Does your Lap Band react to Stress?

[TRANAM1955 1]

HI Folks,

I am 16 months post op and have lost 91.5 pounds and reached my first goal target weight last month. I am still loosing and will follow basic lap band food plans and see how much more I loose.

I work in a very stressful field and started noticing when I get stressed to the max, my lap band tightens and is more restrictive. This has occurred 5 or 6 times in the past 6 months and my band has been checked carefully by my doctor and looks "great" in his opinion. About 2 weeks ago, I was concerned...not really upset about a work issue, and low and behold, the stress METER kicked in and I had to resort to Soups and liquids. Then the past few days I am eating as usual. I do watch what I eat to insure I don't aggravate my band, but I am curious if other bandsters have a Stress Meter like mine?

Thanks for your input!!

[mrsgriffin2u 1]

Hey there... I was just banded 7/2 and have not had any fills yet. I can answer your question though... YES! My band already reacts to stress. I'm going thru some personal issues and when I get upset I can barely do liquids. As silly as it is (I'm an emotional person)- even emotional t.v. shows makes my band tighter. I guess it's because I become emotional so easily, even if it's not noticable on the outside.

Sorry if I sound crazy, but I thought I'd let you know that it's very possible. Congrats on meeting your goal and your tremendous weight loss. I can only hope to be so successful! :wink2:

Amanda

[maryrose 2]

Hi Tranam,

I can't believe your post! I could have written this myself. I am also 53 and 16 months out! I am down about 80 lbs.

I had the same exact thing happen to me with the stress issue a few months back. I also was stuck in a bad stressful work situation. I work from home and was over-eating from the stress and pb'ing. After things calmed down, my band improved and I got back on track, but the PB'ing and stress were out of control for about 4 or 5 days where I had to have a small un-fill. I was really concerned about this and had an evaluation with the psychologist. I hated feeling out of control like that.

My daughter is getting married in Oct. and I want to get a handle on things before then.

Things are better now, but the answer to your questions is absolutely yes!

Stress does a number on the band.

Good luck and congrats on that 91 lb. weight loss1 good for you.

I still need to lose about 30/40 lbs.

[EnchantedRuby 0]

hello.. I was banded 02/07/08. answer to your question... YES!.. stress of any kind makes me band tighter which causes me to eat less because if I eat normal it'll come right up.. I usually stick to Soups if I've been having a stressful day.

good luck!

[SB0233 0]

Thanks so much for your post. I had not quite figured it out yet, but was just complaining to my husband that over the last month my level of restriction has been fluctuating, even though I have not had a fill in about 2 months. Some days I am really tight and have to resort to liquids....other days I can eat a lot more. I thought it was hormonal or related to Water retention, so I was trying to track it. But when I saw that you equated it with stress....that was an eye opener.

I guess I now have one more reason to try to keep my stress levels low.

[lapbandbarb 0]

I was banded on 7/7 and had my first band on 7/31. My fill was a good experience and 1 1/2 dayed stayed on liquids.

I had a really stressful day all day yeaterday dealing with old family issues and when I when everyone finally left, I had that tremendous urge to get rid of all those feelings by stuffing myself. I had not eaten all day because I knew I was being 'watched' only one Protein Shake in the morning, so off I went and thing is I stayed with mushies and was able to keep it in. I mean it was a famililiar feeling that I am so working on getting rid of. At the time, it did make me feel so much better. I feel miserable and full this morning. New day, onward, just wondering how you guys deal with this and if you have experiences like this.

[TRANAM1955 1]

Well...I am trying to keep my little "buddy" calm. I am going to take a nap after being at the hair salon for 4.5 hours. My blonde is now a brunette and I am very stressed about that. Dunno' what happened. Anyways, it is not too bad. Kinda' looks good!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND FOLKS!!!

[aubrie 6]

These past two weeks my sister has had a scare with breast cancer. I was beside myself with worry. My band was like a vice. It tightened right up. I was sliming, had tummy ache, gas and my band actually hurt. It was very uncomfortable. I would be full for hours. so much so, that I would have to skip meals. I would force down Breakfast, and wouldn't be hungry until 7:00 that night. Even then I couldn't eat much. Mushies for me!!! It's amazing how much the stress actually affects the band.

[Brandy~ 2]

As everyone else is stating... Yes!

I am in the middle of planning our Hawaii wedding and since it's all thousands of miles away and I have to take peoples word for it.. I am continuously stressed and my band keeps getting tight.

[coolcrystal 1]

Oh yes... not that you need another confirmation, but, my fill was fine for almost two months and then me and my best friend were at odds and fighting for a week and suddenly I started having serious issues and had to go get an unfill today.. I had never thrown up before... it was like BAM.. tightness... the lady at the center asked me if I had been stressed and told her the friend thing and she told me that's what it was.

[FeliciaLevy75 0]

Your stomach and muscles (including the diaghram through which the esophagus travels) will react to stress, which makes it seem that the band is getting tighter. Stressed folks seem to have a higher rate of acid reflux, etc. for this reason.

The band itself isn't changing; it's a silicone implant and blissfully unaware (regardless of some of the Borg jokes in the Men's Room some time ago) of what is going on with you physiologically.

Managing stress has been a big part of this process for me. As a full time employee in a busy and high-stress job, and a full time student, I feel stressed in some way every day. Various things work for me, including an ultra-healthy diet during periods of extreme stress. The healthier I eat, the more rest I get, and the more exercise I fit in, the less stressed I become - and it's exponential. The more I take care of those situations, the less I experience them and the less strain there is on my body that could affect the band's fit or placement.

[TRANAM1955 1]

Doctor took x-rays and an EKG to rule out heart issues. He did discover I was low in potassium so I am not taking pillsw for that. My white blood count was low, too. So I have to take the meds this week and let him test the blood next Friday. The pain around my rib cage appears to be arthritis and is getting better taking all these meds.

He said my buddy looked great on the x ray so that relieved a lot of stress on my part.

Edited August 10, 2008 by TRANAM1955