Cleo's Mom

A clear liquid is any liquid you can see through - decaf tea, chicken broth or bouillon, jello and sugar free popsicles are also considered clear liquids. By the time I was done with two weeks on this (post-op) my cat's food was looking good. LOL

How do you know your have inflammation? Does it go hand in hand with being tight and having problems eating?

Jilly - First of all you need to stop worrying about gaining weight. You were vomiting blood. That is VERY serious. Your doctor did the right thing by taking out that much fill. You need time for your stomach and pouch to heal and the two weeks on mushies will help with the healing. I'll bet that's all you'll need to get things back to normal. Even if your stomach is not 100% better, if it's improved, I'll bet your doctor will want you to continue on mushies to continue the healing rather than do another procedure. Your surgeon knows you are self pay so discuss alternatives to a new procedure if it comes to that. Maybe get a second opinion. I think you'll be fine - just take it slow and easy. And remember, it's about your health - not a number on the scale. Take care and good luck.

Soon: I got my second fill of 1cc at the end of January. My total fill at that time was only 3cc but I developed a lot of problems with pain when eating, reflux, heartburn and told my doctor. He did a "blame the patient" routine trying to tell me just to eat protein - forget the other foods, etc..He ordered an endoscopy and then an upper GI before he would do an unfill. Well, both tests showed I was tight. He wasn't supposed to see me until next Tuesday but he called yesterday (Thursday) after he viewed the upper GI film and wanted me to come in right away. Trust me when I tell you his attitude was completely different. I think he felt guilty when he saw the test results and knew I was in real pain, etc.. So he unfilled 1cc. We'll see how this goes. Do not tolerate this level of discomfort. Do not do a wait and see. You shouldn't have these problems. Yeah, I lost 5 pounds but at great cost. Read my posts in the complication forums about reflux, heartburn, hiatal hernia, etc. Good luck.

Band; You're welcome. Also, when you see your doctor ask for some anti-nausea meds to have around to help with the flu, etc.. so you don't throw up.

Regardless of whether your insurance will cover it or not you need to have this addressed. You can fight with your insurance later about whether it was a pre-existing condition (if you didn't have reflux, GERD, hiatal hernia or any of these problems before you got your insurance - then to me it wasn"t pre-existing- even if you had the band before insurance - many non-banded people have these problems). You can check out all my posts on the complication forum about reflux - my problems with it - and my husband's - who eventually died from esophageal cancer due to years of reflux, GERD, hiatal hernia, etc..I just got a slight unfill today because my upper GI showed the band was too tight. This is nothing to fool around with. When you said you could hear that squirting sound - I remember my husband having that. The vomiting might have also affected your band - maybe causing a slip. That needs to be fixed. Borrow the money if you have to - or take out a loan - the banks just got billions - ask for what you need. But don't put it off, even if you start to feel better. Take care and good luck.

My surgeon got today's upper GI report and films and called me in after hours to unfill what he put in the second fill (1cc). I think he was concerned enough about what he saw not to wait until next Tuesday (the only day he sees bariatric patients). He showed me the pictures. He does not think the band is too high but it was too tight and was swollen and so was the esophagus. Everything was getting backed up. Hopefully the removal of the 1cc will help. Trust me when I tell you that he was a very different person today - not trying to blame me for the problems I was having by saying I was not eating correctly,etc.. But he doesn't think the gastro doctor read the scope correctly - he doesn't think I have a hiatal hernia although my last two upper GI's said I did. I am still going for a second opinion next month just to make sure that I have new eyes look at all this. Thanks.

wannabthin: I had an endoscopy done in December 2004 and another done in June 2008 and an upper GI done in December 2007 - all pre-band and none revealed a hiatal hernia. Banding was done Sept. 2008. I had another upper GI done in January 2009 after my first fill and it revealed a small, sliding hiatal hernia. I had an endoscopy done two weeks ago after my second fill and the gastro doctor said my pouch was high, small, and tight and there was no place for food, water to go but up. It also showed the hiatal hernia. I had another upper GI today and the radiologist said the band was tight, the esophageal motility wasn't good, and there was still fluid in my stomach even though I hadn't had anything to drink after midnight (the test was 10 AM). All of my problems started after my second fill. And the hiatal hernia was not there before the band. I have the tests to prove it. If I had the hernia before the banding, my surgeon would have told me or it would be in the operative report. I have a copy. I also have reflux during the day, standing up, on occasion.

I was supposed to see my surgeon today to get an unfill but he has emergency surgery (happens a lot) and since he only sees patients on Tuesdays - I will have to wait at least a week to see him. He wants me to have another upper GI before he will do an unfill and his nurse said something about him wanting to remove the band if it slipped. So, today I called another doctor in another hospital (a hospital of excellence) where this doctor has done thousands of bandings - for a second opinion. I have all my previous test results and will get a CD of this upper GI, too (my last one was Jan. - but after only one fill - all the problems started since my second fill). I was only the 23rd banding my surgeon has done and I don't think he has the experience to deal with complications. I don't want to have the band removed since I didn't really have any problems until the second fill.

