Has anyone had their band completely unfilled? I had to get it completed unfilled about a year ago and have been gradually getting it re-filled. Ever since the unfill, I have this weird feeling in my stomach. It's hard to explain but it's like a nervous feeling and I feel like I have to go to the bathroom constantly. They took out 8cc's and now I am back up to 7.5cc, so I am almost as tight as I was. With this latest fill on Thursday that weird feeling is gone I think. So I am wondering if the unfill could have caused this feeling.

Dont know, but I had to totally unfill mine for a surgery and upon refilling it, its like I have a different band. It all feels OK, not as if anything is wrong, but just totally different in terms of different restriction at different fill levels etc. My band is almost full (only 0.2cc to go in a 4cc band) and I can eat things like toast, sandwiches, cold yogurt, with ease, stuff I couldnt choke down before. And maintaining my weight isnt nearly as automatic as it was, it takes a lot more effort because of course, with less restriction comes more appetite. I get hungry between meals etc, although the band is still helping, its nowhere near what it was.

Hi,

I had an unfill for surgery, and the funny feeling I got mainly felt like my stomache was really unhappy about not getting a slow drip feed of food. For the first meal after my unfill, I threw it all back up. And then between suddenly being able to burp again, and the weird 'full' feeling I would get after meals that I wasn't used to, I just felt out of sorts. I only felt like 'me' after getting most of my fill back in.

Funny when you think I only had had the band about 8 months when I got unfilled, and my unbanded stomache for 38 years prior to that. But I think our bodies adapt quickly. I'm glad you're feeling back to normal now.

I just had a unfill after getting surgery in Dec. they haven't put anything back in yet but no I don't have any weird stomach feelings going on.

Thanks for replies. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis almost two years after getting banded. There is no evidence or reason to believe that this was from the band or the surgery, even though "experts" in my life suggest otherwise. After I got the unfill I was able to eat large meals and gained back a nice chunk of weight. As this was happening the colitis symptoms got worse with little improvement. Now that I'm starting to feel better after the latest fill, I'm thinking that at least some of the problems I was having were from the band. I'm glad I am starting to feel better but it's difficult not having answers.

Oh, you gotta love the experts. My mother was convinced I caused my rectal cancer through having a band. She's seen sense since, but there's nothing like having someone you need to lean on for support suggesting something horrible like UC or cancer is your own fault.