I had some problems and had to have all saline taken out, Tuesday got 2 cc fill ate some potato chips and it came back up mow my band hurts and I can't drink a lot how do I get swelling to go down?

I had some problems and had to have all saline taken out, Tuesday got 2 cc fill ate some potato chips and it came back up mow my band hurts and I can't drink a lot how do I get swelling to go down?

Dont eat anything solid for a couple of days and drinklots of warm drinks. When you do start eating again eat mushies and then move up to solids.

Kat

I have actually had extreme problems with band swelling over the year that I have been banded. When you are swollen, anything cold will not go down, even if it is liquid. It may slowly go down, but will tend to irritate the swelling and can actually make it worse. Sometimes I even have problems with Water because it tends to be too thick once it mixes with your spit (personal opinion). When I have had the really bad swelling I stick to hot tea and move up to cold tea and no matter how bad my swelling has been, I always have luck with broccoli cheddar Soup if it is really warm.

Basically the band can be very tricky and different for everyone. Don't push the limits. Let it do what it wants to do and you follow it's rules. I have been very sick from trying to test what I could and couldn't eat when I knew I was swollen..mainly because I was starving and sick of not being able to eat. Just because you can't eat what you would like to eat, you have to adjust and take in what you can.

Ice reduces swelling in any human tissue. That is why they say put a bag of frozen peas on a black eye to reduce swelling. After surgery That is why they have you put an ice bag on the area. For my first week post-op I was told to only drink ice cold liquids to help the swelling go down faster. I have found that after a fill it helps me to have zero "fill swelling" if I drink something ice cold shortly after a fill (like a slush). It has worked well for me the last few fills. I just had a fill tues. and had zero swelling. I'm pretty tight, so if there were swelling I'd know. Potato chips would not be a good choice, but that goes without saying. Bottom line ..... cold reduces swelling, not heat.

Thank you, have have been drinking hot tea and im about to go get me some soup, but science I have been drinking the tea it feels a lot better.. I know I need to stop pushing the limit but it's hard when everyone around me is eating everything under the sun. I'm going to start writing and reading more on the message board. Thank you all so much.

I am in the same boat this is probably like like my 5th or 6th fill. I don't know I have had so many I lost count. I have been so frustrated I have been gaining weight back due to not really having restriction. But I just got a fill yesterday and it puts me at 7cc. So I'm really tight right now and I know it's from swelling but I am also having problems with liquids nothing coming back up but if I take a big sip it hurts. Just drinking really really slow. Hoping it's just swelling or I may have to go back on Tuesday for an Un-fill. I'm going to try hot and cold and see which ones feel better. Thanks this post helped a lot. I'm just looking forward to the band actually helping me now and losing weight!

you are correct!

Ice reduces swelling in any human tissue. That is why they say put a bag of frozen peas on a black eye to reduce swelling. After surgery That is why they have you put an ice bag on the area. For my first week post-op I was told to only drink ice cold liquids to help the swelling go down faster. I have found that after a fill it helps me to have zero "fill swelling" if I drink something ive cold shortly after a fill (like a slush). It has worked well for me the last few fills. I just had a fill tues. and had zero swelling. I'm pretty tight, so if there were swelling I'd know. Potato chips would not be a good choice, but that goes without saying. Bottom line ..... cold reduces swelling, not heat.

rosebud1963 - Something to think about, grab a handful of potato chips, now splash some Water on them, now bunch them up by making a fist. They will form a clump. That's what they do in your pouch. They will form a ball in your pouch and you will get stuck on them. Tortilla chips do not have that same problem because corn doesn't like to stick to itself in the same way.

Either stop eating potato chips or switch to corn tortilla chips.

As for the swelling, you'll want to drink hot tea with honey to help the Fluid in the band and the tissues loosen up a bit, and drink cold drinks to help the swelling go down. Cold does help swelling go down, but hot fluids will go through your band easier because the molecules of the water are further apart so it's not as "heavy" as cold water.

Princess Diana<3 - Go get a slight unfill. I don't know how much you had put in but have at least half of it taken out, don't risk the complications from being too full for too long.

