Had 3rd fill four days ago...today, I'm having problems.

[Cheryl Ann 2]

Had a third fill on Friday (6/13), and was able to drink liquids and eat mushies (even some not entirely mushy) this weekend...but this morning, things aren't going so well.

Upon sipping Water shortly after waking up, I found it wouldn't stay down. I do know that often one's band can be tighter in the morning, so knowing that I had three capsules and one small tablet to take, I waited until after my shower and took them with a few sips of warm Water. Things seemed fine.

Since it is my fourth day after my fill (I went from 4.5 cc to 5.5 cc), I am still on soft foods. I had some palak paneer (which is an Indian dish featuring cubes of cheese in pureed spinach, often with rice). I started off with just the spinach, with a few grains of rice mixed in, chewed thoroughly...and had a couple more tiny spoonfuls. It quickly became apparent that the food was going no where -- except up.

It is now about an hour and a half since that "experiment", and I am still sliming. In fact, even now, my saliva comes back up -- still with bits of spinach in it. Taking a sip of water, needless to say, results in the same thing. Could food that is stuck stay stuck?

Is this something I should wait out, or should I make an appointment for a slight unfill? Will the band loosen up a bit over the next week? (I will only have liquids -- IF they will go down at all -- for the next few days, to give myself time to heal, if swelling is the possible problem).

Or is this a sign that it will only become tighter? So, the question is: Wait and see, or go for an unfill?

[tinaf 0]

Sounds like you are TOOOO tight - I, too had my third fill (June 3) but I think I am finally at my sweet spot. Yes, I am way tighter in the am, can only eat yogurt - anything heavier than that doesn't go down.

I can't eat soft breads, etc. but most generally, I've found that if I take REALLY tiny bites, later in the day, I can get most things down (some things do go down HARDER than others).

I think I would call the doc and see what he says. Make sure you are chewing chewing chewing - eating slowly and cut everything up before you even attempt to eat it.

Oh yeah, another thing - at my last appointment my doc told me to "lay off" the salad and salad type stuff- says that while it may go down easily - there is really no nutritional value to it that we need.

They reinforced trying to eat soft Protein first at meals. So hamburger has become my best friend--of course with no bun -- and I eat lots of eggs, scrambled, hard boiled, fried, etc. --

[HarleyNana 10]

Maybe your esophagus is irritated, I'd stick to liquids today, then try some mushies tomorrow, but if you can't keep liquids down, you could get dehydrated. Also, you may have a pill not go down just right.

You didn't mention the size of your band, but a full cc is quite a fill, IMO. I have a 4cc band and I always got .2 at a time, I only have like 2.5 in my band, 3.5 years banded.

[Southern Missy 1]

I just got my 1st fill last Thursday but my MDs advice to me was if I became uncomfortable that night to come back the next day because it wouldn't get better. Hope this helps!

[Cheryl Ann 2]

So sorry I failed to mention my band size...it's an APS (10cc capacity). Right now I'm at 5.5 cc.

Now that another hour or so has passed, I have attempted to take small sips of something warm -- coffee -- and so far, so good. I can feel it gurgling, but it is definitely passing through.

I will stay on liquids for the next few days to give my body some time to heal from this bit of trauma, and will test things out again then. Meanwhile, should liquids continue to pass through -- and in greater volume, not just tiny sips -- I will wait it out. Then, if I encounter this problem again, I will definitely call for an appointment.

Thanks so much, everyone. I don't know what I'd do without all of you.

[AAA022414 13]

i think liquids for a few days is a good idea too. have you tried eating any other soft foods...it could be the rice. i can't eat rice..a couple of grains and i'm so uncomfortable...i've learned to stay away. i didn't even have good restriction when tha started happening with rice so i don't even want to know what happens now! just a thought.. =)

good luck!

[Cheryl Ann 2]

Even though I had read that rice is one of those foods that is possibly a problem, it wasn't an issue for me until this last fill. Unbelievable that a few well-chewed grains of rice could get stuck -- but it happens, and now I know it too.

I'm going to stay away from foods for the next couple of days, except for smooth things like yogurt and pudding (but not rice pudding, lol!) I had no trouble with smooth things yesterday, but today could be a different story altogether, since this little episode took place.

[aubrie 6]

Cheryl Ann,

I had my 3rd fill on 6/13 too!!! I'm also a 5.5 cc in a 10 cc band. I also started out at your pre-op weight. We're very much alike.

While my last fill has me at the same fill level as you, I'm not experiencing the same issues. I can tell the difference. I get that full sensation a lot faster, but I haven't PBd or slimed anything yet. I highly recommend warm liquids first thing in the morning. I like my coffee, but warm peppermint tea seems to be especially soothing for me. Call your doc and inform him/her of everything you have told all of us here. Let him make the call on what to do next. You may need a slight unfill.

