Living with extreme band variations.... Fill or unfill or ?

[Keona1323 11]

Hi All.... I have been banded since 2008 and have lost over 100lbs. My weight has remained the same for a little over a year now. In march of 2013, my bad was at 5.8cc and I was having issues with severe heartburn, and food coming back up frequently. I went for testing for hernias and such and all was good. My doctor removed 1cc. By September, we decided to drain the band and start from scratch. 5cc was added. End of sept another 0.6 (5.6). End of October back to 5.8 and was still feeling like I was not at my sweet spot despite being back at 5.8. So went to 6. Tooooo tight!!!!! So back to 5.6.

At 5.6 my weight has maintained (not gaining). I can't eat anything in the morning - can barely get my meds down let alone a Protein Drink, etc. I eat a small granola bar around 10/11 and takes me about an hour to eat. lunch usually around 1-2pm. Depending on how the day is, it either goes down or it doesn't - which means it every bite instantly comes right back up. Now here is the interesting part..... dinner time I can eat just about anything and a larger portion than I feel the band should be allowing me based in restriction earlier in the day...... By 9pm I am super tight again (if I don't have my meds down before then, I am up all night bring up Water and thick goo all night long. And don't even get me started on the burping!!!!

So for those of you who have been banded a while, what's normal, what should I be concerned about? Am I too tight??? It seems that when I try to unfill even the smallest amount, I just eat more..... Any advice or suggestions would be helpful.

[B-52 7,113]

My last fill wad over 3-1/2 years ago, and everything has been consistant and constant since then...I know my band, and know what to expect day to day....it is always the same

If anything should change today that is dramatically different from what it's been for the past few years, it would not be significant and unusual.

[parisshel 1,892]

Your situation sounds challenging. The morning restriction doesn't seem that unusual, but the lack of any restriction at dinner time seems strange, as does the closing off of your band at 9pm. It's no wonder you'd eat more at dinner, because you must be hungry from not balancing your food during the day (Not your fault, of course, but the band seems to be preventing you from eating balanced volumes during the daytime.)

I don't think it is normal to continually burp. I went through a couple of days where nothing would pass through my band--even my own saliva--unless I burped it through. It was tedious and painful and I knew that I need a slight unfill.

I know what I'd do if I were faced with your situation. I would do a slight unfill which would allow me to eat my Protein and vegetable in band-friendly volumes at lunch and at dinner. I'd not include in my meals anything that did not contribute to satiety. I know that if I introduce any white carbs to my meals (because I could if I chose to eat rice or Pasta if I felt so inclined), this would spark hunger. I can't even eat granola or other Protein Bars that are sweet because they will open me up to hunger and not keep me full.

This works for me. I've experienced a too-tight band a couple of times since being banded in 2013, and I am not one who is comfortable living with a constant pressure in my sternum and having to burp my food through or PB it up, even using band-compliant eating techniques. When you are doing everything right in terms of small bites, eating slowly, not drinking with your meals, and you still have issues getting food down comfortably, I would opt for the small unfill and have a look at countering your hunger with foods that will keep you full. Eliminate the foods that don't serve to keep you fill, and spark your appetite. As experienced eaters, we know what these are.

[Keona1323 11]

Thanks for the responses. I am going to take said advice (as it confirms what I was thinking) and have a very slight unfill. Perhaps 0.2 or 0.3. I am terrified as I have have been so tight for so long, that a newfound openness will cause weight gain, etc. but I am hoping that by being better able to eat more balanced, that it will be ok...... Appt for nov 24. Thanks again.