Acadia, thanks a lot for the post, I never looked at potato chips like that before but you are right. I going to just drink tea, lemonade and eat soup for the next few days and let the swelling go down. If you have any tips for foods for me to eat once swelling goes down please let me know, I need all the help and support I can get because I have none at home. My husband does not know that I got a fill because he said that the lap band just makes me sick so I'm trying to hide it from him.

I've had 5 fills. I have to drink liquids for 2 days after, then mushies, then solids. First day or two, I have to be kind to my port because it can hurt a bit from the fill. I don't ice it or anything, I just comply to doing liquids. I drink protein shakes, water, and decaf iced tea mostly. Fills do cause swelling, so liquids really are something I must do to lessen any pain. After about 3 days or so, I'm okay. I've never had any problems with my band. I've had good restriction since 7ccs and I'm now @ 8cc where I will stop. My band works great and if I just do what Dr tells me everything goes fine. I've lost almost 70 pds since Feb. 7th. Went hiking today! Didn't get out of breath. Just amazing!

You may want to try the liquid Children's Motrin. This is a non-steroidal anti- inflamatory. It helps me.

Thanks all as you info has helped just as I thought. My BFF is banded and had a fill yesterday and has bad swelling and slimming. she got sick 3 times last night. We are traveling to Europe tomorrow so we are trying to get her in for a unfill. Since we are in Canada that isn't that easy as we don't have fill clinics like in the US. Tomorrow we are flying to Europe. I will have her stick to hot liquids. Any other tips would be greatly appeciated.

Have a great weekend all!

Cheers,

Kristi

Hot liquids is the wrong thing to use for swelling.

Hi, Rosebud! I have had ALOT of this issue as well over the past year so I'd like to share some of what I have learned:

First, when you realize you've agitated the banded area, immediately go on liquids for 3-4 days. my friend only has to do 2 days, my Doctor says 3 days, but I have to do 4 days or it never quite subsides. I SIP hot green tea and Soups (creams, liquids, whatever, hot and sour is my favorite) but SIPPING is key!

Second, I have come to find that dehydration also has a big roll in this. We are supposed to be taking in 64oz of Water per day according to my doctor. Do I do that? No. I do my best. But I do find that when I'm not getting enough water, this issue seems to creep up more often OR it becomes worse than it would have been had i been getting enough H2O.

Third and last, I have found that taking LIQUID IBUPROFEN helps to reduce swelling significantly enough that I CAN get thicker soups down and warm liquids adequately. Without it, I'd likely not even be able to get water down. Hope this helps!

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are recently banded (within 6 weeks) DO NOT TAKE ANY FORM OF IBUPROFEN!!!!!

I was banded about 5days ago. At first, I was STARVING on the liquid diet...then about 3days ago, I started havin to pretty much spit up the liquid that goes in, even water. I don't feel hunger pangs like I did on days 1&2 anymore. I did throw up normally 2 times but not in the last 24hrs. I called my surgeon and he doesn't think it slipped, he said its probably just swollen and feeling really restrictive. It almost feels as tho there's a clogged drain down in there and it's just sitting full of liquid not passing thru any more. I can't seem 2 find any info online about band swelling immediately post surgery. There was a feeling of nausea, but that's subsided quite a bit today. Now it's just wanting to drink and nothing wanting 2 stay in.

I was banded about 5days ago. At first, I was STARVING on the liquid diet...then about 3days ago, I started havin to pretty much spit up the liquid that goes in, even Water. I don't feel hunger pangs like I did on days 1&2 anymore. I did throw up normally 2 times but not in the last 24hrs. I called my surgeon and he doesn't think it slipped, he said its probably just swollen and feeling really restrictive. It almost feels as tho there's a clogged drain down in there and it's just sitting full of liquid not passing thru any more. I can't seem 2 find any info online about band swelling immediately post surgery. There was a feeling of nausea, but that's subsided quite a bit today. Now it's just wanting to drink and nothing wanting 2 stay in.

Hi Kara, I was banded last Thursday and I am feeling almost the same way as you, I was looking through posts wondering if people felt the same way or if maybe my band area is just swollen. I feel like something is stuck like you or liquids are just not going down, also when I breath in deep I feel a pain (I didnt have that till today) swallowing I feel a little dis-comfort down my esph. I felt good yesterday and now today its different, I would think each day things would be feeling better.. not the other way around. Im going to call Dr. tommorow and see what he thinks I should do.