The Chopster
Member
Following on from my previous thread about how your band actually works, I have spoken to Sally from THG and she explained it perfectly. I know some people have had problems with Sally before, comparing her to a used car salesman but she has always been great with me and fully answered any questions I have had.
Right, basically years ago when a band was fitted, everyone thought that it worked by creating a pouch at the top of the stomach with the band making it like an hour glass shape. Food came into the pouch and when you were full you were full. Over time, the pouches stretched and people lost restriction.
Dr Paul O'Brien is one of the leading band specialists and has discovered that the band actually works by stimulating some nerves at the top of your stomach which makes your brain think you are full. Food hits your band, a small amount goes through and the rest goes back up your food pipe (you can't feel this) and tries again upto 6 times before it goes down. Your brain thinks you have had upto 6 mouthfuls. This takes upto a minutes so you have to eat slowly and also very small amounts. The band is put right at the top of the stomach - Sally said old bandsters have a large egg sized pouch but new bandsters (banded by Mr Sigurdsson at least) have ones the size of a shallot! This in part is because of the realisation re the nerves and also to allow for the pouch stretching over time.
You can drink when you eat as it won't make you throw up as with the old bandsters but you will flush the food through so won't feel full for so long.
Apparantly, Mr Sigurdsson has been working closly with Dr O'Brien with his research so this is why he knows so much about it but Sally said that sometimes they have to tell him off a bit as he gives too much information which can be a bit confusing! I am not sure if it is just Mr S that bands this way or everyone currently doing bands so I guess people would have to ask their providers.
Hope this clears it up a bit!
Right, basically years ago when a band was fitted, everyone thought that it worked by creating a pouch at the top of the stomach with the band making it like an hour glass shape. Food came into the pouch and when you were full you were full. Over time, the pouches stretched and people lost restriction.
Dr Paul O'Brien is one of the leading band specialists and has discovered that the band actually works by stimulating some nerves at the top of your stomach which makes your brain think you are full. Food hits your band, a small amount goes through and the rest goes back up your food pipe (you can't feel this) and tries again upto 6 times before it goes down. Your brain thinks you have had upto 6 mouthfuls. This takes upto a minutes so you have to eat slowly and also very small amounts. The band is put right at the top of the stomach - Sally said old bandsters have a large egg sized pouch but new bandsters (banded by Mr Sigurdsson at least) have ones the size of a shallot! This in part is because of the realisation re the nerves and also to allow for the pouch stretching over time.
You can drink when you eat as it won't make you throw up as with the old bandsters but you will flush the food through so won't feel full for so long.
Apparantly, Mr Sigurdsson has been working closly with Dr O'Brien with his research so this is why he knows so much about it but Sally said that sometimes they have to tell him off a bit as he gives too much information which can be a bit confusing! I am not sure if it is just Mr S that bands this way or everyone currently doing bands so I guess people would have to ask their providers.
Hope this clears it up a bit!
