Am I doing something wrong or do I need a defill?

[LBD]

I had my second fill about two weeks ago and since then I have struggled. I only have 4.25ml in a 9ml band.

I seem to be living on cheese and crackers at the moment. I am fine until I attempt to eat something 'normal'.

I am getting really uncomfortable within about two mouthfuls and pb'ing almost daily. I am chewing everything to death and eating slowly I think.
Quite often after I have pb'd I seem to be able to go on and eat something solid which made me think I was eating too quickly but slowing right down hasn't helped.

I have struggled with a tiny amount of sweet and sour chicken (homemade, not takeaway!), jacket potato and cheese, homemade chicken curry, slow cooked lamb and stir fries. I keep trying to eat as normal diet as possible but it doesn't seem to be working. It's getting me down a bit.

Am I doing something wrong or do I need a defill?
Would really appreciate some advice.

 

[cazbandy]

Hi there,

First of all are you able tolerate fluids freely? In other words drink like normal with no reaction (apart from plug hole gurgling) and no discomfort.

When I last had a fill it gave me good restriction and I found food a nightmare for about 2-3 weeks but it settled down again.

If this does not settle, ask for a quarter mill out, it can make all the difference and allow you to enjoy food again but still have good restriction.

 

[thinkbethin]

I'm the same as you and have been for months now. Anything solid and I'm off to the loo to vomit. I have 6.75mil in a 9ml band and am too considering a defill so I will be able to eat something more solid. I eat slow and chew like mad but to no avail so I live on weetabix and mash (not together may I add) and still no weight loss for months.

 

[cazbandy]

I found this bit of info on bands being too tight, hope this helps..

"I am a bariatric surgeon who does gastric bands, and I have done a lot of them—over 1500 in the last four years. As you can imagine, I have had many thousands of conversations with patients after surgery regarding whether or not they have reached their “sweet spots.” When I ask a patient if he or she needs an adjustment, the answer is universally a resounding “Yes!” From the patient’s standpoint, more restriction always seems appealing, because it’s only logical that it would equate to greater weight loss, right? In actuality, nothing could be further from the truth.

What we are talking about here is over-restriction—the point at which a band becomes so tight that healthy, high-protein foods are no longer an option. Instead, the patient gravitates towards calorie-dense, high-carb soft foods: things like chips, pretzels and ice cream that taste really good and slide down really easily. I call this soft calorie syndrome. Patients who have this syndrome have suboptimal weight loss because they are not getting enough protein; their daily calorie intake can actually be too high, even though they can barely eat any solid food. This is because of these calorie-dense soft foods that don’t keep you full for any length of time.

When I see patients in this zone, usually they have gained weight or remained weight-stable since their last visit. It can be very difficult to convince a patient who hasn’t lost any weight that the band needs to be loosened and not tightened. What I always tell them is that they need to be loose enough to eat three-quarters of a cup of solid protein at one sitting. Meat is ideal. In fact, in my experience I find that band patients who are loose enough to eat most meats lose the most weight.

So keep this in mind when you are seeing your surgeon. Be straightforward and honest, and don’t try to skew things so that you end up getting more saline in your band. If you are over-restricted, you will be less successful in your weight loss and at higher risk for a slip or an erosion. You can be successful without being super-tight!"

 

[thinkbethin]

I found this bit of info on bands being too tight, hope this helps..

"I am a bariatric surgeon who does gastric bands, and I have done a lot of them—over 1500 in the last four years. As you can imagine, I have had many thousands of conversations with patients after surgery regarding whether or not they have reached their “sweet spots.” When I ask a patient if he or she needs an adjustment, the answer is universally a resounding “Yes!” From the patient’s standpoint, more restriction always seems appealing, because it’s only logical that it would equate to greater weight loss, right? In actuality, nothing could be further from the truth.

What we are talking about here is over-restriction—the point at which a band becomes so tight that healthy, high-protein foods are no longer an option. Instead, the patient gravitates towards calorie-dense, high-carb soft foods: things like chips, pretzels and ice cream that taste really good and slide down really easily. I call this soft calorie syndrome. Patients who have this syndrome have suboptimal weight loss because they are not getting enough protein; their daily calorie intake can actually be too high, even though they can barely eat any solid food. This is because of these calorie-dense soft foods that don’t keep you full for any length of time.

When I see patients in this zone, usually they have gained weight or remained weight-stable since their last visit. It can be very difficult to convince a patient who hasn’t lost any weight that the band needs to be loosened and not tightened. What I always tell them is that they need to be loose enough to eat three-quarters of a cup of solid protein at one sitting. Meat is ideal. In fact, in my experience I find that band patients who are loose enough to eat most meats lose the most weight.

So keep this in mind when you are seeing your surgeon. Be straightforward and honest, and don’t try to skew things so that you end up getting more saline in your band. If you are over-restricted, you will be less successful in your weight loss and at higher risk for a slip or an erosion. You can be successful without being super-tight!"

Thankyou Caz for this xx

 

[encore]

My surgeon says the band should restrict but not obstruct foods. Fluids shouldn't be a problem. I hope that helps.

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

My surgeon says the band should restrict but not obstruct foods. Fluids shouldn't be a problem. I hope that helps.

its all a learning curve as some banders can not tell the difference between restriction and food obstruction, this unfortunatley has to be learnt with experience and learning to deal with head hunger to regarding portion sizes and pushing restriction to the limits.