Valerie617

pinktweety - my doctor did my fill today the way you described yours. In the Radiology Dept. Same thing - inserted the needle and tilted the table. I then drank the barium Fluid while the needle was still in. This way takes a little longer, but I like it better because I want my doctor looking at the screen and actually SEE how restricted I am. On my previous visit I had an unfill and now I'm starting out again with 4cc in a 10cc band.

Well, it took me a while, but I went for an unfill today. Over the past month, it was becoming more and more difficult to keep food down. I tried to work with the tightness of my band because I thought temporarily, it might jumpstart my weightloss (stupid, I know). So I thought, I'll just drink Protein shakes, soups, soft food for a couple of weeks - things just got worse and I could only sip a little bit of a shake and then wait 15 minutes or more before I could take another sip. Today my doctor removed 1/2 of my fill. So far today I've been able to drink a whole Protein Shake and Soup. He told me to stay on liquids two days, then mushies for two days. I go back in 6 weeks for a floro so he can take a look at how my stomach is doing. I hope I'm OK and that my band hasn't slipped. I appreciate everyone's input on this forum. At least I'll be well-informed. Thanks everyone.

I told only my husband, kids and sister. I'm losing slower than I thought I would, so I'm really glad I didn't tell anyone else. When asked how I lost the weight, I tell my friends that I'm eating a lot smaller portions, eating more protein than carbs, and exercising a LOT - all true. When I lose more weight, I might tell my friends, but right now I'm more comfortable not having people watch what I eat!

Suzanne - I remember that I was hungry and could eat a lot before my first fill. If you're worried about stretching your pouch, try eating less at eat sitting, but eat more often and make healthy choices. Good luck with your fill.

Is the ambulatory care center "attached" to the hospital? My concern would be in an emergency, how quickly you could get to the hospital - but I'm a very nervous person. LapBand surgery has become more common now, but I'd worry about if there was some unexpected kind of complication.

I think you might be right Karen. I'm going to try to drink more water. I'll let you know how I do - thank you.

Lori - Thanks for the suggestion. I do normally drink a lot of water, but now that I think of it, since my band has been tight, I've been drinking less.

I don't know if this is a coincidence, but everytime I use my ab lounger for a few days, my band seems to get too tight. My doctor says that sit ups would not cause this to happen. Anyway, I went from being able to eat a lot to hardly being able to eat anything. I have to be so careful of the amount and what I eat, or I vomit. Right now I feel like I'm not eating enough. I'm waiting it out this week because I'm hesitating to have an unfill, since it's been such a long time since I've had a good restriction - I'm hoping that my band will loosen just a little (never thought I'd say that). The last time this happened to me, and I had an unfill, I didn't have enough restriction. Has anyone had the experience of their band getting tight on its own and then loosening up?

beachbum - OMG, I'm so sorry for what happened to you. I would be so hesitant to go with the same surgeon. I know it might be tempting for you, only in the respect that you'd be able to get the surgery done soon, and you'd probably have to wait longer to have it done by another surgeon. In the long run, even if you have to wait longer, you want to have a safe surgery, and I agree with the poster who said to have it done at a "bariatric center of excellence". Hospitals who have this designation have to meet certain criteria. Best of luck to you whatever you decide to do.

oh debbie - please don't feel like a failure - you've only had one fill. I understand your frustration, because the same thing happened to me. In my case, it took me 5 fills to feel restriction. When talking to the nurse in my doctor's office, although I had 5 fills at the time, the doctor was putting such a little amount of fill in each time. On some people, if you're filled too much at one time, your stomach gets swollen and the opening is so small that it's difficult for ANYTHING to get through and you have to get an unfill. It is frustrating though, and some doctors just fill a little at a time - others are more aggressive. I felt that I should have been filled just a little bit more each time. Right now, you have to work a little harder than you expected, but your band will work better for you as you start to get more fills - just be careful now, have good eating habits - you'll get there!

About the "sweet spot" - another bandster told me that even after you reach your "sweet spot", as you lose more weight, you also lose fat around your stomach, so the band won't be as tight, so you'll need another fill. Don't know if that's true, but it seems to make sense.

restrict2008 - I've been through a lot of stages with my band, and sometimes I can eat more than others. Hang in there with the mushy stage (I'm thinking that you must be recently banded). Right after you're banded, you're healing and still have some swelling so your band is probably tight enough. Right after the mushy stage, when I was able to start solid foods, I found that I could eat a lot - but that was because I hadn't had a fill yet. Just hang in there - you'll feel much better about eating out as you continue your weight loss journey. You'll find that you'll be able to eat more of a variety of food when you eat out, and will have leftovers to bring home. Best of luck to you.

Coo - you should be able to take Water on your flight if you purchase it AFTER you've gone through all of the security checkpoints. I have done this when I've flown internationally. You know how there are usually little stores close to the boarding gates (like the stores that sell newpapers/magazines) - they sell water. I've also flown several times since I've had my band and haven't had a problem. I always pack portein powder and instant oatmeal in my check in luggage, just in case I do have a problem while on vacation. My band generally is tighter in the morning. It strange though, without having a fill or unfill, sometimes it's tight, sometimes it's not -- don't know why. When I'm on vacation and am going out for Breakfast, I'll either have scrambled eggs or yogurt. Hope this helps - enjoy your trip.

I have a 10cc band and was filled to 11cc - it was OK at first, but then I was having a problem swallowing, so had to have an unfill -- then I wasn't restricted enough -- can't seem to get the right restriction.

When you guys get filled "under floro", does that mean you can actually watch the screen when your doctor is inserting the needle, doing the fill? My doctor does my fills, without floro, then sends me to the radiology department to drink something under floro to make sure the liquid is going through. Does anyone else do this?