I went for my fourth fill this past week. I needed a small fill. I knew I was really close to my sweet spot and just wanted a small tweak. I could eat more than I should still, I think. Didn't have too many trouble foods, and when I took it slow, I did alright. Anyway, the weather was horrible naturally, it decided to snow 4 inches on the day I have to drive 3 hours to Detroit. I was an 1.5 late to begin with because the traffic was so horrible. We crawled at 30mph all the way from north of Pontiac to Downtown Detroit on I-75.

I finally get there and see the doctor. He disagrees that I actually already have 6.5cc, as the chart had said. He takes out and takes out and takes out until he can't get anything else, measures what's there and gives me a .5cc fill to take me up to 7.0cc. I did some Water drinking and right away I knew it was too tight. After about a half hour they took out .25cc. That felt better, so I went home.

Well, here is where it gets scary. After about an hour drive, I start hurting again, it's too tight! I can't drink water, I can't drink my shake I brought, I can't even keep my own spit down. I'm sliming and spitting into a coffe cup the whole way home. I figure I'm swollen from all the in and out they did and it would pass. NOPE!! All night long I was sick. I couldn't keep anything down, I couldn't even swallow. I called my ER in town and they told me not to bother coming in because they wouldn't treat me. So, I had to drive all the way back to Detroit the next day to have more removed. They took out a whole 1cc. I had to really push to not be unfilled all the way. I pretty much told them that I can't afford to start over. All that night after the little unfill I drank hot water, hot broth, coffee, etc. Cold things hurt badly. I think my esophagus was spasming also. It was horrible!! It felt like the pains I used to get when I was having a gall bladder attack, that tight band squeezed around my middle, squeezing on and off.

All in all, today I'm still sore. I hope I haven't caused a slip with all the retching and pbing. I have slowly started on some soft food. Soups and such. Had a couple of bits of chicken at lunch, but was sliming pretty bad. At least liquids are going down ok now.

I know this is a long post, but thought others might like to know what happens sometimes when the fills don't go right, and what can happen when you're too tight!!!

Thanks, for your post, Jill. I am seriously considering whether or not I should get a very, very slight unfill but I'm worried about it because I've come to realize that getting a fill or unfill is so unpredicatable. Your post is another example of that. I'm so sorry to hear about the trouble you had. And add to that bad weather and a long drive to boot!

My last fill was Dec. 5th. I can only eat about 1 ounce of 'protein you can cut with a knife' (my doctor's words) and that's it. I read about people eating 3 ounces of meat and some vegetables and I think there is no way I could do that now. So that is the down side of where I am at fill-wise but I love being able to go 3 to 4 hours without being ravenously hungry. I feel fine, energy-wise so I think I am going to keep plugging along and not go in for an unfill.

Good luck to you. I hope you are feeling better.

I am sorry you are having such a problem. Wishing you health and fast healing for all the issues. Good luck

Wow! Jill sorry this happened. Thanks for the post. I cannot believe one minute your good with your old fill and you get .5cc and your not good. That is really scary.

I just had a fill last week and I am really tight. I mean, I have never been this tight before. I am keeping liquids down and food, no issues. But is scares me sometimes to think that this could change. I am being very cautious and will go to the doctor if anything gets stuck or sliming.

Thank you for sharing.

Thanks all for your kind thoughts. I am much better today. I took it slow all the way until now. Cold things are still bothersome for some reason. I don't know how to describe it. I'm not getting the spasms anymore from it, but I can still feel something is sore in there. I drank a lot of decaf coffee and hot tea just to get my liquids in me this past week. I've just today started drinking water again. I feel plenty of restriction right now, but I have a feeling that will fade pretty quickly this next week. Can only eat a small amount at a time, and start hiccuping like crazy!!! I'm still looking forward to a small fill the end of February to get back up to where I was. I'll have to wait and see how it goes, I'm not thrilled about making an appointment just to have the weather turn to crap and have to drive through all that again, plus, they are changing my shift at work, so I'll have to take a day off now to go down there, instead of scheduling on a day off during the week. Maybe I can hold off until SPRING. If I start gaining though, I'll head down.

Hey! So sorry to hear about your experience. I am also over in snowy michigan, and got banded a few weeks after you. I am in the process of contemplating whether I want another fill.... still unsure... have 6.5 cc's and feel restriction about one meal a day... varies... and I still feel I eat more than I really should? BUT, the weight loss is pretty steady... ugggg.... now you have me thinking... hey, since you are in MI, would love to keep talking with you, and walk this journey with someone who started at the same time, at the same starting weight... how tall are you? I was thinking to change my goal to 160 too... hmmm... I am 5/5"... email me if you wanna continue to chat.. and THANKS for the post

Does anyone get pain as soon as they begin to eat. I got a fill 2 weeks ago.

Check with your doc... if you are super inflamed, they may okay 3 tsp of baby motrin to be taken every 6 hours for a day or so to help with the inflammation after a too tight band. My doc gave the thumbs up as long as I take it along with Zantac to avoid irritation. It has made a HUGE difference for me in times of extreme inflammation and has made it so that I tolerate stuff in my tummy much better....

I thought I was almost at my sweet spot. Hubby said don't get a fill. I thought .25cc would be fine. This weekend as been a nightmere. Can't eat much and drinking to much better. Slimming all weekend. I'll be back there on Monday to have at least .10cc taken out. WHo would have figured 1/4cc would be too much.

It's a very fine line between being too tight and just right.

I was too tight for one weekend. It felt like I had an elephant standing on my chest. I could feel the band squeezing my stomach. I only live 5 min from my dr. and was right back on Monday, thank goodness. It's very surprising that an itty bitty fill or unfill can make all the difference in the world.

Thanks for the support. Great job on your weightloss. Funny thing- not eating much I'm not losing. Eating more when I felt better I was doing great.

Yes, most people do say that. People think the less they eat, the faster they will lose. It seems people do lose better when they are eating at least 3 meals )even if they are small meals,) per day