Help Bandsters, What Am I Doing Wrong?

[Staceven 0]

Okay, so in a couple of hours I go to have ALL of the Fluid taken out of my band for the 5th time in 5 months. I am devestated.

A little background: I lost 83 pounds in 9-10 months. I hit my sweet spot at about 4 1/2 months post surgery and was flying high for 6 months! I rarely had stuck or puking episodes. I had gotten down to 198 (a big moment right?) when I got bronchitis and couldn't keep anything down. They said I was completely swollen shut and took all of the Fluid out. I went back in a few weeks and had only half of the fluid put back in. 2 weeks later swollen shut again. This time we blamed it n a grilled chicken tender which is weird because it is one of my meals 3+ times a week. At this point the Dr. said I was overeating. I was not! I think he thinks I was lying or in denial. So this was about Christmas-time and with no fluid in my band I did overeat and gained about 25 pounds. This cycle of putting fluid in and taking fluid out happened 2 more times since the first of the year. I begged the Drs and nurses to tell me what was wrong and what I could could do to prevent it but they just keep saying I am overeating. Sure I cheat occasionally with cheese or chocolate but it is never in quantities. I have eaten a chip and dip. These items are very occasional and in no more than a half cup quantity. I have had NO cheats or overeating since my last fill.

This week: 4 days ago I ate cottage cheese for lunch. I ate it too fast. It came back up. That evening I had a very small amount of tuna salad because I was testing the waters. It seemed fine. I did not eat Breakfast the next morning. For lunch I ate one bite of grilled chicken and knew instantly that I was swollen again. That evening I tried Soup and it was a no-go. Yesterday I stuck to sipping Water all day, I burped and bubbled after every sip. Last night I tried broth and it stayed down but I had to sleep sitting upright because the bubbling and heartburn was so bad. This morning my coffee (a tiny sip) came back up so I called the Dr.

Am I doomed? The dr is an hour away and I am missing work every other week to go to the dr. I can't live this way but I refuse to think I wasted $15,000 and I'm destined to be fat. Anybody else have problems like this?

[littlerlou 7]

Im only 2 months banded, but Im wondering if when you originally got all your Fluid taken out, you said they put 1/2 back in right away..is it possible that they did this too quick and you need to start from the beginning? Leave unfilled for a month or so...then get a first small fill..wait a month..get 2nd etc?

[Holly Dolly 575]

If it was me in this situation, I would go back after your unfill and the swelling is gone and start all over. Just get some small fills to begin with and make sure that you do liquids for a couple of days and progress to soft foods. I had an unfill last month and this time I made sure to only have liquids for the 2 days following. I was always one to test the waters to see if I felt any restriction. now I have learned my lesson.

[JJLaw08 4]

I would get all the Fluid taken out and let your stomach rest for a month or a few months. You don't want to be dealing with a slipped band in the future.

[wineguyd 13]

As we all know, white meat chicken is a real challenge to the band, it's one of the few things that still block me up.

But more important, you admittedly eat too fast and I'm assuming you are not cutting your food into small pieces, putting your utensils down with each bite, and are not chewing well. I'm over three years into this and yet I still find myself once and a while briefly wolfing food down and then paying for it minutes later....slow down...period!

[54Shirley 105]

When its time to get filled, ask to have it done under fluoroscope.

They will see your band, and you will see it on the screen too.

They will look at its condition, and fill you to your fill line.

That means you are now at the proper fill level. Not to full/not full enough !

This is available, and should be used more often. You will then no exactly,

what they put into your band, and you should know the proper amount for

your band.

once filled, if you loose weight, and say I'm getting hungry more often, so I'll get a fill.

You take the risk of being in the RED ZONE. So you have to learn to live with it.

Good Luck, Shirley.

[kll724 3,055]

It sounds like you have a slip. The surgeon wsa trying to get the band to go back into place with out surgery. If it doesn't, which it sounds like it did not, the surgeonw ill eithe rhave to revision it, or replace it. Been there,with the revision. Good luck, take it easy. Don't test yoru band after having the fill unless it has had time for the swelling to go down. Karen

[Nancyb26 0]

HELLO

I HAD THE BAND DONE 3 YEARS AGO AND HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS AT ALL. I DI HAVE THE BAND FILLED BUT IT WAS THROWING UP AL THE TIME. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT YOU ATE TO LOOSE THE WEIGHT?

THANKS NANCY

[JJLaw08 4]

It sounds like you have a slip. The surgeon wsa trying to get the band to go back into place with out surgery. If it doesn't, which it sounds like it did not, the surgeonw ill eithe rhave to revision it, or replace it. Been there,with the revision. Good luck, take it easy. Don't test yoru band after having the fill unless it has had time for the swelling to go down. Karen

May I ask when you had your revision and how it is going? What caused yours to slip? I had my band repositioned two weeks ago. I'm having some pain inside where my band is so I'm a little worried, but my back has been killing me so it might be from that.

[eac00100 1]

How do you know the band needs to be "repositioned"? How does the doctor reposition the band?