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Unfill HELL!!! Help please

Went to new Doc (moved0 after 1.5 yrs to get .2 cc ouit of my band. He took out 2.5 cc's said that is what needed to come out in 3 days I have gained nearly 10lbs... not overeating. but nio restriction at all. Is this normal.

I wnated to gain a little back. But think I should get a least 2cc's put back in asap. looking for opinions...

elaine

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You have to realize the band doesn't cause weight loss. Taking Fluid out of your band has no more effect on weight gain than taking a bracelet off your wrist does.

It can, however, create a drastic increase in you appetite. When we're hungrier we eat more and then we gain weight.

With that said, in order for you to gain 10 pounds in 3 days you had to have increased your calorie intake by over 11,000 calories a day for all 3 days in a row. That is extremely unlikely if not impossible.

You only need fluid back in your band if you can't go at least 4 hours between meals without hunger.

Best wishes.

You have to realize the band doesn't cause weight loss. Taking Fluid out of your band has no more effect on weight gain than taking a bracelet off your wrist does.

It can, however, create a drastic increase in you appetite. When we're hungrier we eat more and then we gain weight.

With that said, in order for you to gain 10 pounds in 3 days you had to have increased your calorie intake by over 11,000 calories a day for all 3 days in a row. That is extremely unlikely if not impossible.

You only need fluid back in your band if you can't go at least 4 hours between meals without hunger.

Best wishes.

very well said

Went to new Doc (moved0 after 1.5 yrs to get .2 cc ouit of my band. He took out 2.5 cc's said that is what needed to come out in 3 days I have gained nearly 10lbs... not overeating. but nio restriction at all. Is this normal.

I wnated to gain a little back. But think I should get a least 2cc's put back in asap. looking for opinions...

elaine

Why did you/Doctor feel the need to remove saline from the band? Were you too tight? having symptoms? Most often taking saline out is done to resolve problems. I'm curious why he felt that was the "right amount" . I've has saline removed due to reflux on occasion but usually.5 cc. waited about a month then went back for a refill.

I don't know your age but when going through a menstrual cycle some women have complained about "Water weight gain" which is possible our body retains water in the cells constantly, due to different reasons, salt intake etc,and the body is 60% water in general. Call your new doctor ask them to come back in, but some saline back in and I think you'll be surprised at how quickly that 10 lbs will go away.

Good luck :)

  • Author

Yes was definitely too tight ... Dr said when I asked for .5 cc out that 2 cc's came out without him doing anything so they must need to come out then he added the .5 I had asked for. He also said he rarely does lapbands as they don't work for most people and I am the exception. I am not eating 11000 calories a day or in 3 days if I have learned anything on this journey it is too eat sensibly. Yes I can eat more and right now I am hungry maybe 1 hour after eating. I just hope he will see me and put fluid back in next week.. This is just too scary.

Yes was definitely too tight ... Dr said when I asked for .5 cc out that 2 cc's came out without him doing anything umm interesting.... When ever my Surgeon has removed saline he's had to physically withdraw it, it didn't just come out" so they must need to come out then he added the .5 I had asked for. He also said he rarely does lapbands as they don't work for most people and I am the exception That statement, right there would make me nervous :blink: If my surgeon said that I'd be inclined to see someone new mainly because if he's not treating many LB patients how does he know how to properly treat you? ( my surgeon has done over 2000 bands) Or did he mean he DID them but chooses NOT to do them any longer? I am not eating 11000 calories a day or in 3 days didn't think you were either ;)

if I have learned anything on this journey it is too eat sensibly. Yes I can eat more and right now I am hungry maybe 1 hour after eating. I just hope he will see me and put Fluid back in next week. You might want to go back to liquids, for a little while, (rest your stomach) when it's tight things get irritated.. then proceed with slower fills your going to have to work even harder to get back on track especially if your not finding satiety :(But going back to being too tight isn't fun especially if you start to develop reflux etc.. This is just too scary Keep us posted and I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get answers.

My surgeon has said before that when people are tight he does sometimes get what he calls a 'bounce back' from the Fluid when he hits the port with the needle, and that may have been what your new dr took as therefore needing to take that much out. But obviously he didn't do the right thing, because you're hungry.

I'd be assertive and ask for more fill. He may not put all 2cc back in one go but at least start you back to having restriction.

I too at one stage wanted to gain a little, but rather than get an unfill I just ate higher calorie foods, more frequently for a while.

