Too tight - or is this normal?

[sweetsue 1]

I truly believe you guys know more than the doctors so I'd love to hear your opinion.

8 weeks ago - banded in Mexico w/ 10mm band

3 weeks ago - first fill 1.5 cc's (not enough restriction, little weight loss)

yesterday - 2nd fill .75 cc's

And now - wow, I am really tight! Before the fill I tried to talk the doc into considering .5 instead of .75 but he said, no - lets do this instead, this will really help you lose the weight. Now I find I can only swallow pureed Soup and it gurgles really slowly through my band and feels like a clogged drain going down. No solids will pass thru. My doc told me not to worry. Just drink soup for a few days, then try apple sauce, then move on to mashed potatoes. Things will losen up a bit in a few days he said. He said "You want to see progress in your wieght loss, right?" His office will be closed for the week of Christmas, so I'm a bit nervous that I can get an appointment if I need to. It's pretty easy to pb the soup back up too. But it's been only 1 day so far. Is this normal? (By the way - no fill xrays were done.)

Thanks for your support! SweetSue

[Persimmon 0]

Well, to some degree your doc is right...many people experience some swelling from a fill and that goes away after a few days. However, if you cannot comfortably eat solids a week after a fill and get in 50-60g solid Protein and 1200-1500 cal/day, you are too tight and need a tweak out. Fills don't always loosen up, however...some people get kick-ins a week or two after a fill so end up even tighter. There are 3 ways it can go: what you have is what you get, swelling that loosens, or a kick-in/tightening a week or so later.

As long as you can get all your fluids in, it's ok to wait it out for up to a week...but if you can't eat solids by then, call your surgeon and insist. Too many docs don't understand that being too tight does NOT help weight loss...soft food syndrome is usually the result and that is one of the most efficient ways to stall loss.

Nancy

-156

[Kat817 19]

As long as you can drink for now ( I always do a couple of days of liquids, then another couple od mushies following a fill), you should be fine. BUT if you cannot manage solid Protein within the week, I would plan for a small unfill prior to them being out of the office. Luckily you have a couple of weeks to see how it is going before they will close for the holidays. Having a too tight band has been shown to cause many problems, and there is no sense in dealing with that if you don't have to. Yes he is the Dr.....but it is YOUR body, YOUR band, and YOUR decision if you do not want it to be that tight. We all want to lose weight quickly, but if we choose to do it at a slower pace, in comfort, we should have that right. I often wonder if they push like that to keep their numbers up and reputations high......

Good Luck, hope you find a good restriction spot!!!

Kat

[mousecrazy 2]

I agree with both of the above posts...I know not everyone does this, but I also follow the 2 days of liquids/2 days of mushies after a fill. I am of the "slow and steady" school of fills myself. Assess your situation, be patient, and see how things are in a week. It doesn't seem like much, but a .25 amount can make a world of difference!

[MimIN 19]

Your fills are similar to mine and I felt the same way - I was so scared I was too tight and was going to damage my band OR starve to death but decided to give it a little time. Within 10 days or so everything eased up and now it is perfect! I am seldome hungry, eating my 3 small meals and 1 to 2 Snacks and losing weight consistantly. I don't know about you but I had no idea what restriction felt like until the second fill, it is a strange sensation but you get use to it.

[La_madam 20]

Who is your Doctor? There is noy way my Dr. would allow me to not be able to eat solids. You are to tight. Period! The band was designed to stillbe able to eat solids when filled properly. I am suprised your doctor would tell you not to worry, if in a few days after follwing his instructions there is no change in your restriction you need ot have that .25 you did not want in the first place removed. Be wise, too tight of a band can result in amny bad things. Your health and lomngevity of the band is what is mot important, without your band weight loss wo'nt matter. This is not a race,,it is a journey....

[Miper70 0]

I totally agree with La madam. It may loosen up a tiny bit, but it sounds to me like you are too tight. Can you drink Water? I know you said Soup doesn't go down very easily, but what about liquids? Have you tried drinking something warm before anything else? Does that work?

I've been where you are. I was too tight after my 3rd fill (same band you have) and tried to wait it out also. It was a very horrible experience for me. After having just a tad taken out, I felt 100% better. Keep us posted.