KD - I agree. I had an upper GI at the end of January (after only 1 fill) and it showed a small, sliding hiatal hernia. Then the endoscopy done last week after the second fill showed the bigger hiatal hernia and reflux and the band being up high either deliberately placed there by my surgeon or it slipped up. I am going to try to get in sooner than the 24th but he is only in on Tuesdays. I am either going to be partially or totally unfilled. And I see a second opinion in my future. Goog luck to you.

BLG - If I didn't see that you were from Florida, I would think my surgeon did your surgery. Here are my problems as I see them for me: 1) My surgeon only did 22 bandings before me and is inexperienced with complications or how to deal with them. He blames the patient for problems - like yours - do this, do that. How many adjustments to eating do we keep having to make? 2) He denies that left shoulder pain is related to band. I have found clinical evidence online that shows it is related. 3) The band is promoted as causing smaller amounts of food to satisfy and reduce hunger. It hasn't for me. 4) Since the banding I have developed a hiatal hernia, reflux and heartburn. My endoscopy showed this. Before the banding and being 70 pounds heavier - I didn't have these problems. Plus the gastro doctor said my band is "up higher than others he'd seen, small, tight, and the only place for food is to go up". 5) I have an appt. on March 24th and am going to ask for the second fill to be removed. I only have 3cc in a 10 CC band. But all these problems came after my second fill. 6) My surgeon wants me to lose 100% of my excess weight even though the band is promoted as only helping one to lose 50% of excess weight. 7) I have lost 70% (70 lbs) of my excess weight - 10 of those pounds from the band and 60 from pre & post-surgery diets (inluding all those liquid only). 8) My husband died of esophageal cancer after a lifetime of GERD, hiatal hernia then barrett's esophagus, then cancer - so I will NOT deal with all this reflux, hernia stuff and jeopardize my life. No way. I will find another way to lose weight. You need to take care of yourself and take charge of your health. I read so many posts where people will put up with any complication because for the first time in their lives they are losing weight. The fear of gaining weight is powerful but living a normal, healthy life is more important. That's what the band is supposed to do - make up healthier by eating smaller amounts of healthy foods. It's not supposed to make us sick or miserable.

Manatee - I got reflux and a hiatal hernia after my second fill. But I only have 3cc in a 10cc Band. My endoscopy showed the above conditions. I am going to ask for the amount of the last fill to be removed. Do you think that will help? How did it help you? Thanks.

Elusia - my goal is to make the band work but not at the expense of my health. All of this started after my second fill. I am only at 3cc but for some reason all these problems started after this. My surgeon didn't think the second fill was the reason so he wouldn't remove the fill. He ordered the endoscopy instead. Now, there is not going to be any negotiation. I want the second fill removed and one of two things are going to happen. The reflux will resolve and I will feel better or I will not improve and will feel the same. At least then we will have learned something.

Thanks for all the replies. When I asked my gastro doctor about repairing the hiatal hernia he said nothing but negative things about that - won't be able to belch or ever vomit and some other bad things I can't recall right now. Made it sound like the repair was worse than the hernia. I think that if the removal of the second fill doesn't help I am getting a second opinion. If that opinion is that I have to have another operation either for the hernia repair and/or a new band placement, I will not be going to my current surgeon for that. He is inexperienced and it shows. I was his 23rd band and I just don't think he gets it when it comes to complications or reasonable weight loss goals or how to eat to reach them. I have a Lapband AP Standard - 10 CC. I don't think it is the band. I think the placement of the band is part of the problem. I may make an appt. with the gastro doctor to discuss the operative report and get his opinion. He was the doctor who used to do my husband's yearly endoscopies. So he knows my experience with all of this.

Mustang - look at my two posts under complications about band placement and reflux and hiatal hernia for an update on my condition - after my endoscopy on Monday. Needless to say, doc and I have a lot to talk about.

Like me, you could have developed a hiatal hernia as a result of the band. An upper GI or endoscopy would show this. Plus, you should be on some PPI - like prevacid or nexium to help control the acid. I had reflux, not necessarily heartburn, and no other symptoms. Look at my two other posts on complications. Good luck.

I had an endoscopy yesterday because after my second fill I developed reflux. The gastro doctor said either my band slipped up or my surgeon intentionally placed my band higher than he had seen in other lapband patients. He said the pouch was small, tight and high and the only place for food and liquid to go was up. Plus I have a hiatal hernia. I didn't have either of these conditions before the band. The gastro doctor works in the same hospital as my surgeon (and they refer patients to each other) so I doubt his report will be second guessing him. You know how that works. Has anyone else had their band placed too high or slipped up? If so, how was it resolved? I am going to ask my doctor to remove the amount of fill he put in the second time. We have a lot to discuss. Has anyone else had these problems?

