Tally23

Ok so I am tyring with one hand pls forgive mistakes I had hand surgery two days ago. I was banded Aug 10 2010. Between that day and today I have had mutliple fills and unfills. Mostly steming from a tight/finicky band. I dont think I have ever vomitted so much in my entire life as I have in the past two years. Painful hiccups, unable to eat with a bra on sometimes. Varring band tightness throughout the day. I current have 4 cc in my band but I have been as high as 6 cc. Originally lost 50lbs but in the last few months have gained half back. My surgeon is pretty much degrading when I go in and have a weight gain. Very non-supportive. During my last visit I broke down and was horrified that I cant work with this stupid band. He suggested we give it a few more weeks... no more then 3 meals a day (DUH) low calorie liquids ( DUH).. tell this to someone who vomits most of the day. Bythe time I get home I feel so weak and horrible I eat bad foods. Anywhoo he said we may need to look at either taking the band out or do a bypass or sleeve. He states he has MANY patientas who just can not work with the band or it doesnt work with them. I need to do something becaue this vomiting and weight fluckuating is very depressing. I am very scared about the bypass although I know many ppl including my mother who has had it done with sucess. Barium swallows show good placement but bad acid reflux despite being on nexium forever. I have not had a upper GI for a year now. I see my GI doc today. Also the thing that scares me when I go to eat a solid food say meat or even a veggie. I can feel it hit my band and my heart starts to beat so hard and fast. I have acutally almost passed out a few times. I get this 75% of the time I eat. Now this can't be good on my heart... Ive told my surgery on more then one occasions but he has brushed it off failing to note in in my medical records. I need some opinions... support.... guidence...someone who understands....

Is it possible that a MD would miss a band slippage on a barrium swallow? Acid reflux was seen on my barium swallow but my MD didnt seemed to concerned. I was changed from taking nexium once a day to twice a day and I am still having bad reflux. I admit that when I have issues I tend to go for liquid foods ( ie: ice cream) and even today I had issues with ice cream. I have a constant burn right where my band is. So irritated and upset about this. Any suggestions?

Thanks for all the replies. I still have some problems. Most of all it is really bad acid reflux. I see my physician next week. I have not gained nor lost any weight. Also I am not on a temporary med for anxiety. I really do not think it is psychological. I have no idea. Im fustrated. I think if things would be normal more often and I didnt have such issues then maybe things would be good but I go from one extreme to the other. Being able to eat one meal to not being able to eat the other meal later on in the day.

Hi Everyone! Sorry I have not written in awhile I have had an EXTREMLY rough year. In may I was hospitalized with stomach pain and vomiting. Thinking it was my pancreas again but it was my gallbladder. I slept a week in the hospital and then had gallbladder surgery. Then in August I had a total thyroidectomy for possible cancer and other problems with the gland. Thankfully it was benign but now I am taking pills for the rest of my life. Then... as if it can not get any more worse I had a very bad horse riding accident. I had two pelvic fractures, a left ring finger fracture and a grade 3 concussion. I had my helmet on which saved my life. I almost lost my job because I was off work so much. I had stopped eating after my accident which was likely due to my thyroid levels being wacky and I admit I was VERY depressed... In august I celebrated my one year bandiversary. By then I had lost close to 50 pounds. Now with the holidays done and over with I have been very stressed and depressed. Struggling financially- afraid of loosing my job- no support...etc... I am back up to 214 ( previously I was down to 198). I have been having a very hard time with my band the last few months. I should be happy because I also got engaged and I am planning my wedding for Sept. this year... One day I can eat ANYTHING and I mean ANYTHING and the next day I’m barfing my guts out. The holidays were very rough for me because I couldn’t eat like everyone else... I was very upset... I celebrated my 26th birthday on 1/8 and I am still very unhappy. Between lots of nausea and vomiting- today I am have very sharp pain where my band is... I couldn’t even eat eggs this AM well I did but then the toilet got the Breakfast... Sometimes the vomiting can get so bad that I dehydrate myself and end up passing out...I really really do not want an unfill so I have avoided the doctors. I am concerned I may have done more like dilated my pouch or my band slipped... The last few weeks im questioning why I even got the band...I have been very sad and felt alone. So I am reaching out to you all for some support, information or just some positive feedback... I feel so lost right now...

