LisaBen

Anyone know a Fill doctor in Georgia that takes Mexican banded patients? Thanks!

Hello, I'm also scheduled on Dec 7th to be re-banded. Can't wait!

With me rice ALWAYS gets stuck so does bread. I can usually eat chicken in soups but protein any other way usually gets stuck. I pretty much live on soups, salads and protein shakes and i have NO FILL! I also notice if i eat too late, like right before bed, the next morning I can't even get coffee down. But if I stop eating at least 3 hours before bed, I have no problems the next day.

I have had my band over a year and it has tightened so many times that now I swell just if one thing gets stuck. That's why I have no fill. Plus I am at my goal. The and is not easy by any means. But, I have lost 120 lbs and have maintained it without a fill. Its the best thing I ever did for myself! You wont regret it!

Thanks! Well actually I was able to drink 2 cups of coffee this morning and two huge cups of water. Now I am drinking a protein shake so I guess it's already loosening. I am sticking to all liquids for a few days and chugging childrens liquid advil (anti-inflamatory) every few hours to help with the swelling. I didn't think this could happen without a fill but apparently it can. I weighed 128 this morning!! CRAZY I'm sure I will get back to the 130's though now that I am drinking again. It was scary! No more eating foods that can potentially get stuck!

Lisa B

I had a complete unfill last month because my band tightened and I am at my goal weight. Well the last few days I have not been able to eat or drink and I have NO FILL!! So now what? I can't go in for an unfill since I have no fill! I know my band hasn't slipped cause I had a floruscopy not too long ago. I did have something get stuck a few days ago and I am guessing when I threw it up, I cause swelling. So what do I do now?? HELP!

Lisa B

Oh my! I totally have the same problem and it has been very frustrating and a long and slow process. I get a fill and do great with it for about 5 months and then all of a sudden something happens and I can't even keep water down and one time I was throwing up blood and then had to get a complete unfill and slowly work back up. It is crazy! I too have plenty of restriction without fluid in my band. It is weird! I have 2.4 ccs in my band right now and have not had a fill since March and am struggling right now to drink or eat very much. I keep debating whether to get an unfill or not. I hate spending $265 each time at Fill Centers. I have been stuck at a loss of 52 lbs for months and months and finally recently hit a 61 lb loss. I love my band! It is the greatest thing I ever did for myself. I am thrilled to look in the mirror and actually smile at myself. I can imagine how happy you must be losing 120 lbs despite the crazy finnicky band. Wow! You got called "tiny." That is totally amazing!!! You rock! Thanks for sharing your story, it gives me hope. I still have 20 or so lbs to lose and there is hope. Have a great day!

Natalie

Thank you! I was also at 2.4 and had to have a complete unfill. I have no fill now and STILL have not been able to hardly eat or drink today!! I don't get it. My band is fine. It was looked at under flouro a month ago and it looked perfect. I just swell so easily. I hate spending the money on unfills as well. Luckily, I have a paramedic friend who does the unfills. The Fill Center nurse told him how one time cause i needed an emergancy unfill and she couldn't do it for a week so she had no choice but to tell him how. I'm not sure if I will ever get another fill since I can hardly eat without any fill. I think it has to do with losing so much weight..not sure.

Good luck on the last 20lbs!! That's the hardest!!

Lisa B

CONGRATULATIONS ON HITTING YOUR GOAL

THE GALS THAT DO MY FILLS SAY THEY SEE IT ALL THE TIME, PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSE TO THEIR GOAL WEIGHT NEED UNFILLS WHICH IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU'D THINK

HAPPENED TO ME ALSO

really?? I was thinking it's because our bodies have changed so much that maybe our stomachs can't handle fills anymore. I know I still have restriction without a fill. Hopefully I will never need a fill again because when it tightens its horrible! I love being able to drink freely! I chug water all day like crazy, only because I can again LOL

Hey Lisa - did you have a TT and could the swelling be in any way related to that?

Congrats on your weight loss! You are awesome!

Thanks! No, no tummy tuck YET LOL..i am having everything lifted and tucked next July. saving up for it!

Lisa,

Eeekk... I just realized I miss wrote that it has happened to me, actually I meant to say it hasn't.

Hugs,

Kristi

LOL..I knew what you meant

LisaBen,

I have been reading on this forum since March 2008 and the swelling and needing to have some fill removed seem pretty common. I think their is a fine line between "sweet spot" restrictiona and being too tight. I also think that the "too tight" fill is the one that works the best for rapid weight loss. And, many lapband patients are looking for quick results and are willing to tolerate the tight restriction required for rapid weight loss. The only thing is, that tight restriction can cause the swelling and the need for unfills. And, if you go back in for another fill without letting all of the swelling go down, you end up right back in the same situation but patients want their fill back because they gain weight without it or stop losing (like me). It is a vicious cycle. You can end up slipping your band from being too tight for too long.

Congrats on losing 120 pounds. That is great! Good for you for being able to maintain your weight without a fill. Hopefully, the longer you can go without a fill, the more the swelling will go down so that if you ever need a fill, you will okay. Good luck.

Thank you! I did wait 2 months before getting my fill put back in. I had her only put in 1 cc and within hours liquid wouldn't go down. It's the strangest thing. So now I am back to a complete unfill again. I do still continue to eat like I have a fill. I stick to the same diet.

Hopefully I will never need a fill again but I guess you never know.

OH here's a great story!! I eat Progresso light soup every day for lunch. Well Walmart had them really cheap so I stocked up on them. The Walmart cashier asked me "is this some kind of diet" and I said it was. And she responded with "but you're tiny"!!!! OMG I have never ever been called tiny in my life!! hahahaha It felt GREAT!!

