I went to the doctor last Tuesday and he said I may have a leak. I am supposed to go back in if I lose restriction. The first few days after a fill I feel fine with smaller amounts....THEN.....I get hungry every couple of hours and could easily eat 6 oz of meat without a problem. I can stop myself sometimes.....other times I cave in. My port is turned and the needle from the fills may have caused collateral damage.

Here is my question. He told me I could go back on the Protein shakes for 1-2 weeks. If I am trying to figure out if I have restriction (satisfaction) will I be able to tell with the shakes?

I am so new at all this but I want to offer support. I've been reading so many posts the last six months or so. What about the five day pouch test? I think the liquids for two weeks might really help your band and tell you more about what's going on. Let us know how you're doing!

your doctor should be able to withdraw Fluid from your band and see if you are losing fluid. my doctor always withdraws the fluid first to see how much is in the band and than puts it back in with whatever fill i am getting that month.

Trying to determine if you have a leak or not by the way you judge your restriction is not very diagnostic....my restriction varies day to day, hour to hour....can totally dissaper for days then suddenly and dramatically return....

I even have my own little maintenence trick to regain restriction when it begins to fade....

I have not had a fill in well over 2 years now....BUT every visit to the Dr., he withdraws ALL Fluid where he can measure the amount in the syringe and compare it to what is supposed to be in there....also checks for clarity.....

He then replaces it with fresh saline.

Also, your Dr. telling you to go on shakes for a few days is very clever on his part....I LIKE THIS GUY....we think alike.....

You can feel restriction with liquid diet! Best wishes!

As Terry stated, the only way to know if you have a leak is to check the Fluid in the band. It's a quick, easy thing to simply withdraw the fluid, see it's the same amount that should be in there, and putting it back in.

There is no reason to guess and whether or not you feel restriction is irrelevant. Going on Protein shakes is completely useless and won't do anything but make you hungrier.

Go back and insist he check the fluid.

I have to be honest, if I were in your situation, I'd be seriously considering a new baratric surgeon. If he's not even competent enough to simply check your band fluid- what happens if something more serious arises?

Best wishes.

I She put about the same amount back in and told me I would be very swollen. Clear liquids on Friday, soft foods on Saturday, and back to normal by Sunday. Sunday I got stuck and PB/small vomit. I drank liquids for the rest of the day. I can now eat fish but even when I drink I feel the tightness. I suspect that I am close to green. I am not sure if I should be concerned about the tightened throat. Maybe I am there and need to figure out my new normal of eating. Any thoughts?

I can try to help. I had my surgery a year ago and I was doing good. Than I was getting a fill every month because I was always hungry and felt no restictions. So finally my doctor prescribed a Fluroscopic Xray where he can see the Fluid going in and run a dye through the lapband to see if there is a leak. Well after a few minutes he found a leak in the port. I have to have surgery just to fix the port. You should ask your doctor about this xray and thats when he can see if there is a leak of some kind. Also he can give you a fill with doing the xray which some doctors like to do so they can see how much is going in.