I debated putting this in "Complications" but I decided not to; it's not a complication, just a reality of my progression on the banding road.

To recap, I was completely unfilled for several months earlier this year. About a month ago I tried to have a little fill, getting .8 ccs of saline replaced. All was fine for a couple of weeks, until the weather changed. Then I started back in with the reflux, heartburn, inability to eat, inability to sleep. I tried medicating it away but after several days it just was getting worse. So yesterday I went in for an unfill and all the saline was taken out.

Last night I slept in bed all night, waking up at 5:00 with just a little coughing and reflux in my throat. But it was a BLESSING to sleep in bed again! I feel so much better and know without a doubt that even the tiny amount of Fluid that was removed from my band made all the difference.

So it looks like this is the end of my band being adjustable. Lord knows I don't need any more fill, EVER, if I'm going to suffer afterwards. Having restriction is nice, but being too tight is just miserable. And Dr. A agrees that it's likely my allergies that sets it off--allergies cause swelling, and it seems to hit me internally--so I'm going to go on Claritin full-time to keep the episodes away. I joked that if I ever need to feel greater restriction, I'll just go off the allergy meds!

I'm fine with this, he's fine with this, I'm healthy and weigh 130 lbs less than I did when I started. My band is still there, still keeping me from pigging out. It's really a better result than I had ever imagined ... now I have my life back. That's what it was all about in the first place. I'm just a normal person now, which I never could have imagined myself being.

3 years

340 to 210

28/30 to 14/16

Living life, being healthy and being a "normal person"

PRICELESS

CONGRATULATIONS

You are very wise to realize the problem and deal with it. So many people just keep going until they have bigger problems and even lose their band. I am glad it is just a matter of losing the fill and not the band. You have done a great job with your band Alex, I applaud you!

Wow, you know that we sound so similar. I am 6' and 195 lbs. I am also 14/16 (started out 26/28) and I know you have read my thread about the drama going on with my band I can honestly say that if this is where I am meant to be and stay so be it! I feel like a new person too. I have a bunch of skin and I am not considering plastic surgery. I am only a year out and I am hoping for time to take care of some of it. Congrats on your success. Thanks again for the kind words the other day.

Hi Alex,

I am in the same boat. More fill is not an option for me since the tighter I am my pouch becomes dilated. Sometimes less is more so I will stay here at 2.00 CC and not mess with my band for a while.

Babs in TX

It sure doesn't seem uncommon, Babs. But I refuse to see it as a bad thing. It's just the way it works.

How many times in my life have I said "if I could just lose XXX pounds I KNOW it would motivate me to greater control?" Well, now it's time to put the pedal to the metal as far as that goes. I've lost more weight than I ever, ever, ever could have done on my own, and now I have learned so much about what my body really needs to stay healthy. I can eat whatever I want, it's all about putting the brakes on WRT quantity. The band is still in me, still creating an hourglass, still dampening my hunger and giving me a leg up on this job.

I'm forever grateful and so blessed to have found the band when I did. :biggrin1:

Very well put, and I applaud you of your weight loss. I can't wait to be able to say I've lost that kind of weight. Isn't it wonderful without any fill that you have still got a tool, something there for those days when you just want to eat anything and everything. Glad your feeling better and I know as determined as you seem to be the scales will continue on. Kudos.

Alexandra -

I hate to break it to you, but you will NEVER be a "normal" person - you're just too extraordinary!!

Congrats on your successful journey, and your positive outlook!

xxoo

Donali

Wow Alex

I too can get really restricted if my allergies kick in. I use a nose spray and if I miss a couple days I can really tell. Since I have been using it everyday I am finally able to sleep on my tummy with out he reflux. Also since I do not have any saline in my band due to something totally different I can tell I do have the band even with no fill if that makes sense.

Good Luck to you:)

Alexandra, your weight loss has been incredible. Great job. In a way you must be kind of relieved. And you still have your band, and therefore some restriction anyway, right??

