How long should you wait for your fill to cooperate?

[Biglilmama75 0]

I was banded March 23, 2009. My first adjustment was in July after having no restriction the months following surgery. I was filled to 2cc and had some restriction. My surgeon and I decided not to be too aggressive because my esophagus had expanded to nearly 3x its regular size. Apparently, I had not been following any warning signs and was "overeating the band". I wasn't chewing properly and still taking huge gulps of fluids. With the 2cc restriction I listened to my body and the sensation of satisfaction rather than fullness and by November, I was back in for another fill. My doc went up 1.5cc and based on the fluoroscopy and my sensation. In addition, my esophagus was practically back to its normal shape, but not at 100%. I was fine for about 18 hours but by the next day I couldn't PB and I slimed more than I could drink. I couldn't sip even a teaspoon of Water. By day 4 I was dehydrated, weak, dizzy, pissed and frantic! It was a Sunday when I finally called my doc. I drove 3 1/2 hrs to NY where he happened to be doing emergency surgery - all the way from the poconos where I live. He removed an entire cc and I drank... I drank like I've never drank in my life. I had lost over 15 lbs in those 4 days just in fluids alone. I kept drinking and then eating and eating. The holidays were upon us and I just kept eating back the 15+ lbs.

Ok, so here I am. I had another adjustment done exactly 1 week ago. I'm at 4cc now, which surprises me because I was stuck and miserable with less than that. The first 2 days were fine. I took it slowly as I always do after adjustments, and it seemed to be ok. However, once again, come Saturday... 1 lousy tsp of fluid- warm, cold, hot, tepid, clear... it didn't matter. I couldn't tolerate it. At first I thought it was because my tea had milk. My sliming was out of control. I was heaving all day. By Sunday I was back to small sips of clears. By Monday I was sipping broth and by Tuedsay, small sips of creamed Soups... but not much! 1/2 cup in an hour with having to reheat it several times. On Wednesday I was able to have warm and cold liquids, but tightened up by the evening. Today is Thursday. I woke up and started my day with clear hot tea. I couldn't tolerated it and started to heave. I tried cold apple juice. More sliming and heaving. It is now Thursday night and I have not had anything to drink at all and the sensation of dehydration is beginning to kick in. Mind you, I have not had any solid foods at all and I have lost 15 lbs. I was so freaked out about the last episode so I came here to read blogs and have read over and over again that everyone is different and the way everyone adjusts to fills is different.

How much longer should I wait before I allow myself and my body to get used to the new fill? I don't know if its normal to wait this long or longer, but DAMN am I thirsty!!!

[SPENCERBE333 0]

I was banded March 23, 2009. My first adjustment was in July after having no restriction the months following surgery. I was filled to 2cc and had some restriction. My surgeon and I decided not to be too aggressive because my esophagus had expanded to nearly 3x its regular size. Apparently, I had not been following any warning signs and was "overeating the band". I wasn't chewing properly and still taking huge gulps of fluids. With the 2cc restriction I listened to my body and the sensation of satisfaction rather than fullness and by November, I was back in for another fill. My doc went up 1.5cc and based on the fluoroscopy and my sensation. In addition, my esophagus was practically back to its normal shape, but not at 100%. I was fine for about 18 hours but by the next day I couldn't PB and I slimed more than I could drink. I couldn't sip even a teaspoon of Water. By day 4 I was dehydrated, weak, dizzy, pissed and frantic! It was a Sunday when I finally called my doc. I drove 3 1/2 hrs to NY where he happened to be doing emergency surgery - all the way from the poconos where I live. He removed an entire cc and I drank... I drank like I've never drank in my life. I had lost over 15 lbs in those 4 days just in fluids alone. I kept drinking and then eating and eating. The holidays were upon us and I just kept eating back the 15+ lbs.

