What to do if I stretched my pouch?

[marfar7 1,533]

After my 3rd fill, I had restriction, as in if I eat too fast or too big of bites, it comes back up. But I'm never really "full". I'm guilty of eating many slider foods - just because real meat gives me such problems (I know, I know, if I cook it right it'll be moist and if I eat slowly, yadayadayada) and I can pretty much eat my weight in slides foods. I've been losing and gaining the same 2 lbs over the past 3 weeks. If I eat too many sliders, will it stretch my pouch, or is that just stretched by real food?

And if it is stretched, will getting another fill bring it back to normal - or does it just tighten up the tube food goes down? Can I do something about a streched pouch or did I ruin my surgery?

Thanks!

Marci

[BetsyB 9]

The stomach is a very elastic organ. Even the pouch has "give." If it were terribly stretched, yes--you'd risk band slippage. But if you're focusing on eating sliders, they move through quickly enough that it's less likely that will occur.

(I know, I know, if I cook it right it'll be moist and if I eat slowly, yadayadayada)

Maybe yes, maybe no. How long has it been since your last fill? I have had a little over 2 weeks of really having to baby my band after a filll---not because I'm too tight, but because I haven't listened to my body after the couple of stuck incidents I've had, and have irritated it further. BAD IDEA. Things that ordinarily give me no problem at all simply are not tolerated if I've had a recent stuck incident.

If you need to baby your band by sticking with softer foods that tend to slide as swelling from your fill and stuck incidents recedes, it's probably a really good idea to get out your food scale and measuring cups, make sure you eat appropriate-sized servings, and then tell yourself NO MORE.

Not really because your band is at stake, but because the way you are eating is (a) not compatible with losing weight, and (:thumbup: establishing "eating around the band" behavior that you really don't want to become firmly entrenched.

If a few days of TLC doesn't take you to the point where "regular" foods--prepared in a band-friendly way--don't work, I'd let the doctor know; a small unfill might be necessary.

[adagray 1]

I got an interesting article from my mom's doctor that explained a lot about how our pouches work. Basically, in the patients he's studied, all of the pouches end up stretching out to some degree, but they all also end up in around the same range (8-12 oz I think is what I remember). What he says is that it is really doesn't make a difference what size your pouch ends up being. The more important thing is how YOU use your pouch to the best advantage. One of the most important thing being that you don't eat slider foods or drink your calories. And, if you do eat foods that are more slidy, that's OK as long as you have some non-slidy stuff in the same meal to bulk it up and cause it to stay in your pouch longer.

[warriors_journey 2]

@adagray

I'd like to read this article. Do you know if I can find it online?

[kellyjoiii 19]

Celeste,

I was thinking the same thing.....Adagrey, help a sista out :sad: lol. Interesting read please share!

K