Someone tell me what it's like to live with the band pls!

[Kerry82 0]

Hey Everyone,

Ok...so you may have read my posts about how I felt the day after surgery and I'm not going to lie, this is hard! My pain is getting a bit better each day, but I really have to ask about nausea. I've been eating YOP yogurt drinks, Jello, cream Soups that I puree, and I've had some serious bouts of nausea that scare me. Last night, about a half an hour after eating pureed clam chowder (about 1/2 cup), I got so nausous that I really thought I was going to puke for sure. I started crying. I took my chewable gravol and rocked back and forth until it kicked in about a half hour later. Here are my questions:

1. Can someone please tell me that this is just at the beginning?! Tell me what it's like to eat and live normally now that you've had the band for awhile and reassure me that this will go away. Please! I'm so scared that this is what my life will be like from now on and I have pings of old "depression" feelings that I don't want to feel ever again. I just feel like I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

2. Any suggestions for what I should be eating right now that will help keep nausea away? Before surgery I wasn't eating a lot of yogurt, milk, creamy foods, and I'm wondering if I just don't tolerate them well. Should I be eating only broth like soups? I'm scared that I'm not going to get enough nutrients in my body to heal, but I'm actually becoming scared to eat anything at all because of the nausea. Help.

3. Can someone tell me what it is actually like to throw up with the band? I know this is a weird question, but I feel scared that it will get stuck in the band and I'll choke or something. Is it possible to throw up?

I don't mean to come off like I'm a huge complainer. I researched this band forever and I really wanted it. But this part is scary and I feel so lost for some reason. I really want to lean on you guys that have had the band a long time and live normal lives. I just need some reassurance. Please share your story with me so I can see that this is only temporary.

Thanks so much

Kerry

[so done with it all 1]

Hey Everyone,

Ok...so you may have read my posts about how I felt the day after surgery and I'm not going to lie, this is hard! My pain is getting a bit better each day, but I really have to ask about nausea. I've been eating YOP yogurt drinks, Jello, cream Soups that I puree, and I've had some serious bouts of nausea that scare me. Last night, about a half an hour after eating pureed clam chowder (about 1/2 cup), I got so nausous that I really thought I was going to puke for sure. I started crying. I took my chewable gravol and rocked back and forth until it kicked in about a half hour later. Here are my questions:

1. Can someone please tell me that this is just at the beginning?! Tell me what it's like to eat and live normally now that you've had the band for awhile and reassure me that this will go away. Please! I'm so scared that this is what my life will be like from now on and I have pings of old "depression" feelings that I don't want to feel ever again. I just feel like I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

2. Any suggestions for what I should be eating right now that will help keep nausea away? Before surgery I wasn't eating a lot of yogurt, milk, creamy foods, and I'm wondering if I just don't tolerate them well. Should I be eating only broth like soups? I'm scared that I'm not going to get enough nutrients in my body to heal, but I'm actually becoming scared to eat anything at all because of the nausea. Help.

3. Can someone tell me what it is actually like to throw up with the band? I know this is a weird question, but I feel scared that it will get stuck in the band and I'll choke or something. Is it possible to throw up?

I don't mean to come off like I'm a huge complainer. I researched this band forever and I really wanted it. But this part is scary and I feel so lost for some reason. I really want to lean on you guys that have had the band a long time and live normal lives. I just need some reassurance. Please share your story with me so I can see that this is only temporary.

Thanks so much

Kerry

Kerry,

You are less than one week post op and pureed foods don't normally start until day 8. That could be why you are feeling nauseated. I would eat things that are liquid only for right now. Some people need to stay on fluids longer than others and you may be one of them. Do you have any meditrim left? If so, stick to that and some broth and maybe some Jello for a few more days. Fear is normal at this point but life becomes completely normal once you are healed. You are in the WTF did I just do to myself mode. It will pass so don't worry about how you are feeling. You just had surgery and the nausea could still be from the anesthetic you had so if you feel a wave of nausea starting then take some gravol. In a few weeks, you will be over all of these feelings.

When I threw up with my band from having a GI bug, it was the same as vomitting pre band. Vomitting with the band if something is stuck is different as there are not stomach acids mixed in. The chewed food just comes right back up. Since you are on liquids, you wouldn't be stuck so chances are if you vomitted at this point, it would be like a regular vomit.

[Doddie63 6]

You really should be contacting your doctor and clinic for their advice on your questions. We can only relate to our experiences. Vomiting to me is vomiting. It is sever muscle contractions. Yes vomiting at this early stage can cause slippage of the band because the scar tissue has not yet developed around the band. Vomiting in later stages is frowned upon because you can have slippage (which can be repaired) and band errosion which cannot be. The band must be removed. That said, I understand that it would take a lot of vomiting to cause erosion.

My clinic introduced me back to solid foods very slowly over a long period of time.

I am not sure what you mean by eating "normal". You will need to chew your food extremely fine (depending on your fill) and eat "hard protein". You will always be able to sabatogue yourself with liquid calories but the band if used a a too properly will allow you to eat most everything, just smaller amounts.

As I said, you have two things to do, contact your clinic for advice and start working on your fears. Start a journey log with pictures, start a food log and exercise log. Try to attend a support group in person, better than the web. By keeping track you will soon find your strengths and weaknesses. Don't worry it will get better.

[pollywogg 17]

I was in a lot of pain after my surgery too, but no nausea. Call your clinic for sure for advice for that!

I love my band! I have had it for over 6 months now and I can't imagine my life without it. I love being able to eat a small meal and feel satisfied. I love that it is not compatable with foods like bread, donuts, rice, Pasta, pizza etc.. that is such a big help for me. (Everyone is different though with what they can and can't eat.) I love having much less hunger!

You have some big adjustments to make and a lot of learning to do. I vomit about once a week. Sometimes its on a new food, and sometimes its because of one I know better than to eat at all. Its usually just a bit more than a big burp that brings up only a tablespoon or so of food or slime. (Sorry its a bit gross to describe.) I haven't been sick with gastro or the flu but I'm sure things will work just fine. If it ever happens I do plan on being aggressive with gravol though to try to vomit as little as possible.

Be excited for your new life without much hunger !!!!!