Acadia

It's nothing you can stop, it's your body's natural process. You can help minimize it by keeping a glass of Water near by and drinking that before bed and when you get up. Our bodies make all sorts of noises, nothing to be embarrassed about.

Remember, when a man has a naked woman in front of him all he's thinking is, "Awesome! I have a naked woman in front of me!" Flaunt what you've done, if you're confident and you just go for it, all he'll be thinking is "THANK YOU!!!" ; )

Stick to fluids all weekend. Don't eat solid food. All of that dry heaving has caused swelling even if you can't tell. If you start dry heaving again - provide something for your stomach to bring up - Water. So that way your stomach is pushing against something and won't strain itself. Try to have things like popcicles and such with sugar in them so you can get calories and keep your sugar up. Soup (without chunks of anything), Jello, all the stuff you had right after surgery. If, at any point, you can't keep fluids down or can't keep your saliva down - get to the Dr.

My Dr. has me on Prilosec OTC for six months following surgery and I haven't had a single instance of reflux.

mnguest: A sweet spot (green zone) is generally considered being able to eat 1-1.5 c of food and be full for 4-5 hours. That food should include moderately solid Protein (moist chicken, tofu, etc.). If you can't eat those foods (soft solids) then you are too tight. ltfmsg: I wasn't able to get back to have an unfill due to billing issues, but I learned how my band worked in those two months and I ate for nourishment and not cravings. I didn't crave bad foods because I knew they wouldn't tide me over. If you're going in for your first fill ask for it to be done under fluoroscopy (that also allows them to check how everything is positioned) and ask to drink 1/2 c of Fluid - while the needle is still in - so you can make sure you can still keep it down. That way your Dr. or the practitioner can remove some if needed. And remember, a fill doesn't always activate immediately. It can take up to four weeks to get the full impact. So if you feel fine on the fill day, four weeks later you could be too tight. So make sure you can gulp that Water, not just sip it. For me it takes two weeks to get the full fill impact. And if you experience any moments of not being able to keep fluid down or saliva - get to the hospital. Not being able to keep fluid down is a worst case scenario and requires an unfill. Your ER may not do them though so talk to your Dr about the procedure to have an unfill if you get one on a Friday and have to go through the weekend. I was able to keep fluids down just fine, I just couldn't eat many solids and couldn't eat and drink at or near the same time (not necessarily a bad thing). Cocoabean: I absolutely noticed a difference in how I was losing weight during those two months. I lost, granted, but I know I was eating "bad" foods (Cheetos, Popcorn w butter - specifically for calories). I craved salads, fruits, and veggies but couldn't eat them. And my weight weight up when I had a day of eating "bad" food. The salt content, the fat content, it was horrible. Then on top of that, those foods led to several gall bladder attacks. I am a huge advocate of going in as soon as possible when there's a problem and now that I have my billing issues figured out I will not hesitate to go in immediately if I'm ever over filled again. Generally people will gain weight if they're too tight because all they eat are sliders (which are generally bad foods). I was no different. In those two months I also realised the difference between being physically full and being nutritionally full. The latter is always so much better. I was able to stop eating with food on my plate, without guilt. Though not a great experience I can say that being too full was a good experience for me overall because it really helped me learn how my band was working, what to look for when too tight, how to control my eating, and how to eat for nutrition and not for cravings. mominoc: It sounds like you need about a 0.5-1.0 cc unfill. You should be able to get down - and keep down - small bites of those foods. Not that you should eat them all the time, but if you can't keep those down - can you keep vegetables down like broccoli? More fibrous foods?

It would help to know the following: Are you keeping a food diary? Are you exercising? What are you doing? How often? How many calories are you eating? What's your Fluid intake? For females, are you still menstruating (causes weight fluctuations every month)?

Something I've found that helps when I do get stuck and start sliming (salivating too fast to control) and I can't PB, I take a few big drinks of Fluid and it dislodges the item that is stuck and comes out like projectile vomit. It totally empties the pouch. Though vomiting is bad when it generates from the stomach, this is a quick force out of the pouch only - not the stomach. So your pouch basically acts like a bellows and pushes hard against its contents and since there's something stuck, the fluid goes down around it and everything comes up. During the past two months while I was too tight this was incredibly helpful for me, I did this almost every other day because even some liquids (if they were too thick like some soups) would get stuck. I just had an unfill and visible swallow test done and my pouch is perfect, band is perfect, and that's after two months of almost daily "force clearing" of the pouch. I don't recommend it, but if you are really and truly so uncomfortable you can't stand it - it is an option.