Amanda- I am right there with you. I was banded Aug 10th 2010 and I have been following you on here since then. I have vomitted before and swelled my band shut so much that I couldnt even swallow my own spit. I had to spit into a cup until I eventually passed out and slept it off. I went in for an unfill the next day but I have been there. I just had a .5cc fill on monday and my pills are giving me trouble. I have been throwing up a good part of the day. My throat BURNS. It is going away but I have been unable to drink or eat anything since this A.M due to the burning. Even my spit burns but I can still swallow that. I keep thinking- why did I do this. What is better being fat for the rest of my life or throwing up multiple times a week. It is such a struggle and I am struggling with it too.. Hang in there.The urine is likely due to you being dehydrated. If you can get anything in even Water then good. The ER isnt going to do anything for you- They wouldnt for me. Best to wait for your doc on Tuesday. Have a unfill ( Not all of it) and let your stomach swelling go down. Good luck hun! Hang in there!

So I was banded back in Aug 2010. I had pancreatitis in the past- Nov 2010. I had a CT scan done recently and I guess the band was ok according to that but they found multiple inflammed lymph nodes around my pancrease, mild diverticulosis and a 4mm left kidney stone. I have been having nausea- which is something Ive always had but it is worse. I am also having lightheadedness when I eat. It only lasts a few seconds but it is when the food hits the band. I am not sure what it going on but it has me scared. I have 5cc in my band and have thrown up a few times since then. My band gets tighter during stress, menstral cycles or when Im upset and I havent gotten use to that which is where the throwing up comes from I guess.... Any thoughts or has anyone had this experience??

Ok so I have big boobs to put it simple. I have been looking for a good sports bra for when I go to the gym. Any recommendations???

So from time to time I come across a product that as a post-op lap band patient I can not imagine living without. Anything from a new food, book or appliance... Please share about the things you have found helped you with your journey!!!!! Here are a few things that I love!!! -Blender bottle.... great invention! Helps to blend drinks when you do not have time to use a blender.. -Bariatric eating.com - great source for Vitamins, protiens, foods etc!

Ok so I had my fill at the surgeons office on Wednesday... He put 1cc in my band bringing the total back up to 5cc... Last time I had 5cc I swelled my band shut a week after due to vomiting...Anyway I take pills at night. Requip for restless leg, Ambien for sleep, and zoloft for depression/anxiety. On the night of my fill I took those pills at once just like I had done the weeks before. Never had a problem...that night I got severe burning right above my band into my esophagus. So last night I took each pill 15-20 minutes apart... same thing happened. So tonight I split the pill and took each half 30 minutes apart with plenty to drink. I still have the burning feeling but not as bad.. I did not take any of my other pills yet tonight... The zoloft is a un-coated 100mg pill.. Really isnt any bigger then the capsule of Nexium I take in the A.M..... I assume that it is the zoloft since I have narrowed it down. Anyone else have this problem. THis is not a side effect of the med according to the websites... I am not sure if my band it to tight since I am fine taking the other meds or maybe I just can not take the zoloft.... thoughts?

Good news!! I tried the zoloft this A.M. and everything went well. So I will take the pill in the AM from now on...Thanks for all your input

I thought about putting it in some applesauce... It just hurts- the burning... unlike any acid reflux I have ever had... So I am scared..LOL... But its worth a try- this pill keeps me sane.. I would hate to loose it if it works..

