Ok, this has been ongoing for a few months so I'm going to explain in detail. I was banded in April 2007, at the time of the surgery I had 2 cc's in my band. One month later I go in for a fill and move up to 2.2 cc's. Another month later, I still wasn't losing weight so the doctor brought me to 2.8 cc's. After a month of that fill I started not being able to eat barely anything. Some days I could eat soft foods like baked potatoe, some days I couldn't even drink Water without feeling the pressure and pain in my chest. I also would spit all the time. I was salavating all the time and I would even salavate so much during the night that I would wake up in the night coughing and almost choking on my spit. It was weird. So I get unfilled completely after 2 months of being filled at 2.8cc's. A few weeks later they fill me to 1.8cc's, which doesn't do much so 2 weeks later they give me 2.2cc's. Which 2.2 still wasn't doing anything. About 3 weeks after that I go in and they do the barrium swallow and fill me to 2.7cc's because it looked like it finally gave some restriction. Well, about 2 weeks later I started having the same symptoms of not being able to eat so I go back into the doctor and they do the barrium swallow and then even 2.2 looks too tight. (It's strange how one week at 2.2 the liquid would go straight through, then after being at 2.7 then going back down to 2.2 it won't go down at all). At that visit I told them to keep me at 2.2 whether it looked too tight or not because I was tired of coming back every 2 weeks or so. Has this happened to anyone else? Now after about a month of being at 2.2cc's, it's starting to feel really tight again. I'm waking up in the middle of the night because I feel like I'm choking on spit or stomache acid or something. Also, this past weekend I would eat a meal in the afternoon (normally salad) and then by the evening I would have this burning feeling in my throat and chest like it was heart burn or something. That happen for about two days and hasn't happened since. The pain isn't nearly as bad as it was when I was too tight at 2.7, but I don't feel this is normal.

Should I be going back for ANOTHER unfill?? It's aggrevating going to and from getting filled and unfilled cause my band will look fine at 2.7cc's then in about a month become WAY too tight and then unfilling back to 2.2cc's is still too tight. I don't know what to do or if this is normal or if anyone has expierenced something like this?!

Why is my band and body so weird! ??haha

Thanks,

Lauren

Hi Lauren,

Your story isn't weird... it's also what happened to me !!!! Ther would be some days I could eat soft foods, then the next, I couldn't even drink water , or chew gum ( for fear of producing too much saliva that wouldn't go down !!! I know it sounds gross, but that's what happens) I hope things go better for you.

Charisse

I am at 1cc and thought that I would need another fill this month, but I declined because during that TOM I become tighter and was on liquids/soft foods for days after a very, very painful pb. Does you tight time fall near your TOM? If so, just know that you are going to be on liquids/soft foods during that time so you don't get stuck and cause swelling and then become very tight. Good luck and keep us posted.

From what you're describing, it sounds like you have two different things going on, but you're thinking of them as the same. (And they may be related, but are different experiences).

It sounds like your night-time troubles are acid-reflux, not restriction. You said something to the effect of "saliva or acid or whatever." Well - which is it? When you wake up with that choking sensation, do you have the acid sour taste in your mouth? If you clear your throat, does it burn? Etc.

Having acid reflux doesn't mean you're too tight. You could be trying to treat this through unfills when in fact all you're doing is bouncing your restriction all over the place. If the night troubles go away completely when you're unfilled, then yeah - maybe you're too tight (probably not if you can eat & drink well), but maybe something else is going on. I know that many people have found connections between onset of acid reflux and slipped bands. Has your doctor looked into that possibility?

Has your surgeon ever asked you to clarify what you're experiencing at night, or mentioned acid reflux/GERD?

My band has a personality all its own. However, I have figured out that the tightness is often in proportion to how tense I have been, if I am under stress, etc. When I had a disagreement with my hubby, it was so tight Water wouldn't go down, it actually came back.

Good luck

well you're too tight. I had the surgery and the same thing happened to me. The band had slipped from me puking so much. But the stuff that comes up in the night is'nt anything but spit that your band wouldnt let through. it urns black. Anyways all they did was loosen my mom from 3.8 to 3.4 and she gained no weight and she stopped getting up in the night. But with me I was in the hospital from dehydration, I had'nt eaten or drank anything without puking it up for 6 days. I went into the hospital knowing I'd have to have surgery and they replaced my band. Now, a month and a half later, I feel good again and I'm about to get my "first fill" (I've had about 15 fills/unfills with my old band) soon and I gained 20 lbs from going from eating nothing to eating again so I'm excited to get filled. But I think your band slipped, or you're too tight, thats all I can think of.

