Please! Feedback needed--fills/leakage?

[bobbiezhere 0]

ok..heres my story NOW....I was banded 7/7. I did very well from the start losing at the highest - about 39 lbs (sooo wanting to get to the 40 mark!). Then I started yoyoing....I never had a fill that stayed restricted!

When i got my last fill, 6 weeks ago, I really felt restriction...i thought "ah ha - this is it!" Well, in typical fashion, it lasted a little over a couple of weeks. I had scheduled my appt for 6 weeks in between this time...instead of 4. So today..i go in, determined to ask the doctor why my restriction is again gone. Thanksgiving? We made turkey enchiladas..i had 2..plus rice...plus Beans. Doesnt that seem like alot???? I didnt fuss too much cuz i figured i was going in today and would get back on track.

I kidded with the doctor that maybe i had a slow leak. Know what? he took out the fill and 8ccs. So in 6 weeks, still at 8ccs. So much for the slow leak theory.

He decided to be aggressive and really add. Uh, he did, said he might have to unfill. I drank my 2 glasses of Water - slid right down. Wierd. Last appt 1.5cc's and i could barely drink...he had to unfill .5. Now he can add 2 or 3 cc's with nothing? He goes to take the liquid out, can only retreive about 7 ccs. Now he says..i might be right..i might have leak or defective band. WHAT???? I'm stunned.

Well i was thinking driving back to work..and figured, wait..if i had 8 ccs and still had 8 ccs - thats not a leak. I think, when he put in the fill..that it didnt go into the port. I called to talk to him, before he started arranging a test and another surgery!!!!! This Friday i'm going back and I'm gonna have him re try. He did have trouble finding the port today. I honestly feel he just missed it.

My theory for the unrestriction....could it be, when they fill you swell right? which is why you are on liquides 1 to 2 days..what if its swollen..causing restruction and over gthe next 2 week or so, the swellign goes down --- so i can eat nore..and its merely the fact that i might be one that need to have 9 or 10cc's in my band to be at my sweet spot??? Could it be? My band will hold 12 ccs.

Does this make sense????

It just seems to me he need to try to fill again friday...i cant imagine going through a correction or another surgery....he said he's never had a band "leak" before....

THOUGHTS????

PS...im now down to a loss of about 33 lbs...i was at one time at like 38? my band was done 7/7. I feel like a failure for gaining back....

[kiz 1]

I want to make sure I got your post straight...You had 8 cc and after 6 weeks, when you went in for another fill, the doctor checked, and you still had 8 cc. Then, he added more saline, 2 or 3 cc, but could only pull out 7 cc? If that's correct, it sounds like he either mis-measured, somehow didn't get all the Fluid back in, or punctured the tubing at the last fill, especially since you said he had trouble finding the port. You didn't have a leak when you walked into the office. I hope it's just a mis-measurement.

I have the 9 cc Realize Band, and my doctor & NP were never able to pull out as much saline when they checked as was put in. I was getting very worried, but when they checked my band under fluoro, my band was showing that I had restriction, and my doctor was sure I didn't have a leak.

My restriction levels always began to disappear after two to four weeks. I think my initial restriction was due to swelling, and then later on, as the fat around my stomach dissolved, my band naturally loosened up. I evidently have a small stomach (who knew? lol), and had to have an overfill to eventually reach longterm restriction. The NP said that there's a chance that I could need a tiny adjustment after I lose a little more weight, but so far, my last fill that I had several months ago has giving me restriction that's still going strong.

Good luck Friday, and I hope you get good news!

[elcee 3,341]

i agree that it seems strange that the Dr was able to pull out 8cc , put more in and then was unable to pull out more than 7cc. Did the Dr take the needle out in between drawing the liquid back and refilling? iF he did maybe he messed up when he put it in the second time. This sounds like a case of the Dr having caused some problem and now he is trying his best to cover up his mistake.

Also be aware that withdrawing the Fluid before filling can cause problems. Apparently it affects the pressure within the band so here in Australia it is no longer recommended.

I hope that your tubing hasn't being punctured.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you

[elcee 3,341]

PS.

After rereading your post I can't understand why he withdrew Fluid, filled and then tried to withdraw it again. That just makes no sense at all.

[bobbiezhere 0]

PS.

After rereading your post I can't understand why he withdrew Fluid, filled and then tried to withdraw it again. That just makes no sense at all.

6 weeks ago he put 8 cc's in...my complaint was that my restriction never lasts more than a couple of weeks. He withdrew the Fluid to see what was in my band...it was 8 cc's...so basically he was telling me i still had what I had been filled with (he did this on a prior visit as well.

Then, he attempted to be aggressive and put in more...he didnt say how much, but it was apparently alot - because he even said, he'd probably have to unfill a little bit. But, i drank Water with no issue. Mind you, 6 weeks ago, he started with 8.5..and i couldnt really drank my Water, so he unfilled .5 and I was better.

Now, he was telling me my band was almost at capacity---meaning he had attempted to put in at least 3cc's (no way could i do that!). He took the syringe, and said "this holds 12cc's....let see again whats there"...yet, when he tried to retreive it...he only got 7 cc's out....

After i was driving back, i realized that i had really felt when he filled last times (3 times)...i felt the almost gurglie type feelng. I didnt feel that this time. My thoughts were is he missed the port somehow and the saline just went into my body. Nothing else makes sense...if my band had a leak..how could i have 8 ccs 6 weeks ago, and 8 cc's when he withdrew the initial fill amount???

In any case...before he schedules whatever tests and have to schedule a surgery for possible repair..i want him to try again tomorrow to see if he did a fill, if it would be successful. In previous fills he has not had an issue...for some reason THIS time it was difficult for him to find the port.

He stated that he had never had a band leak....what are the odds mine would?

Honestly, i think it was a fluke...but 930 tomorrow will tell me what i need to know. I just hope there is not another co pay ($40) tomorrow ---this should be on them not me!!!