Am I too tight??

[claire0823 0]

Ok, long story short. I had a fill with a new doctor who was in my area instead of traveling 8 hours to my surgeon who I don't particularly like. This doctor put 1.5CCs which brought me to a total of 7.75CCs, or so I thought. THis doctor did not pull out the Fluid to see how much was in or had evaporated. It felt no different than it had before the fill. (I had gone 7 months without a fill) So i went to see another new doctor (I changed jobs and moved across the state of Texas!). THis doctor pulled out all of my saline and found that I had roughly 6.75CCs so he gave me a fill of 1CC which brought me back up to around 7.75CCs (in a 10CC band).

Now here's my real question, am i too tight?? It's been two weeks since my fill and I can hardly get down Water in the morning. It feels like it gets stuck but eventually goes down. Towards the afternoon it loosens a bit but tea will still get stuck sometimes. Most days I haven't been able to eat even mushy food much less real food. However, on Saturday, I was able to eat mushies and deviled eggs without anything getting stuck. Sunday rolled around and I'm back to the same story of water feeling as if it is stuck. I'm scared to go in for an unfill because I don't want to lose my restriction but I dont know how much longer I can take it like this! I started a new job and don't really have vacation time to take off for a small unfill. Please help!

[vicki's band 0]

I too am having a problem getting Water to go down, I had an unfill of .75cc 1 week ago and felt ok for 3 days and today i called the doc cause water isn't going down again, I am thirsty and drink but just to get rid of it in5 or 10 min. I would say if water isn't going down we are too tight. are you urinating, is it dark, are u thirsty, if so you are dehydrated, i would get a slight unfill and see how your feeling after 2 weeks. I only have 4.4 cc in a 10 cc band and I used to have 5.7 so like my doc said every fill and unfill is different. what is ok now may not be tomorrow...good luck

[BandedCG 0]

I say if you are having trouble getting Water down, that you are a bit too tight.

At my tightest, I could not stop puking. I couldn't swallow and I was miserable -- and that was a little over 7 cc's when the doc thought I had a little over 5. That lasted one night and I had an emergency unfill. Now I'm not tight enough. I go back next Tuesday for another fill.

[CASSIEME1 1]

My md stated that you could be having esophageal spasms so try the hot teain the morning and see if you keep anything down in the evening.you may have to drink slowly

[vicki's band 0]

I was back at the doc's yesterday and he took out another 3 cc on top of the .75 last week and he said I was totally obstructed. I was miserable, dehydrated, and I dont ever want to feel that way again. I am down to 1 cc left in the band and I am still having slight problems with reflux and nothing but liquids going down, he said I am swollen. have to go back tues. and start to ad some fill. I am not sure if I am ready. I have never been deflated before and I am down 105 lbs since 6-09-08. gonna take things slow, dont ever want to go thru this again.....

[sandi1011 0]

Hi Vicky,

Having same problem as you have been having....went for fill last friday put in 1.5 cc..was fine could get down Water etc.

Bye the next day could hardly swollen and was coughing like crazy.

Monday went for a unfill took out .4cc was ok said stay on liquids for 2 days...which I did, but now I can not get any regular food down...so miserable.

Anyway question is how did he know you were totally obstructed.

And how did you feel? Right now I just throw up 5 times trying to eat and I feel like there is a big ball in my neck.

Ugh! Thanks, Sandi

[vicki's band 0]

sandi, if Water won't go down then u r obstructed. But listen to me I went back in today because I was still after all the unfills having really bad reflux last nite and they did a barrium swallow and my band has slipped, and pretty bad too. so I am on total liquids for the next two weeks and they totallly unfilled me and i may have to have surgery to repair it. they also told me if I cant get liquids down over the weekend, I have to go the the ER and maybe have emergency surgery due to obstruction...be careful and I only wish I had been more careful and slower with the fills.

[sandi1011 0]

Thanks Vicki,

I go back in on Monday....right now on liquids and yogurt...protein drinks.

Funny I can not get the Protein drink to go down unless I warm it up, but did get down 2 popcicles, 1 container of yogurt, so things are looking up in that.

Last night I coughed all night, we will see what to night brings.

Can not wait to go back in Monday, they wanted me today, but big snow storm, so Monday it is.

Let me know how you are doing.

Thanks, Sandi

[Vixian 0]

Hello. well i am planning on getting lapband as soon as i am out of college for summer... and i was wondering.. how do you know when its time to get a fill or unfill? i meant.. i read all these about why you all got unfills but i just dont understand the fill part.. I watched youtube video about filling and the whole sugery but nothing about how to tell

[sandi1011 0]

Hi,

After surgery, about 6 weeks in sometime later or earlier, the doctor will fill your band slowly, so you are not so hungry, but what happens is if they put to much in you can not eat or even get Water down then they must unfill a few cc's....but most of the time it is a hit or miss till you get to the sweet spot where you are happy with just a little food...until you get to the sweet spot they will add cc's.

