Jack

Just my personal view on this OP: Every now & then, such an inquiry surfaces regarding self fills. Open discussion, as far as I can tell, is not at issue. After due consideration, in the notion that Bandsters at large are consenting adults capable of making rational decisions, this thread is left open as long as no forum rules are violated, and pending reconsideration if necessary. I too understand the frustration leading to consideration of self fills. In no way would I choose to do such to myself. 1) The potential for self injury, infection, or damage to the hardware is considerable, IMHO. 2) The potential for GIANT liability for those individuals doing such in the circumstances mentioned above, could well lead to litigation and drastic financial ramifications. Part of the cost of having the properly certified Fill Center or your own surgeon's office perform such procedure, is they have insurance such such prove necessary. If the cost of initial surgery is considerably, ask what the complications of septic abdomen might include.

regarding some of your issues post hys etc, it sounds like your esophagus has never quite readapted to its new role. I've wondered about the sleeve myself but will wait a few more years to see what the longer term consensus becomes. I've had a few issues with having been too tight and having to take months to reestablish the sweet spot with no hunger, small meals, no complaints....but it does come eventually. I've never had night time regurgitation, but gather the impression it very often is related to late eating as well as being too tight. I've had moments where daily PBs could be an issue, but I've found ways to live with that occasional turmoil.

given your comments my impression is a very slight unfill and more attention to how and what you are able to actually swallow without PBs. To be able to eat the appropriate hard Protein, I had to rely on the food processor for nearly a year. We are all different in the details of how we adapt to our new life. It really sounds like 'more restriction' is not the answer for your current situation.

By all means get this further evaluation ASAP. There are a number of related issues which can increase the symptoms of an otherwise relatively 'simply' Band problem. Letting such symptoms go without in depth evaluation that provides a likely answer is not a good idea IMHO. A great Band placement that works well 98% of the time still requires the occasional check up, especially with your handful of complaints. I personally wouldn't rest until I *did* have satisfactory answers. Please let us know what you find out, and don't just let this continue as you describe. Bandster Life does NOT have to be a miserable experience.

re: "I found it different to simply enjoying the lack of appetite that I had with the band and eating very little just because I could." I read Jachut's post about control of those around us and anorexia. I've never experienced that aspect; however I wonder about the very opposite: OVEReating as a way to 'feel' we have control over situations where obviously we don't. And I mean 'overeat' apart from any actual food-related issue of taste, hunger, etc. I wonder whether the dysfunctional secret belief that the mere act of swallowing is a type of control which stands in place of any/all other ability to control our lives. Perhaps that is another form of depression/etc. Because even reading about such behavior is difficult to understand what the writer REALLY is talking about, I've erected my own sense of order in this entire 'Morbid Obesity' issue. My premise is the alleged reasons for such is of relatively minor significance; it is our behavior (overeating despite all physiological needs) that is the singular controllable and measurable aspect. My own behavior has changed enough that I'm no longer "morbidly obese"....although at BMI of "35" I remain "obese".....which is where I've been nearly all my life. Whether further BMI decrease can be achieved seems to be increasingly less likely.... based on my eating behavior.

Personally I've been on a long LONG plateau of over 3 years without significant weight change. I've had a couple tiny fills and equally tiny UNfills as for my antique model 4cc Band changes as little as .1cc can have tremendous effect. I too have days of 'monstrasourus eating' potential.....yet find oddly that the reality is I'm not actually eating all that much per computer tracking program. And some days I simply don't care for much....which is fine. Had a major concern checked out by my Internist, his gastroenterologist, and consult with both my dietician and other practitioners. The consensus is 1) nothing is "wrong"/diagnosable/otherwise treatable; 2) I may be at my "maximum medical improvement" per weight loss. OK, so I'm still "40#" from my original goal. Life is good. Still, my Band is at times Fickle. cheers on your journey

