Question re: unfill then refill

[odanielle 0]

Hi everyone,

First of all, I must say how happy I am with the band! With all the "troubles" (pretty bad reflux), I wouldn't change anything for the world. It has changed my life - from a sz 16 pant to a sz 6 - top still needs work (8/10ish).

I need some advice, and I know the great people here can help.

Here's my fill situation: I received a 3.8 fill on a 4 cc band last Feb (almost a year!?!) - as a result, I lost most of my weight - finally felt the sweet spot. Interestingly though, as I lost weight, I began to feel tighter than I probably should. Some days, I could only have mushies It would come and go, but I loved it because I was so rarely hungry.

Unfortunately, I developed pretty bad reflux and after an upper endoscopy plus barium test, it was determined that I was too tight.

I should say I have a regular fill doctor in NY (Dr. Ren/Fielding's office) and my band was done by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico - whose office also performed the last barium

test.

As a result of the test results, Dr. Ortiz' office unfilled me completely! It was interesting, because even after the unfill, the Dr. showed me how swollen I still was after swalloing liquids - the Water would just sit, think about it, then go down in a woosh.

the Dr. in Mexico says that I should wait for 3-4 weeks before getting refilled, and then only refilling a bit at a time (e.g., 2 Ccs to start). The problem is that my serious hunger is back! I'm white knuckling it, but it's realy hard.

Here's my question: Is the slow refill schedule really all that necessary?? Has anyone gone from a complete unfill to a refill back to one's sweet spot (I imagine mine must be around 3.7 ccs although not sure) The other problem with the slow refill schedule is that I live 2+ hours away from my fill doc - need day off from work and $150 train ride to do it.

Thanks for any help!!

Danielle

[crazycatlady 0]

Hi Danielle,

Sorry to hear about your unfill, I certainly can relate. I FINALLY had really good restriction to the point, after 6 mos, only 17 lbs loss, that I wasn't hungry at all. Then I guess the stress of Thanksgiving, etc. caused me to swell & the doctor on call completely unfilled me. I am so upset since it didn't even give me a chance to lose any extra weight. I went in a week later & the doctor put back 5cc but said he could see irritation around the band from it being too tight. I'm going back on Thur. to get some more put in but I'm afraid he won't give me what I need to have good restriction. So to answer your question about the process I would think it all depends on the doctor & how you have healed. I would think having 5cc (10cc band) would give me some restriction but it hasn't at all. I can & have eaten everything in sight. Needless to say, I'm pissed off! I am lucky that I can get a fill every 2-3 weeks if needed & all mine are free for life but I too have to take off from work at least 2 hours. It's just very upsetting that I'm not even close to my goal 6 mos out.

I would explain the situation to your fill doc. & let him know you cannot afford to keep coming back so many times & I would think they would have a better idea of where your danger zone is now.

Good luck...

[odanielle 0]

Thanks for your response! That's a good idea re: the doctor. I will let him know. I really need a good fill because I can eat anything at the moment - and as much as I try not to, the jekyll/hyde pesonality is returning and the hunger is constant. The good doctor who unfilled me said "just use your self-discipline" -- HAH! If I could do that, I would NOT need the band in the first place!

Good luck with your fill/fullness! It really feels amazing to feel free - even though I have 20 lbs, 60 lbs isn't chump change! I just don't want to reverse the trend...

Thanks,

Danielle

[cheryl1952 0]

Can someone tell me what it fills like to have restriction. Yesterday I went in for a fill. I was already at 6.5 cc in a 14 cc band. I was given 1.5 which brought it to an 8 cc. Then after I ate 1/2 of a banana I felt a little pressure in my lower stomach area and she got scared I was too tight. It was almost 4:00 I live 3 hours away and she said I would be back in the morning if I didn't remove some of the Fluid. She took all of it out and put back 7 which gave me a 1/2 fill for yesterday. I am feeling something a little different now and I wondered if it is restriction. First of all I am a little swollen in that area and when I ate 3 bites of oatmeal this morning I felt a different feeling in my upper stomach like I couldn't hold anything else. It didn't hurt. At lunch I kinda felt a little nauseous so I stopped eating and I felt much better later. Is this what is called restriction? I hope this doesn't sound stupid. Please let me know so I will know what to do.

Cheryl

[Jachut 487]

Very similar experience here, only I didnt get to the reflux, unable to keep anything down stage, I was just at the point where EVERYTHING hurt just a little bit to eat, I could barely eat anythign at some meals, I'd resorted to liquid breakfasts and I had constant mucousy stuff in my throat.

I got a slight unfill - 0.2ml in a 4ml band, relief pretty much instant.

