I want to know if anyone else has had this issue and what you have done, besides getting an unfill...

I have not been able to eat and can barely keep my liquids down for the last 5 days...regardless of the time of day, what Im eating or drinking (besides hot tea...that goes down ok)...nothings really working. I have to sip on my Water...1/2 a tsp at a time and wait otherwise its stuck. Tried mushies, sat on one TINY bite for over an hour...didn't stay down...

I have not had a fill recently and prior to this last week my restriction has been perfect, I only have 2.6 cc's in a 10ml band.

I tried calling my doctor, who wasn't in, but spoke to his assistant and she believes I may have gotten a piece of meat stuck? She suggested to go on liquids for 7 days, so that it can pass thru. This somewhat made sense, since I do feel like I've had a ball stuck in my throat as they say...She told me to call back on Wednesday and let them know how it's going with the liquids and to talk to the doc.

I've also heard on here that during the menstrual cycle around your band is tighter? This is the first time this has happened to me, and I think it's a coincidence that its the same time...but my concern too is I was given percocet for pain (pms) and I heard that some meds cause swelling around the band?

Sorry for the rambling, really just worried it's not going to get better and not sure if Im having such trouble because it is food that's stuck or just all that's happened with my health and me trying to eat is causing it to be worse...

For once Im not happy about the weight I've lost, (although 15 lbs in a week may be great) It's not the way I wanted to lose it :biggrin:

Any advice is very much appreciated!!!

If you can't get/keep ample liquids down you'll dehydrate, pure and simple. You'll end up in the ER. You need 64 oz of Fluid daily minimum.

If you can keep that much liquid down, then it's up to you whether you want to wait or not. Did you eat something that got stuck? Is that a possibility? If so, try some papaya enzyme. If no, then that isn't likely the culprit (and although I'm not saying the nurse is wrong, I've never heard of "doing liquids for 7 days" so the stuck matter can pass through. I find that mildly assinine, but that's just me I guess)

Anyway if you can stay hydrated, you can wait if you want. If you can't, you need attention now.

Thanks for the reply Restless...

I understand and am well aware of staying hydrated and keeping down more than 64oz of Water, hence the reason I've been drinking a lot of hot tea since it's easiest.

I'm just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else and what they did...in this economy, especially being laid off...spending $190 to get an unfill, and going back and getting a fill for another $190 is going to be my last resort, especially since I was perfectly fine before hand.

I too, haven't heard of being on liquids for a week, or even food getting stuck for over a week...I don't think I've had anything in the last couple weeks that got stuck..Im really good about what I eat and to chew it religiously....

What's the Papaya Enzyme, what does it do? Is this something you've tried before?

Thanks, again.

Papaya enzymes have Papain in it and that helps digest Protein. I have some that also have lipase (fat digestion) and cellulase (veggie matter) so it helps break up (and move on through) anything that's stuck.

I've heard of people getting "tight" a couple weeks after a fill, or when dehydrated (the hot tea, if caffeinated, may not be doing the trick for you. For some, caffeine can have a diuretic effect) but otherwise it usually means something up and you need an unfill. Sorry! Maybe tomorrow you'll miraculously feel better. But how you are not isn't any way to live; and you may be hurting yourself. Good luck!

Just so you know, I have heard of food getting stuck and causing the same kinds of issues that you're experiencing. The woman posted (on a different forum) that she went in to her aftercare facility (after two weeks of suffering like you've been), they took an xray or fluroscopic look or something like that and could see the lump of whatever at her stoma. So, they put an empty syringe in her port, created a vacuum and sort of flushed the food through. ?? That's what she said. I know that you don't want to go in to your aftercare facility. I'd try the papaya enzyme or pineapple juice or a bit of pineapple, if you can manage it. I've heard pineapple juice can help move things through, too.

yeah Im definitely going to try the Papaya Enzyme...might as well buy some pineapple juice while Im at it! I've been drinking Simply Orange for the last hour, thinking it might help..who knows! Restless, I hope that miracle happens!

Thanks Delma for letting me know about your friend...she's strong to have put up with it for 2 weeks....5 days is 5 days too much for me!

If I don't see change in the next couple days then Im going to have to do fluro...Ive come too far to ruin my tool!

How great that would be if it were just something stuck! I HOPE it is!

Buy some papaya enzyme and try it. Mine is "NOW" brand but just go to a GNC or pharmacy and you'll find some I'm sure. My "dose" was 2 pills but I've taken as many as 8 and it didn't hurt. Good luck!

Is papaya enzyme something we should take every day or only when having issues? I took it when something felt like it was stuck and within a minute felt good again.

I'm no pro but I can't imagine you'd need to take it every day, any more than you'd take a pain killer just to "feel good" unless you were in pain. ? Not sure since I have NEVER heard of it untill lap band

I don't believe in ever taking a drug unless you need it so I'd say just save it for times you're stuck.

