Unfill or DEAL??

[MississippiGirl 0]

PLEASE PLEASE REPLY!

I just went for a fill yesterday at 11:30. I went from 6.2 to 6.4 in a 10 cc band. Yesterday I could get down liquids and I ate 2.5 popsicles during the day...tried Jello last night..it was NO GO! I got two small bites down and got it to stay down though.

This morning I sipped some Water (not very much)...then tried 1/2 of popsicle...I felt uncomfortable so I went walking for about 10 minutes hoping it would pass...it didn't it came back up.

I think I am just nervous because my last fill I went from 6.2 to 6.5 and could not even swallow my own spit for two days...I had to go back and they took me back down to 6.2. I think I was nervous during this fill because a NEW nurse pract. was doing the fill.

I think I'm still a little nervous just because of what happened last time...

PLEASE HELP! should I just try and calm down and see how the rest of the day goes..or should I call the doc?

The doc's rules are two days of clear; two days of reg liquid; then mushies...UGH! I'm following the rules!

If anyone has had this experience please do share..I'm desperate!

Jackie

[jalomum 1]

Hello Jackie, everytime you bring something back it will cause some swelling and as a result of this the problem may get worse.

How was your restriction before you had your fill? Did you need a fill or was it just scheduled in as routine?

[peprmentpati 8]

Try drinking warm liquids first.

[MississippiGirl 0]

Before my fill I had pretty much NO restriction!! At all! After the last time when I went from 6.5 to 6.2 a few days later I could eat anything I wanted...which makes me think it is just nerves..

UGH! I know that it does irritate it and cause it to be worse...that's why I tried my best not to let it come up...but fail :-( I was thinking of not sipping anything for a couple of hours and then just sip some Water for the rest of the day..then just sip Water tomorrow and wait til after lunch to try anything else...

I am usually tighter in the morning and I had 1/2 the popsicle at 9:30!

What does it feel like for you after you get a fill?

[jalomum 1]

I can't tell any difference until I eat something...usually good restriction means I am not hungry until mid-afternoon. Drinking tea is more important to me than eating so I don't do anything to jeopardise that.

If I have a bit of a problem then I just go onto liquids. The difference between being just right and too tight was 0.05ml and they are putting 0.3 in you in one go when you are getting close to restriction....you probably need to have it taken out again,,maybe 0.1 out and then wait for the swelling to go down.

I hope you get this sorted soon. Gently and slowly does it. It is better to go up very slowly at this stage as the larger steps are just setting you back.

[jalomum 1]

AND...If you cannot drink enough fluids/water then you have got a problem that cannot wait too long for a resolution.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

If you cannot swallow liquids, then simply you need to go in and tell your surgeon. He will likely give you a small unfill.

We do not need to get fills forever. Everone needs to listen to their bodies and recognize when they have proper restriction, and stop getting fills.

I hope you feel better soon, but please go see someone about that.

[MississippiGirl 0]

Thanks Everyone for your thoughts!

I am able to sip Water and keep it down....I figured if I try and give it a day or two then the swelling will go down....I just don't know...

Here is another part of my dillemma:

My surgeon is 4 hours away...which meant I drove yesterday a total of 8 hours...which equals $100 in gas and then my fill is $100.

Last month I spent 400.00 between with traveling because I had to go get an unfill which cost me gas up there and my surgeon charges another 100.00 to unfill....So between the last six weeks I've already got $600.00 spent...I just hate to make it $800 if I have to go for an unfill...Oh and this on top of the 16K it cost me out of pocket...I was a self pay!

Just wondering if I can just hang it out a few days in hopes it eases up some...and I DEFINITELY Needed the Fill...Gained 3 lbs and could eat ANYTHING!

Again...I appreciate any responses!

