my time of month that tightens me up, sometimes I think it's stress, & sometimes I just don't know. Once when it tightened up I was having night-time reflux & coughing my band slipped slightly. They removed all the Fluid that time & I put back on a lot of weight until I reached the sweet spot again. (My band went back into place on its on simply by removing the fluid). 6 weeks later I was in the ER getting Fluid removed. Now I'm gaining weight again. My docs only fill every 6 weeks so I go too long without the help of my band.

I said all that to say, yes, it can tighten up 2 months after a fill. You need to call or go see your doctor to see if a slight unfill will help. Keep us posted. I wish somebody could tell me how to stop it from happening.

[LisaMc 1]

Great! That is exactly what I was afraid of. Thanks for the post. I have struggled to get this band to the right place including having all of the Fluid removed once too. Everything makes me sick! I can keep Water down fine. I am not violently sick like I was when I had to have all of the Fluid removed. It is nothing like that. When I can't eat 3 bites of mushy mashed potates without throwing up, indicates a problem to me.

In your case, once it gets too tight, does it ever loosen up slightly on its own?

I started thinking about it, I had the last fill about 6 weeks ago, not 2 months like I stated. :thumbup:

[happy2lose 0]

My band tightness fluctuates a lot! There are many things that can make your band feel tighter. Here are the ones I have experienced:

1. If I don't drink enough Water, the next day I am tight.

2. I have sinus problems and sinus drainage makes the stomach swell around the band.

3. PMSing will cause the band to feel tight.

4. Stress will cause the band to feel tight.

5. A stuck episode will cause stomach swelling making the band feel tight.

I have had fills scheduled a few different times that I have had to cancel because of the above.

Also, remember that if you have a stuck episode, don't try to eat again until the next day. Finish the day with fluids to give the stomach swelling time to go down.

[LisaMc 1]

I have totally handled this WRONG! I had started to think that maybe I had irritated my stomach. From what you all are saying, I think I have! One bite of food and I am starting to feel sick. Instead of just stopping all food, I kept trying different things. All of that probably aggravated the situation further. I can't tell you how many stuck episodes I have had or how many times I have thrown up in the last 2-3 days. MANY. Should I just drink Water or should I just have liquids (as in Protein drinks). How long should I continue the liquid regimen?

Thank you all so much for the help! I would really HATE to pull any Fluid out. It is such a long climb back when that happens.

[JRFAN88 1]

My doctors advise that once you throw up to go on liquids for 24 hours. My problem that I was talking about was once I get tight, I can't keep anything down, even liquids. If you can get liquids to stay down I would definitely just try that before getting Fluid removed. Mine has always been so bad that it requires an unfill. It doesn't get better on its on, only worse.

[happy2lose 0]

I have totally handled this WRONG! I had started to think that maybe I had irritated my stomach. From what you all are saying, I think I have! One bite of food and I am starting to feel sick. Instead of just stopping all food, I kept trying different things. All of that probably aggravated the situation further. I can't tell you how many stuck episodes I have had or how many times I have thrown up in the last 2-3 days. MANY. Should I just drink Water or should I just have liquids (as in Protein drinks). How long should I continue the liquid regimen?

Thank you all so much for the help! I would really HATE to pull any Fluid out. It is such a long climb back when that happens.

Stay on Clear Liquids for about 24 hours then move on to full liquids and see how you feel.

It is a mad vicious cycle once you are stuck if you keep trying to eat and don't let the swelling go down you will keep aggravating it and getting stuck repeatedly. I think you will feel much better in a couple of days if you just stick with Clear Liquids for today and maybe even liquid Protein drinks tomorrow. This will also help your weight loss for the week.:thumbup:

[Gus-Gus 0]

I have had the same problems and I am 18 months out and of course not filled enough right now. Do the Clear Liquids and then start over. I find that if I regularly take a Prilosec everyday I have fewer problems. I have heard since my last unfill that I will try next time around that liquid Motrin when you have swelling as well. I haven't tried it yet but since Motrin is an anti-inflammatory it makes sense.

Instead of coffee first think, try hot tea first and then drink your coffee later in the AM. When I first have my fill I rarely eat anything solid until lunch time.