Ok so I am very interested in this..I am a creature of habit... All my life eating at the kitchen table was obsolete except during a holiday dinner. Dinner was made and us kids would get what we wanted and go to our room. Go back and get seconds if we wanted but always went back to our room and ate by ourselves...Could my childhood habits be sabotaging me???? Since moving on my own its the same way but instead we sit infront of the tv and eat dinner- its just my b/f and I.... I think when I sit infront of the tv I tend to loose track of what I am eating and tend to over-eat or graze. Maybe the couch is the wrong place to eat....maybe its my enemy.... Maybe sitting at the kitchen table would help this... You get your plate- sit and eat what you have and thats it...Get up and walk away... could it really be that simple??? Thoughts/ Opinions

OMG... great post... you are so right.

I too have the issue with eating fast... and I really think it may be because of where I eat.

Totally agree- Great post!!! Same thought has crossed my mind..

Ok so band date was 8/10/2010. I did ok the first few months- lost 1-4 pounds every 4 weeks... Now I am just about 6 months out and I can not seem to loose weight. I keep fluctuating up and down 2-3 pounds but I am still up from my last fill. I am going in for another fill on Wednesday. Physically I am really not hungry most of the time. I find myself grazing and just eating to eat...Which is likely the cause of my gain. I just recently got a gym membership...no weight loss there... I do feel like I am loosing inches but no pounds. I ordered a food journal that should be here later on in the week so I can keep track of what I am eating... hopfully seeing this will help me with my eating habits..I am fustrated and there are days where I totally give up and then other days I am like using the band like it should be...since the operation I have only lost 25 pounds. I feel like it should be more... Anyway-- I am just looking for any advice... what you eat, how much do you exercise- how often, how do you deal with the mental aspect of eating.... just anything...I feel like I have failed...

Im ready to scream about this. I am eating right and I can eat small portions but I find myself ALWAYS drinking during meals and I know this is messing me up with my weight loss. I have been struggling with dysphagia for years and usually need a drink to get food down. Now I am not suppose to drink at all during meals and stop by a certain time before and after.... its driving me nuts.. I don't know what to do...

I could not find it online either..

What is the recipe book your doc gave you? Protien powder its really hard for me to take down so I have been looking recipes to substitute this.. these sound great and give you just as much usually as 1 scoup of protien powder.

Ok so I had surgery Aug 10th and a fill of 1cc last monday. I have a total of 5cc in. Today when I came home from work I ate a small piece of microwaved chicken and since then I have thrown up 8 times. Now it is mostly spit. Spoke with surgeon and he said " I wish you woulda called me a hour ago when I was in the office".... he said to hang in there tonight and sip water. I can go into the office tomorrow for an unfill... The problem is... im not sure I can stay up 14 hours till I can get in...... advice? Any idea what I can do to calm things down...

Just and update: By morning I was finally able to sip a little. I went in for a 2cc unfill and was able to drink without problem after that. The surgeon said we will do smaller fills this time around. But I feel much better.

Just threw up tea and water...... 9th episode in 2 hours

Ok so I have noticed since my band has been put in a lack of being able to control burps or sounds coming up from my stomach if they make it through the band. I hick-up a lot I guess thats a burp that can’t make it back up. But lately I will just be talking and *buuurrrppp*…. Wtf….then I am totally embarrassed because I couldn’t control it. And I am in the medical field and talking to patients a lot. Anyone else experience this? Please tell me I’m not alone…lol

I usually appologize and say excuse me...lol.. there is really nothing else I can do besides sitting there and explaining my lap band to them..which really wouldnt be professional... I had a really sensitive gag reflex... I really have not tried it out lately so I do not know if it is better or worse. There are days when I have the feeling like I need to burp and nothing comes out. It is more like a painful hiccup. I guess the band stops things from coming back? I think some days my band is not at tight and things so go as they please. Mornings and during stressful situations my band seems to get tight. Any other time during the day its loose.

I had my 3rd fill on Monday- Nothing missing. He added 1cc for a total of 4cc