Recent fill def made a difference but..

[2babutterfly 483]

I've had my band about 7 years. Been successful but never to goal. Sw 314 lw 170 cw 201. Went for a fill about 2 weeks ago. Got .3 small amount but huge difference. I have reduced hunger, small portions satisfy, and having to eat slower with smaller bites. I have noticed that I am having some night coughing. I take Nexium daily which helps with the acid but still having some reflux. I feel like I'm walking a fine line getting good restriction and being too tight. I really want to wait a bit to have any removed to see if things will settle. Thoughts? Anyone done this before?

[Julie norton 2,850]

Yes... I get small fills. And wait..

Often for some reason , they enlarge over time. When I have problems toooo often... Not keeping decent food down or like trouble with liquids, I have to adjust it

I have no idea why? I just go with my band..

Usually, I get a bit taken out...And wait.

Then, the next 3-6 months I start again.. Keeping it a bit under inflated. I do read about a lot of issues. And I want to keep my band a long time.

So I try to be very careful.

It is a fine balance between fill and overfill for me.

I want to have compliance and I want self discipline. That is my banded life !

[Dream4tc 192]

Those are symptoms of being too tight. I had that experience and had a stuck episode that landed me in the ER because I couldn't swallow my own saliva. I would not recommend staying at that fill level, you will cause yourself more problems and the risk of aspirating your reflux at night, especially while you sleep which is dangerous.

[2babutterfly 483]

Such a fine line.... I was hungry and able to eat too much and now I'm full on a small amount. No stuck episodes just this night cough. I ordered a wedge pillow I'm going to try that and Waite or a week or so. If it doesn't improve then may I can get a tiny amount out, like .1 and that will help.

[Julie norton 2,850]

Hoping things calm down with your band.

I am going for a fill in October to try to get things just right. I have left it very "loose" for 2 months...

I have been healthy and eating right and exercising, but those dang 5 pounds came back and I notice my hunger a bit more...

I'll be trying just like you to get my band more dialed in.

[2babutterfly 483]

@@Julie norton. Good luck getting your band dialed in. Mine has been pretty loose foe a while and I've been trying to rely more on myself but I need my band that's for sure!

[2muchfun 8,927]

You know, I've been pondering the same thoughts myself. A few months ago I started to feel a lot more restriction. Stuck episodes many times a week but I'm still staying the same weight loss of about 50 lbs. I find myself eating the wrong foods often and I believe it's partly because I may be too tight. Slider foods are easier to get down than more nutrient rich foods. I'm thinking maybe a .25-.5 unfill might be in order.

I'm having some minor nightly reflux issues but I'm keeping my weight down mostly due to heavy exercising and I do still use intermittent fasting 3 times a week. I'll let you know if I go in for the unfill and if it helps much?

tmf

[iamshazza 41]

This happens to be almost every time it seems like. It's a pain in my rear. I usually go to liquids for 2-3 days and that helps. Sometimes I do have to get another adjustment and have Fluid taken out. Then I'll be starvin' Marvin. then I go back for a fill. And the cycle starts again.

I am going for a fill today and hoping I don't have to go back in a week or 2 for an adjustment. I'm starvin' Marvin right now. I've gained about 2 pounds since I last had to have Fluid out about 3.5 weeks ago.

Edited August 31, 2015 by iamshazza

[2babutterfly 483]

@@2muchfun and @@iamshazza keep me posted on what you do and how it helps! Darn finicky bands!

[Bandista 7,466]

Hi there, some people put blocks of wood under the head of the bed -- had those for my husband at one time and while I didn't even notice the slight slant it seemed to help him with his GERD issues. Also there are people who cannot eat too close to bedtime. I wonder if something like a cup of warm chamomile tea or some other herbal tea would help. Hope you work everything out soon and get just the right balance.

[2babutterfly 483]

I ordered a wedge pillow it should be here tues or Wednesday hopefully that will help. If not I might just be one that has to keep my band a little looser. But I sure am enjoying the fullness when I eat a small amount

[Dream4tc 192]

ByHey all, please be careful. I was banded for 4 years. I got to the point of where many of you are at now. I had my band too tight on many occasions, with terrible night time cough with reflux and sleeping nearly sitting up with 8 pillows behind me. I had aspirated a few times with acid while sleeping, I was scared to go to sleep. Vomiting about every thing I would eat, eating unhealthy slider foods thinking that I would lose weight. I finally realized, that my esophagus, and my teeth were way more important than another pound lost. Ultimately my weight finally didn't go any further down than the 80 pounds I lost because with my symptoms, my body was starving. I ended up being on Zantac max strength twice a day plus Prilosec twice a day, drinking milk all the time to help with constant heartburn. Not to mention Tums. Eventually it caused esophageal dilatation and damage to my esophagus and teeth, and finally prolapse then later slip. Please don't have the mentality that it won't happen to you. if you are having those symptoms, please go get an unfill and start over with basics. I am just lucky, that I didn't develop Barrett esophagus, gastrointestinal bleed, or esophageal cancer from the acid. Please please listen to your body.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Dream4tc

[2babutterfly 483]

Thank you @ dream4c. I definitely won't let this go on too long. I had a good night last night cut off all food and liquids about 3 hours before bed.

[iamshazza 41]

I had a .5cc fill on Monday and so far so good. I've been doing liquids and today I'll go to mushy food. Trying to be really really careful this time. Like EXTRA careful. Usually I am on mushies in the 2nd day and back to solid food on the 3rd.

I just want to take it slow and easy. I can tell the difference for sure with this fill.

Edited September 2, 2015 by iamshazza

[Julie norton 2,850]

ByHey all, please be careful. I was banded for 4 years. I got to the point of where many of you are at now. I had my band too tight on many occasions, with terrible night time cough with reflux and sleeping nearly sitting up with 8 pillows behind me. I had aspirated a few times with acid while sleeping, I was scared to go to sleep. Vomiting about every thing I would eat, eating unhealthy slider foods thinking that I would lose weight. I finally realized, that my esophagus, and my teeth were way more important than another pound lost. Ultimately my weight finally didn't go any further down than the 80 pounds I lost because with my symptoms, my body was starving. I ended up being on Zantac max strength twice a day plus Prilosec twice a day, drinking milk all the time to help with constant heartburn. Not to mention Tums. Eventually it caused esophageal dilatation and damage to my esophagus and teeth, and finally prolapse then later slip. Please don't have the mentality that it won't happen to you. if you are having those symptoms, please go get an unfill and start over with basics. I am just lucky, that I didn't develop Barrett esophagus, gastrointestinal bleed, or esophageal cancer from the acid. Please please listen to your body.

Hoping we can have one thread of positive bander stories... With a discussion of fills and solutions. I'm growing weary of frightening scary stories of failed bands. Sigh