Trapped Air....

[amyjo9972 10]

You know the song....Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air... That is my life's theme song lately.

Well, every time I eat I get severe chest pain from trapped air. My nutritionist, surgeon and family doctor say it's all related to me swallowing air when I eat or drink. I had hiatal hernia repair with my VSG.

My decision was not an easy one to make. I was always the "Fat, Fluffy, Happy, Woman" but then I began having "female" pain. I have had several procedures but unable to have a hysterectomy because of my weight.

So my GYN gave me a proposal....if I lose 100 pounds....hysterectomy.

Then I got to thinking - I've always wanted to be able to:

1. buy clothes in Walmart

2. not be worried about fitting in theatre seats, airplane seats, etc...

3. wanted to find my soulmate

So God opened this door of opportunity...and I jumped in. I googled local bariatric surgeons and did alot of research. Being a nurse, I try to be very thorough. So after three months of research, I chose Dr. Nick Nicholson of Dallas, Texas. He and his colleagues had me tested for hiatal hernia - which I had. So not only did I have a VSG, I also had a "paraesophageal hernia repair with or without mesh"

My highest weight was 400 pounds August of 2010. My surgery was 03/04/2014 with weight of 345 pounds. Today, my weight is 312 pounds. I have not lost anything in 10 days.

My new life consists of measuring everything, weighing everything, counting everything....food, Water and exercise.

I feel absolutely great - with exception of 10 day stall.

So I continue to sink the lyrics of Jordin Sparks in hopes of being able to eat & breath pain free.

Edited May 24, 2014 by amyjo9972

[Sleeveless in seattle 208]

Wow, I was super jealous when I saw on your profile that you started at 400 and are already at 312!! I had my surgery shortly after yours and have only lost 35 lbs since then. Made me feel better when I read your post that the starting weight was 4 years ago. We have about the same surgery stats! You've done great so far! Maybe try slowing down when you are eating, make sure you're not drinking for an hour after you eat, etc. hoping this trapped air thing gets better! Keep up the good work!

[amyjo9972 10]

I think my problem is the drinking during meals. Most food is soooooo dry and bland now. So I always think: "How can a tiny sip do any harm?" Well I guess it does. Sigh

[Savedbygrace22 28]

I know the painful gas trapped air feeling. I had my sleeve April 30, 2014 with Paraesophageal repair. Pre Sw 358, Sw 342 Present wt 320, down 38 lbs. today is 4 wks for me.

Sunday at church, the ceiling fans were on and it was very cold in the sanctuary. Past mid service I started to feel a little gas pain in my neck and shoulder. It spread to my left abdomen making it difficult to take a deep breath. I came home and took Gas Ex. Then applied heating pad. After 5 min. I could feel gas dissipating. It got better. (I had started assessing for Pulmonary Embolism.)

Monday I had a very sore spot in the canter of my back by my vertebra. Well, last night and this morning, my left rib area and left back are so very sore. I guess I swallowed air singing and talking to so many people. I did not have a lot of gas early on, and had very little nausea. I suppose it's not too late. Deep breaths hurt, not to mention lying on that side. I slept very little last night.

From the words of the veterans "this too shall pass." And I will be so glad!" Hang in there and hold on tight! :-)

[LivingFree! 478]

You definitely might have just solved your own problem. IF you are consuming liquids with your meals, that can definitely be the source of your problem. I am three years post op and it is just a fact of life forever. NO DRINKING ANY liquid AT LEAST 1/2 HOUR BEFORE OR AFTER MEALS OR Snacks. Where possible, I even try to keep a 1 hour margin (especially after meals) because it SEEMS (for me at least) that I stay fuller longer if I don't start drinking within a half hour of eating. That could all just be in my head though:>).

That "rule" is probably one of the biggest that my bariatric program stressed. I kinda took it as a pretty important issue. Anyhow, it would be great if something this simple could be the answer to relief for you. Fingers crossed for you!

(Well, actually, for me this has not been a SIMPLE thing to adjust to--probably one of the toughest habits to change. Especially when eating out. Worth the price to pay??? You bet!!)

Good luck. Hope you feel better soon.

[sgruenke 1]

