No more adjustments

[Alexandra 55]

are you worried about what will happen now if you swell and your band is empty? the dr unfilled me 1.8 leaving me with 0 cc's and i swear i am starting to feel signs of restriction. so if i (we) never refill but for whatever reason start to get restriction again or irritated then removal is whats left?!?!

Well, I wasn't until you asked me this. No, actually the thought has crossed my mind. If there's swelling that is so severe that I'm closed off while my band is empty, I guess I'll have to face whatever that means. I'm fairly confident that won't happen though. My my previous unfill went from April through August through the worst allergy season of the year, AND at one point I spent a very rainy weekend in a beach house made of wood (meaning lots of mold--my very worst allergen) with a dog in residence, and I had no problems at all.

[shellyj. 0]

hey alex,

i am hoping it doesnt happen to me but it seems almost inevitable. not being negative just realistic based on my past experience...we'll see what the future brings.

has your dr tried to pull air out of your band? i saw wear babs posted that her dr pulled out a substantial amount of air. i will be asking my dr as i dont recall him trying to pull out air but i can see where that could cause a fluctuation of restriction.

i dont know i am almost afraid of them touching my band!!

[bbrecruiter2000 1]

HI Michele,

My doc DID pull out a lot of air. Maybe thats been the problem all along?? I guess time will tell. I havent lost any weight since I started with the solids again, but I aint gaining either, so now its up to me. I liked this fill. No fluoro, just a good ole fashion, put some in, add a little more, then a little more and then he removed a drop when I got a little too tight. Pulled all the air out, so now I am feeling what he put in. I slimed yesterday!!! WOW, havent done that in a year.

Babs in TX

[Fauxnaif 1]

:clap2: I'm glad you posted this. You seem to have a great attitude. I hope people researching surgery and new bandsters see your post.

We flaunt the adjustibility of the band over the RNY but there does come a time when we can't get any more adjustments and live with the results. We do have to be able to eat, sleep without reflux and drink!

I have about 4 cc in my 9 cc band. I think this is close to the upper limit because I have dealt with reflux issues before it loosened up a bit. Now that's nowhere near full but I know I'm not going up more than 0.5 cc.

Good luck and thanks.

[NewSho 20]

I debated putting this in "Complications" but I decided not to; it's not a complication, just a reality of my progression on the banding road.

I'm just a normal person now, which I never could have imagined myself being.

That's wonderful. You are always so positive about your journey - and that's what I always remind new LapBanders and pre-op's. I tell them 'This isn't just a surgery, it's the beginning of a journey.' Your attitude embodies that Alexandra.

I wonder if science could come along and bottle yours, mine, and Bab-In-Tx's LapBand experiences? Then they could just hand them to new patients like a one-time prescription or a pill. They could say :

"Here, take this pill. You should have a fascinating, if not always smooth, LapBand journey. It will work for you over time, but you have to expect little twists and turns along the way. Remember, your mileage may vary!" :nervous

Anyway, your mention of seasonal allergies and stuffiness sounded very familiar to me. I suffered mightily from persistent allergy symptoms, nasal and sinus pressure and stuffiness. So frankly until I had my sinus surgery - I was always been overly affected by my sinus/allergies/nasal stuffiness in regards to my band. (That's something that was never mentioned in ANY LapBand brochure or seminar! :rolleyes )

Sometimes my restriction seemed to ebb and flow completely by how 'stuffy' I felt. Certain seasons (like when the weather got cooler) made it much worse.

Now most people don't have such severe symptoms - nor do most folks need sinus surgery like I did - but I saw a marked improvement in my band's... well, steadiness... after getting my sinuses repaired. Although my sinus surgery (septoplasty with sinus/turbinate repair, as it was called) did not cure my allergies, my body responds a lot less to seasonal allergens, and the effect on my health is a lot more minimal than it was before I got my sinuses worked on.

Just thought I mention that I also suffered the nasal/band connection.

((( HUGS )))