Anyone else have inconsistent restriction with Lap Band?

So here's my story...

I was banded a little over 4 years ago. I lost approximately 78 lbs by my 2 year anniversary, still about 50 lbs from my goal. Until then, I knew what proper restriction felt like. After that, it was all down hill. I've pretty much gained most of the weight back. To this day, I have su*****onsistent restriction that my band basically rules my life. When it feels like being open, it's open, and I have very little to no restriction. When it feels like being closed, it's closed, and I can either get no liquid down whatsoever, or struggle with soups. It seems almost bipolar. I've had 2 upper GIs in the last few months and the doctor has concluded that the band is where it's supposed to be (and ofcourse the barium trickled through as everything is normal...my luck that the band would decide to cooperate during the tests when I was hoping for closure so they could see what I struggle with on a day to day basis.) There are days when I have no restriction from the time I wake up until I go to sleep. There are days I can't get liquid down until the afternoon and then I have little to no restriction shortly thereafter. There are days when the restriction fluctuates throughout the day: open, closed, open, closed. And then there are (though rare) 24-36 hour periods when I can't get any liquid, ie water or tea down at all, which frankly scares me. It literally is on an hour by hour basis. I can eat without restriction and then an hour later not be able drink anything, and vice versa. Or I can not be able to get liquid down and then an hour later have no restriction. My doctor says maybe I'm eating around the band and eating too many soups. Ummm...if it was mid-late afternoon and you could finally get liquid down, but no solids, and you were STARVING, what else would you eat? And then on the days where I'm mostly restricted and then finally open up to no restriction, I'm so starving that I'll eat anything. He makes me feel like it's my fault. The thing is, I lived for over 2 years as a successful bandster, losing weight slowly but consistently. I know how the restriction felt throughout that time period. Something changed. The behavior of the band has changed. And I know it is different. Why do I feel so lousy when I'm in that office, being interrogated over and over again about whether I'm eating solid protein, avoiding liquids before and after meals, etc.? Do they thing by asking me the same questions/rules over and over again I'll slip up at some point and some secretive truth will come pouring out of my mouth? I know the rules, I've lived with them succesffuly and have tried to continue to do so, but I feel almost as if the band won't let me. I've had some slight fill adjustments (both additions and subtractions) to experiment and nothing has seemed to improve. I often avoid social situations for fear I won't be able to eat, so I either try to eat and excuse myself to bring up the food that is stuck, or I don't eat at all. Either way, I (and my eating habits) become the focus of attention and it's embarassing. If my husband (who is very supportive) wants to go out for a meal and I can't eat, I tell him I'll go with him to keep him company. He refuses, because he doesn't want me to feel bad watching him eat. But I do feel bad, because I'm wrecking his plans too. So it's interfering with my life. I've lived like this for a year and a half and frankly, I can't live like this anymore. Do I just take all the fluid out and join Weigh****chers, leaving me where I was 5 years ago? Am I alone on this? Or has anyone else experienced this as well?

My band can be very fickle sometimes but if it is really that extreme maybe get a little unfill to make it maybe not so tight when you have bad days and then really watch what you eat on your good days. Keep it high protein low carb . I would also work with the DR on figuring it out and if he does not help you find one that will. No use in having a tool you cannot use.
I know right off I am TIGHT until midday or later so trying to eat before then will produce vomiting.So I drink coffee or if I am actually physically hungry I drink a protein shake. Also I notice stress (even that due to eating itself) causes me to be tight so I have to wait it out. I have first bite syndrom and if I continue to try to eat before it has calmed down....back up it comes.After anything comes back up you are likely to have it happen again unless you let everything rest and calm down.I tell you all this because ....maybe it is a combo of fixable things making you feel like there is no answer. Maybe change the times and things you eat and take a rest when you are too tight or PB etc. It can be a vicious cycle!  If your Dr thinks soups are not helping try high protein shakes only when too tight and then soft proteins like tuna etc. There are somethings you are just not going to be able to eat on anyday.Also watch your chewing and eating too fast and small bites. It is a learning curve for all of us so hang in there . :)  I hope you get your issues worked out I know it can be miserable!

I was at perfect restriction until one day out of the blue i wasn't.  My restriction started to fluctuate pretty wildly. My general restriction felt perfect but any little thing would put me over the top. I'm talking about one glass not enough water, my monthly cycle, a change in the weather patterns, allergies, cold, stress, a stuck episode's swelling would last days...

i got a 2 cc unfill and felt immediate relief. Unfortunately that resulted in an immediate gain of 12 lbs and then a month later I got a 1 cc FILL and I was back on the band wagon again.

Being so tight that you can't live is just not worth it. Plus being that tight actually stopped my weight loss in it's tracks.

if I were you, I'd get a couple cc unfill and see how you feel.

I like your advice!  I'm having the exact same problem as the girl you responded to, and it's good to know that just a small unfill can help that much. 