They won't press you too hard. And if the tread mill isn't available to determine certain physiological status questions, there is a 'chemical stress' test. At the time of my own preOp testing, I was in a chronic panic/anxiety mode and made far more of both of them than actually they amounted to being in reality. Don't fret about either. And in not too long postOp you'll surprise yourself at just how far you CAN walk without issues. cheers in your journey

re: "when I feel satisfied I should stop and its ok if I don't finish " therein is the entire nut.... It was a tremendous NEW experience to recognize there IS a difference between "hungry" and "NOT hungry".... Leaving food uneaten is one of the mortal sins in my early family eating training. As Bandsters we must find ways to reprogram ourselves. You are well on the way by recognizing those 2 separate opportunities to change your eating behavior. For me, it is/was/is largely a matter of daily practice....although sometimes it really does begin to feel 'normal'. More often now I'm finding I take less to begin with, maybe only a few spoonfuls. Making it more effort to go get more helps retrain my NOT eating behavior. cheers on your journey

APRPro4U: The little details are annoying like rocks in our boot; we must keep moving in the direction we chose, even if we have to stop to take our boot off now and again! cheers in your journey

re: "don't you think it's inappropriate for a doctor to discuss his relationship with insurance companies?" This is my opinion only, and differs from other prior responses. I believe it is appropriate for my provider to clearly state what the financial aspect of his care consists as relates to the overall cost. The question of who pays what amount should be one of the basics a consultation needs to include. His medical recommendations shouldn't be based on that matter, but as a patient I want to know who pays what. With that data clearly stated, any confusion later in the front office can be avoided. Personally, I would welcome such frank disclosure as part of the initial consult were it me there in the office seeking a medical opinion. It is possible to shop around and find a provider to give any answer one wants. The opinions of the provider given in the practice of medicine, like the practice of law, is based on 'likely outcome' in similar circumstance in prior cases. Prediction of our individual results remains a matter of speculation based on a lot of factors identified and unidentified. Prior WLS does add at least some degree of complexity to the usual questions regarding Banding.

This is a wonderful phase on the journey in which to discover a whole NEW way to eating according to what our brain tells us instead of the Belly Beasts continuing to run our lives. Yes, soups were a whole new food group I belatedly discovered as actually being GOOD!!!

I was on CPAP 10 long years preOp. PostOp I was off it within 8 months and haven't needed it since. While it did save my life I think.....and made it possible to actually get deep level sleep....using it was an exercise in self discipline. Glad I no longer need it. Yet another reason to Celebrate 'the BAND!!!!'

One of my favorite meals is baked fish sticks and home canned green beans. Typically I'll have 4-6 fish sticks and 1/2-1 cup beans. Sometimes less.

re: "no appetite".....I had several periods where I had "no hunger" and "no appetite"....along with "no interest in food".... IMHO it's not an unusual phase of postOp life, I've seen many Bandsters post similar comments over the years. Enjoy that gift for what it is, a break in a life that was for way-too-long controlled by what our Belly Beasts demanded.... learn how to use social time not based on 'how much', 'what' or even 'whether' you eat along with your friends.

I don't see the ads since installing an 'ad blocker' some time back.

just back from out of town, I haven 't been able to post let alone see ads....message was sent to support re questions. Standing by

While a bit of a surprise, were it "me" in that situation, I'd try to use it as opportunity to "live the Bandster lifestyle" and find ways to modify my eating behavior "as if" Banding had in fact occurred. Exploration of those hidden and often denied behavioral activities relating to our Morbid Obesity have to be accomplished in any event, whether Banded or not, IMHO. Whoever we choose to do surgery, or get it done at all, is less important in the long run, than finding a way to move our spirit along with our body, ever towards the goal we have. "Healthy eating habits" is a difficult goal for any Bandster to achieve. Using the tools we have accumulated is essential in all phases of achieve control of our Belly Beasts. Developing newer and ever-more effective means of accomplishing our goals requires discipline and daily focused effort. Cheers on your journey.

