Start off good then get too tight...help

[cantweight2go 1]

I was banded in Feb. 08. I have had 3 unfills and I am currently at 4.5 in a 10cc band. I have had trouble with getting tight after a number of weeks of being stable. Currently, I just started being tight again after a month and a half since my last fill (or unfill). I do have a cold and I was wondering if this could be why I am tightening up. I do have a soar throat with my cold.

I guess what I was wondering is if others get tight after being perfactly fine for weeks. This has happened to me 3 times now. I had a upper GI and they said everything looked fine.

Any one out there that can give me some help.

Lyssa

[coltonwade 27]

First off the cold could be why you are tight this time around. getting sick , periods ect can affect your band.

Second off .. Fills can take up to 2 weeks to kick in .

Third... You sound A LOT like me . You MAY be sensitive to fills.

Meaning when others take 2 cc's to find restriction that would choke me to death , I have to have .50 cc's ( i have a 4 cc band )

If i get stuck I am stuck BAD and it swells me BADLY .

I have had more unfills than fills. My last unfill was a month after my last fill .

what happens to me usually is i get in a cycle , i PB swell really bad from it ,go on liquids to have the swelling go down, start eating again thinking things are ok , the swelling is not down , PB again and it starts all over again then i end up with a slight unfill. I have had one total unfill because of this .

The problem w/ this is It can very easily cause a slip .

Now that being said, What I would suggest if this does sound like you getting smaller fills . go in get smaller fills and wait , see how it works after a few weeks-month you can always get more put in .

Its worked farily well for me .

My issues are due to my esphogus being damaged from yrs of Migraines and throwing up from them . So there is not much we can do about it but try to be careful .

You can email me if you like

Mindy

[Crummy78 0]

This has been a continuous problem with me since July. I went for several months with 5cc's in a 10cc band. However I thought I was just playing it safe, and really thought I could go with a little more restriction. I went in and they bumped me to 7. I was fine for 2 weeks, then bam, I couldnt keep nothing down. They took all my Fluid out for 3 weeks, then tried 6. Fine for 2 weeks then bam, couldnt swallow Water. Another 2 weeks with no fluid at all. Then we tried 5.5. Within a week I was admitted in the hospital for dehydration. I was totally perplexed and went another 3 weeks with no fliud. When I went back they decided they would put small amounts to "build" me back up again. I had 3cc's put in, and could pretty much eat anything (although managed to lose 5 pounds surprisingly:confused:). I went back last week after having the 3 put in and told him I thought I could used a tad more restriction. He only put in another .5. Its 4 days later and I feel like I can barely breathe. I puked about 15 times yesterday, for no apparent reason, I didnt eat solids all day. I did this so I could give everything a break. But still was puking massive amounts of fluid.........Im so confused, when I had 5ccs in prior to july i never had these issues now i have less then that and i cant even get applesauce down........

If anyone finds the answer please fill me in...........cause im lost......

[coltonwade 27]

I hope you called the doc ? You sound like you need an unfill asap .

Has your doc looked at your band under Flouro ?

Mindy

[Crummy78 0]

I actually am trying to be very careful and hold off till the morning ( MONDAY) so I can go to his office. The last time I went to the hosp on the weekend there was no one there to unfill me. They admitted me put me on NPO and loaded me up with pain killers via IV so that I could bear with the pain till the doc came there Sunday. The doc that came in that Sunday was a general surgeon and just the back up for my surgeon. It took him like 90 sticks to access my port with this humongous needle that looked like a darn knitting needle.....

To avoid all this Ive decided to just hold off till the morning....

[coltonwade 27]

I actually am trying to be very careful and hold off till the morning ( MONDAY) so I can go to his office. The last time I went to the hosp on the weekend there was no one there to unfill me. They admitted me put me on NPO and loaded me up with pain killers via IV so that I could bear with the pain till the doc came there Sunday. The doc that came in that Sunday was a general surgeon and just the back up for my surgeon. It took him like 90 sticks to access my port with this humongous needle that looked like a darn knitting needle.....

To avoid all this Ive decided to just hold off till the morning....

Totally understand ! try drinking some very thinned out Protein shakes, Water, you know liquids so you do not get too malnourished.

Are you able to keep liquids down ?

Mindy

[Crummy78 0]

unfortunately no. I cant really get anything down. I woke up this morning and felt a little better. I drank a little Water it was ok. I waited like an hr and a half and tried like 2 tablespoons of applesauce. That was ok too, but about 1 hr later i felt like i had a rock in my chest. I took a shower tried to relax but it was inevitable as soon as i got out of the shower it all came back up......its the same routine, ill feel fine for about 1-2 hrs and then I guess the acid or gastric fluids back up or something and there I go puking again. It looks like about 2 quarts of clear Fluid, which is bizarre to me because Im not drinking any liquids. Ive even gotten to the point that im puking up bile (the yellow junk in the bottom of ur belly). I know my doc is going to tell me its something I did. But i havent really eaten anything since my lil .5 fill.......

