Is this normal?

tigk29 · November 19, 2004

I had my surgery August 23rd. My first fill was Tues November 16th. I was told to do liquids for 2 days and then food as tolerated. While doing liquids I had 5 episodes where I had BP. 3 were while I was drinking my Protein slowly, 1 was on OJ and the other 1 was when I took a Vitamin. I called the doctor and they told me to come in and have some saline removed. Last night and this morning I was doing great and had no problems getting anything down so I was second guessed going to the docs office today. Around 10:00 I attempted to try real food so I had some eggs. Because the band is tighter in the morning I had a Protein Shake for Breakfast and was going to do eggs as a snack. Well I took a very small bite of the eggs chewed it up real well and swallowed. It was atleast 15 till I was able to take another bite because it felt like the eggs were stuck. I took another bite, but was afraid of BP'ing because I could feel the eggs in my throat and it was starting to get painful. About an hour later I started to drink some Water because the pain started to go away.

Now I am scared to eat anything. I thought I was suppose to feel full in my belly with the band not like food was stuck in my throat and it was painful. Is this the way the band is suppose to make you feel or does it sound like it is overfull? Any suggestions would be helpful.

If I dont have the saline removed today I wont be able to do anything about it till after Dec 8th because of Thanksgiving and vacation.

~c~ · November 19, 2004

No it's not normal.You should be able to drink Water and Protein Drinks without pain.Of course there is some swelling after a fill but drinking should not be a problem.

I noticed you got 2 cc right off the bat!That is an aggressive fill.If i

were in your place i would go for an small unfill.

Chantal

New Hope · November 19, 2004

Kim, if you're having problems, waiting until Dec. 8 to do something is putting you at risk to lose your band. Please see your dr. asap and let us know how it goes.

tigk29 · November 19, 2004

I thought 2 CC's was a normal fill amount. I am leaving for the docs in 8 min so I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the advise.

So am I right in saying your stomach should feel full and you shouldn't feel pain and that's when you know to stop eating?

~c~ · November 19, 2004

I don't have good restriction yet, but yes i believe we are suppose to feel full(not stuffed) and satisfied.Now your belly being satisfied and your head being satisfied are 2 different things altogether...harder than i thought anyway.

You really shouldn't be in pain after you are finished eating.

2 cc is not a huge fill but for a first fill 2 cc is agressive.I think that small increments work better(my opinion only and i am not a doctor) just what i have observed on different sites...

Good luck,let us know how you do!!!

DeLarla · November 19, 2004

I have always said that I feel my restriction in my throat first. My food often gets stuck in my throat, even when I'm hungry. Sometimes it can be painful, so I wait it out. But I just had an Upper G.I., and the results were normal. Can anyone explain why we have the tightness in our throat? I imagine the band is so tight that air is trapped in our esophagus or something? Alexandra, you out there?

New Hope · November 19, 2004

Kim, there are no normal fill amounts. Drs. all approach it differently. Patient's anatomies are different. I have 1.0 and have good restriction. Others have much more. You're not going to feel "full" like you were prebanded. You have to do the headwork too. The band helps us, but it doesn't do the work for us. You've lost 42 pounds! You're doing great!

La_madam · November 19, 2004

I have had 2 fills in 7 months and I am at 2'ccs.

2cc's is alot for your first fill. I have lost 65 lbs and this fill of 2cc's is good for me but I could not imagine being filled to 2cc's with my first fill.

edistogirl2602 · November 19, 2004

My first fill was 2 weeks ago and it was 2 cc's and I have hardly any restriction. Only a little bit in the morning. I can still eat bread and steak. I am going for another fill in about 2 weeks. My doc won't do them closer than 4 weeks apart. I guess it just goes to show how different everyone is.

hagerteresa · November 19, 2004

I just got a 1 cc. fill and I feel very restricted. Almost like going back to week one on solids in the very begining of being banded. I know everyone is different but I think 2 cc's is a lot too. Best wishes, Teresa

Lioness81970 · November 19, 2004

I think everyone is different when it comes to fills. I had my first fill about 2 mos after surgery and it too was 2 cc's. I didn't feel a thing. I have since had 3 more fills and up to 3.25 cc's and damn if I can't write a book on what restriction is!! :cross-eye Everyone is different and some doctors are more aggressive than others. I would hope that the docs that we chose were compitent in other aspects of the band and not just the surgery portion. I would say that by what you were saying that a slight unfill would probably do you good - especially just being 3 mos post op. It took me a long time to understand being full and being satisfied. We will NEVER ever feel the way we did preband - ya know - the unbutton your pants and let down the zipper full. You have to remember - and I can't remember who said it on here because it really stuck out in my mind and I would LOVE to give them proper credit - but we are eating to live and not living to eat. That was something that took me long time to realize and it's still hard. I still battle the demons but I can assure you that you will come to that point. Hope I helped........

Rebeccalee · November 20, 2004

I think the "full" feeling is more of a satisfied feeling. I get the full feeling in my throat often. I have a very sensitive esophagus. My doctor thinks I may eat too much. I usually eat between quarter and half a cup of food. Some foods I can eat a bit more.

Be sure you get a bit of an unfill, then try eating a bit less. Hope it gets easier soon.

leatha_g · November 20, 2004

We also have to consider the type of band you have. 2ccs in a Vanguard band is nothing, where 2ccs in the 9cm band is quite large. It's all relative. But normally, 1cc or somewhere close is the first fill amount.

eggs, on the other hand, often give lots of bandsters problem. The texture is such that they just sit in your pouch and plug up the hole. I won't eat them now without mashing them with my fork, like I did for my babies. It's just too risky. Fried works fine, but scrambled is a disaster waiting to happen for many folks.

Good luck to you!

Alexandra · November 20, 2004

Kim, I think what you felt is perfectly normal. We all feel the early stages of restriction differently--what is called the "golf ball" feeling by some might feel like a "gasping pain" to others. But the physical reality is, I think, the same. Whatever we have eaten is too big to go through the stoma and is taking up room in the pouch. The next bite then is actually felt in the esophagus, because it can't go down. I've seen the phenomenon when getting fill, and on the fluoroscope it's amazing that a substance backing up even a little in the esophagus creates a feeling like something is in the throat.

And I wouldn't make any judgments based on eggs. As Leatha says, they really behave differently than you'd think. My doctor told me they were a good mushy food but I was NEVER able to tolerate more than one tiny bite.

Try again with something really soft, and be sure to chew carefullly. I think you'll be fine; it will just take some time to get used to the sensations. Take care!

LisaMG · November 20, 2004

My last fill was difficult for me to adjust to. I felt major restriction at first and was concerned that I might need to go in for an unfill. I even had a splitting headache for a couple of days. Then the swelling went down and I now eat an average of 1/2 cup per meal.

I hope eating gets more comfortable for you but remember that if eating is too easy we'll just revert to our old eating habits.