I was banded in Sept. 08. First fill Nov. 08. Second fill - January 09. After the second fill (total of 3cc in a 10cc band) all my problems started. I developed reflux at night - not necessarily heartburn - but liquid coming up. I quit eating at least 2 hours before bed. Didn't matter. My surgeon ordered an endoscopy. I had it yesterday. The first thing the gastro doctor said afterward was that he thought my band slipped upward. And I said how could that be resolved and he said my surgeon would have to reposition it. Then he said my surgeon might have deliberately placed it high if he wanted me to lose more weight (my BMI was under 35 before surgery). Anyway, he said it was higher than in most he had seen and I also have a hiatal hernia. He said the pouch is high, small and tight and there is no place for the food or liquid to go but up. So I got the whole sheet on hiatal hernia care - elevate the bed, no alcohol, no chocolate, blah, blah, blah. My husband suffered from GERD, hiatal hernia and eventually barrett's esophagus than turned into esophageal cancer. He died of it 3 years ago. So I could write the book on treatment of all these conditions. The lap band was supposed to reduce my hunger. It hasn't. It was supposed to make me feel satisfied with a smaller amount of food. It hasn't. I have changed the way I eat - I eat my Protein, then a little later a veggie, then later a fruit. My eating is spaced out over the day. Same foods, same calories - and it seems to help some with the discomfort that was happening when I ate. But the reflux remained. I have a LOT to discuss with my surgeon. I want my last fill removed for starters. So, since I got the band I have developed a hiatal hernia and reflux (I didn't have them before). Anyone else have this problem and if so, how did you and/or your doctor solve it? Thank you. P.S. My gastro doctor and surgeon work out of the same hospital and refer patients to each other and I doubt he will write anything in his report to second guess my surgeon. You know how that is.

nurse4: It sounds like some kind of constriction. Maybe the stomach or pouch has twisted somehow. I don't know, I'm just guessing. But being unable to swallow saliva and the pain indicates to me that something is swollen or constricted. If your band slipped up too high that could be the reason. Either way, it sounds like an emergency to me and that is where you should go and demand that they page your surgeon. He needs to get inside and see what is happening. If he is not available then demand to see a gastroenterologist who could do an endoscopy and look down there. I hope everything works out okay because that level of pain is not normal and a sign that something is seriously wrong. Good luck.

Well said, Green. Our health system is profit driven and has become only affordable for the rich, well-employed or Medicaid for the very poor. That leaves 47 million without health care. As an example. A man without health care cut off two of his fingers with a table saw. The index and middle finger. He saved the fingers. The hospital gave him the price for re-attaching each finger. He would have to pay out of pocket and was only able to afford to re-attach one finger. Is this not crazy? We live in a country where the greedy corporate heads take $350 billion of our tax money to bail them out for their bad financial decisions and then use $20 billion of that money for bonuses - and this man can't afford to get both fingers re-attached. What is wrong with this picture? Nothing, according to the heartless neo-cons. That's the free market. They want to eliminate the middle class in this country and go back to the days of the very wealthy and the very poor - and we are headed in that direction. My husband died of cancer and I am a breast cancer patient (we were diagnosed 11 months apart) so I understand your struggles with cancer. I hope you are in remission or NED now and wish you well. Those without health care die of cancer at a much higher rate than those with health care. No surprise there, but the neo-cons are just fine with that, too.

Thanks, Green. I didn't know you are from Canada. You do have a good system but the right wing has done what it does very well - reduce everything to a few, scary (untrue) sound-bites. Iraq war? If we don't invade, mushroom clouds will erupt in our country. Universal health care? The government will take over health care and tell you what doctor to visit and what medical procedures you can have. Canada's health care?: You have to wait forever for procedures. Government funding for poor people: Socialism (but not when it's for corporations), Elect John Kerry? - we will be attacked again if he's elected. So, you see how they operate. Say something fearful and untrue and say it over and over again and people remember that and repeat it. They demonize government. Government is not the enemy. The government is the people - we are the government and we, the voters spoke loudly and rejected the failed policies of the republicans and conservatives. Let's move on. P.S. Did you see sicko. Great movie!!

BJean - you can get involved now by contacting the offices of your representatives and ask them to support the president's budget, health care plan and in the future his energy plans. Keep the pressure on. Or join the email list of moveon.org. They always send great information. Good luck. I know it's not easy being blue surrounded by red!

Did anyone hear the bizarre 9-11 call she made last fall when she was pregnant with the octuplets? She's hysterical because her 5 year old, who was playing in the front yard, went missing. She says she can't find him and keeps saying she wants to kill herself. The 9-11 operator tells her to quit saying that - that her other kids don't need to hear her saying that. And to calm down. As it turns out, he was on a walk with the nanny. She didn't notice the nanny was gone too? Plus where did she get money for a nanny? And of course there are the rumors that she's had lip collagen injections to look like Angelina. Yeah, she's nuts.

Thanks, I really enjoyed it, too. I live in a very republican county but that didn't stop us volunteers from going door to door, making phone calls and whatever else was called for. I feel like I am part of history. And I did it for my husband who knew he was dying when bush was re-elected in 2004 and we had worked for John Kerry. I made him a promise that I would continue to volunteer. For me and for him. He died in Oct. 2005 and now I give out a scholarship every year, in his memory, to a democratic student at the high school at which he taught.

It just went up to 72% today. Try to keep up.