Please read! Need as much advice as I can get!

[Kat225 2]

Ok I have a number of problems going on. The biggest issue is throwing up. I've been throwing up lately. It seems most days I am too tight to eat anything but liquids, especially before the evening hours. But here is the catch...other days, I can eat a lot! It makes no sense! If I was just too tight and needed an unfill, why can I eat a full meal other times? This causes the problem because I never know when my band will allow me to eat and when it won't! This results in me throwing up! When I do eat or attempt to eat, I always follow the band rules of small bites slowly without drinking. I know a lot of women have problems at certain times of the month beause of hormones and stuff but I am averaging only about 2 out 7 days being able to eat without problems. Drinking hot coffee sometimes helps loosen me up but not always. On the days I can eat, I find myself pigging out because I'm so happy to have food and I'm starving!Then after I've thrown up, I have some pain and irritation. I've had 2 slight unfills already and my doc doesn't seem to understand what the problem is. Do you think I've slipped? Someone else told me I may be intolerent to the band.

What should I do? Should I try a more aggressive unfill and go from there? Maybe I try to eat too much when I eat and that's why I throw up? How much should I be able to eat with good restriction? I usually can only eat about 2-3 small bites before I feel it get tight in my chest on the days I have a problem. I can eat a normal sized meal on my good days (pork chop, veggie, starch). I don't think eating 2-3 bites of Soup or other soft food is normal...is it?

I'm exactly one year from surgery today...I should be celebrating, not scared and starving.

Please help!

[jennibells 0]

You sound exactly like I did right before my band slipped. I could eat probably 2-3 out of 7 days, the other days nothing would stay down. To make a long story short, because I was throwing up so much my band slipped. I wish I would of gone into the doctors and did an unfill but I couldn't take the time off of work and I kept thinking that it must of been me because some days I could eat. I wish so much that I could go back in time and go in and get an unfill but I didn't and my band slipped and I just got re-banded on the 3/17. My advice to you would be to go into the doctor and get a small unfill. If that doesn't work have him unfill it completely and wait a few weeks and start over with fills. Please dont keep throowing up, you dont want to end up with a slipped band and end up having another surgery:frown:

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I think you should get a slight unfill, but if you're in doubt, discuss with your doctor. You should NOT be unable to eat anything except liquids, ever. The point of the band is Portion Control, not to block off entire food groups from consumption! If you are "pigging out" because you are hungry ( and I really understand that!) then it's all not working! Get a slight unfill and you should be able to regulate everything better. The band is great but WE are supposed to be in control, not the band. Right now, you're too tight most days to make good choices and for whatever reason, a small part of the time you CAN eat and eat everything. Get control back...loosen up the band.

[Kat225 2]

You sound exactly like I did right before my band slipped. I could eat probably 2-3 out of 7 days, the other days nothing would stay down. To make a long story short, because I was throwing up so much my band slipped. I wish I would of gone into the doctors and did an unfill but I couldn't take the time off of work and I kept thinking that it must of been me because some days I could eat. I wish so much that I could go back in time and go in and get an unfill but I didn't and my band slipped and I just got re-banded on the 3/17. My advice to you would be to go into the doctor and get a small unfill. If that doesn't work have him unfill it completely and wait a few weeks and start over with fills. Please dont keep throowing up, you dont want to end up with a slipped band and end up having another surgery:frown:

Thank you for reponding. I'm gonna call my doc today and schedule an unfill. But I have a question...you said I sound like you before you slipped. How did you know when your band slipped? What were your symptoms...what changed? Do you think I already have slipped?

[jennibells 0]

I started throwing up and didn't stop. I couldn't keep anything down, not even liquids. I started to throw up blood and thats when I went to the emergency room. I had extreme pain in my whole stomache area any time I tried to even drink something. At that point it was too late, my band had slipped and the stomache had come back up through the band and I had so much swelling that nothing would go down.

If you are unsure I would say stay on liquids until you can get in for an appt. If you tell your doctor how bad it is I am sure they will get you in same day.

Good luck!

[Kat225 2]

I started throwing up and didn't stop. I couldn't keep anything down, not even liquids. I started to throw up blood and thats when I went to the emergency room. I had extreme pain in my whole stomache area any time I tried to even drink something. At that point it was too late, my band had slipped and the stomache had come back up through the band and I had so much swelling that nothing would go down.

If you are unsure I would say stay on liquids until you can get in for an appt. If you tell your doctor how bad it is I am sure they will get you in same day.

Good luck!

I have an appt. for tomorrow at 9am. Luckily tonight was one of my good days and I got down some Soup that filled my belly. I didn't vomit all day today! I will keep you posted on what happens. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Thanks for all your help.

