Unfills Are Not Evil! But A Too Tight Band Is! (Long)

[Cocoabean 430]

Hi everyone!

I wanted to post about my recent experience with a too tight band. Please don't be afraid of an unfill. Being too tight is NOT the answer to losing weight rapidly!!

I had been banded nearly 4 years in November 2011 when I felt I needed a slight fill. It had been a year since my previous fill. My weight had gone up just a few pounds, and I felt that I was eating more. I had an upper GI with food to be sure of my band’s state before proceeding. This is something my surgeon insists upon after the first year. We agreed on a slight fill of 0.25cc.

Things were fine for the first couple of months. In February 2012 my band tightened up. I was having a hard time getting any solid foods down. In March after fighting with my band for a while, I called to see my surgeon, which requires a preauthorization from my insurance company. They started the request. After a couple of weeks I still hadn’t heard from them, but my band calmed down. I let the request ride. In early April I had a non-band related medical procedure. I had a complication from the surgery called Sepsis. A horrifying blood infection with a fairly high mortality rate. After two trips to the ER and two weeks in bed barely eating, I managed a slow recovery. I lost an additional 10 pounds during that illness. As I recovered and began eating, my band was still very tight. I was vomiting several times a week due to food getting stuck. My diet was very limited, and I was hungry all the time. I contacted my surgeon again, and I asked my primary care doctor for assistance in seeing my surgeon. My insurance denied the request, and then changed their minds…whew!

I got the Upper GI fluoroscope with food. A grand experience, bologna sandwich dipped in barium, yummy! During the test, I drank some barium, things were fine, and then I did a few small bites, all well. The radiologist said to take a big bite. This was 9:00 o’clock in the morning. A great time for a sandwich for a bandster. A big bite, I asked? Yes, a big bite. Ok, but have the trashcan nearby. As I swallowed and the sandwich hit my pouch, I knew it would not go down. Then he asks if I could take another bite. “Another bite?” “Yes.” “Only if you want to see it in reverse!” “Ok, maybe not. I think we have enough information here.”

It was determined my band was too tight, as not much went down. I saw my surgeon a week later. I was down 12 pounds from my last visit with him, 10 of that due to the Sepsis, only two pounds lost due to my band being so tight. I got a lecture about waiting so long to be seen (7 months from fill to that point). The lecture continued on to say he understood that we get busy, but bandsters should not ignore aftercare. He said I was very lucky to have not dilated my pouch by waiting so long. I have never been one to ignore aftercare. I explained all of the above, and then he understood what had taken so long. I explained I was not afraid of an unfill, that is why I was there. I understand the ramifications of having a band that is too tight.

So, now negotiations began as to how much to remove. I wanted half my previous fill removed, about 0.1cc. He chuckled and said that amount is not what he had in mind. He was thinking 0.5cc!! WHAT? That is DOUBLE what was put in! He said that he felt I needed that much removed because I had been tight for quite some time. If I’d had any dilation, we’d have been talking 2-3cc. Seeing the dazed and scared look on my face, he assured me that after a month if all was well, he would be happy to refill. I could live with that. We did the unfill, I made an appointment for a month later.

With the 0.5cc removed, I was able to EAT again. Solids went down easily. bread is on my menu. Meals last several hours. I don’t snack, because I am able to eat a sufficient amount at meal time to keep me satisfied. I have to use just a tiny bit of self-control when it comes to stopping my meal. Which is a basic bandster rule. I monitor if I am no longer hungry, then stop eating. Not am I full, but am I satisfied? I have not been stuck once since the unfill. It has been about 6 weeks now.

Before my follow-up I decided that I would not get a fill. I rarely get on a scale these days. I’ve been maintaining my weight for over two years, so there is no point in obsessing over the scale. I knew I hadn’t gained much during the month. When I got to my appointment I was up about .6 pound. Different clothes, time of day, food in stomach, Fluid level. That was NOT a gain at all.

My surgeon was delighted to not give me a fill, and to hear that I can eat anything, but I am NOT eating everything.

The moral of this story is that getting an unfill is not a bad thing. You SHOULD be able to eat. I am now, once again, eating amounts of food similar to what my normal weight friends eat. That is the way it should be, for me. 1500-1700 calories per day is a good level for maintenance for me. Your doctor may have a food plan for your to follow, and of course, you should do so. But two to three bites does not make a meal. That is where I was. During the time I was too tight, I lost a whopping two pounds. Not really worth the risk of a dilated pouch, or a slipped band from all the vomiting.

I will see my surgeon again in two months. If my hunger levels or my weight change, I’ll consider a slight fill. For now, I am good here.

[Humming Bird 275]

EWWWW! A bologna sandwich dipped in barium would make me puke no matter what my restriction level is. eeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww!

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

This is such an excellent post, I hope others read it and heed your warning. Very wise words!

Thank you so much for sharing!

[PaBirdie 3]

I had a .2 fill about 6 weeks ago. A couple of weeks went by before I started having problems. Ive been struggling with eating anything solid for weeks and throwing up to relieve the pain has become a normal part of my day. I thought I could work through it but it hasnt gotten any better. I almost called the doc last week and decided to give it more time. After reading this, I realize how important it is to get in there and probably have an unfill for a while. I have read that we can swell up during our period or other outside influences. I was banded nov 2011 and have been frustrated with other health issues, so my weight isnt changing much do to my lack of exercise. Im grateful NOT to be gaining, but I did this to help me lose, so I figured my lack of eating wasnt going to hurt me much. Looks like Im just kiddng myself. Im calling my doc in the morning. Thanks for giving me the kick I needed.

[2muchfun 8,927]

I had an unfill about 6 weeks ago myself. I was getting stuck too often. PB'ing and sliming most every day but I was losing weight and didn't want that to stopo. Finally decided it was no way to live and got a small unfill. Now all is sort of good. I know we shouldn't compare our journey to others but I rarely get satiated. I'm hungry every 2-3 hours. I'm eating less of course and still losing so that's a good thing. Still love my band.

tmf

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

I went years being too tight, eating the wrong foods and not losing weight. I just got a de-fill and can eat and am now losing again, yahoo!

[Cocoabean 430]

I had an unfill about 6 weeks ago myself. I was getting stuck too often. PB'ing and sliming most every day but I was losing weight and didn't want that to stopo. Finally decided it was no way to live and got a small unfill. Now all is sort of good. I know we shouldn't compare our journey to others but I rarely get satiated. I'm hungry every 2-3 hours. I'm eating less of course and still losing so that's a good thing. Still love my band.

tmf

Most meals now last me about 4 hours. I did have to have an unfill about a year into my journey. After things calmed down, I was able to go in about a month after the unfill and have all of the unfill put back plus more. This may just be a blip in the road. But then again, not everyone gets the satiety I am experiencing at the moment. Even me. I've had times where my fill level was such that I was hungry every 2-3 hours myself. But like you, I was eating less calories than before and losing, I was happy with that!

[Cocoabean 430]

EWWWW! A bologna sandwich dipped in barium would make me puke no matter what my restriction level is. eeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww!

I've done it twice now...bologna sandwiches will never be the same...ugh

[Nikki Riviotta 33]

Wow. Thanks for the post. I last had a fill in April and since went on a cruise. I noticed on the cruise I got stuck ALOT, I didnt feel like it was motion sickness but stuck...As soon as we were on land I was fine, didnt get stuck at all. When I told my surgeon about it he really just thought that it was sea sickness since it stopped once I was off the boat. Here in the last week I have gotten stuck ALOT again...and since end of May I have only lost 3 pounds...now that I have read this I am thinking that maybe I am too tight as well.