Warning! Whinny Post!

lins12 · August 5, 2005

I really need to just let out some steam so forgive me...(I really can be whinny when come to LBT!)

I am bummed. I know the lapband is the right answer for me. There is so much that I love about it but I just can't let go of the fear of not being healthy. I was nervous when I first had surgery done thinking I was going to be the one with the problem but I wasn't; YIPPEE; however, now I am having problems. I was having reflux/gastritis / esophagistis/"whatever you want to call it today". I started taking prevacid which seemed to help. <O:p></O:p>

So I just went and got my first fill because I could eat a ton! The dr went light on the fill. And now my throat has been hurting. It is making me crazy. I called the dr because...that is what you are supposed to do, right? He said to go on liquids for a couple of days. I just got off liquids yesterday from the fill. My throat hurt while I was on liquids. I DON'T want to have problems. I really want these crappy side effects to go AWAY so I can concentrate on the band and weight loss instead of worrying about esophagus cancer and having a sore throat for the rest of my life. <O:p></O:p>

<O:p</O:p

My throat just feels inflamed. I quit eating 2 hours before bed and drinking 2 hour before bed. I am still taking my prevacid. I am hoping and praying that a couple of more days and everything will settle down. <O:p></O:p>

<O:p</O:p

Any pearls of wisdom? Anyone else had a really inflamed sore throat that went away after liquids for a few days? <O:p</O:p

NJChick · August 5, 2005

I'm very sorry you have to deal with this but like you said, maybe in a few days you will be back to feeling better.

Hugs !!

Kevang · August 6, 2005

I wish I could say something to make you feel better, but I am only in week three at this time. I'm sure there will be someone who has had your experience and will be able to say something to you. Don't stress too much, not that you want this, but unlike a RNY, you could always reverse it. Let that be enough to help you keep moving ahead. I find I don't stress so much if there's a way out.....and because you want this to be successful, you really have no intentions of reversing it anyway. Most likely nothing is seriously wrong, you just have to deal with the changing pains.

itsyvonne · August 6, 2005

If you don't start feeling better soon ... go back to see your doctor and he might possiby recommend a slight unfill. Do you know how much your fill was, by any chance? You said he went "light" on the fill, so I'm just wondering how much room there is for an unfill without removing all the fill.

I'llsucceed · August 6, 2005

No pearls of wisdom here- I just hope that you feel better really soon & maybe popsicles may help your throat. Feel better!

lins12 · August 6, 2005

Thanks everyone. The fill was 1.4. He wanted to do 1.6. I think my throat/stomach may have been a little sore going in to the fill because of the reflux issues. I went to bed REALLY early last night and I am going to try and sleep a lot today. I am thinking the less I am using my troat the better. I am also going to try and switch my prevacid to the end of the day and see if that helps for the night time reflux. Along with Clear Liquids. For the next two days I am just going to be SUPER careful and stay off my throat and see how things progress. Keep yor fingers crossed.

I also now look back at the last few days and think maybe I pushed it a little too much. That desire for food can be overwhelming. So I am going to remember to take everything REALLY slow. I will likely do Clear Liquids until sunday and then easy into mushies for about 3 days then maybe tackle real food slowly.

Any suggestions would be great!

Also, does anyone know if nexium is better than prevacid? ANd if they think me walking some would irritate it more or help?

itsyvonne · August 6, 2005

Ok, well it helps to know what your first fill was. There's LOTS of room for you to get an unfill and still have restiction. My first fill was .75 -- significantly lower than yours. I think you should go for an unfill --- 1.4 may simply be too high for you at this moment in time. It may be that you can just get a teensy unfill and all the reflux will disappear.

Please do not suffer much longer with this. Just because your doctor's average patient does fine at that level for a first fill doesn't mean that you will. Everyone is different; in rare cases, some people even lose all their weight with NO fill. LISTEN to your body!!!

Take care,

Yvonne

Alexandra · August 6, 2005

Lins, I'm sorry for your troubles. The only pearl I have to offer is that sometimes the medication for the reflux is what's causing the problem. For a while I was taking Zantac about an hour before going to bed, just because I'd heard someone else recommend it. But whatever is IN Zantac caused my throat to be irritated in the morning, along with a horrible taste. Now if I have any reason to think I might have reflux overnight, I take a Pepcid AC before bed instead of Zantac, and even if I do have a little Fluid come up in the nighttime it's not irritating or bad-tasting.

If all you're having is a sore throat, maybe you're actually sick? Not every bad symptom is band-related. Are you sleeping flat? If you can, I'd venture to say it's not reflux that's bothering you. Or try elevating your bed or sleeping on several pillows so gravity will help keep things down.

Good luck!!

lins12 · August 7, 2005

Well...unfortunetly, I think I am just too tight which is SUCH a bummer. I have done liquids, slept a TON, rested, drank Water, popsicles, etc. I am hoping to find someone close who will do an unfill. (I did my surgery and first fill in Mexico.) I found several doctors around me who will do a fill but never thought to ask if they would do unfills. I wanted to at least go back to my original doctor for the first fill because he has such a good reputation for fills plus I knew he used fluro and I just thought it would be good since he was the original doctor.

So...CRAP!!! ANyone ever heard of someone getting "loose" after being too tight at first. I don't know whether to wait a few days or to begin to hunt for a fill first thing in the am.

PLEASE pray I can find someone close for the unfill.

Kevang · August 7, 2005

I have heard of someone getting a fill that was too tight. Actually, it was my doctor in Mexico who told me about it. He wants people to stay long enough for him to see them do well ever since he had a patient who didn't fare so well. He had a patient leave the same day of her fill who ended up getting very sick because she couldn't eat anything due to it being too tight. She actually ended up in the hospital in the states to get it looser. Her story is extreme, but at least you know over-fills do and have happened. I can't imagine any doctor who will do a fill not doing an unfill. I'm still contemplating going back to Mexico for my first fill or just getting it done here. I would like my first fill to be done by my original doctors for your very reasons. I want him to see his work and approve that it is in good. However, I might look here in case there's a problem.

Angie

Parvathi · August 7, 2005

Hey lins,

Sorry to hear of your problem. Being overfilled is *never* fun. For me, I tend to stay really tight for a week or so, then it eases up a bit, to a comfortable level. I've got a bit of an overfill at the moment, but I know that if I go get it taken out (just had 0.1cc added) that I'll be underfilled lol. Such a fine line to walk.

If its causing alot of pain, go get a bit taken out. Most doctors that do fills will also do unfills. Since you had 1.4cc put in, you've got alot of moving room. The least my doc can take out at one time is 0.1cc, but I'm not sure that they're all the same in that respect.

Hope you're feeling better real soon.

lins12 · August 7, 2005

Thanks for all of the thoughts. I SERIOUSLY do not know where I would be without LBT.

Good to hear that it may loosen up a little. It is not awful. I can get food down. Actually, my throat does not hurt today either. It is not causing pain at all today. It just feels like a little lump but, then again, it is early in the morning so maybe in a couple of days it will be perfect.

Parvathi, can you tell me a little more about how your fill does for the first week when it is a little too tight?

The doctor did have me stay over night and everything was fine. I had no problems drinking but did feel a little sensitive. Then my throat bothered me for a couple of days. Now my throat does not bother me, just the lump which may be better(?).

I know my dr in Mexico would do the unfill. I just don't want to have to go all the way back to him. I did find a local dr to do my fills but I am just concerned about the local doctor not doing an unfill when he has never seen me before. (even though he said he would do a fill).

All of you that have posted, thank you so very much.