Swollen

[JennK2008 12]

I had 1cc removed out of my band on Thursday because I was too tight. My stomach around my port is sore and swollen a little bit. Has anyone else ever had this problem?

I also think maybe I am retaining Water too. My belly and my feet/legs are swollen. Seems like I have been getting really bloated in the evenings.

Just curious if this is normal? Has this happened to anyone else? I have been banded for over 2 years and never was sore or swollen around my port.

[ellendeette 1]

I just had 3 cc's taken out last Monday. My band was so tight that I was having acid reflux and then a few days later I couldn't stop throwing up. I met my doctor at the ER. They took a CAT-scan and decided my band was okay (no slippage) but my band was too tight and was causing swelling above the band and that was causing my throwing up (gastric juices). My stomach felt swollen for several days. The doctor gave me medication for acid reflux (even though I don't really have it). The medication will help heal my throat from the acid reflux caused by the tight band and the hours of throwing up I was doing. I think I threw up 10-12 times. I had no control over it. I hate to be so graphic but I think others should know that this can happen. The easy fix for me was to have the 3 cc's taken out.

This isn't the first time that my band has been too tight. After an eposide of tightness and having an unfill, I try to stick to liquids for a couple of days. Warm Soup or broth seems to feel good. Then I go to mushy foods.

I don't know about your port being sore. I have never had that before. May be because how your doctor removed your Fluid.

Good luck to you and I assure you that you will feel better. If not, I would suggest calling your doctor.

[B-52 7,113]

I just had 3 cc's taken out last Monday. My band was so tight that I was having acid reflux and then a few days later I couldn't stop throwing up. I met my doctor at the ER. They took a CAT-scan and decided my band was okay (no slippage) but my band was too tight and was causing swelling above the band and that was causing my throwing up (gastric juices). My stomach felt swollen for several days. The doctor gave me medication for acid reflux (even though I don't really have it). The medication will help heal my throat from the acid reflux caused by the tight band and the hours of throwing up I was doing. I think I threw up 10-12 times. I had no control over it. I hate to be so graphic but I think others should know that this can happen. The easy fix for me was to have the 3 cc's taken out.

This isn't the first time that my band has been too tight. After an eposide of tightness and having an unfill, I try to stick to liquids for a couple of days. Warm Soup or broth seems to feel good. Then I go to mushy foods.

I don't know about your port being sore. I have never had that before. May be because how your doctor removed your Fluid.

Good luck to you and I assure you that you will feel better. If not, I would suggest calling your doctor.

How long did you go before these symptoms started and you took action? Just curiuos if you can be ok with a tight band, and then suddenly have problems, or do you realize right after the fill it is a problem.

[ellendeette 1]

Excellent question. After I get a fill, my doctor will give me a glass of Water to drink to make sure my band isn't too tight. If Water goes down too slowly or not at all, she will take Fluid out.

I have had different experiences in the past about my band being too tight. Sometimes if food gets stuck, it causes an irritation to my band and I notice that it gets swollen and its difficult to eat solid food.

Or, I could have had a bout with throwing up for some reason like the flu or upset stomach or food getting stuck, that causes a tight band for me.

This past time, it was several weeks after a fill that I noticed it getting tighter. I went on vacation the week before and I think I was eating more than usual and eating foods that I normally don't eat. I don't recall my food getting stuck or throwing up to cause it to tighten. I do notice that when I get emotionally excited (either happy or sad), my band can tighten. It may have been a combination of the extra foods, different foods and my emotions running high (going on vacation and coming back) that I noticed when I laid down at night (flat) that I would have an acid reflux happen so that food would come up my throat and wake me up. Finally, I had to go sleep on the couch with a pillow to prop me up to sleep. It lasted about 2 days when I realized that this is not going away. Then one Sunday night (2 or 3 day of the reflux at night), I noticed that I was throwing up without any reason and not because I was laying flight. I ran out of things to throw up so it was digestive juices and it looked dark and I called my 24-hour Blue Cross nurse. She took a few minutes to evaluate me and decided I should go to the ER. It could have been dried blood that was coming up (sorry probably too much information). I went to the ER, had the Cat-scan, had an IV put in for dehydration and 3 cc's were taken out by my bariatric doctor who met me at the ER. I had instant relief when I had the unfill. I ate only liquids for a couple of days afterwards, then mushies, etc.

I am feeling much better and have an appointment for a fill tomorrow because I have no restriction and miss it.

I hope this helps. It is scary when it happens but its an easy fix with an unfill. Its always good to know too that you can meet your doctor after hours or weekends if you don't want to suffer with the discomfort until the next appointment.

P.S. My band slipped in 2008. When that happened, my saliva would not go down. I had to go to ER in Kauai when I was on vacation. The ER doctors did not know how to take the Fluid out of my band so they called my doctor in California. They still couldn't get it out. Later I found out that my band twisted and that is why they couldn't get fluid out. I had a new band put in in 2009.