Clara Moretina

I feel much better reading these quotes. Unfilled band at the end of March and gained seventy pounds back after losing 170 pounds. Due to illness, just started my fills back. I have had two fills, no restriction what so ever. I have a small band. Concerned on if the band is ever going work again as it did in the past. Very depressed!

I am gaining weight very rapidly after unfil because if being hospitalized due to sickness! Very upset!

Hi all! I have been been banded now just over 12 years and lost 130lbs and last 5-6 years have been at the same weight..pretty much at what I would call a "goal" weight..not what BMI charts say. My last fill was at least 5 years ago..don't even remember. The last fills were not done under flouro as I did not go back to my surgeon in Tijuana. Found a "local" dr willing to fill me..but he does "blind" fills..so we never saw my restriction level. The last fills I felt like I finally had restriction enough to get off the last 40 or so lbs I needed to still lose. I was never a really compliant bandster, so it took me awhile to get the weight off. I have been happy at the same size for years. I learned to live with the quirks of the band..I was careful about eating foods that I know would get me stuck. I probably compensated for too tight of a band by drinking liquids alot. I did PB daily, but thought this was just because I was not careful enough. I avoided eating or drinking too close to bed so I would not reflux up..though sometimes still did. This all was just the way it was for a bandster. I was happy to be keeping this weight off. I only even went up and down by 5-7 lbs but knew what I was doing to gain and stopped.

So..here is where I am now. Since my band had not really been checked by flouro since my last fill in Mexico at least 7-8 years ago, I figured I should at least have a look at it to make sure all was okay. Figured it was since band seemed to be doing its job. I figured a slip or erosion would make it self know. I didn't need a fill..so just plugged along. I finally made appt with Kaiser here in Nor Cal to just do a routine Flouro this past August. The flouro showed that the barium would barely drain down. They had me practically dance around the room to try and move it down..nope. What this restriction caused was for me to pack my esophagus and it was double its size. The band was perfectly in tact, upper pouch was there..but now my esophagus was dilated. The bariatric surgeon saw the results and told me to get an appt to get an unfill. So a week later, the doctor drained my band. I have a 4cc band and had 2cc in it.

For at least a week, I had horrible pain off an on..lots of air and gas..that subsided and the weight started piling on. I was unfilled Sept 19th and as of today, December 17th, I am up by 40lbs! Doesn't matter what I eat or don't eat for that matter, how much I work out at the gym..the weight just piled on. Most of that was right away..at least 1/2 but I continue to go up. This has been an expensive lesson as I have had to buy new work clothes, casual clothes. All my clothes have been size 8 and 10 for years. I quickly went through 10s to 12s and now to 14s. I ache in joints I haven't ached in for years. Dramatically gaining 40lbs in 3 months has been difficult.

What I miss the most is the lack of hunger..not necessarily the restriction. This is what I fear the most..that I won't get to that "green zone" where I don't have an appetite. I always told people to not wait on me to be hungry because they would starve. I could go most of the day and not care about food. I want that back!! I worry that getting to that spot again won't happen.

So I had a follow up flouro done a month ago and my esophagus had improved enough where my doctor is willing to start refills. He wanted to give it another month at that point, so I am scheduled for a first refill in two days. I have no idea how much we will start with. I am sure he will increment me back up again. I know we won't be going back to a total of 2cc's again since that was obviously too tight...but all I want is that hunger to go away!

Has anyone else had to go through this and get back to where they were. I just need to stop this weight gain. I am trying so hard to stop it and nothing works. I watch calories, I am excercizing..even on weeks where i had walked thousands of steps around the city for a conference and ate very well as far as calories and food types, drank tons of Water and managed to pack on 5lbs that week anyway!! I should have at minimum maintained if not dropped a 1lb!

I really do think our bodies are thrown into some long term low calorie survival mode when banded and restricted properly. If the vagus nerve controls our appetite and is effected by band restriction against it..perhaps not feeling like you are starving helps us survive on less calorie intake. When that pressure against the nerve is reduced due to unfill, your body is sending signals to get back to where you can store it up again for possible times of "starvation" again..who knows..everyone has a theory..SOMETHING happens. This is not normal to gain this much weight in short amount of time when your calorie intake is at a level where any normal person would at least maintain or lose the avg 1-2lbs per week. I could eat celery sticks or a box of chocolates and still gain weight right now!! I am tired of people telling me I just need to reduce my calories and get in some excercise! I AM I AM I AM!! Doesn't matter!! I am sure I have ONLY gained 40lbs because I have been trying hard not to. If I decided to just fully let loose every day, I am sure 100lbs would have already been packed on!

OKay...enough of my rant...I am praying that in 2 days,I get a starter fill that will get me back to wherever it was to help me keep the weight off so I can now get off this excess 40lbs. I am sure it will take work, but right now I feel like I am swimming against a riptide with a wide open band. Maintaining on extremely low calories is impossible right now, never mind weight loss..Uggh!!

If anyone else has gone through similar with unfills to refills, would love to hear how it went!!

I seem to not be able to tolerate anything past 2.6 either with my 4cc band anything more and I cannot get fluids down. I have had my band it since July 29th of 2005. I have lost between 80 and 85 pounds. I have not had a fill since February 2007. I can eat a lot o food later in the day. I have to self pay for all by fills and also self paid for the surgery.

I live in the Kansas City area and am having trouble finding somewhere to get fills for no more than $100.00 I am selfpay and had to pay for my banding.

I spit also. I keep a supply of red plastic or cups that you can't see thru in the car,my purse,nitestand just about everywhere. It helps to keep napkins in the bottom of the cup so you don't see too much. I had my band put in August of 2005 and have lost about 80lbs.

I was very happy with the treatment from Dr. Lopez and the Spine and Specialty hospital was the best care I have ever received any where.

I used Dr. Lopez when he was with Midwest and I stayed there because I

already paid inadvanced for my fills.

I think that I am going to switch to Dr. Lopez now that my year is up.

Leah,

I was having the same problem as you when I went to sleep. Fluids would seep up into my throat when I was asleep. I went for a unfil today

and I hope I sleep better tonight. I already feel better.

Clara

Kansas City

:hat: :)Dawn ,

Thanks for your help, but I could not stand not getting any fluids

down any longer and I went for an unfil today. The problem is I

can drink fluids again,but eating more also. Just can't seem to find

sweet spot.

Clara,

Kansas City

:think :think Hi There,

I am new to this site. I just had my band put in in August of 05.

I have not done real well have only lost between 35-40 pounds

depending on my Water weight.

I just had my fourth fill this last week and have not be able to

to hardly keep anything down and can only sip drinks a little at

a time.

I do not want to unfil but would like to know if there is a secret

to getting liquids down. It seems that every other day I can drink

quite a bit or eat and then the next day nothing at all.