Unfilled and still having ISSUES

[AggieAlia 0]

I was banded March 31, 2006 and have lost about 35 lbs (it's been fluctuating). I was fine for the first few months post-op and before my first fill. I had my fill and was at 1cc. After a few months of being relatively OK, I starting having problems keeping anything down (including water) so, I went to the surgery center where they do all the fills and unfills for my doctor, and they said that my band was irritated and they will take .5cc out. Again, I was fine with that for a little while and went back for a refill. Anyway, I have been up and down with the fills and unfills. I finally had a bad episode and they unfilled me completely and wanted me to wait to "heal". Mind you, I do not eat anything bad nor do I eat a lot of it. I have also lost 7 lbs in the last week and a half and I hate that it's because of purging and not eating.

Now, I am completely empty and last night, I was up half the night with reflux. I have not been able to eat "normally" in MONTHS because I am afraid. It doesn't matter what I eat or when I eat it, I always have problems.

Sometimes, I will eat something and be completely fine with it and other times, I will eat the same thing, and it will have me running to the bathroom. I feel like a bulimic and I hate it.

Has anyone had problems like this?

I am having so many problems that I am regretting even getting this thing. I think I may not have weighed enough when I first received the band and that it by itself may be too tight for me.

On a side note, my doctor sucks. I have not seen him since my surgery. I have yet to get a hold of him at the surgi-center since he is only there on Thursdays and if he does not have any surgeries scheduled, he won't go there. I HAVE to go there to see him so that they can do a barium swallow to see what the problem could be.

[JessyInSD 0]

Hi Aggie,

What you are describing is almost exactly what I'm going through right now. (banded 09/06) I've been unfilled once before for having reflux then I got filled again but not as tight as before... now I'm having reflux every night again. It doesn't matter if I have NOTHING in my stomach/pouch hours before bed.

I haven't had a full nights sleep in over 3 weeks and I'm SO tired of waking up choking on/inhaling acid.

I know what I have to do... go on liquids for at least a week and/or get unfilled. I don't want to get unfilled again so I'm starting on liquids tomorrow.

Don't give up, you're not alone. Try liquids for a few days and see if that helps.

Good luck,

Jessy

[born2swim 1]

I was banded May 2005 and have had fill/unfill for the last year. I am miserible. Some days I can eat ok, but I generally feel nauseated. Sometimes I take a couple bites of food and I vomit... or I have to drink with my meals so it doesn't hurt. I know that is a major no no... but how else to make food not hurt? I do have some esophagitis (that looks like it is finally clearing up) and I have gastritis in the bottom of my stomach. I am on 2 GERD meds for this and if I tried to get filled again, I will have to stop the meds and I'm terrified my GERD will worsen and I will wake up choking again...

My surgeon and I agreed to fill my band again... but if I obstruct again... I don't know if I can deal with this anymore...:tired