Hi:

I've been banded for more than four years. Been struggling with my band for the past six months with weight gain and being able to eat alot more than I used to. Tried the fill method with small, but frequent fills. My surgeon did a barium test a couple of weeks ago and he said he's filled me as much as he will because the stream of barium is very small below the band, so the band is tight enough. However, I can still eat way too much. He's recommending that my band be emptied and then start the fills gradually again.

Has anybody done this? How does this help? Did it work for you?

Please advise. I've got to do something!

Thanks.

Sue

my doctor told me that after about 18 months, your sensitivity to the band goes away and you should unfill for a month, then gradually start filling again. He says it will fill like it did in the beginning. I am only 2 months post op, but he said that is why some people start gaining a couple of years after surgery.

But why do you think the pouch is stretched out? Your doc would have seen that with the Barium. What do you mean by eating way too much...how much are we talking about?

I actually think the opposite is true. People I know who have had to have an unfill for whatever reason say that it is really hard to get back to the level of restriction they had previously even with the same amount or more fill.

Emptying the band should allow the muscles in your esphogus to contract thereby returning it to its original size. Dialation occurs from over eating. You eat too much, food emptys into your esphogus, sits there and stretches your esphogus. A dialated esphogus can cause heartburn, acid reflux, feeling unsatisfied with eating small amounts of food, the ability to eat previously difficult to eat foods... ie bread, rice, Pasta. How do I know this you ask? Well I'm going through the same thing and have started doing research. I went for a fill Wednesday. I told my nurse practitioner I was feeling increasingly hungry, could eat almost anything and I need a fill. She said I may have a dialated esphogus which she's warned me about in the past SEVERAL times. Did that stop me from overeatting? Apparently not.

My upper GI is scheduled for Tuesday. I've made some self modifications in order to decrease the swelling before Tuesdays appointment. I've stopped overeatting. I'm eating once a day drinking lots of Fluid and really restricting myself. If my upper GI comes back and it does indicate dialation. I'm sure I'll be completely unfilled. I CAN NOT, I repeat CAN NOT be unfilled. I've lost 105 lbs already. I've meet my original goal but would like to lose another 5. The lesson I've learned is that I need to refocus and control myself more.

God Bless you. If you can make any changes on your own before you have to be unfilled please do it and unfill is a scary thought. And getting back to your sweet spot is a long long journey.

losethemess- I have a dilated esophagus and I've been told it is a very serious ordeal. My fat doctor threatened that if the esophagus does not heal and shrink back down that he will have to take my band out. My primary doctor told me that it is life or death, the esophagus can rupture and it is a very nasty way to go (her words). I have researched online and it doesn't seem that dangerous, I think they're just trying to scare me.

I managed to talk my doctor out of an unfill, but the consequences of that are 1 month on liquids only, then 3 months of 3 ounces of Protein 2 times a day plus one Protein shake. If this diet doesn't help me take off the 30 lbs that I've gained nothing will. That was a little over a week ago. I think I've made it three days without cheating. It is so hard to get back on track, but I know that I have to.

Sue Magoo- I think your doctor might be on to something thinking about unfilling and then refilling slowly. I probably should have taken that tract but I was so afraid that he might not refill me.....

Bottom line- we need to stick to the food plan that our doctor prescribes and not overeat! Good luck everybody!

Well I had my Upper GI and no pouch dialation for me. My pouch is a little stretched but besides that everything is copesetic. It was nice going to my docs office and speaking with the nurse practitioner. My dr.'s office is WOMDERFUL my nurse practitioner always reinforces the importance of following the rules and everything else. I sometimes just forget (or get lazy, what ever you want to call.)

I think I'll start attending support group meetings again they help me stay on track and remind me that I'm still a bandster

Pen527 you can do it. Honestly you can do it. I was so scared that my pouch was dialated that I changed my eating habits on my own. My suggestion to you is to find a support group. They can help you, help yourself get back on track. Good luck and happy weight loss

Hi - I ended up in the ER a month ago. My band completely closed up. They looked at the xray and barium swallow and said did not look bad enough to warrant surgery. they saw a little pouch above band but They did a complete unfill. It was not my regular MD it was a new associate. He had the hardest time getting the fluid out of the band I was probably jabbed 6 times. That concerned me because makes me think something is going on in there since he could not access the port.

So I am unfilled now and of course gained 5-6 pounds but it feels and looks like 20. I am so bloated. I realize that for years my stomach and intestines did not get the work out I have given them in the past month but wow.

So any advice, suggestions?