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My lapband journey began in November, 2007. I flew to Monterrey, Mexico for surgery with Dr. Zapata. He is a skilled surgeon who does many of these procedures quickly and efficiently. I got a 4cc band. After the surgery I experienced minimal pain and virtually no complications, except a little nausea. I went in for my first fill about a month after surgery; long enough for the swelling and initial tightness to recede. My first fill was tiny, just .1 or .2 cc's. Even though it was very small, and all the subsequent fills I received were very small, it was enough to cause me to vomit every time I ate. After 4 weeks or so, I was able to keep down some food and after about 6 weeks I went back for another tiny fill, believing this was the protocol I should follow. Since the very beginning, I have experienced vomiting, severe reflux and an inability to exercise without it causing almost immediate vomiting. Even with a few sips of Water in my stomach I will vomit if I try to go for a walk. I have to wait at least 6 hours after eating before I can even think of walking from the car into a store without stopping to vomit. I can't sleep laying down. Even propped up, I aspirate every single night. It takes a few hours, but the Fluid in my stomach always finds its way up and I wake up choking. I've had lots of tests done over the years since being banded and have tried everything to make this band work for me. I recently had another endoscopy, upper gi series and fluoroscopy done and it was determined (yet again) that my band has never slipped, and my pouch has never stretched. I have made the very difficult decision to have the band removed, since there seems to be no other option for me at this point. The surgeon who will be removing my band has assured me I am not alone. The band is a wonderful idea, and does work for some people. I never had any acid reflux before the band, not even heartburn. But for some people like me, this is nothing short of a torture device. Intended to allow me to eat small amounts of foods I love (grilled chicken and fish, steamed vegetables); I have been unable for years to eat anything that has much lean Protein in it, because it is too hard to digest and doesn't pass through the band quickly enough, therefore causing food to come right back up. I've lost some weight, and I hope I can keep it off and lose even more, now that I'll once again be able to eat food off the grill. I wish I could report things a different way; I feel that I've given this enough time and enough different chances to try every possible "fix" for the problem, but unfortunately, this is how my band story ends. Good luck to all of you - try your very best - give your band every chance to work. Kristine in Texas

Update: My band was removed December 15th, 2014. The surgeon found a hernia; polyps in my stomach (they are rare, but can be caused by long term use of acid reflux medication); and concrete "food pills" that were stuck in the lining of my stomach inside the banded area. The concreted "pills" were causing extreme pressure between the band and my stomach, which was the source of the severe reflux. Unfortunately, they didn't show up on previous tests, or could have perhaps been treated separately to see if that would have allowed me to keep the band. The bottom line is that I slept soundly last night for the first time in more than 5 years.

I'm 7 years post-banding and need recommendations for a surgeon who can work on my tubing. I went in for an unfill a couple months ago, due to severe acid reflux and some other problems. The Dr. was using flouro, and the needle was definitely in the port, but nothing would come out. She said the tubing is twisted or something else is keeping the Fluid from coming out. The band definitely does have fluid in it, and is fairly tight. My surgery was initially done in Mexico, but I would prefer to have the repairs done in Texas. (I'm just north of Houston, in The Woodlands) I need to know if there is a surgeon who will work with patients who were banded somewhere else. Any suggestions?

Okay, I had this problem a little bit after my first fill, but it only lasted for a few days. I just had my second fill, and I can definitely tell there is good restriction. The problem is, even though I can drink liquids without a problem (in the morning they have to be hot, but they go down just fine) I just can't seem to eat any real food without terrible pain which radiates between my shoulder blades and lasts until I throw up the offending food. It's been a week since the fill, and I know that I'm supposed to be staying away from soft foods and Soup, but honestly, that's the only thing that will go down and stay down. I ate some cream of celery soup for lunch and that did okay, but tried to eat a little very soft chicken for supper, and it hurt like crazy and then came right up. I looked for other posts on this subject, and I'm sure they are here somewhere, but I couldn't find them. I am not thinking I need an unfill, but I'm just hoping this isn't the "method" used to keep us from eating. I thought I'd just feel full after a little food, not that it would be torturous to eat. Any suggestions? Kristine Banded on 11/12/07 18 pounds lost, 70 pounds to go