Hope it helps =]

WOW! My band does the same thing. If I get tense or nervous about something it tightens up like a drum. My last fill I was a little too tight &

I had the slime thing going on for about a week. The more anxious I got about it the tighter it goot. Fortunately after a week it was a little looser. Scarey though![

quote=mare5569;618423]My band has a personality all its own. However, I have figured out that the tightness is often in proportion to how tense I have been, if I am under stress, etc. When I had a disagreement with my hubby, it was so tight Water wouldn't go down, it actually came back.

Good luck

The same thing is happing to me now at night what I have eaten earlier that day comes up with all the coughing. Then after the food comes up I still can't sleep because mucus gathers from I don't know where and I have to blow my noise all night. I haven't had a goodnight sleep in about 2 months. I have restriction during the day but it's not like I can't eat anything so I don't know why it's so tight at night why my slava can't go thru the band. I was banded Jan 07 and the first 8 months was fine I'v lost 52 pounds but this is starting to get on my nerves. Since I have read the other comments I may go and get an unfill so I can get a goodnight sleep.

Is it possible that you're eating too close to bed time? At support group doctor talked about one bandster who had this similar problem and it was because he was working late, coming home, eating, then going right to bed. He said you need to give a couple of hours for the pouch to empty all the way before going to bed.

Good luck.

Sue

I had my first fill in September , 2007 (5 ccs )and I have lost no weight and it's mid November. I can eat as much as I want as long as I chew well. Is his normal? I thought I would e losing tons of weight by now. Should I have a refill? Was all this worth it? Help

I have had the same thing happen to me, minus the reflux. One day I can eat some things and the next I can not. I think mine has a lot to do with TOM and stress. It seems the week before and after my TOM I am super restricted. This is the first time in my life I have lost weight during my TOM. Hee Hee

I was banded 9/19/07 and wt was 212 then I got my first fill on 11/8/07...wt 185 ....I was on liquids 3 days and then ate fine the 4th day and now I'm back to Low Carb Slim Fast and potatoe soup....lol...I can't hold down any solids.

you just need another fill. . . what a different a good fill level makes. I too need another one (it has been a year of a decent but not perfect fill). It took 3 fills to get me here--and I can see one more in my future. Yes it is definitely worth it!

Dear Deb,

You make me feel better. I thought maybe I was a lost cause. I had a fill in September (5 cc) and apart from having to eat slower, I have no other real restrictions. I am wondering why I went through all this? I live in Italy and the doctor that invented the proceedure did my band. He is very adement about not filling too much too soon. Why is he so hesitant? He said I may never need another fill if I just learn to eat correctly with the band. I could have joined Weight Watchers for that information! I will just have to convince him to give me another fill. How many cc.s is enough to get some results?

enruffol

I agree with Wheetsin, you're probably talking about two different things. You should check that acid reflux with your doctor as soon as possible. Don't let it go on or it might hurt your band and your body. Once you've dealt with that, it will be easier to figure out the fill/unfill matter.

hope you'll soon feel better,

niki

I agree that Wheetsin is on the money with it being 2 different issues.

The other thing that comes to mind is how you treat the days that you feel too tight. Do you stop the food, and go to liquids? Do they seem to center around your menstrual cycle, or days of high stress?

I know when I was tighter restricted, if I ate something that required more work for me to pass through---say raw carrots---I would swell, and although they did not make me PB---it made my stomach react, and I would find it hard to eat much of anything then for awhile.

I think I would try going back to liquids for a few days, then if you have anything similar to a PB do not eat following it for at least a few hours, give your stomach a chance to really settle.

Some have said they found drinking Aloe Vera juice really helped their sensitive stomachs---I have never tried it.

Does your Dr. have any questions for you, or suggestions when he is doing these fills/unfills? Does he mention possible things you could try?

I think a slow approach to fills is a safe way to get to proper restriction too. Yes you could have accomplished this maybe with WW, but you ARE learning new eating habits, while slowly but surely sneaking up on good restriction.

I have only had 2 fills at this point.

I am having surgery Friday, and if I don't get results from it, I plan on scheduling another fill finally, but it will be a teensy tiny one! I do not want to have to be unfilled!

Good Luck to you!!

Kat