I'll be having an ultrasound and HIDA test on Tuesday to find out if I need gallbladder surgery. On one hand I'm looking forward to it to know if that's the issue I've been experiencing, on the other hand I'm not keen on another surgery. But, it will be nice to not fear that horrendous pain.

If you can still swallow your saliva then, fortunately or unfortunately depending how you look at it, you will be fine until Tuesday. It won't be comfortable but you're not in danger of anything. Drink hot tea, sips of it, with honey added. The honey is for calories and for healing (if your stomach and/or esophagus are getting irritated the honey will help) the hot tea will go down easily in tiny sips. Go to the drug store and get glucose tablets, suck on those every now and then to keep your blood sugar up. Don't eat anything, don't even try. The less vomiting the better. When you go in have the rest of the fill taken out, ask the Dr. to leave the needle in while you drink 0.5 c of Water, if that goes down well - without any pain or issues - then he can stop. If you have any discomfort at all - have him take more out.

It's unlikely you stretched it, especially if you didn't get stuck. However, you'll want to learn the signals for knowing when you're "one bite away" from being full (nourished - not physically full) so you can stop when you're actually done eating. Everyone will overeat now and then, even when it's hard to do so, it's human nature. The whole 'this is a tool' thing is right, it's up to you to use it.

Great to hear!

Right now I can eat too much so it's a matter of will power to eat healthy and eat less. I'm hoping the next 0.5 cc will be perfect. It really is surprising, especially when you realise that 1 cc = 20 drops of Fluid.

That's a good process Spot. Mine will put in between 0.5-1.5 cc and make you drink before you leave the office. With my unfill I had a barium swallow so we could see if there were any issues with the band since I vomited a lot when I was tight and everything looked perfect. It was very odd to see my pouch, it hadn't stretched at all and the band was in its original placement. It's kind of cool to watch Fluid go through there. My next fill will be around June 23 and will only be 0.5 cc since 1 cc had me eating only 1-2 Tbsp of solid food at a time. With a 1 cc reduction I'm currently at 3.5 in a 10 cc band and can eat 1-2 cups of food at a time (depending on the food). Based on my previous experience my practitioner and I both think that 0.5 will be the perfect fill. It's definitely a learning experience, you may not know you're in your green zone until you've passed it. But once you pass it - you know. imtoxic: I hope your unfill went well.

I just went through all the tornado warnings so I totally understand. Just be careful tonight and get in first thing in the AM. You may need to insist that your Dr do your fills slowly - 1 cc at at time. If I had a 5 cc fill I would have been completely restricted and would have been at the ER. For me 2.5 cc had me almost totally restricted to the point of not being able to swallow saliva. Slower is better, remember - an unfill generally costs the same as a fill so you're better to get fills slow than go through being too tight then needing a total unfill. I speak from experience, being too full is horrendous. You feel like crap every day.

If you can keep any Fluid down then you can wait until morning. Try something hot like a sip of hot tea. If you can't keep anything down (including your saliva) then you need to go to the ER.

You're welcome. It should go away soon.

Keep in mind that women also have natural weight fluctuations once a month so you may have a week every month where you lose little, nothing, or gain a bit, but the next week you may lose more. I would count on 1.5 lbs/week. That's safe. If you do more, fantastic. If you do less, you can make it up. 3lbs a week is not possible every single week for a year. It's medically not possible without causing your body damage. Also - rather than make your goals lbs, make a monthly measurement goal. Say to lose 2" off of your waist per month. That is a much better goal to work on than lbs. Lbs lost can be muscle. Inches lost are rarely muscle.

