? about esophegeal streching from band too tight. Help!!!

shell04937 · July 21, 2008

I went for a fill last week because my last fill was Jan 2008. I was banded 2 yrs ago in Sept. I am down 50lbs from surgery and am ok with that because it has helped me with my back and leg pain and I am not on insulin anymore.

But I have noticed over the past few months that I can eat more. Not tuns or even that much more but it is more like I am hungry to the point I have hunger pains and feel faint. My sugars are ok when I check them so I figure I just needed a fill because I get genuin hunger.

Well when I went for my fill my Dr. said I should have 9cc in my band and he has never seen anyone with that much in it and feel comfortable. His partner did my last 2 fills. So he had me go today and do the fill in x-ray department under fluro. Anyways come to find out I was extreamly tight and my esophagus is streching and food just sits there. He took out 1cc and wants to see me in 6weeks. In the mean time he has me seeing the diatician again. Sorry if my spelling is off but I have a killer headache and spelling is the first thing to go.

So my question is have any of you had this and how serious is it? Is the band not going to work now that this has happened?

I wish I had thought of asking questions at my appointment but I was shocked and did not know what to say. I swear I do not throw up unless I try to drink after having solids. I have no pain and never have. I have been stuck for 9 months now at the same weight.

If anyone has any info on an experience they have had that worked out I would love to hear. Good or bad.

Thanks, Michelle:confused_smile:

juliegeraci · July 21, 2008

Hi Michelle, my girlfriend had the same issue but hers was caused by acid reflux. The only thing that helped her was a slight unfill and I think she took Prilosec for the acid. It took her a good few months to get balanced and to get a fill again. It is repairable but it does take time. Julie

TheGh0st · July 21, 2008

Michelle - No great advice here other than I'm going through the same thing right now. Was banded Sep of '05 and have probably been too tight for over a year now. I did have the acid reflux and heartburn at night but was also finding I could slowly eat more than I use to without pain (except at nights).

My doc said that this almost always corrects itself given enough time without most or all of your fill. Then they can start to refill us.

I had over 1/2 mine removed nearly 2 weeks ago now and haven't gained any weight "yet" but the reflux and heartburn are completely gone. I have also noticed I'm able to eat more solid Protein rich foods than I had been for ages without even realizing it and I'm back to drinking a good 5 bottles of Water a day when before I could barely manage 2 bottles.

I tell you it has been very humbling. I've been one of the first to advocate someone getting an unfill just to be safe and here I was limping along with too much of a fill telling myself my only problem was not following the bandster "rules" better.