Did I permanently stretch my band...Please help!

[Nursedeeva 0]

Hello fellow lapband patients!

It's been a very very long time since my last post. I am approaching my 2nd year anniversay this Feb 09. I have not had a fill in about 7months. OK i'v notice 2 things: 1. I have consistently seen the scale go out a total of about 7lbs(freaking out) 2. I am always hungry as if I've never had surgery at all.Now I've made an appt for a fill and it is mid Jan 09. Now let me be honest I have broken every band rule . Which is th purpose of this post. I have been consistently eating and drinking together. Is it possible that I may have permanently stretch my band. I am so back on track now. I've must have terribly lost my mind. My band story has been an easy one. I started at 215lbs day of surgery size 16-18 lost 50lbs with no real problems now 165lbs size 8-10. I am so obsessed about weight gain that I am freaking out about this 7lbs and the possibly of messing my tool(band) up for life. Please help! All suggestions appreciated!

[luckyfive101 6]

Bless your heart! i wouldn't worry about 7 pounds right off.. the important thing is you are back on track... keep me posted! Love to hear these success stories!

[angcal26 2]

Hey first stop eating and drinking together wait 1/2 hour at least in between and if you are real thirsty take a very small sip. How big is your band 10cc's??? Don't fret too much I am sure you will be fine. Let me know how your fill goes.

Angcal26

[Vikki 2]

Unless your at the max CC for your band you have not stretched it you just need a tune up aka adjustment. Your stomach gets used to the fill and your pouch also gets used to the amount so sometimes you can get it stretched but by tightening up your tool will make a difference on how you feel when you start to put the food in and it sits on top of the band......OUCH believe me the pain is what reminds me to slow down or just stop. You have really made a huge achomplishment by getting down to a 8-10 so 7 pounds is controlable and just hit the exercise and start your food journal and counting calories. I need to do the same as I am reaching my 2 year mark and still have 25 pounds to reach my goal. I too am frustrated about not making my goal yet but I have slacked off since the end of summer about going to the gym and getting my exercise in. It is very important not just lowering calories but working the calories off threw out the day. Hang in there because I know exactly how you feel. I need to go back to how I was when I first got my band and stop snacking and overeating now I know what my band can handle. I don't so much feel I need to be tighter just strictor with my food intake and get back to the gym!!!!!! Hang in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nursedeeva 0]

Thanks so much for the advice. And maybe right about me not needing a fill but getting myself back to the good old days of following the rules!

[Nursedeeva 0]

Thanks! And I have a 4cc band and its about 2.5cc's filled.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Hello fellow lapband patients!

It's been a very very long time since my last post. I am approaching my 2nd year anniversay this Feb 09. I have not had a fill in about 7months. OK i'v notice 2 things: 1. I have consistently seen the scale go out a total of about 7lbs(freaking out) 2. I am always hungry as if I've never had surgery at all.Now I've made an appt for a fill and it is mid Jan 09. Now let me be honest I have broken every band rule . Which is th purpose of this post. I have been consistently eating and drinking together. Is it possible that I may have permanently stretch my band. I am so back on track now. I've must have terribly lost my mind. My band story has been an easy one. I started at 215lbs day of surgery size 16-18 lost 50lbs with no real problems now 165lbs size 8-10. I am so obsessed about weight gain that I am freaking out about this 7lbs and the possibly of messing my tool(band) up for life. Please help! All suggestions appreciated!

You can't really stretch your band. You could run over the band with a truck and it's probably not going to change it. It is your stomach and/or esophagus that dilates, not your band.

If you are eating and drinking together yes, you can dilate your pouch and/or esophagus and the only way to know if you have or not is to have a fill under fluoroscopy. If you have dilated one or the other then usually the doc will unfill you and put you on liquids for several weeks. Most of the time this will fix the problem. If not, rarely surgical repositioning is in order.

I know what you mean about weight gain. I weigh daily because I'll never let it get out of hand again.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Unless your at the max CC for your band you have not stretched it you just need a tune up aka adjustment. Your stomach gets used to the fill and your pouch also gets used to the amount so sometimes you can get it stretched but by tightening up your tool will make a difference on how you feel when you start to put the food in and it sits on top of the band......OUCH believe me the pain is what reminds me to slow down or just stop. You have really made a huge achomplishment by getting down to a 8-10 so 7 pounds is controlable and just hit the exercise and start your food journal and counting calories. I need to do the same as I am reaching my 2 year mark and still have 25 pounds to reach my goal. I too am frustrated about not making my goal yet but I have slacked off since the end of summer about going to the gym and getting my exercise in. It is very important not just lowering calories but working the calories off threw out the day. Hang in there because I know exactly how you feel. I need to go back to how I was when I first got my band and stop snacking and overeating now I know what my band can handle. I don't so much feel I need to be tighter just strictor with my food intake and get back to the gym!!!!!! Hang in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your stomach doesn't really get used to a fill. As you lose weight you lose some of the gastric fat around your stomach and that makes the band more loose.