Under or overfilled?

[reconciler 0]

I am going to sleep at night almost sitting straight up, yet occasionally I'll awake an hour or so after falling asleep with the feeling of food backing up in my throat. When I had this before my dr. took the fill level down but then of course I wasn't restricted enough. I now feel as if the restriction is right and both he and I think I could up it even more; I'm now at 2.6 cc and have been banded for 2 years.

Would appreciate hearing from any of you who have had this problem and come up with solutions. I'm not eating after 8 pm except for a cup of herbal tea. ALL ADVICE APPRECIATED. Thanks.

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

Reconciler, it soulds like you have the old 4cc band. You could be just a little too tight. I recently had a slight unfill of .2cc from a 10cc band. Ask your doc to take out a very slight amount. It amazed me that such a small amount could make a difference. I went from getting stuck at least once every meal to only twice in the past month.

With a 4cc band, a very small amount represents a higher percentage change than it does for us 10cc and 14cc banders, so I would emphasize the SLIGHT aspect of such a request. My doctor told me that in a month or two, he could take me back to where I was too tight and it would likely be fine. No, I don't understand, but he's always right on the money when I have questions. I just know that the very small unfill made all the difference in the world.

[reconciler 0]

Thanks. I will check with him.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I agree reflux usually means you're too tight, and checking w/your doc is the way to go! :mad: Do it soon, though, because reflux isn't just a pain, it can damage your esophagus and may evenutally cause you to lose the band altogether if not treated.

[reconciler 0]

Thanks for your reply. The funny thing is, I may have reflux but I get hungry, can definitely eat more than 1/2 cup to a cup, and know I should have further restriction. I don't know what to do about this weird contradiction!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Do you eat close to bed time? I have to eat about 4 hours before bed....

[reconciler 0]

I just have a cup of tea, and maybe a small piece of cheese. Do you think that could be the culprit?

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I wouldn't think that much food would do it (and liquids SHOULD go through just fine) but try a night or two to allow a good 3-4 hours from last food (not liquid, just food) till bed and see if that doesn't help?

Many surgeons will prescribe a Proton Pump Inhibitor (stops the stomach from producing so much acid) before they do something more drastic like removing fill, so do contact your doc.

[wvtech 0]

Trying to determine for myself. I had fill yesterday. I'm drinking creamy Soup. I'm noticing a build up of saliva and today, if I perform a slight gag reflex I can bring up the Soup I ate 2 hrs ago.

I'm a little unsure because some of what I read said to expect a band to feel too tight for a couple days after. But I only have 72 hours to call back for a overfill notice to prevent being charged another visit. I don't want to jump th gun though and have an unfill if this is normal feeling..

I have a VG band 10CC and have 9.4 now. it was 8.8 but little restriction.

Any advice?

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Although i would NEVER try to make myself vomit just to see if I vomited up anything (but then before the band in my 53 years i had vomited about a total of 4 times...I'm a one-way kind of girl) if I were as tight as you I'd go get .2 cc removed. Often a VERY slight unfill does the trick.

[wvtech 0]

Thanks for the reply. I don't want it to seem that I'm sticking an object or finger to try and make myself vomit. Just mean something like a forced burp or abdomin tightening can bring it up.

Will probably go back just to be safe, just hate the 90 min. one way drive if I'm just being over cautious.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Some people DO vomit more easily than others! But your worst case is to have to go back AND pay if you wait. If liquids don't go through well you're probably too tight.

A very slight unfill probably won't put you back to "no restriction" but will lessen the chance of a slip because you PB etc too much. Just a guess here, and I don't blame you not wanting to take the time, but liquids have got to be able to go through easily, at least to my way of thinking. If they can't, then food REALLY won't be able to.

[Jachut 487]

YOu have to experiment a bit with this, I normally eat about 3 hours before bedtime and only have a cup of coffee after dinner.

DH likes to make hot milo - milo is the same sort of thing as activity but as Aussie as vegemite :-)

I cannot have milo at night, although coffee is fine, the milo gives me the sense that its going to back up and I cant like down and relax, I'm afraid of vomiting. Weird, its the same volume, but it must be the thickness or something.

I have the old 4cc band too, there's 2.8cc in mine, and my fills were as tiny as 0.1cc and I've had a 0.1cc unfill once too when I got inexplicably tight - it made all the difference.

But with 2.8cc in a 4cc band I can eat bread, toast, I can eat about a cup at a time, I can eat nearly any food actually, so you're not necessarily going to be very restricted at this level.

but reflux with any regularity always means too tight. I'd prefer my band looser (like 2.8cc is for me) and make up the difference with running every day than to suffer reflux, huge restrictions on what I can eat, etc.