Hunger came back remarkably though, I was quite astonished by what my band had been doing in there! I quickly gained about 3lb but I basically white knuckled it for about 4 months. I didnt gain anymore, I had to try really hard to not overeat and I do LOTS of exercise, which really helps. But after about 4 months I'd had enough, so I decided to get half the fill back in. That made no difference, I had the other .1 put back about five or six weeks ago. The 3lb has gone, but I'm nowhere NEAR as tight at 2.8 as I was the first time round, weird huh?

But I think allowing myself to have a good long recovery from being a bit too tight - even MORE important given that youv'e actually had significant problems, where I didnt - and not going for a big fill at the other end has been helpful. I'm a big believer in smaller fills, but then my fills cost me nothing but the time it takes to go to the doctor. Getting a big fill, getting too tight again, getting an unfill - my years on here has taught me that often this kicks off a cycle of not being able to find good restriction, of constantly bouncing between under and over filled. I'd proceed with caution and sneak up on good restriction again.

Edited January 22, 2009 by Jachut

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

regarding restriction:

You can eat, but you can't eat very much. If you don't chew your food well, you feel it stuck where the band meets the lower part of your stomach. You need to take tiny eraser sized bites and chew until there is nothing left to chew. If you're having pain, you're not chewing enough. If you are chewing enough, and still having problems, you're too tight.

Regarding getting your fill back slowly:

When you are too tight, it's a great stress on your esophagus. Your esophagus needs to rest. It can't rest when the fill is so great that it's being stretched.

[sammyjoe 0]

I had a fill of 1cc in a 14 large ap band, total in band 5.5 I had to have an emergency unfill could not even swallow my own saliva, it was the worst!! I am giving myself 4 weeks to rest my tummy. I sure hope I don't get too tight again that was so horrible

[jazie 0]

I am thinking about having a small unfill. I am not sure if I really need it or is this just normal. When on vacation, I PBed a lot because I didn't take the time to eat slowly. I always felt rushed. My esophagus has been burning since I have been home. I made my appointment for Monday to have the unfill, but now I feel better. I was just wondering if I should give myself a little more time to see if it was inflamed. Maybe the inflamation was caused by acid reflux, which is a sign of being too tight. Just don't want to do the unfill and have to get another fill soon.

any ideas on this?

jazie

[sammyjoe 0]

I am thinking about having a small unfill. I am not sure if I really need it or is this just normal. When on vacation, I PBed a lot because I didn't take the time to eat slowly. I always felt rushed. My esophagus has been burning since I have been home. I made my appointment for Monday to have the unfill, but now I feel better. I was just wondering if I should give myself a little more time to see if it was inflamed. Maybe the inflamation was caused by acid reflux, which is a sign of being too tight. Just don't want to do the unfill and have to get another fill soon.

any ideas on this?

jazie

I think you should look into why you have such back reflux even at my worst I never had what you are speaking of, it can really cause damage to the esophagus be careful. It can't hurt to get a little unfill to see if it helps. Good luck.

[jazie 0]

Thanks, I have felt so well for the last 2 days, I am thinking my esophagus may have been inflamed from the pbing on my vacation. I had Soup for a couple of days and maybe that is what helped. I am going to give it a couple of more days and if I still feel good, I will put the unfill off.

jazie

[efan82 1]

I have had simular problems. I think I was filled to a good spot, but thought I would lose easier if I were a little tighter, so my doctor filled it. I did OK at first, but got to PBing and vomitting. Pretty soon, I couldn't really eat anything that wasn't liquid. It felt like the band was getting tighter. I had a little removed, but the process started over within a few weeks of PB, vomitting, and being too tight. Had two more unfills and went through it all again. Finally I had a scope done and they found I had esophogeal erosion from all the PB and vomitting. I had more taken out, but not all and am on Nexium. I am doing better now and planning to have a small fill next week. I have really tested the band with all the vomitting and lucky not to have a slip. My advice, don't get too tight, eat slow, take small bites. Vomitting can make you swell, so take it easy after vomitting or even PBing. Also, I love the unflavored Unjury Protein.< /p>

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

You know, I finally got sick and tired of all this filling and unfilling and worrying about restriction and damaging my esophagus. That's why I am scheduled for a revision surgery to a sleeve. It's going to be nice never to worry about restriction or fills ever again!

[sammyjoe 0]

How much does the sleeve cost, I am a self pay, I have the band but sometimes I wonder about the sleeve, I only have lost 25 lbs in 7 months

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Dr. Aceves in Mexico is $12,500 for a revision surgery from band to sleeve. He is an excellent doctor and the hospital he works out of is like a 5 star hotel. He is very experienced with band to sleeve revisions and I would not go to anyone else. I didn't feel that way when I got banded, but Dr. Aceves really has a lot of experience and is an excellent surgeon.