Ok so here is the deal! I had surgery 10 months ago and have lost all but 13 lbs to get to goal weight. I am really happy with the loss. I haven't lost anything for about 2 months and I am ok with that too. I now know that I will start to lose again when my body is ready! I exercise, drink my Water and eat about 1200 calories a day! That works for me,,,my problem is this :

I get up in the morning and I drink hot tea or coffee. I cannot eat anything at all not even a Protein drink for hours (3 or 4). I use to be able to eat a drink in morning and then some lunch by noon but that has all changed. I now can not even eat in the afternoon unless it is Soup or believe it or not popcorn. I gagged even on the smallest amount of food before night time even Protein drinks are too thick. I slime, pb, gag, foam, and sometimes vomit at least once a day lasting between 15 mins and 2 hours depending on the day,,,not the choice of food or quanity. When I first got the band, I lost the weight without this happening. I could eat oatmeal or Protein Drink for Breakfast, chicken salad and avacado for lunch and a regular meal (albeit small) for dinner. Now all bets are off. I cannot even eat ice cream most days (not evenings)without sliming for a good 20 minutes. I can however eat dinner without pbing most days. I get full at about 1 1/2 to 2 cups at dinner and then that is it for the night! I can eat low cal ice cream too if I choose to. So dinner is under control but the rest of the day and I mean even into 3 or 4 in the afternoon, most days pb, slime etc when I try to eat (6 out of 7 days) . I eat slow, I don't drink and I cant even eat just a small little chucks Carrots etc in soup Soft ones and cause I still slime at the very least. It sometimes is so fierce I vomit a little. So my question is: does this mean I am too tight? or is this what others do to stay thin? I don't think I can live pbing most days and staring into a bathroom toliet in a restaurant while others are enjoying a meal. I am sick of public restroooms let me tell you. I carry around cups and paper towels in my car and run out there if I eat during the day. The weird part is sometimes after I go through all of that, I can eat without a problem the exact thing that caused the pbing an hour before. What is the deal, is this what others do? I am thinking on getting a little taken out. I want to go back to the time when I could eat a small breakfast and chicken salad for lunch. This doesn't feel normal. Advice please. I gave this time, haven't had a fill or anything since Oct 07. Do you all have this issue,,,isn't eating suppose to be ok just little bites and good choices? I am eating soup soup and more soup during the day and that isn't right,,I lost all that weight doing it different. Why is it too tight now when it wasn't before on the same fill amount? Ok thanks for taking the time to read

this and thanks to all who reply. PS: got band in Mexico and now cannot get a response from one coordinator for help so I cannot just run to call the Dr. to ask,,,also, I have had a lot of problems with fills but found a good nurse to do it and haven't had any problems since so I feel like I at least have that going for me.

Susan

I thought I read that you had your surgery in Mexico. I went back to read all the posts, so maybe I was taking something for granted.

It's so hard on everyone that has to drive awhile to get fills or see their doctor. I know I am very lucky that I live so close to mine. I am able to get in and see him immediately if I am having any kind of problem.

I hope whoever you see today is able to figure out your problem and you go back to having your band working perfectly for you:biggrin:

hi,

update,,,,got an .8cc unfill today and I feel GREAT! I ate a small lunch of creamed Soup but she also wanted me to add something more difficult to eat as I would have to drive over 3 hours to see her again as she goes home tonight. Anyway I ate a little salad and I was FULL BUT DIDN'T PB OR SLIME AT ALL! She also told me that she believes that I will start losing again when I can eat decent and healthy meals like I use to. I ate one and 1/2 small tacos tonight after talking to her as she wanted to be sure before she got in the car. It all went down well and I ate very slow and I knew I was full as soon as i was. before i was so hungry i wouldn't stop but i was able to stop no problem. Head hunger is my battle now and i can do that!! :shades_smile: I am so happy and I feel so much better. Thank you, all of you for your help and input,,,I am so glad my hard head didn't stop me from listening. I feel like I felt before,,,,now I will go on mushies for a few days like she said and rest,,,she also gave me an anti inflammatory shot to help with the swelling. This was the answer. She said that our bodies know when to hold onto food calories etc when it is eliminating them too fast and that it will stay on a plateau b/c of that. Also she said that she runs into a lot of people close to goal or at goal that have a problem with the band getting MUCH MORE FULL AND FINICKY and although for most they need more fill those people like the above need to have some out,,,she said she has seen it on occassion. SO,,,I am ready to finish my journey and I am feeling great! She said it is not ok to slime or pb often and in fact if you are choosing the right food and eating carefully it should happen very rarely/ hmmmm where did I hear that hahaha So if that IS happening it is a overfill issue most of the time. OH MY GOODNESS I FEEL GOOD! I feel like I am starting over from the beginning ,,,,,relief!! PS: lost two lbs in 3 months so that is better then gaining...

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU MY BANDSTER FAMILY FOR BEING THERE FOR ME NO MATTER HOW CRAZY I SOUNDED.

Susan

Susan, I'm so glad you got relief from being too tight. It's only after people get the unfill that they realize the way they were before was just not right.