It is kind of hit and miss for each patient is different.

Hope that helps a little...Good luck on your surgery.

[jr64044 0]

was having this same sort of problem. I was banded July 20th, 2009. My first fill was 3 cc's, second was 5, then eventually around Nov went to 6. I was doing great with it, found I could eat a little more but wasn't getting anything stuck which I looooved. I hate the feeling of something being stuck, its the worst feeling in the world. I also bumped up my cardio by alot and was finding I was hungry more often. Not knowing if it was the increase in work outs making me feel that way or if I needed a fill. I went in and he added another .5 cc. Which put me at 6.5 cc's out of 10. I went two days not even being able to get Water down, hot tea wouldn't even get down. I realized when I went to lay down after pbing all night long I had a acid reflex feeling. Which coming from someone whos never even had heartburn, lets just say it was enough to make me call in the morning. I had lost 2 lbs overnight, but fealt exhausted since I hadn't even been able to drink water. They did an un-fill but put the needle in and left it in while I sat up and drank water untill it went down smoothly. That was pretty sick-sitting on a table with a huge needle sticking out of my stomach gulping water. They ended up taking out 1.5 cc's so I am down to 5 again. which is less than I had before the fill from hell lol She said my stomach was probably swollen and they would leave it at 5 for 2-3 weeks. I actually enjoy being able to eat food w/o it getting stuck. I decided I'm going to go 70% and let my band go 30%. I am still making good choices, I just don't want it to have to be so tight in order for my loose weight that I'm uncomfortable. I still don't eat bread, maybe I could I just haven't tried. I am going to see how this works for a while. Maybe I was doing it wrong all along, who knows but its a learning curve for everyone to find what works for you, I just don't think we need to be miserable :wink2:

[kkarryall 0]

Sounds like you are a bit too tight to me.....let us know how it works out....

[vicki's band 0]

was having this same sort of problem. I was banded July 20th, 2009. My first fill was 3 cc's, second was 5, then eventually around Nov went to 6. I was doing great with it, found I could eat a little more but wasn't getting anything stuck which I looooved. I hate the feeling of something being stuck, its the worst feeling in the world. I also bumped up my cardio by alot and was finding I was hungry more often. Not knowing if it was the increase in work outs making me feel that way or if I needed a fill. I went in and he added another .5 cc. Which put me at 6.5 cc's out of 10. I went two days not even being able to get Water down, hot tea wouldn't even get down. I realized when I went to lay down after pbing all night long I had a acid reflex feeling. Which coming from someone whos never even had heartburn, lets just say it was enough to make me call in the morning. I had lost 2 lbs overnight, but fealt exhausted since I hadn't even been able to drink water. They did an un-fill but put the needle in and left it in while I sat up and drank water untill it went down smoothly. That was pretty sick-sitting on a table with a huge needle sticking out of my stomach gulping water. They ended up taking out 1.5 cc's so I am down to 5 again. which is less than I had before the fill from hell lol She said my stomach was probably swollen and they would leave it at 5 for 2-3 weeks. I actually enjoy being able to eat food w/o it getting stuck. I decided I'm going to go 70% and let my band go 30%. I am still making good choices, I just don't want it to have to be so tight in order for my loose weight that I'm uncomfortable. I still don't eat bread, maybe I could I just haven't tried. I am going to see how this works for a while. Maybe I was doing it wrong all along, who knows but its a learning curve for everyone to find what works for you, I just don't think we need to be miserable :laugh:

dont do what I did and get too tight to lose weight, now look at me, I have a slipped band and may never be the same, take it slow and steady and you will reach your goal. I only hope i can have a revision and get back on track, and believe me it will be nothing but slow and steady for me if I get a second chance.:wink2:

[jr64044 0]

dont do what I did and get too tight to lose weight, now look at me, I have a slipped band and may never be the same, take it slow and steady and you will reach your goal. I only hope i can have a revision and get back on track, and believe me it will be nothing but slow and steady for me if I get a second chance.:wink2:

Yes that is exactly what I afraid of, which is why I went in the next day to have Fluid removed. Thats my point I was trying to get across was that it doesn't have to be so tight that we are miserable in order to lose weight. I don't beleive that was the original intent of the band. I am sorry to hear about your slip, I hope the best for you.

[cmr 0]

I just went back to Mexico to have a fill after 4 yrs. and NO restriction. It was an expensive trip but I think I am too tight. I can't get back there again until June.....can my band slip after 5 yrs?