3rd fill brings 3 days of HELL!

[QuasiTova 0]

So far in my journey, I have had very little restriction. I have been able to eat almost everything except chicken and bread. I have been very satisfied with my progress.

I told my doctor that I wanted to take the slow and steady approach to this, and did not want to be very aggressive with fills. He agreed.

On Wednesday, I had my third fill. My doctor was not there, and one of his associates did the fill. It seemed to be fine, as I could drink Water afterward without any gurgling or pain.

However, a few hours later, I started feeling VERY tight... like a golf ball was in my throat. I was able to sip about a 1/4 cup of Soup, but nothing else for the rest of the day. Even Water seemed to make me get that "slimy" feeling, and I was gurgling A LOT. Did not eat anything in the evening at all... and barely even sipped any water.

Thursday morning, I drank a small amount of hot tea... and a 1/4 cup of broth later in the day. But nothing else. Went to bed again without anything in the evening,

Friday (yesterday), I was able to continue with tea, Soup and I added a few bites of macaroni and cheese... which seemed to go down fine at the time.

When I got home last night, I started sliming so bad that I was spitting saliva every few seconds. I could not even drink water without it coming back up. I had chills, started gagging, and "threw up"... twice!

My daughter said I looked like a cat hacking up a hair ball... but it was more like a slime ball.

This was the first time I have vomited since having the band, and although it was not acidy like normal vomiting, it WAS somewhat projectile. There was a lot of slime in it, but then again, I really didn't have anything inside me to come out except saliva.

I have only had water since then... and although I have not vomited again, I am still burping, and the water is coming back up into my throat. Not EVERY drink, but more than half of them.

I am not sure if I am too tight... or if the stress of work was just too much this week (it was a rough week)... or if I am getting the flu or something.

I also tend to have anxiety attacks, and that might be making me feel tighter as well... because I tend to panic.

I am belching and burping A LOT... (and farting)... like I have massive amounts of gas in my stomach. This surely cannot all be because of the fill. I didn't have this reaction to either of my other two fills.

I tried to call my doctor this morning to see if I need to be unfilled a little, but the office is not open until Monday. I don't really think I am in an emergency situation where I need to go to the hospital or anything, but I will if I have to.

I am so hungry (and thirsty) but I am afraid to eat or drink anything because of that damn "golf ball in my throat" feeling.

I read on other threads that COLD water might help... so I am trying that now... because hot definitely isn't helping.

Has anyone had the flu and been sick with the band?

Does anyone have any suggestions that might help relieve this hell I am in until Monday?

[ta337 0]

I felt restriction after my third fill, too. You might be too full, especially since you are spitting up saliva. The pressure or "golf ball" feeling happens when I eat the wrong things or eat too quickly. Pasta for instance, doesn't sit well with me. When I'm anxious or menstruating or sick, I also can't tolerate food too much. It could just be the panic setting in, making it even more difficult for you to eat. I say just relax. Try warm tea or coffee in the am. That usually streches me out. You're obviously going to loose weight and, when you do, you can tolerate more food until you get filled again. I hate to say it, but I think your band is finally working. It isn't always pleasant, but it works. Also, take REALLY small sips for the time being. It isn't unusual for it to take me an hour or more to drink a couple of cups of milk after a "big" fill.

[lessnless 1]

I'm exactly the opposite--I 'm tight to COLD liquids, but warmth helps open me up. If cold works for you, try eating a sugar-free popsicle using a 1/4 teaspoon. Take a tiny bite every 2-3 minutes (I know, it melts!). That's really the size "sip" you need to take, and the slow timeframe helps keep you from irritating your pouch any more than it already is.

[QuasiTova 0]

I felt restriction after my third fill, too. You might be too full, especially since you are spitting up saliva. The pressure or "golf ball" feeling happens when I eat the wrong things or eat too quickly. Pasta for instance, doesn't sit well with me. When I'm anxious or menstruating or sick, I also can't tolerate food too much. It could just be the panic setting in, making it even more difficult for you to eat. I say just relax. Try warm tea or coffee in the am. That usually streches me out. You're obviously going to loose weight and, when you do, you can tolerate more food until you get filled again. I hate to say it, but I think your band is finally working. It isn't always pleasant, but it works. Also, take REALLY small sips for the time being. It isn't unusual for it to take me an hour or more to drink a couple of cups of milk after a "big" fill.

I think you are right about the panic setting in, the more I think about it, the tighter I seem to feel. I did manage to get down a popsicle earlier, and a small bit of eggdrop Soup. But, I am still gurgling REALLY bad, even when I just swallow my own spit.

Do you mean that the band will get looser if I lose weight? (according to the scale, I have already lost 5 lbs since Wednesday, but I do not feel any looser)

My goal is to lose 2 lbs a WEEK, not 2 lbs a DAY

If this is what a "working" band feels like, I am not sure I want to live with this. I was losing weight just fine without this golf ball feeling.

I am so hungry... before this fill, I never felt hungry... because I was able to eat... smaller portions yes, but at least I could eat something.

I guess I have no choice but to wait it out for a few more days, but I am still going to call my doctor Monday morning.

