Very tight at TOM

[lellow 1,713]

I posted in another thread last week that I'd been vomiting heaps lately and was worried that I wasn't yet used to the restriction of my last fill.

I was really down as it seemed to happen all of a sudden, with everything going smoothly for a couple of weeks, then overnight, it felt like I was tight and everything I ate was getting stuck.

Then as quickly as it came on, the tight feeling disappeared, and I'm back to eating almost normally (no rice and chicken breast though!), even feeling hungry faster and being able to burp fairly easily, which are my usual signs that I need a fill.

I was thinking about why I had that bad week when I realised it coincided with my TOM. I know that some people feel tighter during that time, but in my case, it was a very very marked difference!

I'm thinking that I'll still go in for my fill appt tomorrow, as I do feel like I need it. If I do I'm going to ask for a very small fill though.

How many of you feel really tight during your TOM? What do you do when it happens? I'm actually thinking that if it happens again this month, I may regress to mushies or even Protein shakes for the week. Any other suggestions? Should I even be thinking of a fill?

[Jachut 487]

Its really hard how fickle the band is for women isnt it?

I dont find consistency with this but just about every pb I've ever had has happened in the week before my period started.

Back earlier this year I had a few months of horrid periods - bad PMT, bloating, bad skin, awful pain. And then my band suddenly tightened a lot, not to the point of not being able to eat but it lasted about two months and I felt I didnt need to be that tight to maintain so I had a slight unfill. The unfill made very minimal difference, then like you say, about a month later, it suddenly loosened up and I can now eat entire sandwiches, have had to really FIGHT not to gain weight. And coincidentally havent had an awful period since, just normal, pain free ones.

I'm getting another fill next week too as I'm sick of having to work so hard to maintain, my appetite is quite high. But I too am worried about what happens if I have no room to get a bit of pre period bloat. But I guess I could still eat, it was just half cup portions etc.

[lellow 1,713]

Jachut,

I'm glad I'm not the only one! It's so frustrating isn't it? Last week I honstly felt like I was too tight, and this week I feel too loose.

I too worry that another fill will mean that my next TOM, I'm not going to be able to eat at all! But I guess the best way to find out for sure is to experiment and see how I go. And as you say, it might mean I modify my diet for the week and try to get through it.

I'll cross my fingers for both of us.

[accountess 0]

Oh my goodness! I didn't even think to blame my tightness on my TOM. For 2 days I have been getting stuck on EVERYTHING!! I was wondering what was going on. Just so happened I started yesterday as well. I haven't been able to eat very much and still not losing. This has been a very frustrating few days. At least I know the reason and it WILL go away. Thank you for posting this!

[lellow 1,713]

It didn't strike me at the time either, accountess, that the TOM might be why I was so tight. It was only because the tightness stopped that I looked back and realised the two events coincided.

Take it easy hun. I too didn't lose weight despite PBing everything. But right after that week, I shed a kilo (2+lbs). I reckon I wasn't losing because of all the bloat that was happening.

[bambam31 168]

I don't have to worry about Aunt Flo visiting, although my wife says I act like it anyway... But in all honesty, I think anything that makes you retain Water will in turn make your band tighter. I've noticed three things that make my band temporarily tighter. 1) stress 2) salt 3) not enough hydration. There have been times that I couldn't eat anything without a PB... Other times, I have just the right amount of restriction. It seems, and makes sense, whatever influences your stomach tissues also effects the band.

In closing, thank GOD I don't have to worry about a TOM... I don't know how you women do it...

Brad

[GaryB 0]

Yes, I can relate too... My band gets tighter during my wife's TOM... Probably the stress... or is it psychosomatic...??

sorry girls...I don't envy you.

GB

[fleminld 0]

You guys are funny.

Mine seems to be opposite. had my fill 1 week before TOM and I was really tight could only eat like 3-4oz of meat. Then the following week my TOM started and am back to being able to eat 6-8oz of meat. so weird.