But I can't seem to stop...

Please don't say I'm crazy - I know there must be others out there who have / are experiencing something like what I have been experiencing.

I have had 2 fills and need a third unfill. I know I do. BUT... I don't want to... exactly. I know it's wrong. But last time I got an unfill, it was so great to be able to eat... but then I panicked - I was afraid that since I could eat, I would start to gain, or stop losing weight. And over the next few weeks I slowly evolved right back to where I was six weeks ago. I can barely eat anything. I throw up all of the time. For example, today's menu:

A cup of coffee consumed over 2 hours time

A slim fast started around 8:30, finished around 1PM

A snack-size cup of diced peaches

A fun size Snickers bar

About 1/3 bowl of bean and ham Soup, all thrown up

A 16 oz. bottle of Water, still in progress

And it's not the lack of eating that's bothering me... it's how my body feels. And I'm not insane, I realize WHY it feels the way it does. I'm achy, my body hurts inside - my sides, back and stomach. It hurts to breathe deeply. Not excruciating pain, mind you, just uncomfortable.

I used to drink 2 litres of water a day - easily. Not now... So I know I'm probably dehydrated a bit.

Anyway, I just wanted to put this out there - I know there must be someone else who's been down this (very strange, it seems) road...

Thanks to all,

Laura

Banded by Dr. Kuri, Mexico 10/1/05

208 / 168 / 140-ish 5'4"

Anyway, I just wanted to put this out there - I know there must be someone else who's been down this (very strange, it seems) road...

OH MY! YOU are not alone. My first fill was on 4/20 and it was 2cc in a 4cc band. I got a slight unfil on 5/17 to 1.8cc and I have tried really hard make it work but the past week I have been living on Gatorade on days when I can even get it down. I too am terrified of not losing the weight and wonder if I can just tough it out and be miserable for a little while longer.

However, I don't think I can do it anymore and I'm going in tomorrow for an unfill. I'm tired of the reflux, the pain from breathing, etc. I just keep telling myself that since I'm not in pain, I will be able to eat good things (like chicken breast, etc.) that I'm unable to get down at this point. Make sure to track your calories (I use www.fitday.com) to make sure you're getting in the number you need. I've been averaging 500 calories for 2 weeks, so I think it's time to go in.

Feel free to email me anytime- kristinrglee@hotmail.com . Don't kill your body and hurt your band, get the doc to adjust you to an appropriate level. You want to be strong and healthy when you get to that size 12, not pale and puny!!

Kristin

Its not very good for your body...you really need to get an unfill. Hope it all works out for the best!!!

I have done that several times... Couple of things you can do, either get an unfill (obviously) or make sure you are drinking Water and eating something like tomato soup, if you keep working at it, and drinking and eating smooth thin foods, it should begin to loosen after a while, you have to work at it, if get dehydrated it will only get worse, the less you eat/drink the worse it will get, I don't know why.

I get scared to get un-filled too, for that reason, but if you can make this fill work you won't have too, otherwise, you should get to your doc. Mine will take me same day if I get to the point where I can't get anything down..

LUCK!

Get. An. Unfill.

Here's my dr's philsophy on fills..."I'd rather you eat a little bit more than you should of chicken than eat things that are bad for you". When you are too tight it drives you to bad choices. Honestly hon, your menu for today is almost all carbs. Slim Fast has sugar in it, fruit is sugar, a Snickers is sugar.

No wonder you are always hungry! You are on a insulin roller coaster....eat sugar...UP UP UP....then an hour later you come crashing down.

First...get an unfill. Next, start eating more Protein to help hold off the hunger. When you are getting in your 60 grams of protein a day, holding off sugar and cutting out carbs, you will naturally feel less hungry.

You aren't doing yourself any favors eating this way. Your body will try desperately to keep the fat on and will burn up lean muscle instead.

Ungood.

It's your choice, you are a grown up, but you are seriously in need of an unfill.

Yay Karen! Excellent advice! I couldn't have said it better myself. LJ, go back and read giveyouthemoon's post again, then once more, very carefully. She is dead on.

