Question:
3 months post-op lap band and I can't figure it out!!!

I had my last fill 3 weeks ago. The first week went well. I was able to eat tiny portions 3 times a day. Then the second week I started having trouble. Most of the time I was only able to eat a couple of bites and then it would start coming up. Then sometimes it seemed I could eat as much as I wanted. At first I thought it had to do with the heat and water retention swelling my stoma shut, then I thought it was constipation, then I thought it was the way I was sitting when I ate, then I thought it was not chewing well, eating too big of bites, medicine getting stuck, whatever...but none of those theories checks out...there's no common denominator. The good news is I'm losing weight big time! Any idea why this is happening...sometimes all three meals a day?    — Karen T. (posted on July 13, 2009)

July 13, 2009
Hello Karen, I am Gayla, have had my band for 23 months, and have lost 107 pounds. I have had 3 fills and my band is 60 percent filled. I notice these things: I have a lot of "foam" early in the day or if I'm not well hydrated-so drink lots of liquid, preferably water. I can eat more later in the day. I have to stand up to take vitamins-I am now on "real" vitamins and not the liquid or chewable types. Even after 23 months-I can't always count on everything to be the same. Some days I can eat chicken with no problem and some days I cannot. Sometimes I feel yucky when I take vitamins and sometimes I do not. Sometimes after I fill, it would take 2-3 days for me to adjust. I would "foam" more or some foods just wouldn't agree with me. Constipation makes me throw up. #1-call your doctor if you aren't getting good nutrition. It's wonderful to be losing weight so quickly, but you have to be good to your band and throwing up isn't good. Enjoy the ride, but establish good habits. Have fun! Gayla
   — gouldsfiya

July 13, 2009
How big is your band, and how much fill did you get? It's possible that the fill was too large. Any post-fill swelling should have subsided by 3 weeks afterwards. So my guess is that you are overfilled. Losing the weight is great, I know, but you want to do it sensibly and make sure you are getting plenty of the right nutrients down and keeping them down. Call your doc and see what he says. HTH, Trish
   — dragonflier

July 13, 2009
I'm not sure how big my band is or how big my fill was. She may have told me but numbers don't tend to stick in my brain...and I wouldn't know a CC from a hole in the head. I just thought it was strange that the week after the fill I was eating fine. I have an appointment for another fill this Friday. I was thinking about canceling it to save the $25 co-pay but maybe I will go in and discuss it with her.
   — Karen T.

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