How did you feel when?...........

hi, i had two surgeries as my first band had a slice in it! . The second was a success and I have lost 110 lbs. I have not had an adjustment in over a year.  I am finding it harder to eat.  Can the band get tighter on its own? Has anyone had this issue, if so what was the cause of it?  I am seeing my doctor next week.  I am afraid as I hope nothing is wrong and I don't want to start gaining weight back when he takes some fluid out of the band.  Please share thoughts, feelings, experiences.  Thanks 

There are several thing sthat affect the tightness of my band.  Stress, change of altitude, change in bariometric pressure ( i can always tell a change in the weather), Time of Month, seasonal agergies, and dehydration make sure you are getting plenty of fluids since the weather is warmer.  Maybe it is some of these things, glad  you are seeing your doctor. Have a great day.

thank you so much for your response. i have had a great deal of stress, had neck surgery and allergies. have you had this happen to you, if so what was it?

 April 26, 2008 my mother got sick very suddenly, in and out of the hospital over that time and then she passed away June 11, 2008. My band would tighted up on me where i couldn't eat, i could drink. I thought it would get better but it did't i had to have some fluid taken out of it until things calmed down. I did gain some weight, but when  i felt thing were easier for me to handle i had some put back in the band and the weight came off. I had a hysterectomy back and March and they removed fliud from my band then, i did gain weight and now in the process of getting fills to get proper restriction back and get that weight off. When alergies bother me i take Mucinex, i usually drink something warm first thing in the morning and it seems to help with the drainage and helps clear things out  our pouch and helps loosen the band.  

hi, thanks for your response.  so sorry to hear about your loss and all you have been through.  you sound like a very strong woman! good luck to you. 

Yes indeed it does tighten over time for some odd. For some of us it is substatial. I finally had mine completely emptied because it kept tightening and rather than suffer future damage I just gave up on it. My theory is that we build up more and more scar tissue under the band which then makes the band tighter, but that's just my opinion.

thanks for your response. so you have no fluid in it now at all?  how are you doing with that?

I have found the same things affect mine as the others have said in addition to just for the heck of it. If I don't get results doing extra fluids, etc. I call for a slight unfill. I did this about the end of July and had .5cc out which is more that a little bit, but I am down to around 3cc now and feel just fine. I haven't gotten all my fluids in the past two days and I can tell a difference so tommorow I will drink just tons of fluids.

Don't be afraid of a slight unfill if necessary, you can get some back in later. Too tight leads to stuck episodes and those can put the band at risk.