[coltonwade 27]

unfortunately no. I cant really get anything down. I woke up this morning and felt a little better. I drank a little Water it was ok. I waited like an hr and a half and tried like 2 tablespoons of applesauce. That was ok too, but about 1 hr later i felt like i had a rock in my chest. I took a shower tried to relax but it was inevitable as soon as i got out of the shower it all came back up......its the same routine, ill feel fine for about 1-2 hrs and then I guess the acid or gastric fluids back up or something and there I go puking again. It looks like about 2 quarts of clear Fluid, which is bizarre to me because Im not drinking any liquids. Ive even gotten to the point that im puking up bile (the yellow junk in the bottom of ur belly). I know my doc is going to tell me its something I did. But i havent really eaten anything since my lil .5 fill.......

If you cant keep liquids down you really need to go to the ER if your doc is not available. Anytime you cant keep liquids down something is not right.

I would at least call your regular doc ( they shoudl have someone on call ) and let him know what is going on . Tell him what happened last time ask him if HE can come to the ER to UNFILL You , If you DONT Have a slip NOW staying this way will cause you to have one !

[cantweight2go 1]

Hi you all,

I got even worse this week after what I believe was a stomach virus. I spent one whole day vomiting and I couldn't get anything down. Today I went to the docs office and had .75 removed so now I have 3.50cc in a 10cc band.

I am still recovering from the virus and my throat is killing me from vomiting and stomach acid. I was even woke up 3 times last night with stomach acid in my mouth . I had to sleep with 3 pillows and I still had problems.

Next week I see my surgeon again. She has done over 1100 lap bands. I am looking forward to talking to her again because I am tired of this painful journey. I am doing everything right so I do not know what I could possible change to make things better but I am willing to try anything.

Lyssa

[coltonwade 27]

Lyssa, I am sorry you are having a hardtime.

I hope your surgeon can find something. The fact that you are wakign up w/ reflux seems to me that your either A still too tight or B have acid reflux that needs to be treated ?

did you have any problems w/ it before the band ?

I hope you find something out .

keep us updated

Mindy

[Crummy78 0]

I agree with Mindy. After my little weekend issue, Im down to 3cc in a 10cc band. But Im also on Zantac just because they want to avoid anytype of acid reflux at all on me. Maybe you need a little something, or its possible that maybe your still just a little too tight.

I know my doc said if i still have problems to come in and they'll take it all out for a little bit.....just till everything settles.

If theres anything Ive learned with the band, its that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE....

you may think it sounds crazy, or maybe something is unlikely, when sure enough, you were right all along....

my vote is to just throw it all in the hands of the experts....

Let us know how u make out

Good Luck

Wendy:wink2:

[cantweight2go 1]

Hi Mindy and Crummy,

Thanks for your concern. I did not have any reflux prior to surgery. When I saw my docs associate yesterday he said that I am doing well because I have lost a good amount of weight. I thought about this and I think he has a screw missing. Don't get me wrong, I started this whole process to drop the weight. However, I do not feel healthier. All of the fills and unfills, I have had kidney stones because of the increase in Protein and I just feel like sh%$ most of the time. When my fill is good it is perfect. But when it is bad it is like a knive is running down my throat. Unfortunately, it has been mostly bad lately. Do I want to stop the process....NO. I just want to have a better experience with this like I read and hear so many others have.

I don't mean to complain but I get the feeling like my office visits always turn out blaming me or not believing what I am going through because "know one else has had this problem".

Thanks for letting me vent

Lyssa

Edited October 30, 2008 by cantweight2go

[Crummy78 0]

I know the feeling, my doc is like that sometimes. He tried to tell me the last time I was there to go from 3cc to 3.5cc, that I probably wasnt losing weight at 5cc because, in actuality I was really too tight, and compensating for it by eating high fat Soups and ice cream........

I was so :biggrin:.

Now dont get me wrong, Im not going to sit here and say I never eat ice cream, but I certainly was not doing what he accused me of....

I really at that time could have eaten a hoagie if i wanted and had 5cc of Fluid in.......I knew that wasnt right.

He's also the same doc that tells me my weight loss is right on track.....which boggles me, cause when I look on here there are ppl with wayyyyy less post op time in as me, and have lost double what I have.

I really think sometimes because LBS is on the newer end of medical practices poppin up, the docs never want to admit they are giving or gave bad advice. God forbid you pass on by word of mouth that he's a jackass to another possible new patient......lol....

[Jachut 487]

Its happened to me once earlier this year, I had a slight unfill (.2cc) and felt better, then weeks later, whatever caused the random tightness (think it was some menstrual difficulties I was having at the time) sorted itself out and wham, I'm as wide open as can be. I'm going back to have the fill put back in, I dont need to lose anymore, but I'm having to work pretty hard not to gain weight. Lots of willpower and self denial going on here, and thank goodness for my running.

[cantweight2go 1]

You guys have been great! Thank you for letting me vent.

Lyssa