Bummed - complete unfill today

[yankeerobin 0]

I'm pretty bummed, but, optomistic that I will NOT gain a pound during my "unfill" time.

I was doing fine for months, then suddenly it became difficult to keep anything down. I definitely PB'd more than I should have, and that was probably the first sign that I was too tight. I only had 5.4cc's in a 10cc band - much less than most of you on here. I've been banded nearly a year, and was pretty comfortable with 5.4. I really don't know what changed, but, it got harder and harder to eat "real food".

Fearing the worst, I put off visiting the doctor for a week, or so - then finally went in today. As I suspected, my pouch had stretched a bit, so they did a complete unfill. I go back in 1 month for a re-check, and hopefully refill.

Just bummed .. because I truly love my band. It's so frustrating at times, but, it has helped me lose 65 lbs in 11 months. I can't wait to get filled again - but, probably a little less this time around.

***sigh***

Just wanted to vent a little bit.

[HeatherO 7]

I feel your pain. I had to have an unfill last Thursday and will unfortunately be back to the four letter word I despise so much "diet" for the time being.

I am working to keep the scale moving in the right direction during this time as well. Hopefully someone can send a little diet luck dust our way for the time being until we can be filled again :0).

I wish you the best of luck.

[yankeerobin 0]

Hi girl,

Sorry to hear that! Why did you have to get an 'unfill'? Was it due to vomiting, or just not able to eat?

I will try very hard to be "good as gold" the next month - but I can already hear the sushi rolls calling me! haha! Thats the one food I have not been able to eat AT ALL, so, of course I've been craving it for almost a year now. Maybe I'll allow myself a little indulgence next week sometime.

Best of luck to you! You are doing so great!!!

[HeatherO 7]

I had an unfill due to terrible reflux at night and my restriction kept getting tighter and tighter until I couldn't eat anything. I might be able to get a portion of my fill back on the 23rd of this month.

I love sushi and still eat it. I usually go for a cream cheese roll with smoked salmon and I just pick off the surrounding sticky rice. I might just have to go for sushi one day this week with a friend since I have a little more capacity. My husband will not go for sushi with me . . . for some reason he can not even look at it on my plate, LOL.

[lunasa 1]

Hello Ladies,

Thought I'd jump in here as I have just been unfilled completely also.

I have been banded over a year now & thought I was a band failure up until March of this year because I was geting nowhere. The problem was that I was not paying attn to my fills/restriction. I had no restriction until March & then I finally scurried back to my clinic thinking I was a failure & was relieved to have been re-assured that without restriction the band is useless.

So I got a decent fill in March, and it was good & tight & my weight loss began immediatly..gradually it became tighter & for some reason (denial?) I kept putting it down to a tight day here & there etc until one day I couldn't even drink a cup of tea or Water or anything!!

So in June back I went & got a slight unfil.. brilliant, worked a treat, for a while & the exact same thing happened.. By Sept I was literally living on ice cubes & dying of heartburn so this visit ended in a complete unfill...

For whatever reason I have been feeling like I'm to blame for this until I came accross this thread & see you ladies with similiar complaints.. So it does just happen like that!

The band CAN gradually increase restriction weeks after being adjusted... what the bleep? My aftercare package has run out & I'm wondering whether to purchase another years worth of aftercare or pay as I go...

I live in Ireland & my surgeon is in the UK.. so I have flights & exchange rates to consider also!

Thanks for listening xx

[yankeerobin 0]

Hi Ladies,

I hate to admit, but, I'm glad that I'm not the only one. I also kept blaming myself - thinking I should've gone to see the doctor alot sooner. Maybe if I had a slight unfill when the trouble started, I wouldn't have to get a complete unfill now. **sigh** live and learn, I guess.

My doctor gave me an information sheet describing the unfill process. Let me share it with you girls - maybe you'll find something in here interesting, or useful:

"Your pouch has increases in size possibly for several reasons. You may have vomitied, eaten before laying down, eaten portion sizes too large, or asked for a fill inappropriately when you were eating too many carbs that cuased you to get hungry frequently. Often, but not always, patients are aware their pouch has stretched as they are experiencing heartburn or tolerating large portions. Our intent for unfilling your band is to reduce the size of your pouch. It is important that you limit your portions sizes to 1/2 cup to allow your pouch to shrink down to size. Do not lie down after eating, as this prevents the food from passing out of the pouch. Since your band site was manipulated today, for several days you may experience swelling that reduces the size of your passageway. You may choose a liquid or soft diet to get you thorough this period. Return to the clinic in 1 month, or as directed. We will recheck the size of your pouch at that itme. If it has reduced down to size, we will return some of the Fluid back to your band. It will ususally take more than one fill to return all the Fluid back to your band. It is important to recognize that one your pouch stretches, like a balloon, it can re-stretch again, so we have to be cautious in re-fillings so that your enlarged pouch doesn't reoccur. You must manage your portion sizes, stay on a high Protein diet, and minimize vomiting for life.

If the pouch had not reduced in size, we will give it another month before considering refilling. Fifty percent (50%) reduce on their own; the other half may require surgery. After 2 months, if the pouch hasn't diminished in size, we will refer you back to your physician to discuss options. You may choose to undergo surgery again."

I hope and pray my pouch will shrink back down on its own. I defiinitely don't want sugery again.

Good luck to both of you - I hope we'll all be just fine when it's all over!

[gloriouslady 0]

I got a unfill last week and did not get any instructions as to what to eat or drink. so I've been enjoying eating moderate portions sizes and drinking lots of Water. Even my Constipation has ceased since I can take my herbal laxative pills again! I go to see my doctor on monday so I hope he'll tell me what to do! I had an endoscope on last Friday and the specialist said my band had slipped higher on my stomach which was causing the problems with PB, and hard to eat most foods until later in the day.. I can live off Protein Drinks for a while, so that's no problem, real food was a challenge for me!