I haven't posted in a a while, but I guess I have been enjoying the benefits of the band. I had my fill in the first week of November, and everything seemed fine. I did notice in December that during "that time of month" I was very tight, but I attributed that to bloating. Everything was fine after that. Well, this month "that time" rolled around and it was tighter than it was last month. So much so that I couldn't even swallow water easily. I struggled through the week, sipping gatorade and waiting impatiently for the week to be over. Well, the week has been over for 14 days now and I haven't gotten any less tight. Also during that time I started coughing very hard while I was sleeping... so hard that I would vomit up any liquid I might have gotten down..... I scheduled an appointment with the doctor on Feb 1 for a checkup, but I am not sure if it is a problem with being too tight, acid reflux or a slipped band. Has anyone had a problem like this and how did you resolve it? Did a unfill help?

I'm so glad to read about night coughing!! I thought I must be the only one with this problem...I've been banded for about 1 1/2 years, lost about 65 lbs., and have been holding the same weight for about a year. Need to lose 40-50 lbs. more, but can't seem to tolerate any more fill. Last year about this same time, I started coughing at night. Would wake up almost drowning, strangling, trying to catch my breath. Thought it was sinus drainage. Took all kinds of sinus medicine, cough medicine, etc. Couldn't get rid of it. Then overheard a co-worker say she had acid reflux that caused her to cough all night. She started taking Prilosec every night, per dr. orders, and her cough stopped. I tried that and got much better. In the meantime I had developed a hernia where my port was (I believe it was from all that hard coughing in my sleep) and the dr. took out all my fill until I had hernia surgery.During this time he sent me for a barium swallow and all was ok. I eventually was filled again, but in the last month I developed the night coughs again. I wasn't able to sleep much at all, threw up slime several times a night, etc. This time Prilosec, cough meds., etc. didn't help. Nor did sitting up in the recliner to try to sleep. Last week I had all my fill removed again, will have another barium swallow, let my system rest, and then hopefully get filled again. I was only at 1.4cc this year and last, and I'm afraid I won't be able to tolerate any tighter and can't lose any more weight.

It sounds like acid reflux for most of you. I have had it for a couple of years, even before being banded. For me Prilosec would not work, I can't even take Nexum, I take Prevacid, it's stronger. Before surgery, I was taking it twice a day and now I'm down to only once a day (usually just before bed.)

Acid is nothing to play with, it can make you feel like you're having a heart attack. My brother who has it really bad and didn't take his med's for almost 6 months ended up in the hospital's IC unit thinking he was having a heart attack. They almost slit his chest open until they accidently gave him a tomato base food for dinner that would make his reflux act up, then they did a EKG while he claimed to be having a heart attack and his heart was beating normally. That when they started looking at other options. What a scary thing to happen.

Also, there are a lot of foods we can't eat with acid reflux so if you think you have this, do the research, I can't eat anything tomato base, onions, most fruits and juices and a number of other things because of the acid it contains.

Talk to your doctor cause this could cause major problems with the lining of your stomach but on the right medication can reverse the effects. I wish everyone well, cause I know, I've been through everything each person has said and I take my 1 pill religiously. Also, I sleep on a elevated level, it keeps the acid from coming up. If I can help someone with this, please send me a PM, I am happy to share my experience.