band too tight?

christa94 · June 2, 2006

How can you tell if your band is too tight? :omg:

will it stop your weight loss?

Elisabethsew · June 2, 2006

Can you swollow Water? Can you tolerate a meal? Do you have regurgitation in the middle of the night? Do you have esophageal burning? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, your band might be too tight.

The dangers of the band being too tight include risk of erosion, slippage due to vomiting, malnutrition due to poor caloric intake, dehydration, etc.

christa94 · June 2, 2006

where are you in ny? i am in rochester!

i have not had the band yet, but i am trying to educate myself to some of the things that can go wrong with the band so that i know how to deal with it. you know what i mean? i will be getting banded on june 30th. i am nervous, yet excited. i have a bmi of 35. i have been dieting for all my life. over the last little bit, it just seems like no matter what i do, i don't lose. and it is frustrating.

Elisabethsew · June 2, 2006

I'm on Long Island and have been banded since 3/30. My surgeon waits a full 8 weeks before giving a first fill so I got that a week ago. For some reason, it can take 1-2 weeks before a restriction "kicks-in" and you become aware of the band. I only had 1 cc put in and have a follow-up appointment on July 6. It appears I will need a second fill at that time.

It's natural to be nervous about the surgery but I'm sure you'll do fine. It can be frustrating waiting for the surgery and then waiting for a fill and then waiting for the feeling of restriction to occur but eventually, it all works out. Unlike other forms of weight loss surgery, banding requires a lot more patience. :-)

christa94 · June 2, 2006

1-2 weeks before a restriction kicks in! WOW i thought it was instant!

Elisabethsew · June 2, 2006

1-2 weeks before a restriction kicks in! WOW i thought it was instant!

For some people it is instant but for others, it can take 1-2 weeks. Many people here also shared that they did not feel restriction until after a 2nd fill or more. So, it seems to be quite variable as to when patients finally find their "optimal level" of restriction. You'll learn a lot more as you read through the posts.

Carlene · June 2, 2006

If your band is too tight it may definitely slow or stop your weight loss because you tend to fall into "soft food syndrome". That means that you will eat the things that will go down easily (such as ice cream, pudding, chips, cream-based Soups, etc) and avoid hard Protein, which is a bandster's best friend.