Welcome to LBT Brandon. You raise lots of questions that can be easily surveyed by reviewing nearly any thread in many forums. Sipping calorie filled liquids and eating beyond satiety level, is a change you will welcome if you are serious about the entire WLS program. If you are Morbidly Obese, you will have the opportunity to reprogram and reeducate yourself about a new life style. There is nothing that tastes as good as being thinner feels. I was Morbidly Obese much of the preOp 40 years, despite all my efforts to the contrary. Your use of the term "vomit" suggests involuntary expulsion of stomach contents, with digestive juices and the mess commonly associated with a drunk throwing up in his own back seat....that isn't what usually happens to Bandsters, as most of those episodes are related to the contents of the upper stomach and esophagus above the Band. And most commonly it is self induced by an error of eating caused by the Bandster's own mistake. Keep reading and researching; you'll find a great resource here to help you get some answers. Cheers on your journey.

It is sad to learn of such difficulties old Bandster Buddies are having. So far my own seems to be trundling along with minimal issues other than episodic fickleness and occasion mass gacking for a few days. My Internist recently advised against further fill at this time due to an imaging study 2 years ago showing motility issues and mucosal thickening. Placement seems proper and generally is pretty well behaved. I haven't attempted the 'stress-by-pregnancy' test yet and will avoid such as long as possible.... I'd be most interested in your ongoing seminars on hardware and updated surgical options should you care to share them. I'm convinced there IS a way to dump the remaining 'weight to goal' by at LEAST another 20 # and then retire with ample satisfaction from the ongoing battle. Perhaps I should regard my plateau of the past 3+ years as a GOOD thing. My internist tells me this point may be "as good at it gets". cheers to us all and best wishes for the coming struggles

great post Redhead!!! Our postOp journey takes us through many lands; my own sudden realization of how overeating was related to emotional crisis was quite a surprise. Yes, having a therapist can help in our journey. Seek one out. LBT for me was an incredibly rich resource for learning what others had encountered. I found an interesting conflict in my own binging. The notion of responding to stress/pain/conflict/confusion/anger by overeating, or by just eating without being hungry, was my defense in a hostile world. The odd thing was, while pretending the allure of marvelous food, dragged me unwillingly into overeating, the sense of 'control' while swallowing, justified the act of overeating....although that isn't what I started the binge feeling, that was where I arrived after suffering many episodes. Eventually, that gnawing hunger that never left and was never satisfied regardless of what/how much I crammed down, responded magnificently, to the Band. With the realization that I could respond to emotional crisis without overeating, and that the 'fear' of becoming hungry was not a catastrophe, my postOp journey become a kind of Paradise Regained. We all go through many phases in our journey. Just keep moving the the direction you want to go and don't worry about the small stuff. When you get a rock in your boot, take it out; when you come to an obstacle, remind yourself that Water always makes it to the sea regardless. You can do it. Cheers in your journey

re: "I will remember to remind who ever is doing the fill, that it is a 4cc band. So just a slight fill will do." yes, usually mere .1 or .2cc worked incredibly effectively on my 4cc band. Once they put .25 in during the early phases & it proved to be too much all at once.

54S: congratulations on continuing your Bandster journey despite the obstacles. I have the 4cc Band, which remains in service since 2004. I've had a few episodes of being 'too tight', and some periods where I thought I was "too loose". I had been in the 1.5-1.7cc fill volume, but the last few adjustments my provider has refused to tell me the amounts. 2 years ago I had a serious extended episode that concerned me greatly. Finally imaging demonstrated some issues with mucosal thickening and motility issues. I had recently scheduled a new adjustment-probably tiny fill-but consult with my Internist this very week has advised me to not do such. I remain down a total of over 100#, but of which 'only' 60 can be attributed to the Band. Intended goal was down to 225, which we all now consider an unrealistic idealized goal. I believe I can loose another 20, even though at plateau these past few years. I remain at less weight than graduating high school during the JFK administration, so I am not entirely unhappy. Relatively few issues worth complaining about. After 15 years on insulin injections twice daily and CPAP 10 years, I remain on oral meds and no nose hose. My recent blood work is as good as it's been in 40 years. I haven't managed to slip into size 40 pants yet, but the 42/44s are a satisfactory improvement from the 56/58 day of surgery. Cheers on our journey!!!