[Kat225 2]

Ok... so yesterday after my unfill I felt great. I was able to eat pretty easily. I even had bread! So I was thinking...ok this is great, I can eat again. This morning and afternoon so far I am pretty tight. I had just a few chips and I feel stuck. I will see how the day goes and report back...keep your fingers crossed!

[jennibells 0]

Kat- Do you normally feel tighter in the morning? I used to be tighter in the morning no matter how much I had in my band. I was tight in the morning, able to get some down at lunch and able to eat a normal meal at dinner.

How much did you get unfilled? Was it completely or just a little bit?

[Kat225 2]

Kat- Do you normally feel tighter in the morning? I used to be tighter in the morning no matter how much I had in my band. I was tight in the morning, able to get some down at lunch and able to eat a normal meal at dinner.

How much did you get unfilled? Was it completely or just a little bit?

Yes. Mornings were always a problem for me. So based on Fri-Mon. it seems like I am exactly how you described. I can't eat in the morning and can get down very, very little at lunch but by 5pm, I can eat a satisfying dinner. At least that was my pattern all weekend. I just need to not try and push it over lunch. It's like I want to eat just a little more than my band allows and that gets me in trouble. But I think I can live with being able to take it easy all day and then have a satisfying dinner. As long as it is consistent and predictable now, I can handle it. I hope this throwing up crap is over! Thank you for the support. Where would we be without this site!

[jennibells 0]

I love this place!!! I didn't find it until after I already slipped which was a year and a half after my first band. I have already learned so much from this site and all the people who are going through the same things as me!

[Nessa38 0]

Kat,

I know exactly what you are experiencing with the eating. I do not throw up but I think that's because I can feel it coming on and stop eating immediatlu. It is truly is a day to day thing with me.

I now have 7.2 cc's (as of today) in my 10 cc band. I told my doc about it today when I went to see him and he didn't act concerned he just gave me another fill. I see you have 8. something but I was wondering whst size band you have?

[Kat225 2]

Kat,

I know exactly what you are experiencing with the eating. I do not throw up but I think that's because I can feel it coming on and stop eating immediatlu. It is truly is a day to day thing with me.

I now have 7.2 cc's (as of today) in my 10 cc band. I told my doc about it today when I went to see him and he didn't act concerned he just gave me another fill. I see you have 8. something but I was wondering whst size band you have?

I have a 9cc band. It's the Realize J&J band. Even though they are 9ccs, it can hold more. Extra saline can be in the tubing is what my doc explained. Honestly though, I had an unfill Friday because of my problem and it has helped me sooooo much. I can eat now in the evenings everyday since. No more guessing games! My doc wasn't that concerned when I told her about me throwing up either. She only wanted to take out .25ccs and I told her to take more so I got .5 out. It is what I needed or I was really going to hurt myself!

[jennibells 0]

Kat how are you doing? did the unfill do the job for you or are you still having problems?

I got my first fill with my new band and I am doing great. I cant eat much but I feel great!

[BethFromVA 5]

Kat, I don't know how hungry you are in the mornings (I usually am not, but I know I need to have something to get my metabolism going), but do you do Protein Shakes? That way you're not forcing food down when you're tight but still getting something in.

[lapbandtalker 0]

You sound exactly like I did right before my band slipped. I could eat probably 2-3 out of 7 days, the other days nothing would stay down. To make a long story short, because I was throwing up so much my band slipped. I wish I would of gone into the doctors and did an unfill but I couldn't take the time off of work and I kept thinking that it must of been me because some days I could eat. I wish so much that I could go back in time and go in and get an unfill but I didn't and my band slipped and I just got re-banded on the 3/17. My advice to you would be to go into the doctor and get a small unfill. If that doesn't work have him unfill it completely and wait a few weeks and start over with fills. Please dont keep throowing up, you dont want to end up with a slipped band and end up having another surgery:frown:

Thank you for your post. I've had these symptoms of sliming since last summer and have unwanted weightloss (I'm below 130 now and 150 was my goal).

I had multiple life stressors all within 2 months of each other:

mother passed away, oldest daughter left for Army, middle daughter left for Marines, moved, inherited a crazy cat, ...the list can go on.

Stress was, what I thought, causing my band to get acute restriction while at other times it was fine. Now I carry cups in my purse or plastic bags in the glove box and eat a few bites and slime it up. Been doing this for the past 7 months. I don't have a doctor. Can't find a doctor. And the few I do find that will provide an unfill want upwards of 500 dollars- I don't have it.

So....my band has probably slipped. Besides the sliming and weightloss- are there any other symptoms or will it cause any permanent damage to my stomach?