I've been banded for about 15 months and have lost about 55 pounds so far. I'm pleased with my fills (5 so far) and am able to eat small meals slowly without too much difficulty. About 8 months or so after being banded I began having acid reflux for the first time in my life. I began eating my last meal earlier, nothing after around 7pm, then began taking a walk after eating my last meal in the evening, and finally added some acid controlling medication in the evening. That does seem to help somewhat, but over time the acid seems to be getting much worse. Over the past two months or so, I have begun aspirating in the night once or twice a week. I wake up choking horribly and in much pain. I have searched on the web for information on this, and other than the fact that it seems to be somewhat common in post-banding, I don't see much about what can be done. Today I have tried some apple cider vinegar (according to what I read, 2 tblsp twice a day helps some people tremendously), and will give that a shot for a few days to see if there is improvement, but if the aspiration doesn't improve soon I fear I will have to have the band unfilled, which would be a huge disappointment. This is such a serious medical complication that I don't want to take any risks with it. Anyone else having this problem, and if so, what did you do to seek improvement?

I've been banded 3 years myself, and had my last fill about 8 months ago. I'm planning to have the next one in September or October of this year, so almost a year apart. According to the fill doctors I've used (we moved, so had to change docs), there isn't a "magic" formula for the length of time between fills. I'm not in a particular hurry to get to goal, but prefer to learn how to manage each new weight for several months before getting another fill and going down to the next weight plateau. I've lost about 75 pounds so far, and I expect to reach my goal weight of 116 within another year, possibly two. I am about 30 pounds from goal now. Everyone is different, so if you are noticing your appetite increasing, really do a thorough assessment on whether your hunger is emotional eating or actual hunger in between meals. I remind myself every once in a while that the fills can't continue forever. At some point, my band will likely be full. After that, if I haven't dealt with the emotional eating, I will gain back some of the weight. For me, it's better to wait longer for a fill and learn to maintain for a while, but as I said, every person is different, and with different amounts of weight to lose, and unique situations. Good Luck!! --Kristine

I LOVE Dr. Stephanie Eijsink, who sees lapBand patients in College Station every other Saturday (she alternates between College Station and Tyler and does LapBand fills on Saturdays only). She charges $200 (cash only) for a fill with flouro, and uses lidocaine before the needle is inserted. She is really great, and has a lapband herself, so she understands the quirks of the band. Her husband takes the appointments for her, and usually you'll need to leave a message and will get a call back within a couple hours. She is not a lapband surgeon, and will do fills on patients from Mexico. Her number is: (903)520-8847.

Thanks for all your replies, I think I have finally found some posts that address this problem. It has taken me quite a while to learn how to navigate property through this forum, but when I went into the topic about lapband problems and complications and did a search for "aspirating" I came up with several other posts on this subject. Almost all of them indicated that the problem is mostly related to being overfilled. I guess maybe quite a few people had a slight unfill and found relief. I think I'll wait it out for a little longer, though. We just moved from Texas to North Carolina and I can't see my fill doc right away. There are other doctors at Fill Centers, but I went to one of them a month and a half ago and he is not nearly as good as what I'm used to, so won't go back. I have found that if I am extremely diligent about when I stop eating in the evening, and don't drink anything at all for the last two hours before I go to bed, I seem to do okay. I absolutely can not eat any red meat after about 3 in the afternoon, as it stays in the pouch much too long. I expect that as spring gets here and I am once again able to exercise outside, I will begin to lose weight again and will see the band become a bit looser. This is so frustrating, and I definitely don't want to wind up with pneumonia, but I'm going to try taking the extra steps to manage it for now. Jbrommer3, Please post back if you don't mind, and let me know what your doctor says? Best of luck, Kristine

