How to Avoid Band Slips 101 - by "Naomi"

Apr 14, 2009

How to avoid band slips - 101

1. Follow your surgeons post op diet to at T, if their instructions say soft mushy food at 1 week, that does not mean mashed up shrimp scampi from Olive Garden .

2. There is NO window of opportunity with the band, so what's your rush? I know many are getting fills as early as 2 weeks post op -- BIG MISTAKE, just think this is a foreign object in your belly, that needs to heal and develop scar tissue to prepare you for VERY TIGHT FILLS YEARS OUT, that needs to be tough and strong enough to handle many PBs, sex, and god-forbid stomach viruses...remember this is something that you will live with forever, if it does not heal properly what's the point of getting fills too early and then it slip 6-12 months later and you are back to square one with a empty band or worse removal?  And don't say you can handle losing weight on an empty band..face it YOU CAN'T that's why you got surgery in the first place, so take care of this precious band it will take you places for a long time.

3. Getting too many fills too quickly -- this is another BIG mistake, I have seen SO many that used to get fills every 2 weeks, they no longer have bands now, it is well documented that fills should be at least 4 weeks apart starting out, this is when the band is MOST venerable and can easily HEAL WRONG...you don't want to interfere with the band too much while it is healing and most bands are not completely healed and have scar tissue to at least 12 months POST OP.
 Now there is DIFFERENCE IN A NEW POST OP getting a fill every 2 weeks than someone who has had their bands for over 2 years and had to get a unfill for other reasons none band related and having their surgeons refill their band back to where they were -- BIG DIFFERENCE the person who is 2 years post stop has more scar tissue and the band is more secure at this point and it is less likely to slip the further out you get.

4.  OK -- now you have found your sweet spot, and your this is your time to take advantage of your band and WORK IT!! Never ABUSE YOUR BAND , don't PB just for the hell of it, you will find your self on the revision board in the next 1-3 years, PB's should be RARE and a mistake , each time you vomit there is risk of bursting loose a suture that holds the band in place, especially if you are a new post and scar tissue has not yet develop yet.

5. OK, let's get to the good part TOO TIGHT FILLS -- IF YOU EVER NEED TO GO TIGHT, let it be in the last phase of your journey and NOT the beginning, since when you are heavier you really don't need to be that tight anyway to lose weight and should save the tightest fills for those last 20-30 pounds and plus you don't want to go tight as new post op anyway and slip your band and still have over 50-80 pounds to lose. Being too tight is just a step above the recommended amount of saline...when the band is very tight you typically cannot eat breakfast, lunch will be pushing it...and sometimes you can get in a few liquids or mushy stuff at dinner. This is the fill level that CAUSES BANDS SLIPS, POUCH DILATION'S and who know erosion's, if kept too long. Can you keep this fill level? Yep, this is also called the level where most develop SOFT FOOD SYNDROME, it is something that you may not be aware that you are doing because all healthy SOLID food is very painful to eat and protein shakes and yogurt will get old REAL QUICK..

ALL bandsters will get to this fill level at some point, some will keep it some will not. Personally I think it is OK to have a too tight fill (SHORT TERM ONLY) BUT ONLY for those last pesky pounds you need to get off and you have a lower BMI and you are WILLING TO FOLLOW BAND RULES TO A "T"; but to work TOO TIGHT FILLS you MUST NOT eat solid food much, mushy or pureed foods are a must and no eating solids after 5pm every day...but most do not follow this and typically eat too much food ( I know been there and done that) and this CAN cause pouch dilation's and band slips, maintaining a too tight fill is not for the inexperienced bandster, too tight fills in my own opinion should be discussed with your doctor and you should be monitored and AVAILABLE to your surgeon to get a UNFILL any time reflux/vomiting  and heartburn becomes frequent and unbearable. -- how much reflux and vomiting is too much? You should get a unfill when you eat any soft food and you PB/vomit it back up at every meal or you have NONE STOP REFLUX at night and regurgitate in your sleep..aka auto vomit and slime when you lie down at night, if this occurs EVERY NIGHT your band is warning you to remove saline because your band is about to slip., Also MANY cannot lose weight with a too tight band because they are not willing or able to drink protein drinks or puree healthy vegetables and before you know it you will be eating Cheetos and ice cream for dinner every night instead of chicken and spinach and through out all this misery of reflux, PBing every day and feeling like someone is choking the shit out of you -- you may not even lose weight.

6. EXTREMELY TIGHT FILLS -- well there is not much to cover on this topic because MOST will NOT even attempt to try to keep a fill level where they can't swallow their spit or drink water, but hey there have been many who have kept a fill level where they spit into a cup..enuff said on that one.

OK band summary -- use common sense when working your bands, don't PB on purpose, only when you have no choice, IMO too tight fills should only be reserve for those who are 1 year out or more this is when the band has formed enough scar tissue to handle pressure of a too tight fill and you should be near your goal weight because YOU CANNOT KEEP A TOO TIGHT FILL LONG without issues -- THAT'S IS A FACT, and use common sense, if you plan on going tight to get you to goal weight, get a small unfill when you reach your goal weight to prevent slipping your band, we all MUST change your lifestyle and eat right and cannot rely on a very restricted band for long periods of time, even moderate restriction will keep us at goal weight.

Now after I have told you guys secrets of tight bands or avoiding slips I need help on getting to goal weight.

Enjoy your day!!


Disclaimer: Please listen to your own surgeon, I am just telling you like it is from my own experience and what I have seen over the last 4 years...

Good day

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