Combating old eating habits is key to stopping pouch dilatation from developing. Regardless of the unhealthy eating habits that may have developed prior to you getting your band – once your band is in situ you must put your foot down and make drastic changes straight away to avoid complications down the line.
The main contributor to pouch dilatation is rushing your food, eating large portions and having your band too tight and experiencing regurgitation symptoms – applying any of these on their own or a combination, in time could lead to the area above your band becoming stretched and forming a pouch like stomach on top of the band – or through constant regurgitation symptoms the stomach could herniate up and over the band again increasing the area above the band aiding the ability to hold a larger portion of food and the increased risk of stretching the stomach.
If you have a pouch dilatation more often than not you will be experiencing an unpleasant symptom suggesting this..This is why you are best to be open and honest when you attend your appointments or speak with your dietitian.. They will be able to advise and support you if they worry you are putting yourself or your band at risk.. Keeping this information to yourself and your nurse assessing you falsely may mean further fluids are added to your band – this could make matters worse and result in you losing your band or even worse injuring your stomach.
Red flags include
• Your band having a good amount of fluid in but you don’t need to eat slowly or chew meticulously
• Regurgitating undigested food back 30+ plus minutes after eating
• Regurgitation of food when you lie down
• Pain
• Reflux symptoms
• Bloating
Nothing is worth putting your band or stomach at risk – not even weight loss
The band is meant to be in situ long term, but this purely depends on you – so if any of these symptoms are familiar – seek guidance and support.Sometimes by having your band fully aspirated allowing the release of pressure to the top of the stomach can resolve these symptoms and give the stomach chance to retract back.After a period of time you can start to refill your band again.. Time to be sensible I’m afraid.