It depends on a lot of things, if everything goes well: Part depends on how well behaved the kids are. You will not be able to lift them for at least the first week. Nothing over 10 lbs the first couple of days, nothing over 25 lbs the first week. You will be sore, no piggy back rides, etc. because you'll likely have back and shoulder pain from gas. It's doable, that only lasts a week. Try to have help around if you can. For travel, you can travel. Just remember you'll be on liquids and/or soft food. Pack foods accordingly. And bring a little pillow or towel to put between the seat belt and your belly so you don't irritate it. Now, if you turn into an open surgery or anything goes wrong, you'll need someone around and travel may not be a good idea.

The stoma (hole between your pouch and stomach) is usually around the size of a dime in diameter. food will generally pass through easily if it's chewed well and eaten slowly. This is why you can eat 4 cups of popcorn without issue, it breaks down into tiny little pieces (just add Water to popcorn and see what happens). But, if you eat something that has fibers (meat, fruit skins, citrus fruits) or is gluey (pasta, rice, bread) then it won't break down into tiny pieces and will start to form a 'clump' in and before the stoma. The first bite might go through fine but a few fibers will get stuck. Then the second bite will build on that, and so on. It's like trying to pour semi solid Jello through a funnel. Some will go through but the chunks will get caught. Eventually your pouch is able to work the food through, but that entire time you have food literally stuck in the stoma and backing up in the pouch. So that's why you get stuck. If you want to test the theory - which I don't recommend, but hey, some people like to do that: 1) Drink 1 cup of water. It should go down without issue. 2) Eat a handful of Cheetos (puffs) or 2 cups of Popcorn. Both should go down without issue, they're all air and they will crunch down to virtually nothing. 3) Eat 1 cup of macaroni and cheese, sushi rice, a doughnut, or a soft dinner roll. These will make you feel like you're stuck. Not the first few bites, but a few bites in, not good. Take a drink of Fluid at that point and you'll likely vomit. Not PB, full on vomit. If you're ever seriously stuck there are two things you can do to stop it moderately quickly: 1) Eat 1 Tbsp of meat tenderizer (it's just papaya enzyme), mix it with a tiny bit of water but don't stir it into a glass of water, you'll bring it back up if you do that. This can take 30-60 minutes to provide relief. 2) Take 2-3 large drinks of fluid, you will feel HORRIBLE, you will salivate like mad, and you will vomit. This is a last resort method, but is safer than full on vomiting because you are providing something for your pouch to force out. If you do it dry you risk pushing your stomach up through the band. Relief is instant. The above items aren't ideal, but in a pinch they will work.

It can stick around for a week or so - but, if it's ever bright red with fresh clots, get to the ER.

A note - my first and second fills were 1.5 and 1 cc respectively and with the 1 cc fill I was too full, vomiting almost daily. Took out the 1 cc yesterday and doing much better, I can actually eat. In a month I'll go back and have 0.5 cc put in. Your Dr. never should have put 4 cc in without having you drink something after to ensure you could drink the whole thing. And not just a sip - a good 1/2 c.

You are way too tight - go back asap for an unfill. Get at least 3 cc taken out. Tell your Dr you want to drink a glass of Water in the office while the needle is in so he can take more out if necessary. If you don't go in for an unfill immediately you're risking having your band slip.

It can be related to a lot of things. For women, monthly cycles (even if you don't have a period) will still contribute, most women experience a week or more when they are tighter than other times. It could be from allergies, a slight inflammation reaction. Could be swelling from acid reflux (take something like Prilosec OTC for 1-6 months to retrain your stomach to produce less acid). Monitor what you're eating, your weight, and how you feel each day for three months and you'll see a pattern.

That sounds a lot more like gall bladder pain than gas or something being stuck. Gall bladder pain usually starts like a tightness, then gets worse. You may start sweating, feeling like you need to throw up, feel like you're having a heart attack. It will probably be one of the worst pains you'll ever feel. No position will relieve the pain. You may have issues breathing. Then anywhere from 10 minutes to 4 hours later it will just stop. And you'll feel fine but exhausted. This is something to pay attention to. If it happens again make a note of what you were eating that day. High fat foods, dairy, chocolate, caffeine, they all trigger attacks. And it could be hours later when the attack comes up. If it happens again make an appointment with your doctor and ask for an ultrasound of your gallbladder or HIDA test. It's best to find out for sure and get it dealt with early if it is a gall bladder issue.

What's your caloric intake?