Can someone explain what is going on with me?

davids2008 · 10-03-2008, 10:25 AM

Hello. I was banded on 9/9/08. During the soup phase, I had some textury cream of potato soup and could only go through half the bowl because I felt restriction. After the liquid phase (about 4 days ago), I could only eat a few bites of spinach and felt full. Now it seems all restriction is gone. The last day or two I dont feel hungry and was nervous that I somehow slipped the band since I may have eaten too quickly, didnt eat the proper foods, or drank while eating a few times.

I thought that maybe my band slipped, but I have never vomited or had any other side effect besides the fact that I dont feel full anymore. I also dont feel that hungry still. So I was wondering if this is just because I have not had a fill yet or if my sensation of feeling full from before was really due to the swelling.

I was planning on getting my first fill on 11/5 at a place that does not do fluro. Should I be concerned and find a place that does fluoro (closest place with fluro is a 3.5 hr drive from me) to confirm if the band is still in place?

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

losingjusme · 10-03-2008, 10:46 AM

hi, welcome to LBT and congrats on being banded.

the first couple weeks your stomach was probably still quite swollen from the 'trauma' it experienced during surgery and that swelling is now going down so it will take more to feel satisfied.

as to whether you should fill under fluoro or not, that's a personal decision... i've done both and really dont prefer one over the other... just know that it will more than likely take 2-3 (or more) fills for you to feel your proper restriction.

best of luck to you!

flowers · 10-03-2008, 11:43 AM

Hi, I never felt restricted after my surgery, as the previous poster said, some seem to have more swelling than others after the surgery.

Iv now had 2 fills and barely now have a little restriction, had none at all after my first fill. She only did 1.8 cc in a 10 cc band, dont ask me why. She either does 3.0 cc or 1.8 cc.

I did pick someone for fills that does the whole fluoro and barium and she does the fill while looking at it on the scope.

You will read some posts from folks who didnt do this who were poked and poked trying to find the port by nurse's not even the doctor did them. The danger here is some doctors who do fills have a bad rep with the surgeons because they have poked holes in ports and the tubing so the surgeon had to go back in and replace something. I dont want to risk that, so for me it was worth having the fill done under fluor. I dont have insurance and dont want to pay to be opened up again and dont want another surgery, however minor it is to fix the problem.

The other reason to use fluor is you wouldnt be overfilled. Most want to be really really tight, but if you are under fluor the doctor can watch the barium flow into your stomach thru the neck of the stomach. She tried to give me the standard 3 cc's and the barium wouldnt flow into my stomach. There is a thread i just read someone was overfilled like this and caused her pouch to stretch, you dont want that either.

I wish I was tighter, but Im told it will come in time, just be patient. I do think its worth the extra $100 or whatever you have to pay in your case. Someone in the waiting room last Sat when I was getting my fill said, she would never now do it without fluoro, she knows a lady whose tube got poked who now has problems. Its just safer under fluoro. Like buying insurance, you might never need insurance, but if you need it, its good that you had it.

meschultz · 10-03-2008, 11:45 AM

It sounds to me that your stomach is no longer swollen and you are left with little or no restriction.this is the hard part.. Now you need to maintain eating and drink as if you had a fill.. I would prob check with dr to see if you could get a fill sooner and also to make sure the band was still in place.. Good Luck

serenityyyy · 10-03-2008, 12:42 PM

im in same boat my swelling has gone and i have 3 weeks till my first fill i cant stick to well to the restriction sized portions so iv learnt to eat till im full then stop i know if iv had to much and have only done that once

davids2008 · 10-03-2008, 04:27 PM

Thanks for all the responses. I appreciate it. I think you guys are right. When I felt "full" last time I think it was a response to the swelling as it definitely wasn't the feeling of full that Ive been used to. Now that the swelling has subsided, I dont really feel much restriction anymore and Im guessing that means Im ready for a fill, albeit a few weeks premature. Luckily I still am not getting too hungry so hopefully I can keep up with the small portion sizes so I dont get all the weight back that Ive lost already.

Cheers.