my story of frustration, restriction, and confusion

Jenne · February 14, 2008

Hi to all the Tenacious Tens! Hope that you are all doing well and losing tons of weight. I just wanted to share my little story and get some feedback from you guys...

So 2 weeks ago I went in for my 3rd fill. I had very little restriction with my 1st and 2nd - just enough to know the band was there, but not enough to really help me lose weight. So, I went in for the fill and he put 3.6 ccs in my 4.0 band. Awesome, right? Not so much. Once I was allowed to try food again (he has me do Clear liquids for 2 days, then mushies, etc) I realized that I now had NO restriction - none, nada, zip. I was so freaked out. I called and made an appointment to go back in the next week. Well, some aggravation with my doctor's office ensued, but long story short, it turned out that my surgeon didn't lock the syringe and when he pulled it out, he pulled out some of the saline. He was only able to draw back about 2.0 ccs. So he put it back up to 3.6ccs and showed me how tight I was under fluoro. And I could really feel it this time! So now it has been over 24 hours, and man am I tight!! Water is difficult to get down, I feel the pressure in my chest for a few seconds with every sip I take. I am concerned about being too tight, but I will see how it is in a few days. I so don't want an unfill after having little to no restriction for so long, but I will do whatever I have to do to be healthy about this whole thing.

Now, here is my confusion. I have read so much about people getting stuck, and now have felt it myself with the liquids...but where is it getting stuck at? Is the pressure I feel when the Fluid goes through the band? If this is the case, then will food feel the same? I just don't understand because I thought the purpose of the band was so that the food would stay in the pouch ABOVE the band for longer so you feel full longer. So, essentially, if I understand the concept right, isn't everything getting stuck technically? I have been confused about this from the very beginning. I mean, I don't like the idea of having this awful pressure everytime I eat or drink anything forever. Maybe being stuck feels worse, but I am pretty sure what I am feeling is the Water backing up above the band and then trickling through - once it is through is when the pressure lets up - I saw it all on the fluoroscopy when I drank the barium. Sorry this email is sooooo long, but can someone explain it to me, cuz I guess I am just a big dummy! :mad: Love you guys, and continue to do as awesome as you have been!!

Jennifer

Oh yeah, happy Valentine's Day everyone!!!

mpatti2007 · February 15, 2008

I was banded on 10/3 I have had 4 fills, last friday was the 4th and Im having h hard time with food, but choclate covered strawberries and truffles have no problem, I had a hard time with fish tonight, came all out! So seems like i will have to live on mushie and liquids for a bit, i dont want to get unfilled.

snowbird · February 15, 2008

Jenne,

What you are feeling with the Water is the restriction at the band. If you were really stuck with something solid, you would probably start sliming, which is when the mucus and saliva get backed up against the solid stuck in your stoma. The Water pressure is a bit uncomfortable, but when solid food gets stuck it is a lot worse, with real discomfort. I have learned how to bring up the stuck food to stop the pain, but that isn't how you should live with your band.

There's a difference between filling up the upper portion of your stomach above the band (a good occurrence, and how the band is supposed to work), and getting stuck, which is food actually lodged in the stoma or small opening created by the band. The first creates a feeling of fullness and the feeling that if you eat another bite it may come back up on you, but is not painful. The second is an acute pain in the middle of your stomach, which is not good for your comfort or the band's well-being.

sfeiner · February 15, 2008

There are some real good answers to this question. I will try to find one and copy it for you since I wondered about the same thing. OK I found it. Here goes: This is from Kat

"This is my understanding---we are encouraged to chew our food to mush so that it can pass through the stoma slowly---when we fail to chew well enough, then we get things stuck. Other times you can chew, and it is just the nature of the food to ball up, as in breads or foods with a high gluten content---they dough back up as they break down---so can turn into a giant ball of dough, which is difficult to pass through.

If we chew our small bites to a slurry texture, then it is heavy enough to move slowly, and allow our pouches to feel full---and yet it is able to move through---without becoming stuck.

When you chew it properly, and drink too soon, it simply liquifies everything and allows it to move through to quickly to feel full.

I don't know if you have ever used a cake decorating bag or not, but I kind of see it the same way. The frosting is soft, and easily moves out of the bag, but it must be squeezed, it does not just flow through if it is the right consitency. But when you squeeze it down to the tip, it goes through. When we put food into our stomachs--or the pouch, it automatically begins digesting---kneading and moving the food around to break it down for digestion---much like we would squeeze the bag of icing. Now if we toss something in the frosting, that does not easily fit through the tip---it stops up everything. They tapered shape does not allow it to roll back up out of the way, it is simply stuck, until it either breaks down, or is removed---or in the case of our stomachs, it is stuck until is either breaks down, or is PB'd.

Sorry for the lack of technical explanation---this is just the best way I can visualize what I want to do with my band, and the food going into it.

You are almost half way -- good job!!! Kat"

Davyna · February 15, 2008

I'm having a similar problem. I got my 4th fill yesterday. At first all seemed great. I was even able to eat 1 cup of thick Soup for dinner last nite.

Today has been a different story. I feel a tickly feeling in my chest. I drank about 4 sips of a Protein shake this morning and felt that tickly feeling, kinda like I had something kinda stuck. I stopped drinking it and didn't even feel hungry for an hour or two.

Later I had some yogurt.. like just dipping the spoon in and licking that off, not much really, maybe 1/4 c, and I felt that feeling again, and stopped eating. I feel kinda sick. I even started salivating so bad at one point I thought I was going to throw up.

I had some hot tea when I got home and that went down really nice. So I tried a few bites of thick soup... same tickly feeling, kinda like gas pains. Don't want anymore.. feel kinda sick again..

Also, I've had the hiccups SIX times today. What's up with that!?

yankeerobin · February 15, 2008

Jenne,

It sounds to me like you are experiencing true restriction. I know you've probably heard that before, or, have read that - but,there is no mistaking true restriction! I've had 4 fills, I'm up to 5.7 in a 10cc band.. I REALLY noticed a big difference on the last fill (2 weeks ago). I seriously thought of getting an "unfill" because it was so painful to eat anything. I can honestly say that 2 weeks later, it has gotten a bit easier. My suggestion is to hang in there for a week, or so, and give it a try. I think it's become a bit easier for me because: 1. I've started to finally chew everything to a mush 2. I take much smaller bites of everything 3. I dont even attempt the foods I know will give me trouble (bread, lumpy meat, etc..) 4. and finally, I think the fill has losened up a tad.

It's a hard concept to grasp - we're so used to eating what we want, when we want. True restriction really makes you think before you eat. I guess that's why we all got banded in the first place, right?

Best of luck - hang in there!

Jenne · February 15, 2008

Thank you guys for all your responses...they have been very helpful. It has been 2 days since my fill now, and Clear Liquids are still hard to get down, but tonight I am going to try some actual Soup (thicker but no chunks) and see how it goes. I am very glad that I have real restriction finally - what a difference! And I am even more excited that I will finally begin to lose weight again...! I will see how it goes for the next week or so and if I can't get anything down, I will call the doc, but until then I am crossing my fingers that this is it! :eek: Thanks again guys!

Jenne