I have been banded for about 15 months now. Until recently, I lived in Texas and drove about an hour away to Dr. Eijsink for fills. The usual wait for a fill was maybe 10 minutes, sometimes less than that. She was quick and thorough, and I was quite satisfied. Now that we've moved to NC, though, I had to find a fill doc nearer to our new home and called Fill Centers USA for a list of their fill docs. They found me a place not too far away, about an hour and a half away. I made the appointment, and for the first appointment I was told to come 15 minutes early to fill out paperwork, which I did. Then I proceeded to wait......over an hour before I was taken to the back. After some initial questions and my weight, blood pressure, etc. were done, I went into a room and waited again. It was TWO HOURS after my appointment time when I was finally seen by the doctor. When he did come in to do the fill he did a good job and seemed thorough. It is still early on, and I'm still not eating solids so can't tell for sure if this fill is sufficient, but I expect that it will be fine. The problem I had was with the wait. I think anything over 15 minutes is unacceptable, and if I have to wait that long again I will cancel and insist that I not be charged. My time has value, and as a fellow professional, they wasted about $300.00 worth of my time that day. When I spoke to the people at Fill Centers, who called me for feedback the next day, they indicated that they were aware there was usually a wait time at that doctor, but they certainly didn't inform me about it when I called. I would appreciate the people at Fill Centers taking note of this thread. You have the ability to let people know what they are in for. Some people may choose to sit and wait anyway, but others won't waste the drive time and will choose another option. For those of you looking for a fill doctor, wait time might be another question you add to the list when you are inquiring for a fill. Kristine, North Carolina

The gas problem goes away after a few weeks. You'll likely have pains for about a week, maybe two, and then you'll notice it more than usual for the next couple months, until you get used to the band and stop swallowing air with every bite. After the hunger pains subside, (and they do subside) you'll be able to eat small bites slowly, which creates much less gas. I find it harder to burp than before, so if air does get stuck, well, it has to find another way out. But after 10 months post-op and 50 pounds lighter so far, I have very few problems with air anymore. As far as the diarrhea, one of the things that caused it for me was the lack of solid foods. It just sort of cleaned out my system, but after a few days it went away and hasn't been an ongoing problem. Maybe you could take some imodium if it doesn't get better in a day or two, and make sure you increase your fluids to compensate. Best of luck to all of you! Kristine The Woodlands, TX Banded 11/12/07

I drink a lot of hot tea, and usually have a cup, or sometimes even 2 or 3 cups early in the morning. Normal for me is eating my first "meal" sometime between 10:30 and 2:00. Anything earlier hurts, because I'm very tight early. Fortunately, though I am not hungry early on, and the tea does the trick. Lots of people use the Protein shakes, but I can't consume anything cold. My fill doc has a band, and she told me that for her it is usual to wait until maybe 1:00 in the afternoon before she is able to eat. So, morning tightness is perfectly normal for some, and for others "normal" seems to be a little different. You'll do great!!! I've just hit the 40 pound mark! Losing slowly but consistently, and I'm very thankful! (I was banded on November 12, 2007 - 40 pounds lost in 26 weeks) Kristine The Woodlands, TX

Never fear, you will get past these cravings. I was, in my opinion, addicted to diet coke prior to my band. I had one about an hour before the cutoff time for eating and drinking prior to surgery. Afterwards, I thought for sure that would be the one thing I could not give up. But, then one day I tried a little. Just a sip or two, and it's hard to explain, but it just isn't the same at all. It's not satisfying, and you couldn't even THINK of taking anything more than a tiny sip at a time, so you don't get to enjoy it. I've had three or four sips since then (really! that's all!) and I can honestly say that I don't miss it at all. What do I miss??? Well, I've lost 40 pounds somewhere, and can't seem to find them! Of course, I'm not really looking very hard. LOL Kristine The Woodlands, TX Banded since November, 2007