Lisa,

Well, that has happened to me, but I wanted to send :lb10: on losing 120 pounds...

That is such a wonderful accomplishment...

Kristi

Thank you!

Hello everyone,

I was banding a year ago and since then have had about 4 unfills! My band keep swelling so I have to get an unfill..then when i get it filled again, it swells the next day! I can't seem to handle a fill anymore! The good news is that I am at my goal. I have lost 120 lbs and kept it off without a fill, so far LOL. I'm just scared that if i do need a fill someday, I wont be able to get one.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Lisa B.

Thanks for your responses everyone! Well, I have a complete unfill at the moment because my band tightened. My problem is also my will power,but I have been maintaining. I can't get a fill for at least a month anyway,because it's still swollen. I guess I will wait and see. If the scale starts moving in the wrong direction, I guess it will be time for a fill LOL. I am hoping to use self control though. I also plan on getting a tummy tuck and all the works done next year. I know I will need an unfill then as well.

Oh on a side note, My husband is from Ecuador. We contacted plastic surgeons there and for a tummy tuck, breast lift, leg lift and arm lift its $5,000 total!!! More than half the price of Mexico and my husband has family there. I have to wait until next July though. That's the only time my husband can go and I can get my Mom to watch our kids. I can't wait!

I had my surgery Oct 8, 2008. I had to get a complete unfill because my band tightened where I couldn't get even water down. I am at my goal weight now. Do I try to go at it without a fill?? I'm kinda nervous but so far I have been maintaining. I just can't deal with a tightened band anymore!

All of you out there who have reached their goal, did you keep your fill in?

Thanks,

Lisa B.

I've been doing power walks for 30 minutes every morning this week so far and have found my band is really tight all day after. I can drink liquids with no problems but it's tight with food. Has this happened to anyone else?

I'm on facebook as well...Lisa Foss Benalcazar

You know, I have lost 80 lbs and still can't feel my port!! LOL..Dr Ortiz must have done a good job when he attached it. I don't know if the port moves, I think its attached to the abdominal wall..i have heard stories of it flipping though. just my 2 cents :-)

Thanks for the replies everyone! Yes, I have had 2 fills at The Fill Center USA here in Georgia. They have been great. In only 2 fills they filled me up to 3.4 cc's! Of course it turns out that was way too much LOL. Now the nurse is meeting me where she lives to take a little fill out. They seem to really work with you, although they are very expensive. It cost me 285 dollars just for the unfill.

I had my surgery at OCC but never had a fill there. Its too far and expensive for me to fly there from Georgia.

Well, March 3 will be 5 months since my surgery. I have lost 80 lbs since then! I am very happy about that..But, I have posted before that since my second fill, i have hardly been able to eat or drink anything. Some days are fine and i can eat and drink but then my band will tighten and I can't even get water down. It has been two months since my last fill and its been rough. I have lost 50lbs in the last two months alone. I finally had enough of throwing up and not being able to drink even water that I broke down and called the fill center. The nurse will not be up in my area for 2 more weeks. She was so concerned that she scheduled me to drive the 4 hours to where she lives so she can take some fill out. I am meeting her at a hospital and she is doing it under fluoroscopy. I am nervous my band may have slipped because of all my throwing up. But i don't have any of the slippage signs and its always PB..i always throw up whats above the band, never below.

Anyway, I am nervous and just thought i would post. I am very happy with my 80lb weightloss and love my band,but hate the throwing up part. I would still do it all over again though :-)

I have found when something gets stuck if I take a few sips of water and wait about a minute, the stuck food comes right up. All i do is lean over the toilet without straining and there it comes LOL. It works for me at least

I also use the Fill Center in Roswell. Darlene is great! I got 2.4 cc's my first fill and 1 cc my second fill. She's the only nurse there and her son does the fluoro. I didn't feel any pain with her, just a little uncomfort. Definitely use them, they are great!

Thanks for the advice everyone. I do know my fill is too tight and I do know i should get some taken out but I like the restriction. And do not have the 300 dollars to go to the fill center. So for now, I am drinking protein shakes, protein shots and eating small amounts of solid food. I do eat eggs,turkey bacon, 100 calorie snack packs of everything.. etc..i'm not on total liquids. Somedays I can eat more than others,but i know that's normal. I am exercising everyday for at least 30 minutes..usually longer. And the saltine crackers were just in the morning and only 5 of them..but i am cutting them out today LOL. My fill is definitely loosening up so I am hoping to avoid an unfill. As for PBing, I don't even do that everyday. I had my surgery over 3 months ago and have lost 57 pounds since them. I am very happy about that and would like to keep my restriction.

Thanks everyone!!

Thank you for the advice. The only reason i eat them in the morning is to prevent feeling sick all day. Have you or anyone else tried Just the Cheese crackers?? They have only 1 carb and 5 grams of protein. I'm wondering if they go down ok.

Thanks!

I had to share this and wonder if anyone else has experienced this...

I got a very tight fill a month ago, 3.4 cc's in a 4cc band. I'm just now able to eat a tiny bit of solids. I have found that if I eat 5 saltine crackers (only 5 or I PB them up) I do not throw up the whole day and am able to eat more solids the rest of the day. They seem to prevent queasiness. I thought of it because I had to eat them every morning when i was pregnant because of morning sickness. Anyway, they are working and only 60 calories for 5 of them.

I also have PCO. I was diagnosed about 13 years ago. I was banded only 3 months ago but have lost almost 50 lbs since then. I think not being able to eat bread and most carbs helps a lot. I've only been able to lose weight with low carb diets over the years.

Lisa B