Is this normal??

[Red]

Hi guys,

Well, I'm doing well in terms of losing weight. I have lost 16 pounds and getting rid of all my size 16s and even some 14s. I know that my weightloss will be slow, but that is ok.

I wanted some feedback though on what I am physically feeling. I had my second fill on the 7th, 5 days ago, by Dr. So. He was very careful and took his time determining how much fill to give me. I ended up with 3ccs plus the 4ccs from my first fill...7ccs total now. The first solid meal I ate a couple of days after getting the 2nd fill got stuck. OMG. Didn't like that at all. Nothing came back up, but I slimed and had a lot of pain in my chest. Even water hurt going down. Now, 5 days later, I still have discomfort at times with water. I can take a sip and I'll start gurgling and burping (sorry about the TMI, but I need to describe what is happening). Matter of fact, since the 2nd fill, I burp all the time. Anyway, I can now eat dinner if I go very slowly, but seems like anything I put in my mouth before evening, well, hurts!

Can anybody relate to what I'm describing? Am I just adjusting to the second fill and is this what "restriction" fills like? Or should I be considering having a little unfill? I wanted to give it some more time to see if I loosen up a little, but at the same time, I don't want to get dehydrated or malnurished. I did manage to drink about 30 oz of water yesterday afternoon without discomfort. But I tried to eat something this morning and ouch, wasn't worth it. Thoughts?

[Red]

Anyone have any feedback out there? :-h

Thanks, Red

[magkai1]

I don't have any feedback as I haven't even gotten my first fill but I very much look forward to what the experienced people on this board say.

[dawns]

Red,

You should not be having pain with liquids. I would call the OCC docs and tell them everything you described on your post and see what they say. If you are having pain you could be swollen and each time you try to add anything to it, it could be making it worse. Keep us updated on what you find.

dawn

[navygirl]

I've always been able to keep liquids down after a fill. I don't think this is normal. Keep us updated!

[Holly]

that happened to me one time and I went back and had some taken out. I would call.

[Lindsay]

Hm. 'normal', i wouldn't say so ...

I'm not sure why you'd be swollen after a 2nd fill.

It sounds like you're too tight.

If swallowing liquids is an issue, it sounds like you have too much restriction.

[Red]

Yep, couldn't take it anymore and called and Dr. So had me come back the next day and took out .5ccs. He said everything looked good. He put me on liquids for 2 days and today I could go back to solids. I can drink without pain now. I tried cottage cheese, but after about the third bite, I started feeling pain so I just stopped. I'll give it the weekend and attempt more solids and see how they go down. He said I did good by coming in right away because being too tight can lead to problems. I feel much better...thanks everyone! Lost somemore weight and am now at 169. Yew Hew!

[karingwiz]

Hi Red

I hope you are feeling better and able to eat and drink now, keeping it down without sliming or burping.

I am eating everything, just really small amounts compared to when there was only 4ccs in the band. The trouble is that this is wierd, or something we have to get used to. I find after 3-4 bites and chewing each one real well, I can feel the tightness coming, so if I have only one more bite, it becomes really painful. 1 extra bite is the difference between having too much and having just enough. So now I know how much I can eat, I have to REALLY pay attention, and at the first sign of tightness, stop. This is not at all like before.

Then after 5-10 mins the tightness goes away, all gone, ok its normal now. So its time to have some more food. But this takes so long. I am an impatient person so this is a totally new way of eating. Pecking really. I can see how I wont be spending much at the grocery store any more. Today I made a pizza for my son, with onion, pepperoni, ham, cheese and fresh dough. I ate a SMALL slice but it took me 30 mins or so. In the old days (last week at 4ccs), I would have had 3-4 slices just because I could not help myself.

Anyway, take care.

Karin G

[Smiley]

I gurgle like the kitchen sink when I have good restriction. Some people are very tight in the morning and have to stick to a protein shake in the morning. Others can drink coffee or hot tea and get their band to loosen up enough that they can then eat some solid food. Cold foods such as cottage cheese can cause the band to restrict a little bit so that might be part of the problem.

Having 7 cc's after your 2nd fill seems mighty aggressive to me. I didn't get up to 7 cc's until my 8th or 9th fill. I was banded in the states but my doctor wasn't milking me for any money with this many fills, as many on this site seem to assume. I had a follow up appointment monthly, usually with a fill, for the first year after my surgery at no additional cost.