We eat out quite a bit and I have found lots of things that I like. I always split something with my husband, so never worry about what's on the plate that I can't keep down. I like a nice piece of fish, seafood, chicken or steak, and also prime rib, as long as it's cooked on a grill or in some sort of sauce (I don't like fried food). I also love sushi, and I can eat one order of sashimi (2 pieces, no rice) with a cup of miso soup for a meal. We usually get some salad with our meal, and I can eat small bites of tomatoes, cucumber and avocado, along with several other vegetables served raw. Most steamed veggies work, as long as they're tender. For breakfast, I have found that scrambled eggs won't stay down, but I can eat a few bites of an omelette, or some fruit and even tried a little corned beef hash the other day and had 4 or 5 tiny bites, which worked just fine. Wendy's has a baked potato that I got one day, and it was good. I didn't eat the whole thing, but probably managed about half. At Chick-Fil-A I can eat the grilled chicken, just not the bun. At McDonald's I ordered the fish sandwich once and ate some of the fish, which wasn't very good but it stayed down okay. Fuddrucker's has a turkey burger, and I eat just the burger topped with mustard and pico de gallo. It's big even without the bun, but it's very good. Sweet Tomatoes has lots of stuff to choose from, you won't have any problem finding something to eat there. Also, Chili's has very good salads with chicken on top and those are wonderful, although much too large to finish alone. Kristine The Woodlands, TX Banded since November, 2007 (lost 40 pounds so far)

I had the same sort of pain for a while after surgery. I think it was gone in a month or so. That's just part of the healing process, and probably is the muscle tissue hurting where they went through to get to your stomach. I rarely have pain anymore, but still have a lump of scar tissue in the muscle, which I thought was a hernia at first. You'll likely have a few pangs now and then, especially at night when you try to roll over or sit up without thinking about it. But, it will be gone before you know it. Kristine The Woodlands, TX Banded in November, 2007

Thanks to all that gave advice on this thread. After nearly two months of not keeping down any solids, I had been going back and forth on whether to wait it out until I lost enough weight to loosen the band a little, or to get a little taken out. I decided to get the unfill, and went in last week. She did everything under flouroscopy, and said that what I had looked really good, but suggested taking out just .1cc's which would take me from 2.1 to 2.0 (in a 4.0 band). Amazingly, that has made a HUGE difference! I was able to begin eating Protein and vegetables the very next day, and haven't thrown anything up this week. The best part is, I've lost 5 pounds in just one week!!! I'm never hungry now, after being hungry all the time (because I couldn't keep ANYTHING down), and since I'm eating actual protein, I feel better. So, don't despair if you find yourself needing a little unfill. That doesn't mean you'll be gaining weight, or treading Water until your next fill. It can actually help to make the band work better at times. Thanks again for all the great suggestions. Kristine The Woodlands, TX (40 pounds lost since November, 2007)

I haven't been on this forum for quite a while, but logged on today because I've been having this issue for a couple months now. And at this point, I am having the problem no matter what time of day. I am able to keep down some tomato Soup, or sometimes if I'm very careful and go very slowly, chicken & stars might stay down. I drink a lot of hot tea, couldn't even THINK about drinking anything cold, and can't eat any solid foods without them coming right back up. And of course, I don't like this. But, I had to have my ovaries removed a year and a half ago, and my metabolism wasn't great before the surgery, and afterwards it has gone downhill even more. So, with the band before this fill I was able to eat a little bit, and was doing the required exercise (I love to exercise, and walk about 15 miles or more a week, and take a hot yoga class), eating Protein followed by a few veggies, drinking all the Water, and was eating maybe 800 to 1000 calories a day and was still only losing about 3 pounds a month. Now, I'm finally losing the amount we're supposed to lose with the band (about 6 pounds a month now). So, I hate to mess with that, because I know that if I get the unfill the weight loss will either slow down dramatically or stop altogether. Such a dilemma, isn't it? I guess I'll give it a couple more weeks to see if I can get the inflammation to go down some, and then, reluctantly, I'll have to get a little bit taken out if it doesn't get any better. At any rate, I AM glad to see that this isn't a problem that no one else has ever had. There is a lot of reassurance in knowing lots of people go through this. Kristine The Woodlands, TX

I use Dr. Stephanie Eijsink (eye-sink), who rotates between College Station and Tyler. She does fills on Saturday mornings, by appointment, cash only - for $200. The fills are done with lidocaine, and are done under flouroscopy. Dr. Stephanie has a lap band herself, and really understands what you are going through. She does not do surgery, just fills, and will accept patients from any doctor, as far as I know. I had my surgery in Mexico, and I highly recommend her. Her phone number is 903-520-8847. Make sure you specifiy which office you prefer when you call for the appointment. Kristine

