My story's below. I wonder if any of you have had similar problems. I'd love to hear your advice. I'm really getting discouraged. Thanks so much. Sincerely, SweetSue

• My first fill was .75 cc's - This was too loose.
  
• My 2nd fill was 1.5 cc's- This seemed to start out okay but eventually I found it became too tight. It got to the point where I couldn't even swallow Water. I suspect I may have had inflamation caused by acid-reflux and sometimes I was forced to throw up to relieve the pain in my chest.
  
• Unfill - I got to the point where I was unable to swallow water so I went for an unfill. The dr found I had only .4 cc's in the band. There was some sort of leak apparently, but the dr was not too concerned. That little bit of saline had my super tight - wierd.
  
• Spent 2 weeks unfilled and stayed on a liquid diet. In short time the swelling went down and I was wide open again.
  
• About 2 weeks agao I went for my 3rd fill. This time I got 1.2 cc's pumped into my empty band. I went home and for the first few days I thought I had found perfect restriction. I stayed on a liquid diet for the few week as advised. Before long I experienced bad acid reflux once again. (This occurs when one is too tight). I started on OTC Prilosec right away. Now I'm all swollen and back to being all super tight and unable to swallow water. I am throwing up a lot. I am super thirsty but can't keep the liquid down. I'm sure I am throwing up from my lower stomach and not my pouch. This is making things worse of course.
  
• In 3 days I have an appointment for an adjustment. I was banded in Mexico and have only one fill doc available locally. He doesn't use flouro. It's costing me $400 for every adjustment and I'm self-pay. He said people normally get 1.5 cc's on their first fill.
  
• I think my biggest problem is that the acid reflux causes me to get really inflamed and super restricted. I think once the inflamation is under control, I might have proper restriction. But I might die of dehydration before that happens.

:help:

It sounds like the doc needs to be more supportive and concerned. It is important that you are able to stay hydrated. Was acid reflux something that happened before banding? Is there another doc you can ask?

I hope it gets better soon. Good luck.

You have an appointment for an adjustment to get MORE of a fill, or to have it removed? I'd recommend the 2nd! Get it ALL out, take a couple weeks off, then next time, don't let him give you 1.2ccs, let alone the 1.5 HE wants to give you! You got 0.75 the first time, why not again? I got 1cc my first fill, and I just got completely defilled a week-ish ago (due to almost the same symptoms you have right now). I will get my next fill hopefully next weekend, but I will only get 1cc (even though I was last at 1.5)... and take 2 fills to get back to where I was prior to the defill.

(for the record: first fill was 9 months ago, 2nd fill was about 6 months ago... and none since until recently I got sick, puked, inflammed too much, and needed the defill)

Get something stronger for your acid production than Prilosec OTC--get a prescription for Prevacid or something like that and stay on it for at least two weeks to a month while you stick to liquids and very soft mushy foods. You're not getting the inflammation healed enough between episodes. You are clearly very sensitive to the tightness of the band and it may be that you'll need an acid inhibitor long term.

Don't take this lightly, you really have to get it under control.

thank you - this is exactly where i'm at - so i'm going to try the your suggestion of prevacid

I wonder if any of you have had similar problems. I'd love to hear your advice.

• .. It got to the point where I couldn't even swallow Water. I suspect I may have had inflamation caused by acid-reflux and sometimes I was forced to throw up to relieve the pain in my chest.
  
• Unfill - I got to the point where I was unable to swallow water so I went for an unfill. The dr found I had only .4 cc's in the band. There was some sort of leak apparently, but the dr was not too concerned. That little bit of saline had my super tight - wierd.
  
• for the first few days I thought I had found perfect restriction. I stayed on a liquid diet for the few week as advised. Before long I experienced bad acid reflux once again. (This occurs when one is too tight). I started on OTC Prilosec right away. Now I'm all swollen and back to being all super tight and unable to swallow water. I am throwing up a lot. I am super thirsty but can't keep the liquid down. I'm sure I am throwing up from my lower stomach and not my pouch. This is making things worse of course.
  
• In 3 days I have an appointment for an adjustment. :help:

Sweetsue - I don't understand why the doc wouldn't question the diminishing "fill" from the band? I would suggest flourscopy/barium swallow to make sure you didn't have a slip (of the band). I had really bad heartburn, and after throwing up a lot, my stomach prolapsed up through the band and had to have the band removed surgically. (I had a new one put in). At the point where I couldn't swallow my own spit, :tongue2: I had a total unfill, and I thought it fixed the problem. But after the doc saw my flouroscopy xray, he said my band had to be removed. He said even though the swelling would go down, it would keep happening because the band slipped.

I am now almost 2 months from my revision, and feel great. I am able to sleep lying down again without choking. I do not have to take otc heartburn pills anymore, etc. However, I'm still not at my sweet spot, and have gained a few pounds. BUT, I do not want to rush my fills, for fear of overfilling and redoing the damage again. :biggrin:

It must be hard to have to pay out of pocket, but I wouldn't get another fill until you can eat normally without throwing up.

Good luck in whatever you decide.:smile2:

Brenda

It sounds like you doctor is ripping you off. One thing you can do is buy your own needle and go to a regular doctor for a fill, most would agree. I would still get the whole thing looked at by a proper surgeon to make sure it is not something serious