Ok, so here I am. I had another adjustment done exactly 1 week ago. I'm at 4cc now, which surprises me because I was stuck and miserable with less than that. The first 2 days were fine. I took it slowly as I always do after adjustments, and it seemed to be ok. However, once again, come Saturday... 1 lousy tsp of fluid- warm, cold, hot, tepid, clear... it didn't matter. I couldn't tolerate it. At first I thought it was because my tea had milk. My sliming was out of control. I was heaving all day. By Sunday I was back to small sips of clears. By Monday I was sipping broth and by Tuedsay, small sips of creamed soups... but not much! 1/2 cup in an hour with having to reheat it several times. On Wednesday I was able to have warm and cold liquids, but tightened up by the evening. Today is Thursday. I woke up and started my day with clear hot tea. I couldn't tolerated it and started to heave. I tried cold apple juice. More sliming and heaving. It is now Thursday night and I have not had anything to drink at all and the sensation of dehydration is beginning to kick in. Mind you, I have not had any solid foods at all and I have lost 15 lbs. I was so freaked out about the last episode so I came here to read blogs and have read over and over again that everyone is different and the way everyone adjusts to fills is different.

How much longer should I wait before I allow myself and my body to get used to the new fill? I don't know if its normal to wait this long or longer, but DAMN am I thirsty!!!

Do not wait to call your surgeon. This does not sound normal and you should be able to drink liquids. Please call without waiting too long. You need to have some liquids and nourishment.

[dream716 1]

I had my second (01/28/2010) adjustment and now at 6cc. I'm drinking Water and Soup and Jello but i only can take a very small amount and feel it in my chest each time. is this normal? How long does this effect last?

Surgeon: Dr. Nick Gabriel of St. Catherine's of Sienna Medical Center, Smithtown, NY

Banded: 02/02/09

[Biglilmama75 0]

Hi, dream-

Even that seems too tight to me. You should be able to eat comfortable in very small increments, like 1/2-3/4 cups, chewing thoroughly of course. A month seems to be a long time to feel it in your chest with just fluids. I'm jealous! Today I was only able to tolerate 1/4 cup of fluids with lots of sliming. I'm calling the office on Monday first thing to go back to unfill a little :biggrin:

[dream716 1]

i figure i'll give it a week, it seems to be better whem i drink or eat hot Soup or room temp Water. how many fills have u had? its great to someone using the same dr. he's back monday from haiti. :biggrin: i'm on Facebook and i'm at dream716@inbox.com if u like to chat.. or here...:-)

Edited January 31, 2010 by dream716

[Bonnie_Lass 1]

You should always be able to drink fluids, maybe not guzzle them, but a least drink normally. I got too tight once and just Water sat for hours right after a fill. The swelling did go down but I eventually got an unfill anyway. If you can't drink get some taken out now, don't wait.

[dream716 1]

i am drinking, just real slow. i went to the gym and drank on bottle Water, then camme home and had a Protein drink. each took an hour.

Just get that little burn feeling at times if i go to fast. I guess it's helding ? i'm calling to morrow to check. tryied a little scramble eggs today, went down but like i said some bruning, like acid.

Edited January 31, 2010 by dream716

[Biglilmama75 0]

You should always be able to drink fluids, maybe not guzzle them, but a least drink normally. I got too tight once and just Water sat for hours right after a fill. The swelling did go down but I eventually got an unfill anyway. If you can't drink get some taken out now, don't wait.

Hi, Bonnie. You are absolutely right. Today is actually a good day. It is now noon. I woke up today and the first thing I do is try to sip some hot tea. This morning I let it go because I was heaving liquids I could only consume 1 teaspoon at a time. This morning I waited until I was absolutely starving and I had and entire 1/2 cup of tea over 45 minutes. WOOHOO! My dh is under the impression that this is a good sign and maybe I don't need the unfill. I'm trying to explain to him that the ability to eat should not be a crap shoot lol. I should be able to eat comfortably every day, any meal and in small portions. Am I right or wrong? I shouldn't have to worry if my food is hot or cold or tepid. I can't afford to wonder how my band is going to treat me from day to day. I am going for an unfill this week and hopefully it will be enough for me to get fluids down. It's not a good feeling to be obsessed about drinking all day. It's just as bad as how I was prior to being banded and obsessing about dieting. Thank you for the advice!:thumbup:

