Hi everyone,

I am in a very difficult place right now with trying to decide if I need to get another unfill or not. Here are the detail: fill to 5.6 cc in a 10 cc band this Mar., perfect green zone until June when I mistakenly thought I needed another fill (ate more than 6 oz. at a sitting, but it was longer than a 20 min. period), had .3 added on June 12. Couldn't keep any liquid down overnight and was sick all night. Went in next day, had it taken back out (lost 4 lbs overnight). From that day June 12 to the following Monday June 18, could only keep liquids down. I was told it would be four days of liquids due to the irritation and swelling of the fill and the excessive vomiting from the day before. Went back in that Monday, had lost more weight over the week from not eating, and then was told 1 whole cc would need to come out to give stomach time to calm down. Told to come back in two weeks to get a refill. I did go back in last Tuesday June (exactly 3 weeks after fill) and he put me back up to 5.6 cc where I originally started and considered my green zone. Since then, I have only been able to have sips here or there throughout parts of the day, most of the day there's a lump feeling in my throat. I followed instructions to a T for fear of inducing additional trauma to my stomach and prolonging the "healing" with the refill. I have had sips of liquid since last Tuesday (July 3) and managed one evening to have a cup of mashed potatoes and nothing else. Since last Tuesday, I've lost 10 lbs the most awful way you can, I think. I don't want weight loss this bad. I feel like the band is getting tighter everyday, I can't get my water intake...my head hurts, getting dehydrated. I'm not understanding what is going on...I was at 5.6cc from Mar-begginning of June and it was fine. Why is it not even close right now? So, bottom line is...staying where I am isn't healthy and I'm miserable; however, going in just repeats the same process I did last week. It's prolonging this "healing" and having to redo what I just went through. It's been and is the longest three week period of my lapband-life (1 year this Saturday). My kids aren't sure what's going on with me, my extended family have now lost enthusiasm for the band and I am miserable. I'd like to hear from people who have experienced this or something similar and what advice you have. I need to make a decision...to make it worse, my doctor is on vaca for two more weeks (sub is there, though but doesn't work until Tuesday) and I'm going out of town for four days this Saturday! Please let me know your thoughts...gently please...sensitive and not up to par right now.

Good morning. My doctor explained to me that fills are "Fluid," meaning that when fluid is removed (such as to check fill level) and then re-added, it can refill the band differently so an adequate fill level may change. I had to have fluid removed once and when he refilled it, it was less than a previous level where I had actually been hungry. Hope this can help.

This is a fantastic description, and makes sense considering the lap band has all those tiny little compartments...

Okay, had an unfill of .5cc today and felt better immediately after...lost 10 lbs in the week bu know it will be back in the morning due to Water intake. Glad, glad I went in. The staff, including the doctor, was super helpful and really did want to help find a remedy. His take is that originally the fill(.3) was too much for me like several of you mentioned. He then said the two weeks in between fill and unfill probably wasn't enough time. He also mentioned that I may have to realize that I might need to stay where I'm at now so mentally prepare for that. I do not EVER want to go through this again so I may stay where I'm at or get .1cc fills. One last thing told me was to take Prilosec OTC for the next month, come for a check up then return in no sooner than two months for a fill. We'll wait and see...I'm gun-shy now.

My #1 lesson and advice from this experience: RUN do not walk to doctor to get an unfill if you are too tight. Weight loss, even for us, shouldn't come at the expense of our health or quality of life.

To everyone who posted...I tried to send personal emails but couldn't...just wanted to wish you well on your journeys !