Can Stress Make The Band Feel Tighter??

[Missy41 19]

I had a small un-fill over 2 weeks ago, because of really bad reflux and my band becoming too tight to let anything past. This was discovered after a barium swallow x-ray.

Since then it has been great, I still feel the restriction of course but I have no reflux, so can sleep lying down again :-) and can eat solids again in moderation, but I have noticed that when I get stressed / hot, that it feels tighter again and I have increased restriction and need to really sip rather than drink Water / tea and struggle with solids.

Has anyone else had this?

I was doing fine until a really stressful day yesterday & today and now I feel that I can only really manage liquids and maybe mashed / soft food. I also had a few episodes like this before my un-fill and I think that this contributed to my band getting so tight, the Dr said that the stomach under the band was inflamed.

I would be really interested to hear from anyone who has noticed the same.

[Phranp 46]

Stress and the band ... ahhh yes, when I am stressed my band locks up tighter than a drum! And of course my history is that when I am stressed I eat, but not since being banded. Try as I might, when I am stressed food cannot get through so I have to work through my stress, do breathing exercises, get a massage, or whatever it takes to release the stress so that I can eat again.

Been there, done that ... hated it!

Good luck. :/

~Fran

[Missy41 19]

Thanks Fran

I find that when I get stressed I also get sweet cravings (as I always did) but can only manage a Protein Shake one tiny sip at a time which never seems to satisfy me (not sweet enough) and I have been known to give up and turn to ice cream, only small amounts but not good at all and usually, not really sure why but possibly because it is so cold it makes the band even tighter. So you're totally right I need to relax somehow and then hopefully it will go back to how it was.......

[Sojourner 2,446]

I can feel my stress level get elevated while I drive. I'm still a bit anxious on the road since my accident last year. I've discovered that sometimes it's difficult for me to even drink a sip of Water while driving without feeling stuck.