My band was too tight back in November and I had started gaining my weight back due to not following the rules and being too tight. My lowest weight was 154. He took out 1 cc and it felt as if I could eat anything. I started gaining FAST!!!! He then felt like we needed to take all the fluid out and start over. Right now, I only have 2 1/2 cc's in the band and I am still gaining. It's a very slippery slope. Once you screw up, it's so easy for it to get worse. I cleaned out my closet of all my size 10 and 12's today. That motivated me. I'm going to try to start walking at least 2 miles a day and following the rules to the letter. My weight today: 192. Very disappointed in myself!

I gained weight after springing a leak in my band. I would say that I haven't had any restriction to speak of in the last 15 months until very recently. In the first 10 months of the leak I gained close to 35lbs. But then I started tracking what I was eating and exercising and I lost 15lbs of that.

What I'm trying to say is you can control your weight gain until you get restriction back. I *know* how easy it is to gain weight back when you're struggling with hunger but don't let the good work you've done be undone.

The funny thing is that now my band is working again and I've lost 5 more lbs, I actually don't want to lose anymore! 15lbs from my stable weight and I'm actually pretty happy!

Just wanted to throw some thoughts in here....1) the fact that your doc is so pessimistic about the band and no longer does lb is a great indicator for you to find a new doc who is a little more enthused and knows how to manipulate the band properly to achieve YOUR goals. 2) I never understood this mentality the band doesn't make you lose weight... than why did we get it? The restriction of the band can grossly impact how/what and when we eat and that should be an understood. I noticed at 5cc was a great maintenance fill for 195. I couldn't gain on that fill for nothing (but had to work diligently to lose). After a 0.5cc fill I am now down to 155 and I consider this my maintenance fill for 155-160. Harder to gain but also having to work at losing.You have the right idea of taking out fluid to allow for weight gain, however, the key is how much. The quick (unassisted) release of saline does imply you were overfilled. You should meet slight resistance when putting saline in and not go beyond that. But if I were the doc, I'd of let the excess come out and not take any further. Also don't forget, position, menstruation can be correlative factors for why so much came out, so is it real? <shrugs> Didn't sound like you were having bad experiences/symptoms indicating overfill so who really knows. However, if I were you I'd get more put back in to find that happy 'maintenance' zone so you don't gain excessively.

2) I never understood this mentality the band doesn't make you lose weight... than why did we get it?

Actually it's not a mentality, it's the truth. The band itself creates weight loss as much as a bracelet around your wrist will. This is exactly why so many people make the mistake of being over-filled thinking that being tighter will make them lose weight. The band has zero effect on your metabolism and doesn't create weight loss.

What the band does do is control your hunger and send a satisfied signal to the brain after very little food. When people listen to their band, they eat less, and that is what results in weight loss. The band is tool to help you lose weight not the cause of weight loss.

Actually it's not a mentality, it's the truth. The band itself creates weight loss as much as a bracelet around your wrist will. This is exactly why so many people make the mistake of being over-filled thinking that being tighter will make them lose weight. The band has zero effect on your metabolism and doesn't create weight loss.

What the band does do is control your hunger and send a satisfied signal to the brain after very little food. When people listen to their band, they eat less, and that is what results in weight loss. The band is tool to help you lose weight not the cause of weight loss.

again, very well said.....and correct.
  • Author

So now I am 7 days post unfill and have gained 18lbs... The Doctor I saw Dr Dasher has a fill clinic 1 x a month and it is this Monday but the clinic is full so they won't see me for 1 more month. Told me to police myself. I am and am still gaining every day. Called the only other Dr in Greensboro and they could not see me until July 17th. Finally found Wake Forest Medical Center in Winston Salem and they are going to see me tomorrow. Please tell me I am not wrong to want this taken care of immediately.Elaine

Going in to see my Dr for a fill today. I plan to BEG him to put in at least 1 cc. I only have 2.5 cc's right now and I know when I first started my journey, he put 3 cc's in on my very first fill.

I agree with searching for a doctor to fill you, Elaine. 1 time a month seems outrageous to me. Mine has apts on Tues and Wed every week. He schedules us 1x a month, as needed. I was too tight and gained, he removed .1 and I am in control, but still not losing what I had gaiend abck after being too tight. Good luck.

  • 2 weeks later...

I hate to say this but I'm pessimistic about doctors- it doesn't sound like he's in your corner. He may be great otherwise, but if he doesn't believe the band can work and he's your mechanic, things can never run smoothly.

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