I'm afraid I might've screwed up my band!

[nikils015 20]

Okay. I've been banded since December. I really haven't lost much, which had been really depressing since everyone else has been doing so good. I've been losing, but EXTREMELY slowly.

Then my last fill....miracle! Suddenly I wasn't hungry, and I was seeing steady loss, a little faster than before. I was thrilled, and finally I'm thinking that this is it.

Then I got a kidney stone. My first. (Hopefully, my last. Owww!) And until I passed that sucker, I threw up and threw up, and threw up.

I called my surgeon, and asked if I should come in and have it checked, but the nurse said that if I was still getting food down, and not having heartburn then I was probably okay.

That was two weeks ago. It's been getting steadily worse. Now I'm having heartburn even if I only I eat 2 or 3 bites of food, and anything more than that just isn't going down.at all. Its REALLY, REALLY tight suddenly.

I'm not sure what's going on! If I did actually make it slip when I was sick, would it show up this much later? Is there any reason why a band would suddenly tighten up?

I should probably have a slight unfill, but...but I was there! Green zone! And seeing progress finally! If this is something that might resolve I just don't want to do it.

Ideas?

[GoingforGoal 1,734]

This is a great example of how we abuse our bands. Who cares if you are green if you sabotage your band and it needs to be removed. Vomitting, especially excessive vomiting requires an unfill. Your increased heartburn is indeed one of the symptoms of a slip. Get to the doctor

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I totally agree with hazelsbliss. It is totally irrelevant if you were in the Green Zone, the point is now for whatever reason you're not. To make it worse, you're showing signs of a slip. This simply can not be left as is or you're risking your health.

You need to get into your surgeon ASAP. It can't wait.

[Cwalband 215]

Hope everything is well and hope you get to the Doc soon! Let us know how you are feeling and what the final verdict is. I'm hoping the best for you!

[B-52 7,113]

Okay. I've been banded since December. I really haven't lost much, which had been really depressing since everyone else has been doing so good. I've been losing, but EXTREMELY slowly.

Then my last fill....miracle! Suddenly I wasn't hungry, and I was seeing steady loss, a little faster than before. I was thrilled, and finally I'm thinking that this is it.

Then I got a kidney stone. My first. (Hopefully, my last. Owww!) And until I passed that sucker, I threw up and threw up, and threw up.

I called my surgeon, and asked if I should come in and have it checked, but the nurse said that if I was still getting food down, and not having heartburn then I was probably okay.

That was two weeks ago. It's been getting steadily worse. Now I'm having heartburn even if I only I eat 2 or 3 bites of food, and anything more than that just isn't going down.at all. Its REALLY, REALLY tight suddenly.

I'm not sure what's going on! If I did actually make it slip when I was sick, would it show up this much later? Is there any reason why a band would suddenly tighten up?

I should probably have a slight unfill, but...but I was there! Green zone! And seeing progress finally! If this is something that might resolve I just don't want to do it.

Ideas?

First, I don't think you did anything to abuse your band and screw it up...you had a kidney stone..it's not your fault....

Vomiting and the band do not go together...it was not designed to have things forcefully go up the other way...we have to eat small and slow...there is nothing small and slow about vomiting.

Since being banded, I have yet to vomit...but it is something I am very conscious of, and not looking forward to the day I do....

The only advice you should take from the psuedo-experts here would be to contact your Dr. and inform them of your symptoms and discomfort.

[nikils015 20]

Thanks, B·52. I was feeling a little irritable til your response.

I DID call my surgeon immediately after my stone and I followed their recommendations. Maybe I wasnt clear. They said to come in immediately if suddenly nothing was going down, even saliva.

I am getting solids down, just not much and all the signs of slippage that I found were either being able to eat anything you wanted suddenly, if no solid foods at all.

My theory (such as it is) is that I should've been much more kind to the band after I got sick and stuck to liquids for a while to let it recover. I didn't. My doctor didn't mention it, and I didn't think about it.

I think that my last fill left me pretty tight, and that I've just irritated it further with all that's happened.

Thanks for being kind. :-)

[Medikdave 20]

I called my surgeon, and asked if I should come in and have it checked, but the nurse said that if I was still getting food down, and not having heartburn then I was probably okay.

That was two weeks ago. It's been getting steadily worse. Now I'm having heartburn even if I only I eat 2 or 3 bites of food, and anything more than that just isn't going down.at all. Its REALLY, REALLY tight suddenly.

I agree with B-52, that what led you to this point was not your fault. Kidney stones are nothing to trifle with, ever. BUT, according to what your nurse told you, and based on the symptoms you are now having, you need to get yourself in to be checked out! As a bandster, I am a rookie. As a former ER/Trauma Nurse, and as a still certified Medic, I'm telling you that you don't want to err on the side of stubbornness. A test as simple as a barium swallow will allow the doctor to see if you've had a slip. Go in, get it checked. Don't sacrifice your health. Isn't your health the whole reason you went down this path? Please let us know how things turn out.