unfill or?

luzin susan · 03-14-2008, 08:24 PM

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

Chickie · 03-14-2008, 08:33 PM

If I were you I would see my surgeon ASAP.

Best of luck.

luzin susan · 03-14-2008, 08:39 PM

I cannot go to mexico but am seeing the nurse on Monday. wondering if others go through this. It has been going on since October so it isn't anything new and no pain at all! night time seems good!!! Thanks for the advice and i am assuming this does seem unusual for others from your response!

Susan

rharriet62 · 03-14-2008, 08:48 PM

That same sort of thing happened to me and it was due to inflammation at the band site (stomach swells). The more you slime and PB, the more it swells. If you are like me, it will eventually move to dinner time and you will be miserable all the time (eventually). I would get a slight unfill now so you don't have to get a complete unfill, like I had to do. I'd unfill a bit and let your stomach rest for about 3-4 weeks ... I had a complete unfill for 30 days ... see how your eating goes then. Good luck!

luzin susan · 03-14-2008, 08:54 PM

You did this too?????????? Oh my goodness I have actually found someome who understands the process I am going through. Ok, what do you consider a small unfill? I have a realize band 9cc and there is 4.8cc's in it, I was thinking on removing 1/2 to 1 cc do you think that is too much or ?

thanks so much

shortgal · 03-14-2008, 08:55 PM

I suggest a small unfill and see how it goes, if not better, a complete unfill might be needed for a while, so things calm down.

luzin susan · 03-14-2008, 09:03 PM

Thanks, I am fighting the unfill issue and now know I just have to do it before it gets so bad I have no choice. So this isn't NORMAL then right? I sometimes read people say that during the day it is normal and they can't eat until nighttime but that is not healthy for "me". So what is a "small" unfill? 1 cc, 1/2 cc ?? It is so costly, I would like to do it as close to right as possible and I know no one person can know that answer but it doesn't hurt to ask what might be helpful as far as unfilling it a bit!

Thanks for response

vamaillady · 03-14-2008, 09:08 PM

oh my god! this is the very same thing that i have going on now... had the surg. in july 07 have lost 60 lbs also and now in the last 7 weeks cant lose a pound..and feel too tight most time until dinner just like you! i lost consistantly until now and since my last fill 2 months ago this has been happening.. i too keep cups and ziplok bags and paper towels with me ... i want so bad to start losing again..we both are going thru the same problem and in the same time frame... keep me posted and i will keep u posted about what we can finally do to get to losing again and not feeling so tight..i dont feel like its too tight because just like u.. i can eat well sometimes and then it be too tight for even liquids at other times.. please email me at thedove2@yahoo.com so we can keep in tough and solve both our problems... thanks... vamaillady...Brenda

rharriet62 · 03-14-2008, 09:11 PM

I agree with shortgal. It IS normal to feel tighter in the morning and loosen up as the day goes on. HOWEVER, you should not be sliming and PBing so often. That just irritates the band even more. I'm not familiar with the larger band (I have a 4 cc band) but you might have to take out a full CC or more. Doesn't your doc/filler person have training in this to help you make that decision??? If not, I would take out a full CC and let my stomach rest...see how your eating goes, and go back for a .5 cc fill in 3 weeks IF I was doing well. THE WORST thing in the world is that irritated stomach! You will feel SO much better if you get some out!!!

shortgal · 03-14-2008, 09:13 PM

Does keeping cups and ziplock bags sound normal to you? It sounds like something an anorexic does. I don't consider that normal and I wouldn't want my life to be like that.

Constantly worried about PB'ing in front of people. Better to lose slow ( which is what we are supposed to do with the band) than lose the band because it slips from being too tight, right?

A small unfil will make you feel so much better. Many here on the forum, have been in the same position and as soon as they stop fighting the unfill and get one, they feel better.

shortgal · 03-14-2008, 09:24 PM

I would have 1/2 of whatever the last fill was. If it was 1 cc then I would remove half, if it was .5 cc then I would remove .25cc. a little can go a long way.

But you are the one that has to decide how much.

4RE4ME · 03-14-2008, 09:34 PM

I was banded in May 2007. Last fill was 12 weeks ago. I have 9cc in a 10cc band. About a week ago I started experiencing the same problem with the inability to eat anything most of the day. Even water is hard to get in. Not sure what to think although I do like the lack of calories. Going to contact Dr on Monday if it does not stop as this cant be good.

luzin susan · 03-14-2008, 09:41 PM

Yeah, I realize it can't be good too as I didn't lose the 60lbs doing this,,,,I lost it eating like a "normal healthy" person eats. I don't want to have to get so irritated that I have to get all of the fill out so I am going to take some out and see what happens. IF I can go back to the way I ate when I lost all that weight, I am good with that!

Good luck to you and let me know what your Dr. says too ok!

susan

shortgal · 03-14-2008, 09:47 PM

We see some success with weight loss and we can get so wrapped up in making goal within a certain time period, that we lose our common sense. We should expect the last 10 to 15 pounds to go slower, after all we weigh that much less!

Once you get within 10 pounds, it wouldn't seem unreasonable to lose maybe one to 2 pounds a month, but so what? At that point we should just be establishing good habits to keep the weight off.

Yes, go back to losing weight by eating "like a normal person" You've lost a lot of weight, you should be able to enjoy that. Not PB'ing in a cup all day!

Let us know how much you get taken out and how you feel after. I'm sure the info will help someone else on the forum!

luzin susan · 03-14-2008, 10:52 PM

thank you,,,,,I loved what you said,,,,,,,I haven't lost in 2 months and SO WHAT,,,If I lose the last 10lbs over a year it is better then what I did before-gained :) I don't need to be pbing in a cup all the time to have a nice figure,,,that is not what this is suppose to be about! You are so right and thank you for your words of wisdom and support!

Susan