Anyway, I applaud your attitude. And believe me, a size 14/16 is still HOT.:clap2:

There you go again...being a wonderful role model and a great example! I hope baby bandsters (term used with utmost respect) will heed your words of wisdom. And, as Babs so succinctly puts it..."less is more."

Fantastic post!

Gosh Alexandra...you just answered a question I have been pondering about for 6 weeks. I too suffered with the reflux, not sleeping, eating, etc. after my second fill. I only had a total of 1.5cc in my band, but I was totally miserable too. Not being able to sleep and being afraid of what would happen during the night with the reflux, I was keeping towels across my pillow and tissues by my bed. Terrible to have to go through. I finally called back again and told the office I couldn't deal with it this way and they set me up for another GI. (My first call resulted in a prescription for Prilosex, which did not help). Tech guy told me after the test that it looked like I was too tight. So they set me up for an appointment with the doc and a possible unfill. Got the total unfil and was surprised when the doc first came in and said "you've got quite an impression x-ray there". So I know that the fill was definitely my problem and caused my upper pouch to swell. Even with the unfill I had restricition and my hubby said he thought that I was still eating like I had the full restricition. In other words, I still was eating very little. I am scheduled to have a re-fill on Monday and I am tempted to tell them to either keep it very very small or possibly not give me an adjustment at all. I have lost 70 pounds, can wear a size 6 now and haven't gained any weight since the unfill so I may just take the path the says I am where I am meant to be. The band has changed my life so much!!!

Bless you for sharing your experiences with us and I look at this board almost every day. Not posting much at all, but it is definitely my support group and keeps me going. Thanks again!! Hope you know how many people you have helped!

hey alexandra,

i am sorry you had to get another unfill. its frustrating...but i am with you, at least i still have my band. i too am HAPPY with where it got me, i think it will still help me, i am SOOOOOO dissapointed i cant adjust it anymore though.

are you worried about what will happen now if you swell and your band is empty? the dr unfilled me 1.8 leaving me with 0 cc's and i swear i am starting to feel signs of restriction. so if i (we) never refill but for whatever reason start to get restriction again or irritated then removal is whats left?!?!

i am glad your feeling better, the relief of an unfill is euphoric.

michelle

Alex, Michele

I have the opposite problem. I never get too tight, no reflux nor barfing. I have only been too tight once in my banding existence of 3 years. But I have chronic pouch problems and a tight band (I didnt say too tight) just makes the problem worse. I know the band is helping me still, but obviously not enough other wise I wouldnt have gained so much weight since my PS last year.

So I will just have to be happy with what the band will do for me. Of course I am grateful for my success , but its not exactly helping me to maintain my losses for which I am really frustrated. Dieting is working for me right now.

Hugs

Babs in TX

I think we need to remember that we still must eat healthy. I don't care what type of surgery you have......you still need to eat healthy. I have been banded for 2 weeks and have lost 15lbs. My doctor does fills 2 months, 4 months, and 7 months. I guess if you wanted more you could get (although didn't asked that question) Right now they want me to heal then they will begin the fill process.

During my consultation he said that we would go slow. Right now I am liking that idea. I don't want to risk any complications if I can help it. Also I don't want to live eating 3 bits of food. During this two month peroid (actually less then two months) until my first fill, I will be eating healthy, watching my portions, and exercising. I need to change my eating habits. I need to do it for a lifetime.

I tell me all the time people who are a size 2 - 4 are not eating.

are you worried about what will happen now if you swell and your band is empty? the dr unfilled me 1.8 leaving me with 0 cc's and i swear i am starting to feel signs of restriction. so if i (we) never refill but for whatever reason start to get restriction again or irritated then removal is whats left?!?!

Well, I wasn't until you asked me this. No, actually the thought has crossed my mind. If there's swelling that is so severe that I'm closed off while my band is empty, I guess I'll have to face whatever that means. I'm fairly confident that won't happen though. My my previous unfill went from April through August through the worst allergy season of the year, AND at one point I spent a very rainy weekend in a beach house made of wood (meaning lots of mold--my very worst allergen) with a dog in residence, and I had no problems at all.