About a month ago I decided that I wanted to get another fill. I was already at 5.5cc's in a 10cc band. I went into my doctors office and asked for 1/2 a cc. They gave it to me this time without going under the fluro x-ray so they really coudn't tell if it was going to be too tight. I took my chances. Fast-forward 3 weeks later. I'm throwing up constantly, and having severe acid reflux. I knew that at first I was having episodes of being stuck and throwing up when I overdid it, but I just thought that it was the band still getting used to the fill I just had.

I just worked the night before and I went home and really needed to eat something because I was feeling weak. I tried to eat something simple - chicken broth. No good. I threw it right back up. So the minute the office oppened I went in and told the PA how I was feeling and she suggested that she take just a lil' bit of saline out, but I sincerely thought that I needed to look under the fluro and make sure my band and port was OK.

So I waited a while and then I went into the x-ray room where they did the fluro and looked at my band as I swallowed barium Fluid and saw that the fluid barely went through my band. No wonder I was having probelms!! I aslo found out that my stomach was extremely swollen. So....

They told me they wanted me to go on a "band vacation" -- for 2 weeks !! :ohmy: Ugh Sadface:( They also gave me a steroid for my stomach, and ibuprofin for the inflamation and prilosec for acid reflux. They told me to take that till I'm done.

That weekend my husband and I were planning on going to Myrtle Beach, SC for the weekend. I took it upon myself to take advantage of the fact that I had no fluid in my band and I pretty much could eat what I couldn't eat with the band. So I found myself eating pizza, bagels, and boneless chicken wings. Yeah, yeah, I know.. it's bad. but I made sure I ate very little at a time like I had the band.

Come monday when we came home I weighed myself - it said according the scale I gained 7lbs?!?!?!? I did find out that after skipping dinner that night out of being so depressed that the reason why it said that much because it was the middle of the day and that I was retaining fluid from the steroids I was taking. I weighed myself 2 days later and I was only 2 pounds up from where I was. So I wasn't too worried.

Lately I have been working out everyday making sure I'm doing 60 min of cardio and 30 min of weights.

I've been working with my trainer as well.

I'm scheduled to have my lapband re-filled next week..

But here's the question...

Are they going to put a large amound like 5cc's in there or do you think they would just start at 1cc?? I hope they don't just start @ 1cc cause that would really suck. I would have to go to the doctor over and over like I did when I initally got the band :ohmy: Too much money!!

So I'm really nervous about that part.

I just wanted to vent and tell you what happened with me. :Dancing_biggrin:

Attached is a picture of the fluro xray with my band at 6ccs. You can clearly see the barium fluid barely going through it and my stomach swollen.

Jessica, I am really sorry you are going through this. I can sympathize and empathize as I am going through something similar. I just had all the fluid out 4/27 and have built back up to 5.4 and am so tight I can barely keep even sips of clear liquids down.....but I don't want to be completely unfilled again. Gosh, the expense is horrendous. I have an appt next Thursday with the compassionate PA so I will see what she says.

Best wishes,

Mimi

Hopefully they will start you off at 4 or 5 CC's.....BEG!!!!!

I would think that given the swelling, they are going to be conservative when they give your next fill. If that happens, see if you can come back every 2 weeks until you get back to restriction. They're going to do what they think is best for you, and it might or might not be what you want.

Use the words "aggressive fill" and they might give you 3 or 4 ccs. I started with an empty band and had to use these words twice and both times was give extra fluid. Best wishes!

thanks guys!!

wow - it's a good thing it was caught when it was -

sorry you're going through that. - it must be frustrating.

you have to pay for each fill? is it different in the states or does it depend on the dr?

up here we pay a fortune to get the band but then the fills are included (at least for the first 4 years - not sure what happens after that.)