Ruby, I hadn't thought about chicken being the culprit. I don't think that was the whole problem, because it truly was everything I tried to eat, and not just one food, but I do tend to lean towards chicken and fish most of the time, meat wise. I already know that bread, rice, and eggs are totally out of the question, and the list expands from time to time. Now I do find it very interesting that you said some foods might work one month and not another. That is the first time I've heard anyone mention that. There is much to learn about this band, I guess, and I'm just barely getting started. I wouldn't want to cause any damage to my health, so will continue to treat this very gingerly, but I have hope now that I might actually be able to tolerate the band much better than I thought. It is such a help to read what others have been through and have found to work. Sorry that someone else had to be the guinea pig, but glad it wasn't me! :cursing:

Wow, am I thankful for this forum. Until I read your posts, I had no idea the pain could possibly be caused by inflammation. Since November, when I got the band I have had the pain when I ate, so I really did think that was the "dirty little secret" of lap bands. I assumed they were successful because it was so painful to eat that you would just learn new behaviors. After reading what you said, I decided to try going back to liquids (they were thick liquids, but still just liquid) for a couple days to give my stomach time to settle back down. It seemed like a good thing to try, since having an unfill would have required liquids for a couple days anyway. Then last night I tried some food. I put my food on a (teacup sized) saucer, and chipped up some bits of hamburger, salad, corn and baked Beans. The portions were tiny, to be sure, but this was real food. I used a demitasse spoon to eat with, so that I could measure out every single bite precisely. It took me about 1/2 hour to eat about 1/2 cup of food, but every bite went down, and for the first time since November 12th, I HAD NO PAIN! Afterwards, to my complete shock, I actually felt FULL. So, I guess for me, this was the first real day to experience a lap band. I can't tell you how thankful I am for your feedback. If it hadn't been for that, there is no telling how long I would have gone on with pain. And based on other posts I've read, that could have resulted in complications. Whew! Thanks again!! Kristine

Sue, I'm eating the tiniest of bites, and usually the first bite hurts so bad it's more like 3 to 5 minutes before I could dare try another. I generally give up after 4 or 5 bites because I just can't stand the pain. It all comes back up anyway, but at least I feel like I tried to follow the rules. We are not supposed to drink anything when we eat, but when I finally get too hungry, I'll eat some soup with a cup of hot tea just so I can get a little something down. Eating fast is not an option for me, and if tiny bites hurt this bad, I wouldn't dare to think about what a regular sized bite of food would do to me. I read in one post that the pain between the shoulder blades is caused by trapped air. I guess that makes sense, but it only seems to happen with solid foods, not liquids. At any rate, I'm sure I'm not the first person who has experienced this, and I'd really like to hear from others that have had this problem. What helps to alleviate the pain? Kristine Kristine

I live in The Woodlands, and had my surgery in Mexico. I use Dr. Stephanie Eijsink for fills. She is simply wonderful. She has a band herself, so knows what it's like. She uses flouroscopy (she uses a little lidocaine first so it doesn't hurt a bit), and her fills cost $200 (cash only). She does fills on Saturday mornings, and she rotates between Tyler, Texas and College Station. I went to Tyler the first time, because of the holidays, and I didn't want to wait an extra couple weeks, but the last time I went to College Station and the drive took just over an hour. It was fast - I got right in, and right out. I HIGHLY recommend her. You can contact her at (903) 520-8847 You are also welcome to e-mail me directly if you want more information-- Kristine@AHomeInTheWoodlands.com Blessings! Kristine