RestlessMonkey, et al: I had heard of Papaya enzymes prior to LapBand, but only because I was eating lots of raw and whole foods at the time. Lots of beans and broccoli and such. Gas became a problem and I used papaya enzymes in much the same way I would use Beano or LactAid. I used them at the times that I was eating foods that I had trouble digesting. I guess I really don't think of enzymes as a drug, but on the other hand, I would also not recommend taking them every day unless your diet causes you problems on a daily basis. My 2 cents. :frown:

This sounds like what happened to me. I was fine for a little over a week (after my second fill) then it hit me. I couldn't keep anything down. I had resorted to yogerts, oatmeals but they caused EXTREME pain and didn't stay down. I too, could get tea down but that was about it. Oh my acid reflux was killer...on top of nexium I was going thru about 12 tums a day (not good) and it still was barely helping. My dr also told me to stay on sips of clears to see if it was something stuck. That didn't help, so they did a barium swallow which revealed no blockage so I just ended up getting an "unfill". My doc explained that I was a little more sensitive to fills and will do "micro" fills from now on. Now, I feel too loose...but I am in NO rush to live thru that again. (I didn't mention I passed out at work from dehydration/weakness) So, I'm just working out and trying to stop eating when I should for now. I might go back for a fill in 6 weeks or so. It was horrible to have to go thru 12 days of that (My docs couldn't see me sooner...) Good luck whatever you decide to do. I lost 10lbs in those 12 days but not how I wanted to!!

So..I went and purchased the papaya enzyme early this morning...it was the first thing that stayed down! (They were chewable tablets, so I guess not much of a surprise...yet my Flinstones Vitamins wont..=/ )

The guy working there, said you can take up to two tablets with every meal? To me that seemed a little much, especially since Im such a worry-wart about things that arent approved by the FDA...He said all his customers love it for digestion, etc.

Unfortunately, it did not do anything for my situation...and today, everythings getting worse...Im extremely lethargic, ridiculously thirsty...

Sounds gross Im sure..(its my body and it's grossing me out...) My saliva is even getting stuck and even crazier..foaming! SO Im giving up on the waiting game..one week of no food is enough...

Thanks anyway for the advice guys, but tomorrow morning my amazing husband is driving me to my fill doctor who is at her other office 3 hours away...not in town until the 11th, so he's refusing to wait and taking me to her! Time for an unfill and to catch up on my water!! Tomorrow can't come any faster, that's for sure :thumbup:

Have a good evening everyone!

This sounds like what happened to me. I was fine for a little over a week (after my second fill) then it hit me. I couldn't keep anything down. I had resorted to yogerts, oatmeals but they caused EXTREME pain and didn't stay down. I too, could get tea down but that was about it. Oh my acid reflux was killer...on top of nexium I was going thru about 12 tums a day (not good) and it still was barely helping. My dr also told me to stay on sips of clears to see if it was something stuck. That didn't help, so they did a barium swallow which revealed no blockage so I just ended up getting an "unfill". My doc explained that I was a little more sensitive to fills and will do "micro" fills from now on. Now, I feel too loose...but I am in NO rush to live thru that again. (I didn't mention I passed out at work from dehydration/weakness) So, I'm just working out and trying to stop eating when I should for now. I might go back for a fill in 6 weeks or so. It was horrible to have to go thru 12 days of that (My docs couldn't see me sooner...) Good luck whatever you decide to do. I lost 10lbs in those 12 days but not how I wanted to!!

I don't know how you did it for 12 days?? It's good to hear someone else had the same symptoms...I hope I can figure out tomorrow why this is happening...since I haven't had a fill in about 3 months, that's ruled out..I think! eh, who knows...but if I do a complete unfill, that's fine with me...I can let the swelling go down, relax my band and my mind..this has made me EXTREMELY anxious...and well...depressed:frown:.

Tomorrow's a new day tho! Thanks for sharing with me, I appreciate it!

Timah - I hope you are feeling better! That happened to me a few months ago and it was no fun at all!

Restless - Thanks for the tip on the papaya enzyme, it worked miracles! I had a fill last week and wound up too tight/stuck/or something a few days after. I took a few of them and amazingly I am feeling well today and so far everything is going down and staying down!!

Timah - I hope you are feeling better! That happened to me a few months ago and it was no fun at all!

Restless - Thanks for the tip on the papaya enzyme, it worked miracles! I had a fill last week and wound up too tight/stuck/or something a few days after. I took a few of them and amazingly I am feeling well today and so far everything is going down and staying down!!

I first heard about Papaya Enzyme on this board so I'm happy to pass the info along. It really works for me; glad you find it useful too!

Thanks Caramia!

We just got back and I had a complete unfill..the second she took a little out, she said she could hear my stomach allowing whatever was in my pouch in...(I was trying to drink Water right before =/ ) She said I was extremely swollen...she wasn't able to tell if I had someting stuck and blocking everything...Im on liquids for another 24 hours..

She wants me back next friday or saturday for a fill to see if I can handle it and how I'm doing...

Here's another question, I might post this as another thread...The last fill I had was only 0.6 cc...I had 2 cc's in it before...so...today, she took out 3.75cc???? How is that even possible? btw...my bands maximum is 4cc, no more...which I was thinking may be the possible reason it was so freakin tight....Have you guys ever heard of that? :blushing: