Hi all,

Just wanted to update you on my situation. I was banded last Nov (2005), had my first fill in February and my second fill in May for a total fill of 1.5cc. A few weeks after my second fill, I started having problems with reflux at night, a lot in fact. Couldn't sleep, or eat and was totally miserable. I called the doc and was told to restart the prilosec. Didn't help, and was actually getting worse. And I was PB'ng all the time. I called again a few weeks after and they set me up for another upper GI which the tech told me the day I had the test, that it looked like I was too tight. So they brought me in 3 days later and did a total unfil. Up until this time I had lost 68 lbs so I was okay with the weight loss and only 15 lbs from goal. But I didn't like how I felt the last few weeks before the unfill. So....I go 6 weeks to give my dilated esophogus a chance to heal. Today I went back in for my fill. They started with another upper GI to make sure all was back to normal, and it was. Then they proceeded to give me ony 1 cc of fill. More pictures and drinking more barium. Well, I was refluxing the barium so they lay me down, poke me again, and remove .5 cc's. Now the weird thing is while waiting for my turn I met several other bandsters scheduled for fills and all had so much more than me. I know that we are all different and our bodies react to different amounts of fill but only .5 cc's? They told me this was just my body and that I could only accept that amount. I have a 10cc band, but only .5cc's today and I guess that is my limit. We will see. Although I have to say that I STILL had restriction even with an empty band.

Anyone else experience something like this? I guess I can't complain as the band has totally changed my life. I can now fit into size 8 jeans and am so close to my goal, I would do it again in a minute!! Well, thanks for letting my get this off my chest. I lurk around here a lot and read all the posts and get some really good information here, so thanks for listening.

It sounds like you have had a rough time. But its great that your so close to goal! I would kill to have restriction on an empty band! I have 3cc and I need to go back and get another fill. Congrats on your success so far.

I am now wondering what true restriction is.

I know that I can't really eat anything till the late afternoon, and have been depending on protein drinks for breakfast and lunch.

I know that I have gone out to eat a few times, and have ended up running to the bathroom to throw up.

I know that tonite, I had soup. It's come back up, and I'm tired of always having to throw up.

Losing that weight is the almighty goal, but not feeling well, and not having energy at times, is not what I wanted at all.

Molliegirl, it is extremely common for people who have had fill removed to only be able to tolerate a smaller amount when the fill is replaced. Sometimes MUCH smaller. You're not alone. It's great that even with that tiny fill you still feel restriction.

I am now wondering what true restriction is.

I know that I can't really eat anything till the late afternoon, and have been depending on protein drinks for breakfast and lunch.

I know that I have gone out to eat a few times, and have ended up running to the bathroom to throw up.

I know that tonite, I had soup. It's come back up, and I'm tired of always having to throw up.

Losing that weight is the almighty goal, but not feeling well, and not having energy at times, is not what I wanted at all.

Randi, it really does sound like you are too tight. You have a liquid diet, and when youeat "real" food, you PB it, making you swell and making liquids go down with difficulty.

Good restriction happens when you can eat real nutritious foods, in reasonable quantities (not pre-band quantities) and stay stisfied for hours after a meal.

I'm betting if you got some saline taken out, got rid of the swelling and irritation, you'd have a much nicer diet and would feel so much better!

What you describe here is not a happy bandster eating life. We aren't supposed to live on liquids and PB all the time. Call your doc.

Molliegirl, do you have a 10cc saline capacity band? Or a 10cm band with 4cc saline capacity? If only 4cc fits in your band, then a .5cc fill isn't so small. Besides, it matters less how much your fill is, and more how that fill works for you. You are doing great. Don't worry with the numbers, just work with your restriction and you'll be fine! Reflux stinks. Keep avoiding that! :clap2:

Like Alex said, it is very common to tolerate only a little fill, once you are refilled. It's a strange phenonmenon (sp?).

I hope your reflex is better. Shawn

There are some people who can lose all or most of their weight with an empty band. I wouldn't worry too much about the fill level. You have to work with what works for YOU and not compare to others. I have only 1cc in my band and it's STILL sometimes too much. It's the ol' "your milage may vary" deal.

Just enjoy restriction and TAKE CARE of that band. I also had a mildly dialated esophagus but didn't have to have all my fill taken out. I found that by eating small amounts, i mean really small, everything went back to normal.

Enjoy!

Uggg! This refulx issue seems to be a commen thread. I've never had reflux in my life until my 2nd fill and now I can't tolerate much fill.... it's like once the reflux starts then the "sweet spot" is hard to achive.

I was at the sweet spot for awhile and loved it. It was like heavan to eat what I wanted at very limited quantities and was totally satisfied. Now every day is a mystery with some days too loose and hungry or to too tight with reflux the entire day and night.