And banded1/05, maybe the tomato soup could be replaced with something else? I found, for me, the tomato Soups and V8's were way too acidic and bothered my stomach. The texture was right for me, but the tomato was not. Some folks do fine with it though. It gave me problems...yuck! And, yes, I agree that getting dehydrated makes it all worse. Not sure why either. ???

Thanks you guys for your comments...

One point I didn't really mention, is that I actually am -not- hungry... I think that when I said my body hurts, it's not hunger pain, it's a weird, different kind of pain, hard to explain...

I know what I should do, there's just something about making sure you're not the only person out there dealing with this issue is so helpful...

Thanks so much and much success to everyone!

Laura

Laura...

If it hurts when you breathe, you may have aspirated some Fluid during the night, due to your overfill. This is not something to fool around with. You can have "silent" reflux and not even be aware of it. If you experience chills, fever, flu-like symptoms (all over body aches and pains), weakness, etc please see a doctor immediately. These are signs of serious respiratory problems - anything from minor URI to pneumonia to an abscess in the lungs.

A good friend of mine who was banded a year ago in March went for several months filled too tight because she wanted to keep losing. I kept telling her she needed to let the doc know she was vomiting and PBing several times a day, but she wouldn't. Finally it got so bad she had to, and now she's totally unfilled for a few weeks to get things healed up and calmed down. It just doesn't pay to stay too tight...seems to backfire in the long run, and we are in this for the long term. Please check with your doc and ask for a small unfill. Good luck!

Emily

Your body probably hurts because it needs more nutrition and your body is going after your lean muscle tissue to get it.

PLEASE get an unfill. It doesn't have to be much. My unfill was .3 cc's, but you can even get .1cc's out. This will not help you get to goal, and it's a miserable way to live.

*hugs*

Girls Girls Girls, you both sound too tight to me, you both need a slight unfil, the band was not designed to live on liquids alone, read your lap band handbook, it clearly states if you are living on liquids you are too tight. the reason you feel like crap is you are most likely dehydrated and not getting any Protein which oinly makes you lose lean muscle mass and not fat. Protein is key to losing fat, not enough of it only reslults in loss of lean muscle mass which results in flab. Also having a band too tight can lead to many other things like slippage, esophagitis, reflux, none of these are good for the longevity of your band, both of you need to be responsible bandsters and call your Dr's, this is not a race, it is a journey the band is a lifelong tool use it wisely. I can guarantee you both that if you called your Dr's and told then what you are telling us they both would say get in for an unfill. Having as little as .2 cc's removed can make the biggest difference in being able to eat solids but yet still lose weight. Giveyouthemoon is right, carbs and sugar only make you crave more carbs and sugar not to mention liquids go right through the band they offer no restriction and the key to the band working right is to eat hard Proteins and keep the pouch full for longer periods of time, liquids and Soups and canned peaches dont do that.

Call your Dr. being this tight is not good for you or your band...

I'll be going in for an unfill... soon as he can see me. I guess I knew that I needed the unfill, but even more I needed someone (all of you!) to help me realize that I am only hurting myself by putting it off...

Thanks so much, I don't know what I'd do without this group...

Laura

Feel like I am killing myself from the inside out

that quote alone tells me you already know you should get an unfill. You want to lose weight but, you really don't want to lose it this way. Life should be enjoyable not tolerable pain....your weight loss should be slow. You don't want to lose muscle mass you need to get the Protein in. All the info in the previous reponses have been totally honest and reasonable. If I was feeling the way you are, I'd definately get an unfill.

I'm scheduled for a fill next week and think I'm going to pass because there are still days I get that golfball and some that I've thrown up. I want to lose but, I also know I'm in this for the long haul...I don't want anything to happen to my stomach because the band is too tight around it. Pain, even if slight, is a sign something isn't right....you should call your doc or bariatric center and let them know what's going on.

I'll be going in for an unfill.

Very good decision

I'll be going in for an unfill... soon as he can see me.

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

I'm proud of you for taking care of yourself!!