Edited July 15, 2010 by MississippiGirl

[prdmommyof3 0]

I am so glad I'm not the only one dealing with this dilema! I am 3.5 mos post op. I had my 3rd fill 6/28. I "think" I'm at 3 cc's in a 10cc band. That day, only had liquids. on 6/29, I had some applesauce. I could feel it going down slowly, so it took about an hour to eat a single serve cup, but it went down, never got stuck. That night, I tried some canned chicken...HUGE mistake! Got stuck and couldn't even get Water down the next day. Went to have my Dr. unfill then refill my band. All was OK. Ever since then, when I take 1 bite of pretty much anything...I get stuck. Liquids are the only thing I can eat. On RARE occasions, I can eat without a problem. One night, I actually ate 2 slices of pizza! That's the most I've eaten, and pretty much the only "solid" food I've eaten since I got my fill. Now, I have an appointment on 7/19, and am SERIOUSLY considering asking my Dr. to take a little out. I'm hardly eating anything, and (if you can believe it) am not losing ANYTHING either. I just don't get it.

HELP!

[MississippiGirl 0]

I just have no clue either! It makes no sense how last time .2 can make the difference of not being able to swallow my own spit to being able to eat pizza and anything else I want...

My thing is mine is either eating ALL or NOTHING...I mean at 6.2 I can eat anything now i'm 6.4 and can't even eat a popsicle! So does that mean 6.3 is going to be my SWEET SPOT..my thoughts...PRobably NOT!

Frustrating!

[jtreece 0]

I swell a lot from my fills. It took me almost 2 weeks from my last fill to be able to really eat anything that could be chewed like meat. I tried to stick to liquids or mushies. I have to be careful because if I do get something stuck, I seem to swell up and have to start the process again. I suggest going a little longer on liquids if you can get those down. I definitely drink hot tea when I'm really sore. Also, I try not to eat late because I think I heal better if i can go long periods of time without irritating it. I always feel much better in the morning. I'm debating if I'm still too tight also or finally reaching true restriction. It's really hard to judge sometimes. I do feel better each passing day so time does help.

[MississippiGirl 0]

Thanks jtreece! Very helpful...I think I've decided as long as I can get Water down until 5 today I'm gonna then stop by the coffee shop and try a little hot liquids if I can get that down I saw where someone else said try some liquid benadryl for swelling if I can get a couple of tsps of that down maybe I can battle through!

[Me3 0]

I'm dealing with a similar situation! Got filled 48 hours ago and went from 3.6 to 4.2 cc in a 10 cc band. I had some restriction at 3.6 and now I couldn't even get pudding to go down today !I'm sliming like crazy!! So frustrating. Although my last fill took 2 weeks to settle down, I'm hoping the same thing today. Yesterday in the early afternoon i had some chicken that went down without issue but last night it wouldn't go! UGHH

I almost think THIS is bandster hell... the post hunger was nothing compared to this!

Good luck all!

Hugs!

[Mangofish 1]

I also swell a lot from fills. The last fill less than 2 weeks ago had me feeling like hell. I could barely get liquids down and had a pain that lasted a few seconds after each sip. Each day got better. Hot Soups definitely helped and got me through it. I also drank lots of Ensure vanilla drinks. Definitely the worse thing to do after a fill is trying to push food down (no matter how small a crumb) when you are suppose to be on liquids only.

Please keep us updated.

[KathyinAZ 0]

I think you have to listen to your body. I have had 3 or 4 fills and never had a problem after. I did get food stuck once and had my doctor take some of the Fluid out. I am not going to have anymore fills and don't know how much fluid is in the band. I don't want that much restriction that I can't eat anything. My doctor said you should only have to be on liquids and mushie food for the first day after the fill. I think sometimes some doctors put too much in at a time. Especially if you are paying out of pocket you may want to keep your fills at a minimum. I also paid out of pocket but my fills & unfills are covered by the initial payment. You may be able to deal with less fluid in your band if you keep with a high Protein low fat diet and get some exercise. I used to have a huge appetite and could really go back to that way of eating. I still get hungry sometimes but either drink lots of Water or eat some protein. Good luck, I know it can be very frustrating but you will know when you've got enough in your band.