Band Mystery: Same fill amount...no restriction?? Theories?

jdinsc · January 3, 2006

Okay, you experienced bandsters, here's a real mystery. I do have an appt. with my doc in a couple weeks, but I thought I'd arrive prepared with some ideas.

Earlier this year, after a long plateau of no weight loss, I had a fill that took me to 1.8ccs of Fluid (in my Bioenterics 4cc band). I knew I was too tight within the first several days but thought it might be swelling. I started getting acid reflux and PB'ing a lot but I liked the weight loss. I actually made it to my goal weight, but the acid reflux was too much and my doctor removed some fluid. I think I was down to 1cc.

Well, I could eat like a horse, and I did. It's amazing how old habits die hard. Within a month I had put on 10 lbs. It was like there was no band at all.

I went back to the doctor and he filled me up with 1.4ccs. Still, nothing. No restriction. I could eat white meat chicken, take a Multivitamin horse pill, and an untoasted bagel. (All at one sitting.)

So I went back and begged him to fill me some more. After prodding, he second-guessed the original fill amount and put back 1.8ccs of fluid...the amount that originally made me too tight...and made me stay and drink Water to make sure everything went down and I wasn't obstructed.

Guess what? I can still eat like a horse. No restriction at all.

No pain, no redness or swelling, no port issues, feeling fine. No little voice inside my head saying "something's wrong." Just a big voice inside my head saying, "Your underwear is getting tight!"

Thoughts/suggestions/theories?

Thanks much, everyone.

JD

Marimaru · January 3, 2006

I have a friend who went through almost this same thing, but it was a fill, not an unfill that did it to her.

Basically, the poking and prodding from one of her fills pierced the tubing, giving her a big fat leak. She has to have her tubing replaced now.

jdinsc · January 4, 2006

Wow, Sarah, that's a really interesting option. Never occured to me that the tubing could be perforated. Come to think of it, I actually did have a bad fill experience when the doctor's nurse did the fill once. (Never again.) He didn't actually poke me multiple times, it was more like a toilet plunger going up and down. (Sorry for the graphic there.)

I'm afraid to ask, but... what did your friend end up doing? How is she?

JD

Marimaru · January 5, 2006

She is going in to surgery tomorrow to have it fixed. I'm not sure if he's replacing the whole tube or just gonna snip off the poked part and reattach the port or what.

She just got a fill one day and messaged me and said "How is it I feel looser than before??". What's really whacked is that her doctor's staff kept giving her fills when she kept saying she didn't have restriction and she had to demand a leak test to get one. Fortunately the doc admitted that it was totally a problem on the part of his staff, and squeezed her in as fast as he could (she found out probably the day before you posted this thread).

I'llsucceed · January 5, 2006

Basically, the poking and prodding from one of her fills pierced the tubing, giving her a big fat leak. She has to have her tubing replaced now.

This is what I would say. A Barium swallow whould tell ya what is going on. I did hear tube replacement isn't that much of a worry so "chin up" I am sure you'll be ok;0) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

Marimaru · January 5, 2006

It wasn't a barium swallow that showed the leak. That mostly just shows band placement. There's a solution they will fill the band with that is called contrast solution that shows up in the flouro (like barium, but it's different and you don't swallow it). My friend said that when they injected it she saw in on the flouro screen just going all over the place (it's inert like saline I guess).

jdinsc · February 1, 2006

Thanks everyone for your input. The Barium swallow showed the tube bent, but there wasn't any discernible leakage. However I've read elsewhere on this site that a tube gets weaker when it's bent and can leak pretty easily. As I said, my doctor thinks it's only a matter of time.

Sigh.

JD

lianna · February 2, 2006

Well, I had a fill that put me from 1cc to 1.5 and I was miserable, never even managed to do well on mushies. Struggled with even oatmeal for almost 2 weeks. I had an unfill back to 1.3 and felt more hunger etc than I had originally had at 1cc, I mean I could eat bread for Breakfast. I had less restriction at 1.3 than I had had at 1cc. Got fed up and I went back 2 weeks later after the unfill and filled back to 1.5. This has been perfect for me this time. I can eat chicken, beef, vegetables and just about anything from lunch on. I am tight in the morning (oatmeal works, but not eggs or more solid) but perfect the rest of the day.

So........I dont know why the exact same fill level is good for me 2 weeks later and was miserably tight the first time. I didnt lose any weight in between or anything. I think fills and the band both are just very fickle.

MicheleMonops · February 21, 2006

just wanted to ask what happened with hour possible leak? sounds like my situation exactly. had my port replaced, which was not too much of a big deal. now that I am restricted, I am having a very hard time getting re-adjusted. but the weight loss is great. good luck!