Band Opening less than 1 Centimeter

[lapbandliz 0]

Help, I've had so much trouble swallowing and have other allergy issues as well. Last night I couldn't even drink Water because it got backed up and wouldn't go through. I saw my allergy doc today and he sent me to have a barium swallow. My esophogus looks good, thankfully, but my band looks too tight. It is only opening about 1 cm, maybe even less. The problem is, I have NO FILL. They told me I could wait til Monday to call my weight loss surgeon, but I'm really scared. What is going to happen to me? Are they going to have to remove the band? What could be wrong? Any help and advice would sure be aprpeciated!--I'm scared, hungry, and miserable.

[sfeiner 2]

When did you get your band? It's common to be swollen and tight for about a week after surgery and then the swelling goes dowm. Where are you in the process?

[Wheetsin 714]

What you're describing sounds kind of impossible. What size band did surgeon install? The cms refers to the inner diameter, and there aren't any 1 cm bands (unless I've just passed into a new dimension!)

Are you sure you didn't get a fill (maybe you received one immediately post-op?)

[Wheetsin 714]

Also, are you sure they said 1 cm referring to the opening of the band itself, and not the opening of the band + your esophageal tissues?

[lapbandliz 0]

I was banded 1 year ago. Up until about October last year, things were going along just fine and I lost about 50 pounds. Then, I started having trouble getting food down. So, over the course of several months, they kept taking the fill out until now there is no fill whatsoever in the band. The radiologist showed me the x-rays today. He said it looks like the band is in place, but he didn't have the films from last October to compare them to. He showed me on the x-ray that my stomach opening is 1 cm or less (because of magnification). Its no wonder even liquids now sometimes are a problem. If the band hasn't slipped, what could cause the stoma to get smaller with no fill in the band to compress it?

[lapbandliz 0]

Also, the band is the regular Inamed Lap-Band.

[sushi 0]

I am totally unfilled and am still too tight. I was unfilled about 2 months ago because of severe reflux, but it made very little difference in my symptoms. I went on liquids, hoping it would fix itself, but it hasn't. I just had a barium study 2 days ago and my band is still extremely tight, and I am starting to slip. I have to have my band replaced. I had a lot of restriction even before my first fill - I think my band was just put on too tight!

[tanya67 0]

Hi, I too have just experienced the same thing, i had my band in Sept 06 and have lost twelve stone, but since nov last year, i suddenly developed very tight restriction, this was followed by several de-fills which initally worked only to tighten again within a few weeks. I then had a complete de fill with no reduction in my symptoms- no food going down and fluids taking forever, had a barium swallow, where they told me i had a very small opening. This was followed by surgery which resulted in my band being replaced , I am a little confused over what had happened and am yet to talk to my surgeon in depth, but it appears that the pouch had distended above the band , resulting in slip like symptoms although the band had not actually slipped. They had to remove the band and replace it 3cm higher, creating a smaller pouch= so back to six weeks of mushies and trying to regain a little weight !!!.

Tanya