I moved to Ohio from Arizona and haven't seen a doctor in 2 1/2 years.  I got the band 3 years ago this month. 

I think having too much restriction really hindered my weight loss, too. 

Thanks for your advice!

I sure feel for you. I had kinda the same problem long story short I had 1 1/2 cc taken out. I left it that way for a month gained 5 pounds had 1/2 cc put back in still gained 5  more pounds(it didnt help it was ver the holidays) I decided to keep it where its at because I can eat any thing. I have started eating low carb no sugar no white flour  and have lost 8 pounds in two  weeks. I would suggest you get a unfill 1/2 to 1cc and really watch you food and see what happens it may take a while to adjust but to me its better that being to tight.

 
Oh my goodness, I could have written your post, I actually did when I was banded.  Every single issue you explained, I dealt with as well.  Including my doctor repeating the stupid freak'en band rules and asking if I was chewing well.  I finally became very angry with him after about the 100th time of going over band rules, I actually threatened to kick him if he questioned me on them again. Clearly I was following the rules, I went from a 41 BMI to a 20.8 BMI.

I got 2 - 2nd opinions, I thought maybe the band was not done correctly or it was too small.  Both doctors said it was exactly right, it was placed perfectly and it was exactly the right size.  I came here, to this board and was told I wasn't chewing my protein shakes well enough.  Keep in mind, my protein shakes were made with water instead of milk to keep them thin and I could only have them at room temp or I would hurl.  Some days I could eat anything and everything and other days I actually kept an IV pump at home for stretches when I couldn't keep water down with an unfilled band.

Towards the end I had no food days.  For the last four months of my band time I was on thin, room temp, protein shakes.  Nothing else would go down.

You are playing with fire, I waited too long to revise and now I have esophageal damage forever. I have to be very careful when I swallow or I choke.  i have horrific reflux that meds don't touch. I have days where I vomit stomach acid every couple of hours.  All from the band.

Get the band out, it's not doing you any good anyway, right?  All it is going to do from here is get worse.  Is revision an option?

I hope newbies researching their surgery options read this, they need to know that what you are experiencing is not rare, it's quite common.  Check out the sleeve boards, you'll find a TON of band to sleeve revision folks there that can relate to every word you are writing.

I'm really sorry you're going through this. I can totally relate to everything you're saying. My band prevented me from eating solid foods for a full 2 years.  Any time I tried to eat solid ANYTHING, I would literally end up gagging and PBing for hours... and then the left shoulder pain would come on full force. It was a daily routine. I was malnourished, anemic, sick from morning until night... but I was a "success" because I lost weight! 

I had the band out about 5 years ago and I can honestly say I'd rather be fat (and I AM) than go through that hell again, ever.

Take care of yourself. The longer the band stays in, the more long term problems you're at risk of developing. (I speak from experience. I was brainwashed into thinking that it must have simply been something *I* was doing wrong, when in reality, the band itself was to blame.) 

Since 2003, I've seen this time and time again... you're actually part of the norm, rather than the exception.

Wishing you the very best. I hope you'll not beat yourself up and realize that the band is the problem, but it doesn't need to remain that way.

I will repeat everything that N.M. and Wasabubblebutt said.  My experience was no where near as bad as either of theirs, but I felt horrible all of the time and was tired of my life revolving around a piece of hardware choking my stomach.

Think about it everyone......a hard noose around a tender organ that is supposed to let solid protein through without a fight?????  Your stomach and esophagus are going to lose everytime.

Anyone who blames themselves or let's their Dr. blame them and get away with it is an idiot.  I didn't want to live the way even successful bansters have to live anymore.  Fill, unfill, puke, can't eat, can't drink, chew to mush, pea sized bites!!!!!  Holy crapola, I am so glad there are other choices and that I was fortunate enough to have a Dr. who listened to me and respected my knowledge of my body enough to get me a revision without a bunch of hemming and hawwing.

Good luck to you.  I feel for you and I hope you can get a revision, but even if you can not, I would have the band removed pronto.

I had pretty consistent restriction(ie very little****il I had my port replacement surgery. At that time I had fluids added to the band. I ended up too tight and have been on a roller coaster restriciton wise ever since. I can either eat a full meal, with no problems at all or I'm getting stuck and PBing on warm tea.

Just know you are not alone.

I'm sorry you are going through such a hard time.

It's always easy for those not in a position to say what they would do in if they were in it.  So here's my turn: As much as I like my band and what it does for me - there is no way I would live with this situation if at all possible. Until you can make a long term decision I would at least get the band totally unfilled to help with the discomfort of being too tight at times.

If you've done well with the band for 2 years and know and follow the rules this is clearly not "operator error".  Intuitively you know something is just not right with it  no matter what the tests say. Go with your gut instinct on this and don't let the surgeon make you feel bad about it! If you feel a revision would be a good choice than take steps to toward that direction.

Good luck to you,

Trixie