flyahead

Hi Jenn, I have a 14cc band but I can't answer your question....right now I have 3cc in my band....I'm starting over, just had a surgery to correct a hiatal hernia......right now I'm doing ok with 3cc....sometimes I feel restriction (or what I believe to be restriction)....you would think I would know by now...I have had my band for more than 2 years....but during that time I only lost about 25-40lbs.....so this is a new start for me....I'm hoping that someone who is truely further along will answer your question... You don't want to fill it to quickly though....I do know that.....you want to do it gradually....do you have a hard time tolerating any type of food? Does your dr. do a barium swallow test before giving another fill? flyahead

onederland = 100 lb loss

This sounds so good....and I love Sweet Baby Rays....thanks for sharing....

Hi Saundraq, I just went thru a similar ordeal. I was told that my esophagus had dilated back in April because of a band to tight....they put me on a band holiday with meds to reduce the size of the esophagus....after the band holiday, with no Fluid in band, I was told that I had restriction on a barium swallow test (there was a little reflux shown on the screen).....they always said that I show reflux also....but I never felt like I had a reflux problem....although I was having problem losing wt....because I could never find restriction....however the test said I did have it.....it turned out I had a hiatal hernia....I just had surgery 2 wks ago....I will go back in approx. 2.5 wks and we will start the whole fill process again..... flyahead

I have had my band for more than 2 years, have only lost a small amount of weight....have really struggled to find an answer for why this has not worked as a tool for me....sometimes the only time I know it is there is because I can feel the port.....all that said, I've gotten a new wave of energy, and a repair of a hernia....I'm praying that this will help matters and that I can find true success.... So no regrets here!!!!!

I have to pay for my refills, although insurance covers some of the rate. And to me it is still not cheap....I started to ask them to just save off my Fluid (from the band holiday), I would just reuse it for a cheaper rate...lol...I was really a little upset when I went in for a fill and the first time I pd the rate for them to take it out....then I went in for a fill 2 wks later for him to say, no fill, instead wait and come back....so that was another co-pay....this time he did give me the fill, but only the 2.5ccs I just started seeing a chiropractor for some neck pains....and it was funny that with my case he said that it could affect my esophagus....I asked how, he said it could render it inactive, not helping to push down the food into the stomach. So hopefully I will see some improvement with my lazy esophagus. Over the past 4 days I have been doing good, but again, I'm stopping the eating because I'm trying to do right....but it is not at all because I'm restricted by the band.

After your reply, I went back in and reread what i wrote and thought that could sound misleading.... The P.A. who is fairly new to this office, said that with the use of the xray machine and the barium swallow, that for every 1-2 patients that he gives a fill, there are prob. 4-5 patients that he see that really are to full and really need either an unfill or a band holiday. But of course we (namely I) didn't want to hear that....it was disappointing not to get a fill after paying my co-pay....but I have done what he suggested, and after a 3 wk band holiday, i'm not eating soft foods....so far, so good....but I tell you I still find no restriction...only me saying enough is enough....nothing physically nudging me to say that is enough....and for me, head hunger is a hard thing to deal with:ohmy:

I am working on 2 years post surgery....I had my surgery on June 27, 2008....and in that period of time I have only lost approx. 30lbs. I'm quite disappointed by those numbers and I am trying to work closely with the PA to try to get around these issues. One of the things that I did was to hire a nutritionist, I love her....however her ideas are not necessarily inline with lapband typical diets....when I went to get a fill about 3 wks ago, the PA removed all of my Fluid (band holiday) because he wanted to give my esophagus a chance to heal, it was dilated and there was evidence of reflux, visible with the barium swallow/xray...but I have not known any sign of reflux...all a mystery to me....plus after he removed the fluids, he said I still had restriction (what???...obviously his idea of restriction and mine are totally diff)....he put me on 3 meds (one being a steriod)....they took away the dilation, however when I went back again he said that I still show restriction.....again, what restriction? He gave me 3cc, did the barium swallow and notice reflux...so he removed .5cc....repeated test, no reflux. For 2 days, on liquids, 2 days of soft foods and then norm. eating....so the jury is still out.... 1. how will I feel once I'm able to eat again? 2. will my body adjust or will I never be able to get another fill because of the reflux? I used to have 8.5 cc's but he said i will never get back there....he suggested for every 1-2 fills he does, he recommends 4-5 unfills. :thumbup:

I also am happier on full liquids, I will have to look for the Campbell soup you mentioned...I returned to work today, it has been fine. Good luck.