Stuck Food....

[smittinkittin 2]

Ok... so I had my surgery about a year ago and this past month well week as been soo odd!! Everything I eat is getting suck!! I try the normal foods I eat, eggs for Breakfast, Soup for lunch... I end up throwing it up because it's so uncomfortable Could my fill be to tight? Is it just me and extra Water weight? Any suggestions? Thanks!!!

[Just-Ice 1]

Ok... so I had my surgery about a year ago and this past month well week as been soo odd!! Everything I eat is getting suck!! I try the normal foods I eat, eggs for Breakfast, Soup for lunch... I end up throwing it up because it's so uncomfortable Could my fill be to tight? Is it just me and extra Water weight? Any suggestions? Thanks!!!

I'm doing the same thing. Had mine done January 2010! I have a dr. appt Friday.. we'll see what they have to say about it.

[Wheetsin 714]

It could be a lot of things. I've been banded a little over 5 years and my eating patterns have had to change about 3 times, mostly because of changes in the times of day I can tolerate food. A few due to changes in what I would tolerate (never had many I couldn't).

Have you done anything in the last 2 - 3 weeks "known" to increase restriction? E.g. have you flows, been stressed, has it been particularly hot where you live, etc.?

I would not have waited as long as you. By about day 4 of everything I ate getting stuck, let alone having to bring it back up, I would have called for an adjustment.

[smittinkittin 2]

It could be a lot of things. I've been banded a little over 5 years and my eating patterns have had to change about 3 times, mostly because of changes in the times of day I can tolerate food. A few due to changes in what I would tolerate (never had many I couldn't).

Have you done anything in the last 2 - 3 weeks "known" to increase restriction? E.g. have you flows, been stressed, has it been particularly hot where you live, etc.?

I would not have waited as long as you. By about day 4 of everything I ate getting stuck, let alone having to bring it back up, I would have called for an adjustment.

Ok so another day of nothing going down and same symptoms I was done. I called the Dr's office and I went in my band was too tight I had all the symptoms of it. She removed .25cc and it's like night and day!! I can finally eat again. I am just nervous now that I will be eatting more etc... I don't feel like I will be right away I am not eatting like I used too very small portions so that's good. I do live in Arizona and my doctor said with the hot weather it could be contributed to the swelling of my band.

Advise for fellow lapbanders: Do not wait!!! If you can't get normally, if you are having issues drinking etc call your Doctor's office!!! You shouldn't be uncomfortable.

[Wheetsin 714]

Agreed. My guidelines for myself: call on 2nd day of no fluids, call on 4th day of no solids.

I'm glad you got it resolved. In case your surgeon didn't advise you, you might want to stick to mushies for a day or two wen you get filled//unfilled. Two main reasons: being stuck -- let alone being stuck repeatedly and/or having to bring food up -- can cause a fair bit of swelling around our bands and swelling can cause foods to "sneak up on you." It cal also take a few days for fills & unfills to really make any difference. No idea why this is true, but I've seen it a LOT.

[lisafitz 18]

Ok... so I had my surgery about a year ago and this past month well week as been soo odd!! Everything I eat is getting suck!! I try the normal foods I eat, eggs for Breakfast, Soup for lunch... I end up throwing it up because it's so uncomfortable Could my fill be to tight? Is it just me and extra Water weight? Any suggestions? Thanks!!!

[lisafitz 18]

Im almost three years and I try and eat eggs in the morning I can't it is soooo uncomfortable I throw them up as well. mornings are not good it takes me a while to be able to eat. I will make a smoothie but will only be able to take a few sipps then I save it for later. Eggs can not do ever. But then sometimes i can eat a half of a ahlf a sandwich which is weird and have no problems, but the next day if I eat the same type of sandwich i will puke it and it won't down. it's weird. i will have a small little cup of ice cream I mean small to and some nights I can eat eat and some I can not and I puke it. do you have this problem with foods, drinks etc

[Wheetsin 714]

Sounds like you're learning your "eating windows" as I call them - the times of day you can & cannot tolerate foods. These normally develop a few weeks to months post-op (if you're going to have them), and will likely change over time. I currently cannot eat before 11 without discomfort, and generally not after 7. My best chances are between 1 - 4.

Breakfast was the first meal I began having problems tolerating. It took me a while to connect it with time of day. For a long time I was trying to connect it with specific foods.

[JaffreyChick 1]

This must be the week for it. Having the same issues. So I backed off regular food, moved on to yogurts and Soups. Felt fine after 24 hours so went back to regular diet. Next day - couldn't keep anything down again. So I went back to yogurt and Soup. Then, they wouldn't stay down. Called doc. He said as long as liquid was staying down, I'd be OK. Just let things relax and calm down. Told me to drink Protein shakes. Within 12 hours, felt like a new woman. I think it is the coating from the shakes. Going to stay on this through the weekend and start Monday with real food again.

I do have a question though -- hard crunchy foods are much easier for me to eat and keep down than "regular" food. I can eat tortilla chips and hummus with no issues. Let me try an egg, chicken or any type of potato - and I'm in agony until I bring it back up. So, if everything is irritated, why wouldn't "pointy" food irritate it?

Also, if I haven't kept food down for 3 days, why am I gaining and not losing one would have to ask one self?

Don't get me wrong - I love the band. With a total of 88 lbs to lose, lost 75 the first year and literally have been gaining and losing pounds 70-75 for the past year. Time to get serious and EXERCISE!

Have a great weekend.

[Acadia 20]

Dry crunchy food goes down so easily because it doesn't bind together. Foods like Pasta, potatoes, some veggies, egg, meat, etc. will clump together if compressed.

Grab a handful of tortilla chips and squeeze them hard, they'll crumble. Now grab some Pasta (cooked) and squeeze - several pieces will stick together. Which is why, with pasta, you have to grease it up to stop the starch from sticking together. But, when you eat it, that coating is dissolved and the pasta sticks together - especially as it's forced through a small hole. Same goes for potatoes, etc.

If you can't keep solid food down for three days, chances are you're eating sliders to get some food in you - hence the weight gain. Keep a food diary and you'll see what you're eating and why you're gaining.

[melzie_99 22]

Sounds like you're learning your "eating windows" as I call them - the times of day you can & cannot tolerate foods. These normally develop a few weeks to months post-op (if you're going to have them), and will likely change over time. I currently cannot eat before 11 without discomfort, and generally not after 7. My best chances are between 1 - 4.

Breakfast was the first meal I began having problems tolerating. It took me a while to connect it with time of day. For a long time I was trying to connect it with specific foods.

What to do you do to work around that? I've never been much of a Breakfast person and can't even tolerate yogurt before 11-12 but my dr keeps saying I'm messing up my metabolism by not eating breakfast...it's driving me crazy. Every now and then I'll try a Protein shake but I can normally get only a few ounces down before I start getting slimy...

[shuckybucky 107]

I can not eat before 11 or 12pm either. I have just learned to have my cup of coffee and Protein Shake and not try anything else. The shake has to be a premixed one also. I cant seem to get one I make at home down and the only thing I can figure is premixed must be thinner or the fact that they are room temperature. I also have a hard time with fruits and veggies getting stuck. Fortunately I don't feel hungry in the mornings...... actually I don't feel hungry very often.

[Nulie1960 0]

Ok... so I had my surgery about a year ago and this past month well week as been soo odd!! Everything I eat is getting suck!! I try the normal foods I eat, eggs for breakfast, Soup for lunch... I end up throwing it up because it's so uncomfortable Could my fill be to tight? Is it just me and extra Water weight? Any suggestions? Thanks!!!

I know how you feel. I had surgery 15 months ago and for the past few days Iam having the same problem. Rang my surgeon today for an appointment and Iam going to ask him

to take some fill out. The dietican said you shouldn't be like this. I don't feel alone now. Iam over that feeling had to come home from work today because of all the throwing up. I will let you know how I go. I was wondering if the band might of slipped for me?

[shuckybucky 107]

How did your appointment go? I am not getting much down over the past week and IDK what changed. I haven't had a fill. WOndering if the heat (106) here can make the band tighten. I hate to get more taken out and go right back and have it filled.

[Nulie1960 0]

How did your appointment go? I am not getting much down over the past week and IDK what changed. I haven't had a fill. WOndering if the heat (106) here can make the band tighten. I hate to get more taken out and go right back and have it filled.

Had my appointment a few weeks ago now & the surgeon could see I was in pain. He took 2mls out of my band I had 7.5mls in. I hadn't had a fill for about 7 months thats what I couldn't understand. I put mine down to stress(my youngest son is leaving the nest soon so I have been quite uptight). Within 1hr I felt heaps better. I will have to be careful not to overeat now so its definitely mind over matter for me now. I have only 5 kgs to go to my goal weight (I know i have to be careful). I have lost 18.5kgs. I just hated feeling sick & being sick.& the pain in my right shoulder was there most of the time. The doctor gave me until 10.ooam the next morning to see how I was otherwise he was going to put the camera down & have a look. I never thought of myself as very uptight or stressed person but the band has taught me that inwardly that is not the case (something happens in the work place i can feel the band tightening). I feel a million bucks since I saw him & I will keep you posted. The heat could make a difference maybe with Fluid retention? Keep in touch