pouch streathching

[amom 0]

Somewhere I heard, that if you have not had your first fill you can not strech your pouch, is this true?

[Band-aided 0]

Oh my goodness!!!! I've heard of slippages and erosions but now stretched pouch..... I'm being banded next week and I'm terrified. Is there anything else I need to know. Will I burst into flames if I eat a hotdog.......

Jx

[TerriDoodle 6]

No, not if you eat a hot dog, but a chicken breast has been known to cause spontaneous combustion once or twice!

There's a poll on this board that shows that 92% of bandsters would do it again...I think that speaks for itself.

There ARE several adjustments that need to be made in your behavior and you do have to pay close attention to what's going on with your body and appetite. And you do have to stay in close touch with your doctor and get checked out a few times a year. But if you follow the guidelines and stay in touch with your doc, you shouldn't experience many problems at all.

[NaturalBeauty 2]

I think we're getting a little paranoid for nothing.

Yes, there are those who have stretched the pouches but if we all be honest with ourselves, it's likely because we've over eaten or walked around with to tight of a fill which in the long run causes us problems.

If you follow the bandester rules & do your part then you really don't have a lot to worry about. Erosion is something that none of us can help so if this happens then it's no one's fault your body just couldn't handle the band.

I was 2 years out before I had the first look at my band under the microscope (meaning x-rayed) & everything from the neck on down was perfect. I actually did it for my own peace of mind. My DH always tells me & I try to live by it, "don't pay tolls twice". Don't put something there that isn't & if you think that it is then go & have it checked out & deal with consequences after you find out that it's true.

This band life isn't as easy as people on the outside looking in would think but it's consistant if you do your part. Also, if you haven't had a fill then you can't possibly stretch something that is already wide open. Fills is what helps us with restriction.

Anyway, I wish you all the best.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I think we're getting a little paranoid for nothing.

Yes, there are those who have stretched the pouches but if we all be honest with ourselves, it's likely because we've over eaten or walked around with to tight of a fill which in the long run causes us problems.

If you follow the bandester rules & do your part then you really don't have a lot to worry about. Erosion is something that none of us can help so if this happens then it's no one's fault your body just couldn't handle the band.

I was 2 years out before I had the first look at my band under the microscope (meaning x-rayed) & everything from the neck on down was perfect. I actually did it for my own peace of mind. My DH always tells me & I try to live by it, "don't pay tolls twice". Don't put something there that isn't & if you think that it is then go & have it checked out & deal with consequences after you find out that it's true.

This band life isn't as easy as people on the outside looking in would think but it's consistant if you do your part. Also, if you haven't had a fill then you can't possibly stretch something that is already wide open. Fills is what helps us with restriction.

Anyway, I wish you all the best.

Hear hear! Well written.

I think ALL newbies stress over dilation, erosion, and a slip. Follow the rules and you can't do a lot more than that.

[mariecarmen 1]

Here's my experience with pouch stretching:

I was losing weight at a reasonable rate for the first 5 months without major problems. About 6 months out my head started playing with me and I would eat waaay too much, too often, not the right foods. Looking back I'm positive I'd stretched my pouch out of proportion.

Lost my way for about 3 months--weight would fluctuate by 3-4 lbs weekly, no exercise, no sense of goal. I just floundered daily while people I hadn't seen in awhile gushed about how good I looked. Maybe that's what made it easier to stray. But I was still 30 lbs from my goal.

I made up my mind to get back on track. Did 4 days of liquids only, figured if I couldn't handle it I'd go for another fill. I joined a gym with a friend. Went back to my basic instructions from my post-op days.

Guess what--12 lbs lost in 2 weeks. Still doing shakes for Breakfast and lunch. Reasonable dinners. Occasional ice cream for dessert. I think my pouch has shrunk again.

But it's gotta start with the head. The FAT part of my brain leads me into temptation and trouble if I let it.

[Dr. B.NOLA 0]

buy a plastic 1/2 cup all the food you eat per meal should fit in it. greater than 50% meat. some patient loss the painful sensation that occurs when food remains in the esophagus so your esopahgus acts like a pouch. eat 1/2 to 1 cup per meal if the band is adequately filled you will not feel hungry until it is time to eat agian. also no drinking and EAT SLOWLY....

[bandedaweigh 0]

What does a sore throat have to do with determining if the pouch is stretched? I am not sure if my pouch is stretched or not, but I have had a sore throat for a couple of days, not sure why. It is different than the sore throat that you have when you have sinus drainage. It is more like the sore throat that I had after I woke up from my surgery.

[Betsyjane 2]

Waiddaminute! Let's remember that complications with the band are rare, but they don't appear to be when you read this site. People having problems need support, so they post more. People cruising along are out living life and not posting as much. So the impression can be that there are lots of problems. Believe me, the band wouldn't be so popular if it were fragile! I have made mistakes and changed my ways. I have dilated my pouch and gotten back on track. I have refluxed and stopped eating at night and corrected it. I have had plateaus. I have self blamed. I have cheated. I have ducked out of exercise at times. I am human. But I have lost weight and not regained it, and I have enjoyed (mostly) this new journey and all the learning. And me and mu band have become best friends. Neither one of us is perfect, and we are each sometimes unpredictable. But all you can do is all you can do, and that's good enough.

[sandras96harley 0]

BetsyJane wel said. I'm a newbie and when I first jumped on this roller coaster I thought OMG what have I done. But I have found alot of good information and will continue to read up and follow good guidelines.I know how I felt at a time in my life when I was healthy

and felt good in my clothes and I want that back. Thanks for the input ! By the way what are some of the best chewable vits & Protein Shakes ? Thanks Sandra

[valzie 0]

I have not been banded yet and am getting a little nervous about all of these problems that have been posted. I mean it is good to know that all is not roses but maybe this is going to be more difficult then first expected.

[Yooper 0]

Betsy, you are so right!! Reading all of these stories made me start thinking something is drastically wrong with me, but I've been banded for 4 years, I feel fine, same thing with the reflux, don't drink a lot of alcohol or eat before going to bed. Duh, that's true for most of us over 45 anyway. Thanks for lending a voice of reason, you're right, most people only speak up when they have a complaint. I never posted here before and that's because I haven't had any problems. I'm glad I came because it made me get off my butt and find a new doctor in my new area who would be willing to "supervise/monitor" things. I too blamed myself for being a failure, but when I look back, I'm the one who tried to "get around the band" with my eating habits. I figured out that ice cream goes down real easy, and rich creamy Soups do too. Again, Duh, that doesn't mean the band is no good or something is wrong, it means I need to take responsibility for my actions and the foods I pick.

[Betsyjane 2]

Vitamins? I started with Flintstones. Graduated to Solotron from GNC...nice lemon lime flavor but expensive. Now I do chewable Centrum Silver. I often just throw one in my shake in the blender and fagetaboudit.

[valzie 0]

Do you take Calcium also?

[Betsyjane 2]

I started out with those yummy chocolate calciums...Viactin. But the calories and the binge potential stopped me in my tracks. I need to go to another Calcium supplement....but I figure in the meantime, I get some from both my shakes and my Multivitamin.< /p>