Throwing Up Daily.

[MemphisFan 18]

So I got banded over two months ago, on June 5th. I got my first fill Aug 2nd, and since then I have been stuck around 10 times. I'm trying to figure out if its the food I'm eating, the size of the bites I'm taking, or if its something else.

Let me work backwards... and I know I have made mistakes, I have chastized myself enough, so y'all don't need to point my errors out, I feel bad enough!

I am a high school teacher, with no breaks from 6:45 until 12 (lunch). Yesterday I was selling Krispy Kreme donuts and there was one left. I haven't had a donut in about 4 months and around 10:30 I could NOT stop myself, even though I tried. I ate half the donut, started to feel tight and nauceous, and I barely made it to the bathroom before the donut came up.

Wednesday I was having tuna on crackers for lunch, and after two crackers I had to take a ten minute break before I could eat again, and I was in a lot of pain. I didn't throw up thankfully, but I was close.

Tuesday our electricity went out (98 degrees at 8 pm) so my husband and I went to eat Mexican. I didn't eat any chips (go me!) but I had refried Beans and one enchilada. I took a bite of the enchilada, forgot who I was and drank some Water. I felt like death, and had to run to the toilet.

Monday for Breakfast I had turkey bacon, three pieces and some oatmeal. I couldnt eat but half the cup of oatmeal but after the second piece of bacon I was throwing up what little I did eat.

This goes on an on, most of the time I'm only feeling like this once a day, but sometimes it will happen at Breakfast and dinner, or lunch and dinner. I am losing weight, four pounds since the fill, so I'm willing to continue to get stuck, or throw up if I can keep losing, but I dont want to hurt my band or make long term problems for myself.

[Cocoabean 430]

NO! Do NOT continue to vomit and get stuck. That can lead to your esophagus being dilated and loss of your band. It can even lead to portions of your stomach tissue losing blood supply and dying. Call your surgeon and be seen. You have a lifetime to lose the weight. But if you lose the band, you won't be able to lose the weight.

If you've been taking small bites and chewing well, then you need to see your surgeon. That's all there is to it. Don't mess with it. A slight unfill will allow you to eat solid foods, stay satisfied, and still lose.

Don't risk your band or your health.

[elcee 3,341]

It sounds as though you are taking too big a bite and not chewing properley. Often when we let ourselves get too hungry we do that. As to the donuts they were just a really bad choice. Not because they are fattening, unhealthy etc but because of the consistency. They are almost guaranteed to make you get stuck. What happens is they sort of stick together in a doughy ball and that swells and makes you really uncomfortable.

So try slowing down.

Smaller bites

Chewing more and making better choices and hopefully you won't have problems.

[Heathermarie0407 67]

Sounds like what happens to me when I eat to fast. Try taking longggg breaks between bites, no less than 30 seconds but probably closer to a minute. Also after you have an episode try easy foods for a while after, some say liquids.< /p>

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

I agree with all of the posts. How much fill did you get? It does sound like you may be too full. A slight de-fill will make all of the difference, trust me I have been there and done that. Some foods though are tricky, tuna for instance and maybe the mushy Beans like the donut can ball up and will definitely get stuck. Everyone is different as to what they can eat so be careful, but go to your doc for a de-fill.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Also...in the future if you get stuck (on something other than a donut because I'm pretty sure you learned that lesson!!!!) you need to go back on liquids for a day or two. Getting stuck causes swelling, swelling causes tightness, tightness causes more sticking, etc. give your belly a break, nothing solid for at least 24 if not48 hours after an incident like that. Good luck and be patient with yourself, this isn't easy.

[MemphisFan 18]

I have no idea how much fill I get, my doctor does not believe it is important for the patient to know such things. (To see how AWESOME my doctor is, read my last two threads)

My doctor threw a fit about giving me my first fill because I had only lost 20 pounds in 8 weeks, and his words I was not taking this 10,000 dollar surgery seriously. I basically had to beg him to give me any sort of fill, so I REALLY don't want to call him and ask him to take some out.

One of the biggest issues I have is my new work schedule. I leave for work at 5:45, but lunch isn't until almost noon. Our school has a STRICT no food policy in the classroom, for teachers and students, and I try to be a role model for my kids, so Im making a huge effort not to eat anything in front of them, although I do drink Water. Our lunch break is only 22 minutes, so I know I am stuffing my face with my lunch as fast as I can. Im going to have to make a huge effort to take my time in between bites and savor my food.< /p>

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

So 2 1/2 pounds a week is bad????? Gotta love a doc who holds fills hostage! Okay so, as a warning look at where I am right now. Bandless. If you are keeping liquids down I would switch to liquids for a couple days, if not better after that you have got to get checked out!!!! You don't want to hurt your stomach and/or cause permanent damage. Be very very careful.

