Janette T

I recently had a fill and feel like I'm finally in the green zone, but I have this constant creepy crawly thing going on with my esophagus. I'm not "stuck", because I can get food down, but it feels like there's just a little something that always stays behind and moves up and down my throat. After awhile, it makes me nauseous. I've read about PBing, but don't know if you can do it on purpose.... can you? It is SOOO annoying. The food feels like it's stuck in my upper esophagus most of the time. I can't tell if it's been the same piece of food the whole time, or if the problem keeps happening. I THINK I'm chewing my food well..... but maybe not. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

I did! I know this is dangerous, but I even tried to drink a bunch of water real quick and gag myself so the water would come up and wash it out. But the water went all the way into my stomach, and my stomach was unable to force the water back out past my band - which scares the bajeebas out of me if I were to ever really need to throw up. I have hacked, wretched, and coughed to no avail. :/ Thanks for the tip though!

Well, I've made it 1.5 weeks with my band, and I'M IN LOVE WITH IT !!! It's everything I was hoping it would be. I would like to talk about my first couple of days though, in case someone is in my shoes and can find hope in it. I kept hearing that you could "have your surgery on Friday, and go back to work on Monday". Well I was skeptical, so I took Tuesday and Wednesday off as well. Friday after my surgery, I was numbed up pretty well, but then came SATURDAY. I got a little cocky and tried to eat jello, then go outside to do my walking that I was encouraged to do. I felt like I had to burp, but couldn't, and it hurt so bad. Then came the nausea. I kept thinking, "No, no, no, no, no, I cannot throw up!!", but I did... and boy did I. Dry heaves, and it wouldn't stop. I was terrified I was messing my band up. I took my medication for nausea and it knocked me out for the entire day. Then came the gas the next day. Excruciating pain!!! It wasnt the surgical gas. It was the GI kind of gas, and it wouldnt move up or down. I have to admit, I had a few thoughts of, "Crap! What have I gotten myself into?". If anyone else is there right now, behold.... IT PASSES (and I mean that more ways than one) hahahaha. Come Monday morning, and some GasX, I was a new person!!! I had no desire to eat and felt like I could conquer the world. Now 1.5 weeks out, I have lost 16 pounds (counting my 1 week preop diet), and I can't believe I'm not hungry!!!! I am so excited about the future!!! Here's a good tip.... buy a pretty little appetizer plate (4 or 5 inches) and a good oyster fork to eat with. It's just so cute, and it makes it exciting to eat when I look at the new tiny portions, not depressed like you would think. Yes, I miss my old friend FOOD, but the future looks bright!! I'll get over it!!

Yes, the painful burping (or lack of ability to burp) was something I went through too! I'm 2 weeks out now, and it's a lot better. I still do it sometimes, but it doesn't hurt like it used to. Trust me, everything you're experiencing now isn't permanent. I was so scared that the painful burping and gas pain was something I was stuck with for good, but it's only the recovery phase. I still have the painful burping thing, but it is very few and far between. I think everything is still just settling in.

Great tip about the silverware at Kroger!!!!! Thanks!!! And I'm so glad my post was helpful to you. CMJanssen - hang in there! This sounds silly, but every time I look at how someone else is eating, or I see something sweet at the grocery store that I would have normally binged on, I simply tell myself over and over, "THAT WAS THEN, AND THIS IS NOW". Somehow it really works.

Averym - from what I understand from my surgeon is, after a fill, your stomach will have some swelling due to the added pressure. The clear liquids is to give it a chance for the swelling to go down and not to further irritate it for awhile.

Hi HelloGoodbye! I tried to heat tomato soup first (first non-clear liquid), and that's when I first felt the gas!!! I then changed to Adkin protein shakes for a couple of days. I've heard others say the GasX strips are good, so I tried that, but it didn't help. I then tried the GasX chewable and it worked wonders. It was the same dose, so I'm not sure why. I may have not been the medicine, but just simply the time that had passed. I'm not sure, but I can say that day #3 was a HUGE improvement in the way I felt all around. You should be fine if you go back on the 28th... unless you have a very physical job. The larger incision for the port will be painful for awhile. I'm now 2 weeks out, and it hurts if I lean forward.... like my fat belly is pinching it or something. I hope you're as excited as I am about what's to come!!!! GOOD LUCK and stay in touch!!