re: "Thinking about what sounds good and what i'm going to have as opposed to what is healthy" somewhere along the way, as Jachut so eloquently wrote, I simply got fed up with "jamming my gob" on both a physical and metaphysical level. When I see that 400#er cruising by stuffing themselves with various concoctions of slow death frappe' and another bagOstickyBuns, it am relieved it isn't ME there doing that anymore. And while I do have something way too easy and way too not-healthy, I no longer live to eat. I no longer by 2 loaves of fresh bakery bread so one will make it home. Somewhere the "Thinking about what sounds HEALTHY and what i'm going to have that is GOOD for me" kicked into a daily reality. And while there are omissions of good eating behavior, and remissions of a day where profane non-food somehow makes it down my gullet, it isn't very often. I no longer go to sleep planning tomorrow's assault on whatever food might be laying about, and I no longer awake where the first thing on my mind is how to arrange being able to eat all day long without interruption. Some of that ungodly food urge was resultant from the hormonal imbalance related to injecting 100 units of insulin twice daily over 15 years. Some of it was simple gluttony and the dreadful consequence of 'Sport Eating' taken to the extreme. Somewhere along the line my brain gained better dominance over the belly beasts that had controlled my eating habit for decades. In a way, I suppose "food addiction" shares similarities to other substance abuse issues. Discovering that 'eating' is not the same as "overeating", and that "not full" is not the same as "hungry" were huge improvements in life. Learning there are subtle nuances I long ignored, astonished me. I had long reacted to the fear of becoming hungry by over eating. I will repeat that phrase, as even today I regard it as central to my own Morbid Obesity: the FEAR of BECOMING hungry drove me into compulsive overeating, independent of any actual appetite or 'hunger' itself. Once I could identify "hungry" and "not hungry" the battle turned in my favor. I think it was a form of "food autism" in that I could neither recognize nor react to actual 'hunger' because I would eat to avoid feeling hungry. Pure psychoemotional non physiological self reinforcing eating behavior unrelated to 'hunger'. In fact, preOp I did become overwhelmed by panic attacks and anxiety episodes. SO identification of the irrational and changing my own eating behavior with the assistance of the Band, is my laborious response to your question. But in spite of the occasional glitch, PB or other annoying unexpected episodic fickleness, my Little Angel of the Silicon Fist, my Symbiant, has moved me away from all that. Cheers on our journey, fellow Bandsters

re: "I am not a patient person " Who is? re: "The only problem I seem to have is when I eat too fast I get some pain. " disagree.....when we over eat, at whatever speed it is, that is the problem re: "I'm not as hungry as I was before." great!!! re: "restriction" I my case at least....the opportunity to use my brain to direct my eating behavior was a new and painfully learned event. I grew up (and OUT) actually training my ever-increasing appetite to gulp moreMoreMORE ever faster to increase my obesity by overeating nearly every meal. And still I couldn't eat enough to be "full". "Sport eating" is one thing, but uncontrolled success at that produces Morbid Obesity. Here we are. We have to learn the 'restriction' is in our minds, on our own eating behavior and what in we learn to choose to do. The pain of gulping food down will change to the pain of being stuck and slimming as PB'ing as the Os decreases. We must embrace our new selves and help in our own reemergence. Once I recognized the metaphysical aspects of my overeating behavior, the discipline became easier. And even ~not-patient *I* my Royal Self~ have become far more patient in eating better. cheers in your journey

Other than the obvious "I didn't even WANT coffee at first" after a couple weeks my surgeon gave me the OK to use it a bit.