[QuasiTova 0]

I'm exactly the opposite--I 'm tight to COLD liquids, but warmth helps open me up. If cold works for you, try eating a sugar-free popsicle using a 1/4 teaspoon. Take a tiny bite every 2-3 minutes (I know, it melts!). That's really the size "sip" you need to take, and the slow timeframe helps keep you from irritating your pouch any more than it already is.

I did manage to get a popsicle down... and it actually felt a somewhat soothing. It was not sugar-free, I do not like sugar-free because they create more phlegm for me, and I do not need that right now. I didn't figure the sugar would hurt me since I am not getting ANY calories in right now anyway.

Like you, I am a patient of Dr Smith's... what does he recommend if we feel like this when the office is not open? I never thought to ask, because I have had no problems so far.

Has anyone experienced the "gassy" feeling I am feeling associated with a fill, or could I possibly be getting the flu or something?

[ta337 0]

Then maybe you are just too tight. In my experience, after a good fill, I feel really tight and uncomforable for a few days. I just rationalized that my stomach was probably swelling due to the irritation of the increased restriction. After a fill, it wasn't uncommon for me to loose 4 to 5 pounds in that first week. I just put up with the discomfort knowing that it would be better in a few more days.

[QuasiTova 0]

Then maybe you are just too tight. In my experience, after a good fill, I feel really tight and uncomforable for a few days. I just rationalized that my stomach was probably swelling due to the irritation of the increased restriction. After a fill, it wasn't uncommon for me to loose 4 to 5 pounds in that first week. I just put up with the discomfort knowing that it would be better in a few more days.

If it was jsut the tight feeling, I think I would be okay, but this golf ball thing in my throat, and all of the gas... I am afraid to burp because I do not know what might come up.

Hopefully, this will pass before Monday, and I will not feel the need to call the doctor.

Maybe I need to take some of that liquid Hydrocodone the doctor gave me to kind of calm down a little.

[Sue Magoo 71]

Why don't you call your doctor and have him decide what is best. I'm very fortunate because my doctor will always call back, or his partner will, 24/7. Maybe you do need a slight unfil. Be careful because it sounds like you're in trouble with your band now. I had one fill similar to this, and funny, because it was my third fill. I had to get a small unfill and three weeks later got 1/2 of what they took out, and now I'm back up to where it was when it was too tight.

I hope you get some relief soon.

Sue

[QuasiTova 0]

Why don't you call your doctor and have him decide what is best. I'm very fortunate because my doctor will always call back, or his partner will, 24/7. Maybe you do need a slight unfil. Be careful because it sounds like you're in trouble with your band now. I had one fill similar to this, and funny, because it was my third fill. I had to get a small unfill and three weeks later got 1/2 of what they took out, and now I'm back up to where it was when it was too tight.

I hope you get some relief soon.

Sue

Thanks Sue.. I did try to call, but the office was closed. I didn't think to leave a message. I think I will...just to be safe.

What do you mean by "Be careful because it sounds like you're in trouble with your band now."?

[kevgbmbklyn 0]

I am going through the same thing, I had my second fill on 02/21 today is the 24th, the scale says I have lost 11lbs and I too can relate to the girgling and not tolerating Water, shakes,even the sorbet came back up-I like the rapid drop in weight but I was shocked to lose so much so fast. Is this what the "working" band feels like? I have this weird feeling of heartburn and it feels so tight with the sometimes I can drink sometimes I can't- I hate to have the .08cc's taken down but this is sort of miserable. Even now I sit here at 3am posting this instead of sleeping good to know im not alone.

[Sue Magoo 71]

I mean that you sound like you are too tight! Being too tight for too long can lead to band complications, like slippage and erosion. So, please take care of yourself and your band. As long as you can keep liquids down you're not totally stuck. If you get to a point that you cannot swallow anything go to the e.r. so that you don't get dehydrated.

I hope you feel better soon.

Sue

[Sue Magoo 71]

Kevin:

You should call your doctor and see what he/she says. You're probably too tight. I hope you find some relief soon.

Sue

[Longhorn 1]

No, that's not what it's supposed to feel like! Both of y'all are clearly too tight. The question is, will you loosen up in a few days or do you need an unfill? If you still can't get liquid and mushies down by tomorrow, I'd call the doctor.

My doctor told me that we have to give our stomachs time to react to each fill and each of us is different. He said that's why they don't just fill us up to 7ccs with the first fill even though that might be the eventual ideal amount. That's why SueMagoo can be at the exact level now she was when she was too tight but it works for her now.

Good luck!

[QuasiTova 0]

Upon waking this morning, I felt like the "golf ball" had subsided some. At least the monster inside of me was quiet...

So I had my daughter make me some warm tea.

Apparently, the monster was only "asleep".

Let the gurgling begin...

After only two small sips, I was gurgling, and burping just like before. I think I angered him once again.

I REALLY need to make "friends" with this creature who now lives inside me.

I will update later today... right now, I am going to try to go back to sleep.

I am still thinking that maybe I have a touch of the flu... perhaps combined with being a little tight.

[Manatee 3]

Go get an unfill ASAP. I too thought I could ride that feeling out, and a month after the fill I ended up in the ER due to esophageal bleeding caused by the reflux.

This isn't supposed to hurt. The "I was losing weight just fine" level is what you're looking for.