I was banded on 11/12, and had my first fill Saturday, December 29. I have a 9.75 Inamed band, and she put in 1.3 cc's of Fluid. She did the fill under flouroscopy with a little lidocaine right before she inserted the needle. It didn't hurt at all during the fill, but it did start stinging quite a bit later on. The port site is sore to the touch now, but not so much that I can't stand it. I have a lot of restriction, and fluctuate between being able to eat fairly well and not being able to eat much of anything without extreme discomfort (okay, I'll even go so far as to say pain). I am using this Special K Protein Water mix (10 grams of protein) and Light Muscle Milk (20 g of protein) to supplement, and drinking quite a bit of hot tea throughout the day. Also, I had 4 oz of cottage cheese, which added another 11 g's of protein. All in all I think it's going okay. Not sure what to expect in the way of how long it will be before I can do a little better with solid foods, but I don't feel desperate, so I think it's going good. The one thing that really bothers me is that although I lost 9 pounds initially right after surgery (that was all within the first week, and was due to serious vomiting), I haven't lost any more weight, and even now it's not coming off. I'm walking a minimum of 2 miles a day, and drinking plenty of fluids. Is it possible that drinking so many fluids might be keeping me from losing the weight? Does that happen to some people? I'll give it another month or so before I try changing anything, but I'll admit it, I'm getting a little frustrated. I'm following the dr's instructions to the letter (other than the fact that I still can't eat as much as she recommends) and not losing. She said I ought to be losing 1 1/2 to 2 pounds a week. I couldn't stand to have any more liquid in the band right now, or I wouldn't be able to eat at all, so it's not for lack of a good fill. Any suggestions? Kristine

Good luck, TXbandit. I was on liquids for the first day after my fill, and then mushies for the second day. The second day I was able to eat pretty well, but the third day it kicked in quite a bit more. I've noticed today that a lot more Water weight is starting to come off, so I think this week I'll definitely have some pretty good weight loss. I sure would like to hear how it goes for you. Post back, will you? Kristine Texas

Yesterday all I could manage was cottage cheese, and today I was able to eat the tuna fillet, and may try some cooked carrots for dinner. I'm drinking a lot of hot tea (about 48 ounces a day - 0 calories), and have been supplementing the lack of Protein with protein Water (30 cals), and if needed, I drink a muscle milk (140 cals, 20 grams protein). But, I only do that to make sure I'm at least meeting the protein goal for the day. The hot tea seems to help loosen the band, but still I can't even think about eating anything before noon. I'm not feeling hungry, though. All this drinking all day long is preventing my appetite from kicking in. I may need to get a little taken out, but I figured I would wait another week or so to see if it's just a little inflamed from the whole first fill thing. The liquid calories I'm consuming aren't much. Generally less than 75 cals a day (well, that was the usual before the fill), unless I have to drink the extra protein, which is every day for now. My daily totals right now are under 500 cals a day for solids + liquids, but I'm going to shoot for more like 1000 cals a day by month's end. My fill doc seemed to be stressing that the daily protein and the water are the most important things, so since I'm getting that, shouldn't it be okay for now? I can stand this for now, even though it's not the best, so probably won't head in for an unfill. Doesn't it generally get less tight after a while? Kristine Texas

My band holds 4cc's, and I think 1.3 will prove to be about right for the first fill. It's really tight at this point, but by the end of the month, when she told me I'd likely need my next fill, it will surely loosen up a bit. As luck would have it, after writing this yesterday, I got up this morning and discovered I've lost another 2 pounds. So, if this continues I will be thrilled. I am not really able to eat much of anything, but I keep trying. Yesterday all I was able to get down was 4 oz of cottage cheese. Today, I was determined to eat some solid food, and I found these little 4 oz. tuna steaks at the grocery with 34 g's of Protein. It took me over an hour to eat it, and I had to drink hot tea with it, just to get it down (I know I'm not supposed to be drinking with meals, but that's literally the only way I can get anything to go down right now), so now I have in half my protein for the day, and even if I have to drink a muscle milk tonight, I feel comfortable that I'll be able to get in 60 g's of protein today. My goal for this week is to be able to eat all my protein and to get to the point where I can also eat some vegetables with it. I never imagined it would be this hard just to eat such a tiny amount. My fill doc told me I ought to be aiming for 1200 calories a day, but right now I'm doing well to get down 600 a day, including the protein Water and muscle milk. Funny thing is, I don't really feel that hungry, because I'm constantly drinking tea or water or something, just to manage getting in all the liquids for the day. This is a lot of work! You must have gotten your first fill really early. I tried to talk my fill doc into it, but she wouldn't budge. I guess it's for the best, though. It's the long run that counts now, isn't it? Kristine Texas