HELP UNDERSTANDING MY FILLS

I HAD SURGERY 2/29/08 AND HAD MY FIRST FILL 5/15/08. HAD A 2ND FILL ON 7/27/08. FIRST FILL WAS 3CC WHICH THE DOC SAID LEAKED OFF. SO HE GIVE ME A 2ND FILL OF 6CC AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING ALOT OF TROUBLE EATING OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. MAINLY NOT BEING ABLE TO KEEP FOOD DOWN. I NEED HELP ANYBODY OUT THERE THAT CAN GIVE ME SOME IDEAS.

I don't have the band but, it seems to me that 6 cc is an awful lot.  Did your surgeon say why he thought the first fill had leaked out?  Were you having any trouble when you got the 3cc fill in May?  I think I would post on the Band board too and see if anyone has experienced something similar.

Have you contacted Dr. Moen and told him about not being able to keep your food down?  You might need to have some taken out.

Keep us posted.  I'm sure someone with the band will answer your questions better than I can.

Good luck,

Deb

Deb, actually, if he has a VG band or larger 6cc is what a lot of docs give as a first fill.  It's a little agressive, but it works for many with the larger sized bands.

HI HEATHER, THANKS FOR GETTING BACK TO ME ABOUT MY BAND. IT HAS BEEN A VERY THIN MEAL TIUME FOR ME IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS. AT 1ST I WAS JUST GOING TO DO SHAKES OR OTHER PROTIEN  UNTIL I SAW THE DOC ON SEPT. 8TH. HOWEVER I AM CALLING THE DOC TOMORROW (MON.) FOR NOW I CAN'T EVEN KEEP A CUP OF COFFEE DOWN NOTHING WILL STAY DOWN. I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON MY PROGRESS. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE I HAVE REALLY KNOCKED THE WEIGHT OFF IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS.

YHANKS ALOT,

STAN

Stan,

Anytime Stan!  Unfortunately, the weight that has come off the last three weeks hasn't come off in a good way.  It was very dangerous.  Tell the doc tomorrow that you HAVE to come in immediately to have some fill removed.  If they have an after hours number, call that and maybe they can have you come in first thing in the morning.  Every time you can't keep something down your stoma swells and it's a vicious cycle where each time you risk a slip.  Definitely keep us posted on your progress and good luck!  For now try putting a heating pad on your belly, it can help with the swelling and just SIP on warm liquids (chicken broth for SOME protein).  Hang in there!

Stan, got your PM! :)  Let me get this straight first, did your doc say that the entire 3cc leaked off?  If so I'm assuming that you should only have 6cc in your band.  Secondly, what band do you have?  If you have a VG band or larger 6cc should be just fine as a new first fill (for you it was 3cc lost and then refilled with 6cc). Dr. Schweitzer and many others give this as a first fill.  I'm wondering if you really have some of that first initial 3cc fill left in there on top of the 6cc making you tighter than you need to be right now.  How much are you eating at each meal?  There could be a few things happening here. 

Are you taking tiny bites and chewing well?
Are you eating slowly? (you should take 20 minutes to eat a bandster size meal)
Are you eating more than 1.5 cups of food at a time?
How far apart are you having meals/snacks?

If you are doing the above correctly, you should be fine and then the only thing it could be is you are too tight and your doc should remove a 1/2 c****il you lose more weight and are ready for an adjustment.  We should almost NEVER need to vomit.  It can cause a slip if it happens too often.  We all need to vomit every now and then if something gets stuck, but that is the only reason. 

Heather,

I love the new Avatar you look wonderful!!!  Hope all is well with that baby girl you have in the oven...lol

Stephanie

Hey, thanks Steph!  The baby (Lacie) is doing well!  I'm still waiting to FEEL pregnant other than my aching back! lol

I do not have a band my my daughter did with your same doctor.  If you continue to throw up you are to tight let the Doc know, throwing up caused my daughter to have to have hers removed  Try this little trick about an hour to hour and a half before you eat sip some hot tea.  You should go to the Lapband board here they have some great support over there!

Best Wishes!!

Stephanie

Stan,

Following up on Steph's post, yes, you can drink hot liquids to loosen the band before eating, but if you are truly too tight, you should have a tiny unfill of about 1/2 cc.  Alternately, if you drink or eat something very cold it will make it tighter!  So if you are having cold stuff (like waterloading with ice water) and then having this trouble, that could be the issue.