This is something I am struggling with as well. I had the sleeve done 3-31-14 and my main battle has been nausea. For quite awhile I had CONSTANT nausea and that, to me, is the absolute WORST feeling in the world. I am 41 and still cry for my mom when I vomit, and I would rather vomit than be nauseous. My surgeon said the constant nausea was due to esophageal swelling from the surgery and the after effects of all of that acid that the hiatal hernia repair stopped. It did ease up some. Then my two nauseas were when I was "hungry" and if I ate too much. A dietician at work (I'm a nurse) explained to me the nausea I felt as "hunger" was my blood sugar bottoming out. She also explained the reason my weight loss had drastically slowed down was because I was not getting enough Protein. She said to increase Protein to 40-50 g a day and use my fruits and veg as supplements only. Protein helps keep your blood sugar up and will bump up your metabolism. And it did and I dropped 12 more pounds. Then the trapped air nausea started. This is very new to me. Yesterday I had my very small meal high in protein and I guess I ate it too fast. The air that growled from my stomach to my throat (but never a relieving burp) over and over made me want to die right then and there. It went on for an hour and I finally was able to go to bed, early, since I felt so awful. It was really no better in the morning and the Protein Drink that I tried to drink as slowly as possible this morning made it worse. I tried Gas EX pills, simethicone liquid, I was so sick at work. I even locked myself in the bathroom and tried to make myself vomit for some relief, but nothing worked. I finally gave in to another nurses advice and had a few small sips of soda. I burped a couple times and felt better, for awhile. Tried another Protein Drink quite a few hours after the other one and it was horrible again. A bit of soda, and again a tiny bit better. Tried to slowly eat some dinner, protein of course, and now feel HORRIBLE. I suppose I will try a few sips of soda again. I don't get chest pain, just horrible nausea and feel like I'm going to vomit, but don't. I just get concerned since my intake is about half of the tiny amount I was eating before. Weight loss has stopped again. Ugh. My surgeon is a wonderful man but his office is absolutely horrifyingly ambivalent to anyone's issues. I was quite irritated to begin with that it took me 20-25 minutes to eat my tiny meals, now it's worse. I knew this surgery was going to be hard. Small meals, giving up so many things I loved (eating sugars and carbs of course), exercising more, all sorts of things. This awful nausea was not something I anticipated. I have lost a good bit of weight and am happy about it, please do not get me wrong, I'm just so tired of feeling so bad. I burst into tears at work because I feel so crappy all of the time. Also, please be aware of a nice little dietary/ chemical thing I discovered. Carbs produce tryptophan (the brain chemical that makes you sleepy after a big Thanksgiving meal). Tryptophan is essential in the production and secretion of serotonin. Serotonin is the "happy" brain chemical. So being that I am bipolar and have serotonin issues to begin with, the high protein intake during the liquid diet before my surgery helped lead my frazzled brain to panic attacks. So I figured, as I barely made it in one psychological piece to my surgery, that AFTER surgery I would just be sure to keep a decent amount of low glycemic (so as not to gain weight) carbs in my system. Well that's when I was not getting enough protein and my weight loss slowed. My mood wasn't too horribly bad considering. Now that I have pumped up the protein again? Not good. Even better? I'm horribly sick from this trapped gas and my intake is even less. So as you can imagine, horrible mood, and weight loss stopped again. I'm going to try taking my antacid twice a day, as is safe per product, and hope a little more soda will help again. I am trying very hard to keep positive, but it is a struggle. Hold fast and true my brothers and sisters. It seems to be about patience, balance, eating SLOWLY and lightly, and many internal tantrums and angry times. We must remember our bodies were so badly in need of help that we chose to do this. I wish patience to all of you and especially myself.

[amyjo9972 10]

@@sgruenke you sound like you took a page out of my diary. I don't have the trapped air as much anymore and I do carry Gasx strips everywhere I go. When I do have the gas pain, I take two Simethicones and walk around. Usually happens when I eat dry food and/or drinking before, during or after meal. I also have called crying to my mother with the pain and she pats me on the back. (What ever would we do without our moms?)

I too am a nurse and had surgery in March. My weight has stalled. I'm supposed to have at least 60 grams of Protein and 60 ounces of Water a day. I am doing good with getting 60+ grams of Protein thanks to Atkins Protein shakes for Breakfast, 1/4c almonds sporadically for Snacks, and Jack Links Jerky for Snacks too. I still have difficulty with 60 ounces of Water a day.

I think that the trapped air was related to drinking to close to eating. So I'm always eating so I can't hardly drink.

Now I'm going to the gym at least 5 days a week. My workout consists of at least 30 minutes on treadmill and then at least 30 minutes of weights then end with either cool down on elliptical or stair-climber. I feel amazing afterwards but the scales aren't reflecting any weight loss......frustrated.

So now I don't have trapped air as much but I don't have weight loss either. At times, I wonder if the surgery was even worth it?

[sgruenke 1]

I so hear you amyjo9972. I have lost 77 pounds since October. October, my surgery was in March. At least 50 pounds was lost even before the liquid diet to prep for surgery. I wonder if I could have continued the weight loss on my own and just been fine. But I am unsure due to the fact that I don't even know how I was losing it before the surgery! Mountain Dew was my typical Fluid for one thing. I didn't give it up until the liquid diet. I didn't increase exercise before the surgery. I know I didn't do fast food as much as usual and I think I had smaller portions, but that's it. Still don't know how I dropped that much weight in 5 months without trying. So now I have had the surgery, the weight loss keeps stalling, my surgeon's office is NO help and I currently feel like crap. Had a little soda before bed, burped a couple times and felt better. Not so much this morning. Was the surgery worth it? I certainly hesitate to answer that because if I answer in the negative, then I screwed up and there sure is no going back since most of my stomach no longer exists. 60g of Protein and 60 oz of Water????? All we can do is nibble and sip, you're right, all we do is eat. I have no idea how I could EVER get that much of either in. So frustrating. I'm glad you have defeated the trapped air, perhaps I can get there too eventually.