[Cocoabean 430]

I am a bit confused...why would he be reluctant to give a fill if you had ONLY lost 20 lbs in 8 weeks? There are several inconsistencies there. First, band patients should expect 1-2 lbs per week loss. You were above that. So I could see being reluctant because you were losing so well. If he thought you were losing too slowly, then I'd expect him to be eager to give you a fill to help you lose faster....? The fact that you are too tight after a fill you requested is not your fault, we (the patient, nor the doctor) have any way of knowing how we will react to a fill.

Following the no food in the classroom I get. But there is no other time you can have a small nutritious snack? Eating something healthful in front of the children could make you a roll model, especially as to get fit and lose weight. If you are getting so hungry that you are causing yourself to eat too fast, then perhaps a note from your doctor that you'll need to eat a small something between classes will help you. Going from 5:30 am until noon is a very long stretch, especially when many of us cannot eat much if anything first thing in the morning.

[Grider 92]

_{donuts are bad,,, never again for me... they swell like cement- I think you are eating too fast but also the carbs,,, tortilla, donut- crackers etc do NOT do well with a band. try eleiminating those things and really chew and see if that helps.. papaya pills sometimes make it all go down. OH I do not eat well at all when I have sinus... and feel like a fish in a bowl of water..}

[PattyGirl66 1,243]

Hi Memphisfan,

Firstly, you have a difficult job with a tight hectic schedule with mimimal breaks. You really need to plan your days accordingly with food in order to make the band work for you. Vomiting is not one of them,and as everyone has said you are going to do more damage,possibly losing your 'lifeline',your band.

I am almost 3 weeks post-op and I can honestly tell you that every time I look at my incisions or feel my soreness its a reminder of what I had done to take drastic measures to lose weight and keep it off. I am following my surgeons orders to a tee! It scares me to think if something happen to my band due to my own fault and wind up in surgery again!

You should not be throwing up, this is an idication of something is wrong, like your band being too tight. You have to take control of your own body and well being, no matter what! If you don't like your surgeon, find another there are tons of bariatric surgeons all over this country.

Lastly, preparing your lunch and Snacks home daily for you to be ready to eat and take your time to enjoy your food. You can bring items such as sugar free puddings or Jello on your short breaks. your lunch can consist of your own homemade meals put in a container ready to eat or if your area has a microwave you can heat up Soups and such. The possibilites are endless to making your weight loss a success, it really is up to you...

Best of luck,

[2muchfun 8,927]

I believe that many of us do not know or understand how to eat with our bands for many months post surgery. I'm still learning. I think I was to tight for about 6 weeks and got a .25 unfill. That seemed to do the trick but it's still a struggle to eat small, chew big and go slow. If you think you aren't doing those three things, and from what you posted, you may be the problem and the solution. You're in great company because so many of us took months to learn this.

tmf

[MemphisFan 18]

PattyGirl,

A few things to clear up... I dont have any small breaks. I am on the clock, with students in front of me from 6:45 until 11:50ish. I have 5 minutes in between classes but teachers are to be in the hallways during this time, so its not a break. I am going to talk to my principal about my surgery (As of right now only one other teacher knows) and see if she will give me a free pass to eat a snack around 9.

My lunch is always prepared from home, as I only have 22 minutes to eat every day. Even if I wanted to, I would not have enough time to go pick something up or even walk to the cafeteria and get the oh so wonderful school lunch. I do not pack Snacks in my lunch since I can't eat them anyway.

My surgeon is the top ranked surgeon in the southeast. His awards are all over his wall, plus he has offices in multiple states, and give seminars to other doctors on how to perform the surgery. I am looking for a new doctor who gives fills more freely, but not until my three months is up since I get three months of free doctor visits and fills. Oh and the only true direction my doctor gave me was 30 grams of fat a day. Not all doctors give their patients guidelines 'to follow to a tee.'

[♕ajtexas♕ 3,771]

Memphisfan,

What about drinking a Protein shake in the class room? That would hold you over till lunch. The hardest think for me to learn was (is) small bites especially if I'm really hunger. My doctor says a bite should be the size of a dime. In order to make my bites small I always eat with a knife and fork, even sandwiches and `finger foods`. It helps me.

[Whitney78 7]

I too work in schools with similar policies. What I do is sip on Protein Shakes throughout the morning and then another In the afternoon. It helps me stay not hungry.