[Jazzywoman 0]

I had a fill that was too tight. My dr. said that if I get heartburn or gurgling, then I'm definately too tight.

He was great.. and even came in and unfilled me on a Sunday Morning!!

I did get an unfill and felt better.

There's no need to be in pain and not be able to eat real food.

[Cheryl Ann 2]

Today has continued to be a good one. I had a bit of chicken salad for lunch, and a nice piece of flounder for dinner. I even had some cheesecake.

I was wondering, though: How much is our new "mouthful"? Whereas before I could eat things my the teaspoonful, since this last fill, I pretty much just put a bit of food at the tip of the spoon, chew thoroughly (even chicken salad, which is already chopped and most), swallow, and then wait a bit between bites.

Is this normal?

[jennup 0]

I am so glad you posted this! I am having very similar problems since my 3rd fill. I have decided to go get a slight unfill since reading everyone's responses to your problems. As far as how big of a bite to take, I am curious about the same thing. It seems like since this last fill it didn't matter how tiny the bite was, or how much I chewed, it wasn't going anywhere!

[Jennifer44 0]

We're at similar weights and ccs for the lap band.................I had my fourth fill 6/11 and currently at 5.4cc...................I would have some Fluid removed if you are reguritated your food. Things seem fine for me for the most part..................I can's eat huge bites and avoid certain foods- like doughy breads.

[aubrie 6]

OOooopsie.... I posted further up. I had a bit of trouble with dinner last night. I got stuck on tiny bits of meat. I've never had that happen before. the few times I've ever been stuck were from eating to big a bite and not chewing. I didn't PB and got through dinner, but it took me an hour to eat. A lot of it went in the trash. That is a new experience for me. Time to reassess my eating habits again!!! I think I may have good restriction now. Before I didn't have much at all. I'm not getting sick, or gurgling, so I guess that's a good thing.

[ccc0206 0]

I too, had my 3rd fill and am at 5.5 in a 10 cc band. I am PB'ing at virtually every meal since my fill. I can drink liquids and eat soft foods, but I believe I am eating way too fast/and/or still taking too big of bites. I find when I am first stiing down to a meal, I may gulp the first bite and then it goes downhill from there. I find when I am first very hungry at a meal, I want to eat too much at first(even if the bites are small) so too much food enters my pouch too quickly, PB, then come back to the table, and am able to eat a little more. Eating is not fun anymore... I guess that is the point....

The question I have to decide is, do I go for a little unfill or keep at this at this level.. Even when i think I am chewing,chewing, chewing, and really think I am taking small bites and eating slow, I really am not....and sitting at lunch or dinner(with friends), I find myself only concentrating on my eating (or my chewing, or my small bites, and then dealing with, will the "stuckness" go down or will I have to excuse myself and go the bathroom to PB)and not dealing with the conversation because of the other issues.

But, in reality, I am scared to unfill, bacause the demons still creep up at me at this level of tightness and I am still able to eat that cookie(or 2) and KNOW that at a lower level of tightness, I would eat the whole sleave... and that really scares me.

cc

surgery 3.20/08 217 now 195

[Cheryl Ann 2]

ccc0206, a bit over a week has passed since I first had that fill, and I can assure you that I felt, and had the same thoughts and fears, as you do right now.

I am convinced that until we got to restriction (which we seem to have reached), we didn't really know what to expect, no matter how much we've read and "practiced" chewing and eating. Now that we know what the real thing feels like, there definitely is "on-the-job" learning that we couldn't have possibly experienced before this point.

I, too, have learned from taking too-large bites, and am adjusting bit by bit to different foods, textures, and size of bites, and amount of chewing. I've also experienced the horror of finding out that Cookies and popcorn go down WAY too easily -- and it scares the hell out of me, just like you. However, I try and take a step back, and think to myself -- just like you are doing -- that without this restriction, an entire sleeve of Cookies would be gone (rather than one or two -- or, yes, three).

I also cannot concentrate on, or participate in, any discussions at the table. Tomorrow night we are getting together with friends for dinner, luckily at their house, and not in public -- which I honestly fear tremendously. Since I know what it's like to slime seemingly endlessly, how in the world could I do so discretely in a public place? But the more I read here on this forum, the more I learn that these fears are shared by virtually everyone -- and that we will learn and adjust.

I don't know how long ago you had this fill, but if it was fairly recently, sit tight (as long as you are able to swallow Water, you're probably okay). Then again, everyone's experience is unique, as well as comfort level.

Keep us informed! I definitely want to know how you're doing!

Edited June 21, 2008 by Cheryl Ann