I'm at 7 cc today and I can't eat anything, it takes like an hour to go down (I'm talking like 2 tbsp yogurt), it feels like there's something pushing up..I'm going for a defill tomorrow. Does drinking warm fluids help loosen the band? I don't want to try it if it doesn't because even drinking water sucks. I managed to get down 1.5 cups after my fill but then it went downhill from there. Any ideas? I know I've asked this before but should I be able to eat comfortably with the right fill level or should there be some discomfort?

You're supposed to be able to eat solid protein (chicken, beef, etc) cut into small pieces and chewed well with NO problems. Definitely get to your surgeon ASAP for an unfill. When you're as tight as you describe, I don't really think warm fluids is going to do much to help.

I'm at 6.5 cc's and have to be VERY careful to really chew the food and take my time eating or I get that horrible chest pain and end up running to the bathroom to toss it. I hope you feel better after tomorrow's unfill.

Thanks Elizabeth...I think I'll get her to take out .5 cc and see how the water goes down tomorrow. This is such a strangling feeling..it's so weird. Thanks again for listening.

That's too bad, but at least you've got easy access to your fill-er-upper! I bet the .5 cc will help alot. Stick around and drink your bottle of water to make sure it goes down more comfortably

Warm liquids in the morning ddid help me and helps others to open you up a bit in the morning, cold Water and cold liquids definately tightened me up, but being as tight as you just decribed, sounds to me like you need a slight unfill..having as little as .2cc's removed wil lstil lgive you enough restriction to be able to eat solid Proteins and yet still lose weight, too tight of a band can cause many bad things, like slippage, reflux, esophagus problems..sounds like you are being a wise bandster by going in for a unfill.. did you just get your fill today? I ask because most doctors ask you to do liquids for 2-3 days after a fill in the event there was swelling from your fill..you should always be able to eat solids withyour band, if you can not you are too tight.

http://www.allerganandinamed.com/pdf/health/94829F_LB_Patient_Book.pdf

read page 12 of this Inamded handbook, it will help answer your question

Good Luck to you

hey buffie....yeah, get like .5 out and like Mandi said....stick around and be sure you can drink a whole bottle of water with no trouble before you leave!!

WHEW!!! I called my doc last night at 9:00 and she met me at her office for a defill...I couldn't even swallow spit. THAT WAS HORRIBLE!! My throat is SO sore this morning from acid, it feels like I have a cold. I got 1 cc removed and had instant relief. I learned a huge lesson yesterday...DON'T OVERFILL!!!

WHEW indeed!!! Glad you're feeling better! Little fills from now on, I guess, hey?

Mandi, what kind of band do you have? You have only 1 cc in your band and its helping?

I have the 4cc Inamed band... yeah, only 1cc in it. And no, not really helping... I need some more!

Oh ok, I have the 10 cc band and I have 6 cc now. I wonder how they decide which band to give. Do you have anyone to give you fills out there yet? My fam md is so awesome, she's so good at fills I can't even feel it (she uses a really small needle, smaller than the one the video said to use) and she's seen me like 4 times in the last 2 weeks and doesn't charge me anything. It sucks when you have no restriction since you know you have the potential to feel better but just have to wait for a fill. Good luck and you're doing awesome! Are you going to that bandster bash thing next year in Toronto? I think it's in April or May.

I think it just depends on the size of your stomach or somethin' like that.

No.. no one for fills here yet, or else I woulda gone a month ago! I'm waiting to hear back from the lapband surgeon here, hopefully on friday or early next week. If he won't 'take me', I'm not sure what I should do. Maybe I will have to find a good family dr. that will learn to do it. Dr. Cobourn doesn't give out DVD's like TLBC, but apparently he used to, so maybe he'd do it again... I dunno.

Does your Dr. take out what she's put in previously, to make sure that it's all still in there? Careful with that. I know a girl from Manitoba who's been having her Dr do her fills, and everything was fine (except she was never restricted for long) until they started checking how much was actually in her band... anyways, something's leaking, possibly punctured tubing and she's losing like 4cc's a week. Have you ever asked TLBC what the liability is, if your Dr. punctured your tubing... would TLBC still replace it for free? It's awesome that it's gone so well with you so far though!

Have any of those other Saskatoon gals been in contact with you about having your Dr do their fills too?

Yes it does suck... I am losing slowly, but I know I would (or sure I would) be doing EVEN better if I had some restriction!

Congrats! How long until you're going to try eating? Let us know how it is!

Mandi

I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better. Take it easy until your throat feels better and the swelling subsides.

HEY Buffie....glad to hear about the success of the defill. Yes, be sure to be careful what you eat (soft foods only) until your throat is better!

Mandi...keep us posted on your fill situation.....will they/won't they!

I just had my 3rd fill and thought perhaps it was too

tight, but then I read that we are supposed to be

able to eat only 3-5 "toddler" bites..that made me

realize finally (after almost 4 months as a bandster)

that I "think" I should eat much more, and that this

fill is probably just right, because that is all I can eat

before discomfort. They had hot dogs at lunch yesterday

and I cut about a 3/4" slice and cut that up into 4 or

5 pieces (no bread) and when I tried to take a little bite of

chili after eating those it was too much...how are

we supposed to wrap our minds around that when

we are used to eating 2 or 3 hotdogs in a sitting????

PS. I might as well forget trying to eat anything before

lunch-sometimes later, its just too tight. But I can take

little sips...Have a great day everyone!

Crazy..skinny town here I come!! woo hoo