Holy Crap My Band Is Frozen !

[KeepMoving 0]

Hello, yes I am new...2nd post..but we all gotta start somewhere...Ok Ok

So I went to the hill country and my band seized up on me.

Yes I was in my happy place. Yes I am pissed off.

Ok so Ive been on liquids for 2 days..warm tea, broth, room temp Water...we all know the drill.

I refuse to go get some Fluid removed NO NO NO....

Any pointers Bandsters ? Advice pleaseeeeeeeeee.

p.s. I know there is a topic about this, however I didnt find thru the first few pages...my bad.

[Humming Bird 275]

Are you talking about going up in altitude? If so, yes I have had issue with this in the past. I have trouble when I go above 9500 ft. or so. My solution is to go down below 8,000 and stay there for several hours. Also drinking VERY COLD things during that time is helpful. (I live at 8,500 ft.)

[1shauna1 129]

Okay, but if you can't get solids down, you should get Fluid removed. Why torture yourself? I've been there a few times and I know how much fun it is....NOT! Generally your weight loss slows down when you're too tight too so....up to you but there's no need to just suffer!

[sam3841 57]

I have a really hard time believing your band froze on you. Actually I am saying there is a zero % chance that it did. Your band maintains the same temp as the surrounding tissue. Did your surrounding tissue freeze? Also its saline solution in your band which actually freezes at a lower temp then Water. Your band did not freeze, if it did you would be in morge right now cause your body would have frozen too. You probably irradiated the tissue causing it to swell. Hot tea and Soups will help reduce swelling.

[Humming Bird 275]

ice/cold reduces swelling in human tissue, not heat. look it up. This is why they have you put on ice packs after surgery.

[sam3841 57]

Rereading your post, the altitude is the culprit. If you live there your body will adjust, and I agree you should get liquid removed if you need too its better than torturing yourself and your weight lose will stop cause you might only be eating slider food. If you left it your body will adjust and go back to before you were there and you shouldn't need to have Fluid removed.

[sam3841 57]

My lapband dr said to drink hot fluids to reduce swelling in the tissues surrounding the band. It has to do with Water in the tissue and reactions.

[Cazzy 725]

My lapband dr said to drink hot fluids to reduce swelling in the tissues surrounding the band. It has to do with Water in the tissue and reactions.

I agree my doctor told me the same.... and if i dont drink a warm tea or coffee first thing in the morning i cannot eat Breakfast, there are many of us who need warmth to relax the band, ice helps reduce swelling too but often just after trauma or the operation, if i drink something like cold orange juice then try and eat 30 mins later i get stuck ..

Warmth is much better .. although like most things there are exceptions and some may very well find relief with ice ..

[Humming Bird 275]

We are talking about a different situation if the OP is talking about altitude tightening the band and swelling caused by trying to eat during that time. Drinking warm liquids in the morning is a different situation. From the OP she stated she has already done the warm/hot liquid thing. Your surgeons told you warm in her situation? strange. I have had the altitude problem several times and found a solution the hard way.

[KeepMoving 0]

Thank you all...and its frozen or seized due to me being in a high altitude.

Yeah did the warms like my Dr. advised, just wondering if you guys had any tricks of the trade.

Thanks !

[willowcat 93]

Guess it depends on how long you're going to be at a higher altitude. If you've moved to a higher altitude and are staying there, then you need to get a small unfill. If you're just vacationing, there's nothing you can do except tough it out until you return to a lower altitude. Take the smallest sips possible to stay hydrated I guess. I live at 6,500 ft. and LOVE to go on vacation someplace near the ocean--sea level--it really does make a big difference. Good luck.

Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

[willowcat 93]

Thank you all...and its frozen or seized due to me being in a high altitude.

Yeah did the warms like my Dr. advised' date=' just wondering if you guys had any tricks of the trade.

Thanks ! [/quote']

I think your band's actually expanded--due to lower atmospheric pressure at higher altitude--so it's squeezing your stomach more (smaller opening--like getting a fill)

Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

[Humming Bird 275]

I think your band's actually expanded--due to lower atmospheric pressure at higher altitude--so it's squeezing your stomach more (smaller opening--like getting a fill)

Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Yes, this is exactly right. It's the pressure of oxygen ......higher altitude can tighten the band just like a fill. If the bandster eats like their "normal" it can cause trauma. The trauma causes swelling inside the stoma. This makes it even tighter.....like getting 2 fills. The best way to reduce swelling from trauma to the tissue is ice/cold. If the swelling is then increased by adding heat, removal of some of the Fluid in the band may be the only soultion while healing takes place.

[Jachut 487]

ice/cold reduces swelling in human tissue, not heat. look it up. This is why they have you put on ice packs after surgery.

True, but ice, ice cream, cold yogurt etc mean instant pain and pain and often pb for me. Cold is the last thing Id do if i were having band trouble. Everyone is different.

[Cazzy 725]

True, but ice, ice cream, cold yogurt etc mean instant pain and pain and often pb for me. Cold is the last thing Id do if i were having band trouble. Everyone is different.

Totally agree cold is the last thing i would reach for if my band was causing problems. Ice is used to treat trauma and swelling in tissue but the band is not made of tissue just plastic and plastic doesnt do well when its cold .. imo

but as we all know everyone is different and so are the medical interventions, the UK do not use ice packs post surgery for lapbands either ... but if it works theres no harm