[Biglilmama75 0]

i figure i'll give it a week, it seems to be better whem i drink or eat hot Soup or room temp Water. how many fills have u had? its great to someone using the same dr. he's back monday from haiti. :thumbup: i'm on Facebook and i'm at dream716@inbox.com if u like to chat.. or here...:-)

You have no idea how glad I am that he is coming back. Tonight, actually... I am on the road first thing in the morning to get unfilled. I can't chat with you on fb. Can you believe NO ONE but my husband, and 2 coworkers know about my surgery? It's my best kept secret!!! I'm also glad that we have the same dr in common! I haven't been able to connect with anyone else who uses him (and mean Sheryl! lol... j/k).

[Biglilmama75 0]

i am drinking, just real slow. i went to the gym and drank on bottle Water, then camme home and had a Protein drink. each took an hour.

Just get that little burn feeling at times if i go to fast. I guess it's helding ? i'm calling to morrow to check. tryied a little scramble eggs today, went down but like i said some bruning, like acid.

I'm sooo happy for you! It sounds like your recovery is happening very slowly but surely! I hadn't been able to go to the gym for a week and a half because I was too weak from not being able to drink. I don't think I answered your question before. This is my third fill. My first one was uneventful, as I thought they all would be. I hope he doesn't take out much, but I will deal if he does. I've lost 20 lbs these last 2 week; that's the only good thing in all this. But I feel sick and run down and irritable and it's also messing with my cycle and my attitude . Oh, my poor family! MY KINGDOM FOR AN Optifast Protein SHAKE!!!:thumbup:. I went to shop rite today and they are having a big sale on anything drinkable... I bought tons of diet snapples and sobe Water and waters to bathe my mouth in after the unfill. How pathetic am I???:thumbup:

[ocotillo 0]

If you cannot eat or drink...you need an unfill. You can damage your stomach and it is unhealthy not to be able to take nourishment. Call your doctors and get at least a little Fluid taken out.

I just had my 3rd fill and believe I'm at my sweet spot. I can drink...any temperature....slowly, no gulping. I can eat slowly and small amounts. I do get a little tighter in the am and have to drink coffee slowly, but I can drink.

You need to be able to drink and eat. Get an unfill. Call your doctors. He/she may only need to take out .5 cc, but you shouldn't be hurting yourselves this way.

[Biglilmama75 0]

If you cannot eat or drink...you need an unfill. You can damage your stomach and it is unhealthy not to be able to take nourishment. Call your doctors and get at least a little Fluid taken out.

I just had my 3rd fill and believe I'm at my sweet spot. I can drink...any temperature....slowly, no gulping. I can eat slowly and small amounts. I do get a little tighter in the am and have to drink coffee slowly, but I can drink.

You need to be able to drink and eat. Get an unfill. Call your doctors. He/she may only need to take out .5 cc, but you shouldn't be hurting yourselves this way.

Hi, Ocotillo!

Excellent advice. It's sad to me. The first two days following my fill I thought I hit my sweet spot. I had to follow clears for 48 hours and I was doing quite well but when day 3 hit and incorporated a splash of milk in my tea and the tea didn't sit well at all, I knew it wasn't the right restriction. I was hoping over the week that it would improve. Trust me, I am not trying to deliberately injure myself. I have come too far to lose my common sense. Though I did have a few moments of feeling defeated. I will be seeing my doctor first thing in the morning. Hopefully I will find my sweet spot then!

Thank you!:confused:

[angel1 0]

:smile2::confused::w00t:

i figure i'll give it a week, it seems to be better whem i drink or eat hot Soup or room temp Water. how many fills have u had? its great to someone using the same dr. he's back monday from haiti. :smile: i'm on Facebook and i'm at dream716@inbox.com if u like to chat.. or here...:-)

[angel1 0]

Hey Dream, you emailed me you never had any problems with the 2 fills you had. Could you be fibbing. Looks like your not the only one with overfill problems from dr. Gabriel. Anyway I'm still happy your happy but honesty is the best policy. Didn't your mom teach you that!

[dream716 1]

My fill were fine. just an adjustment to the new food intake.