I've been banded for 2 1/2 years and I've encountered an issue in the last two weeks:

So for the two years, I always "got stuck" 4 - 5 times a week and I blamed it on myself--eating too much, not paying attention, eating too fast. Right after New Years, it got worse and for two days I couldn't take anything in without getting stuck except yogurt, cottage cheese, and liquids.

Last week I suddenly realized I hadn't gotten 'sick' in over two weeks--AND I can eat more without being satiated and nothing seems to get stuck--not to mention the fact that I gained 5 pounds since before Christmas! (And I had only gained back 2 pounds from my lowest weight).

I made an appointment for a fill for this Thursday, January 28th, but thought I'd check with you guys to see if anything like this ever happened to anyone. Is it possible my Band was twisted and has straightened out? (Hopefully) I have to tell you that I've only got 4 cc in my 14 cc band.

What do you think??

Edited January 25, 201016 yr by make33

I had a slippage and it was characterized by an inability to get anything down. I have not heard of it being the opposite where you feel almost bandless.

One more comment . . . you should get this fill done under flouro. That way you know for sure what is going on with your band. It is odd to have a change like that so suddenly after you have been maintaining for so long.

Thanks so much for the info--in reading all the threads, a commonality in slippage DOES seem to be pain and the inability to take in anything--I'm a little more calm now.

Will see the surgeon tomorrow and will hopefully get fluoro and a fill.

Again, thanks for the response...

A slipped band is what will cause someone to not be able to keep anything down. I have been banded for almost 3 years and have not had a fill in over a year. All of a sudden in the past two weeks, I have reflux real bad, I can not keep anything down and it seems like it does not matter what I eat, I will throw up. I have thrown up as many as 5 or 6 times a day. This is really getting old. I am trying to get in to have someone check my band. Everything has went well this far but all of a sudden, now this and I am not liking it at all. I can take about 2 or 3 bites of Soup or drink 2 or 3 spoons of broth and I will have to wait 10 or more minutes, if not, I will throw up.

Please advise.

A slipped band is what will cause someone to not be able to keep anything down. I have been banded for almost 3 years and have not had a fill in over a year. All of a sudden in the past two weeks, I have reflux real bad, I can not keep anything down and it seems like it does not matter what I eat, I will throw up. I have thrown up as many as 5 or 6 times a day. This is really getting old. I am trying to get in to have someone check my band. Everything has went well this far but all of a sudden, now this and I am not liking it at all. I can take about 2 or 3 bites of soup or drink 2 or 3 spoons of broth and I will have to wait 10 or more minutes, if not, I will throw up.

Please advise.

Unfortunately this sounds exactly like my slip.

I had been unfilled for 5-6 months when it happened. I found out the hard way that you can indeed slip on an empty band. Flouro will definitely tell you one way or the other what is going on.

If it isn't a slip and you are just have an unusual amount of swelling in your stomach . . . there are a couple of things you can do.

First, do everything you can to avoid vomitting and pbing. Even if you have to go days with sipping everything on a full liquid diet, it will help.

Second, liquid motrin relieves swelling and inflamation. If you can't find it, just look in the kids section and calculate the dosage for your weight. (Please note: motrin is usually on the do not use list for bandsters. However, my doctor advocates occasional use only for stomach swelling with the band. It is always good to ask your doctor for their recommendations on its use before trying it).

Third, schedule a flouro as soon as possible. Unless it is only swelling, it will probably just get worse until you are in an emergency situation which would require hospitalization and surgery that may not be under your terms or with your preferred doctor. I waited and when I did finally go to the hospital, I had to be on IV potassium for three days until I was even healthy enough for them to risk surgery.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

One last thing, I just reread your post and it says you have not had a fill in over a year. I thought you meant that you were empty for a year but it could mean that you just have not had an addition of Fluid for over a year.

If you aren't empty, getting an unfill can provide immediate relief. Also, if it is a slip, some people can get an ufill and the slip can sometimes correct itself if you don't wait too long to address the issue.

So, I went to the surgeon yesterday and here's what MY problem was:

I've got a LEAK in my Band!!

Yep, under fluoro he tried 10-15 times to unfill me and kept saying "I keep adding 3.5 cc and all I get back out is 3.5cc!" So I finally said to him, "Is it ever possible for the tubing to leak? :crying:" To which he replied "YES!"

Bottom line, he put 4.5 cc in and I have another appointment in 4 weeks to see if I still have 4.5 cc or nothing left!

Apparently, the tubing can be replaced--or, he said, depending on just WHERE it's leaking, they may have to replace the entire band.

But you were right, Heather, absolutely no slippage whatsoever! Now I'm off to find threads on band leakage! :bored: