"STUCK" in Vegas

[cat lady 10]

Hi All: I was banded 7/25/11 and just experienced my first bad stuck episode. Has anyone else had a similar experience. I was away in Vegas with my husband and friends. First two days went well and ate cautiously with everyone. Monday about noon my hubby and I went for a late Breakfast and I ordered scrambled eggs with bacon. After 2 bites I knew I was in trouble. I think the bacon got stuck. Went to the ladies room to try to relieve it. Nothing seemed to work and I could not even get a sip of Water in. After 12 hours of trying everything I called my Dr at home. He said I could not stay too much longer without any liquids. He was afraid of dehydration. At this point we went to the closest ER and they put me on IV drip to avoid dehydration. They took a CAT scan to see if band slipped.....but thank God it did not. They said my esophagus was dilated but the band was in the right position. I still at this point was heaving, burping, hiccuping, just miserable feeling in my chest. Went back to hotel at 5:30 am and tried to get some sleep. Still bringing up slime every hour or so. Could this all have been caused by a very small piece of bacon???? Still could not get any liquids in so the next morning decided to get back home where my lapband doctor is as he said I should have an endoscope. At the airport it finally seemed to ease and by the time we landed at home I could finally drink liquids again. The pain was gone also and I knew it had passed. Today doing only liquids. Did not need to be scoped since I am drinking and feeling better now. They said my esophagus was dilated and I guess that happens when you get stuck. It was just so terrible to have this happen so far from home. Hope whatever happened in Vegas stays in Vegas.......and this never happens to me again. It lasted nearly 24 hours. Has anyone else experienced this?????

[MelBanded 4]

Ironically I got "stuck" in Vegas myself, eating tender beef!! My son was married there September 24th and I guess with the excitement, stress and weather change (I am a east coast girl) I got stuck. Fortunately for me it passed on its own and I did not have to go to an ER. I did for the remainder of the trip eat mainly Soup. So glad it turned out okay for you in the end.

This band is so moody or maybe I am, LOL. Somedays I can eat a half of a turkey sandwhich on a low carb bread and other days not tolerate bread, eggs, or low carb Pasta at all.

Since this has happened to me though I am paranoid when eating out!!!

[Butterfly Queen 111 3]

I found this tip in Jean McMillan's book Bandwagon:Mix a lttle meat tenderizer with warm Water (about as much as a shot glass)and drink it.This will help remove the blockage. I hope you feel better!

[cat lady 10]

Ironically I got "stuck" in Vegas myself, eating tender beef!! My son was married there September 24th and I guess with the excitement, stress and weather change (I am a east coast girl) I got stuck. Fortunately for me it passed on its own and I did not have to go to an ER. I did for the remainder of the trip eat mainly Soup. So glad it turned out okay for you in the end.

This band is so moody or maybe I am, LOL. Somedays I can eat a half of a turkey sandwhich on a low carb bread and other days not tolerate bread, eggs, or low carb Pasta at all.

Since this has happened to me though I am paranoid when eating out!!!

Hi MelBanded: I also am an East Coast girl. Dr. said the plane ride might make the band tighter. But the first two nights I did fine eating out with friends. The band is really unpredictable. I also am very cautious now more than ever when eating anything. On only liquids and today is my third day. Afraid to eat anything solid. My throat and below (I guess esophagus area) is still sore. CAT

[cat lady 10]

I found this tip in Jean McMillan's book Bandwagon:Mix a lttle meat tenderizer with warm Water (about as much as a shot glass)and drink it.This will help remove the blockage. I hope you feel better!

Thanks for the tip.....I will get some today. Feeling much better but still a little sore in throat and below. when I drink Water I can feel it going down. Guess I'm still swollen. It was quite an episode for me. Really cautious now. CAT

[screeden 21]

maybe Vegas is not the place to be for Banders. I had a small stuck episode out there this summer. mine passed thank goodness, but none the less, not any fun when you are far away from home. i hear ya on it being "unpredictable". the night before me getting stuck, i ate just fine, even had sushi with rice, actually ate alot. LOL! maybe that was my problem, i was still full and ate in the morning, PB some it up and the rest went down, but i stayed on liquids for the next 24 hours and was fine after that. i found that warm liquids tend to help the swelling. i am much more cautious now about eating.

[sparkplug 106]

<br />Thanks for the tip.....I will get some today. Feeling much better but still a little sore in throat and below. when I drink Water I can feel it going down. Guess I'm still swollen. It was quite an episode for me. Really cautious now. CAT<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Papaya Enzyme tablets!!!! I could not live without them. They sell at health food stores, Walmart, and sometimes K-mart. I keep them at home, in my purse and at work. Chew a few of them, they help get the stuck food to move down. I have been banded for almost 3 years, never had any fills and still get stuck. I get stressed very easily, the band is so UNpredictable. Some days I am okay, and others I have a hard time getting food down. I chose not to get any fills because it is so unpredictable and I do not want to not get my Protein or nourishment in every day. I am down 90 pds but gained 5 pds over last Christmas holiday and cannot get it off for the life of me. It is no fun to get stuck and I suspect the excitement of Vegas stirs things up with the band. I live an hour away from Vegas and I get very excited when I go there, so much to see and do and such wonderful food, it would be very hard not to get excited! You will learn when to really eat VERY little when you get excited and you will not get stuck. I still have problems and I have been banded for almost 3 years, maybe I am just a slow learner. Good luck on your journey and you will learn like me.

[cat lady 10]

<br /><br /><br />

Papaya Enzyme tablets!!!! I could not live without them. They sell at health food stores, Walmart, and sometimes K-mart. I keep them at home, in my purse and at work. Chew a few of them, they help get the stuck food to move down. I have been banded for almost 3 years, never had any fills and still get stuck. I get stressed very easily, the band is so UNpredictable. Some days I am okay, and others I have a hard time getting food down. I chose not to get any fills because it is so unpredictable and I do not want to not get my Protein or nourishment in every day. I am down 90 pds but gained 5 pds over last Christmas holiday and cannot get it off for the life of me. It is no fun to get stuck and I suspect the excitement of Vegas stirs things up with the band. I live an hour away from Vegas and I get very excited when I go there, so much to see and do and such wonderful food, it would be very hard not to get excited! You will learn when to really eat VERY little when you get excited and you will not get stuck. I still have problems and I have been banded for almost 3 years, maybe I am just a slow learner. Good luck on your journey and you will learn like me.

Thanks for the advice Sparkplug. I too have no fill in and dont want any since I'm losing about 2 lbs per week like this. I don't want to be more restricted than I am. I must be more careful when eating out with friends. I do think the excitement has something to do with it. Also talking too much when I eat out. I only had 2 bites of scrambled egg & bacon ? ? ? Guess it was the bacon. You are doing great 90 lbs lost is awesome. I still am happy with the band......I could have never lost 30 lbs so quickly. CAT

[Poodlelover56 2]

I am three days out, was banded on the 12th. So is it possible to have restriction without any fills? It sure sounds like it.

[cat lady 10]

Yes you can have restriction w/o any fill. I was banded 7/25/11 and have restriction with none. I would not get a fill at this point since I am losing slow but steady. CAT