Your common sense kicked in! I'm sure this post will help someone else at some point.

I can sense all the relief in your update post! Good for you!

I went yesterday and get a slight unfill. I was starting with acid reflux. My doctor told me if the unfill didn't work it could be my gallbladder. I was slimming all the time and the other day could hardly eat ice cream, so I new I better go in. I had never had heart burn since surgery and my last fill it started again.

I have the same problem! I had 4cc's in my band and it was fine for months! Then in November it started getting tighter and eventually I couldn't even get liquids down. I had 1cc taken out and it felt amazing! Right after my unfill I felt like I could even breathe better. I haven't really lost any weight since then though but now my band is doing it again!!! I'm trying to get in to have another unfill ASAP now!

I cannot believe how many people are having this problem with the band getting finicky. I feel so much better having a slight unfill but I do find myself being more hungry then usual today! I was told by the nurse that I needed to take out a little more then she would like, to give my stomach a month of rest and then she would put back 1/2 of what she took if I was still hungry by then. That works for me. After callling her today, she stated that it isn't unusual for me to want to eat more just simply because I have been deprived for over 3 months! I still know the band is there,,,can't drink more then a few sips after eating something. I am not too worried,,I have good self control and count my calories every day! I do however hope that I don't need more put in b/c I am a little scared of a repeat! I have a feeling that I will need a little bit put back in after the rest ! I am still in heaven and so grateful to be able to eat without fear! I drank a Protein drink this morning and no gagging at all and I could take my pills with it! YEA

I am sorry to hear that others are going through this,,,I think a very small unfill could be the answer if your stomach isn't as irritated as mine was. Otherwise, better off taking out a little more like me to let it rest! It makes a huge difference.

Good luck

Thanks for all your positive posts and good wishes all of you!

Susan

Amazing. I came on here tonight for the first time in ages (1.4 months since surgery) since I had no where else to turn. I am seriously suffering. Throw up at every meal. Always have to excuse myself to go act like a jockey in the men's room when I'm out. No weight loss in two months (about 10-15 pounds to go). I'm scheduling an unfill next week and I hope to goodness it does the trick. I'm so tired of this. But I'm so relieved to see many others going through this.

Thanks for posting this thread. I will get back with my results.

mark

Yep! It's amazing what a small unfill will do. There is nothing worse than being too tight. We are all afraid to have any taken out, but in the end, I have always seen people being very happy that they did.

I am so glad to hear you sound so happy!

Thank you Denise, you have been such a great support also! Thank you ,,,you know who you are,,,the ones that have been responding and following this thread and my journey with this. You are my blessings!

Mark,

I am so amazed at how many people have emailed me and also wrote on this thread that they too are going through this problem. I really think that the slight unfill is the answer. I cannot tell you how many times I have stare into a public toilet while everyone was out in the restaurant enjoying their meals. It has been humilating and frustrating. I know that this isn't what the band is suppose to do. It is there to appreciate and use as a tool to control our intake not make us suffer. Life is not for that. If I would have kept the pbing etc up much longer I would have hated this band and I was beginning to regret having it. I can tell you as of yesterday, it is my friend again. Please get a small unfil asap. I took out just .8cc's and it has made a HUGE difference. Don't suffer one more minute if you can get in do it right away! I explained above that the body knows it is having rapid elimination of food so it stores. It is very common to not lose when you are vomiting, pbing, and all the other crap overfilling causes. The brain catches on that it isn't going to be fed properly and even when it is,,,it isn't sure how long it will be kept in(the food) your body! So glad you came back and got to read these posts and all the wonderful insight and help that was offered. Good luck and keep us posted! I will do the same!

Susan

Susan, I knew you would help someone else and you did.

MARKT, please let us know how you make out, your info will surely help someone else that is suffering.

Thank you Shortgal you are amazing! I see all the people that you respond to and help and I for one am very grateful that you are out there! I just cannot believe that so many have been going through this and I am not so scared anymore b/c I am not unique in this!

:thumbup:

Susan

All these threads and the forum in general have helped me so much. My first "welcome" from an oldtimer etc. so I try to pay it forward. (really, I just have way too much time on my hands lately) LOL.

Reading about being overfilled has already helped me to understand the signs, in case it ever happens to me. so your post might just help me one day, too!

I hated to see that you and others were suffering and living with your tight bands, not eating, suffering socially and PB'ing into bags and cups.

Who signed up for that when we got on the operating table? Not me!

I've seen you "paying it forward", too! :thumbup:

Your body is going into a dorment state, that is why you are not loosing any weight right now. Your body is not eating on a normal basis and its holding onto your fat. You need a slight unfill and fill your body with nutrients and vitamins to get your self healthy again. Then you will start loosing again...The trick is to eat as healthy as possible and exercise! drink lots of water...

I'm having an unfill tomorrow and I am SO excited! The last few days have been rough and I haven't even been able to drink water. I am chewing on ice chips now and taking tiny sips of water!! I can't wait for tomorrow!

I had a .5cc taken out Monday and feel so much better. I hope it stays this way.