Is my experience normal and what should I do?

[Linda Hamsing Rosen 1]

Hi,

I see the doctor thursday and would appreciate your opinion prior to seeing him.

I was banded 2/27 and have lost 35 pounds. very slow but steady. I have had 3 fills. Since the last 2 I have been losing about 3/4 to 1 pound per week. However, I vomit a lot ! I thought it was because I was eating too fast, too big of bites but even though I try every time to eat better, it happens a couple of times a day. Sometimes I throw up the whole meal and other times, just part of it (like the excess that I shouldn't have eaten). Do others experience this? Once I vomit (or regurgitate), the pain goes away and things are fine. Sometimes, I can eat a lot more with no problems and so there is also little consistency with the restriction. Is this normal and why? I have no problem with liquids. I was on vacation last week and I noticed I ate more ice cream than normal--maybe because it went down easily?

Also, I have noticed a left shoulder pain, a pain in my left arm and a lot of gas--is this normal? No acid refux though.

I'm tempted to ask for an unfill but he hardly filled it last time and what if I start eating a lot again? I'm also really afraid that I have done permanent damage to my system and will need my band removed. I'm wondering if I made the right decision getting the band. Thoughts?

[rcoleband 0]

Hi,

The left shoulder pain and the gas is normal for most. Unfortunately, I am new to my lapband and cannot really offer any good advice on your other issues. I am sure others here that will be more of assistance.

Good Luck!

[dicev 0]

I read your post.

I haven't the experience to help with advice on the problems you're having. I'm only on 2nd fill.

I can however say I have experienced your left shoulder pain.

I just told my Dr. yesterday if anyone complained of left shoulder pain Believe them.

Luckily I had read here on the forum others talking about shoulder pain, and when it happened to me I used what I read. Thanks to this forum, it saved me an ER expense. The pain caused by gas pushing on the diaphram (someone wrote--take Gas X and give it time).

I realized it was what I had eaten that day that caused the problem.

Good luck to you on hearing from others with the advice on your vomiting, that can't be good!

[Frustrated 1]

Hi Linda,

I think the biggest favor you can do for yourself is start to listen to what your body is telling you. There'll be little signs that will tell you when you've eaten enough. For me it's the start of hiccups. Once that begins I know that if I continue to eat, I'll probably end up in the bathroom trying to get rid of that last little bit that I thought wouldn't matter.

Vomiting is bad. But what you're experiencing may not be the full on vomiting. It could be the lesser evil PBing. Or Productive Burping. This is when you burp but it's accompanied by food and/or a ball of slime. If it's vomiting you'll usually taste the bile from your stomach and/or your tummy will convulse while you're vomiting.

For me at times something has just gotten stuck, and once I get rid of it I'm free to finish my meal. Sometimes. Other times it's my body telling me "that's enough" even when my mind and taste buds want to carry on partying. :frown:

As for your experience with ice cream. Well, that turns into a liquid once it's warmed in your body and has no problem at all sliding through. You'll also discover other 'slider' foods. Foods that will slip through your band barely noticed. For me it's potato chips and Cookies. *sigh* I wish it were something more healthy, but alas I must have offended the food gods and they've punished me with yummy sliders. :eek:

[VegasGrace 1]

If you are vomiting, that's not good.

Regurgitating...that's fine. That's a tool you'll use on your journey in re-learning how to eat.

I do it often and sometimes daily...and I'm on maintenance. Took 20 years of overeating...just one year isn't enough to slow down. Gonna take me a few years to get this fine tuned.

But if you are losing and NOT vomiting (as in from the stomach)...congrats! You are in a good spot.

[juliegeraci 7]

I had a lot of PBing on 3.2. He removed .3 and took me down to 2.9. I was starving and gaining really quickly. He took me back up to 3.13, then 3.18. I was still gaining and starving so he took me up to 3.45 (past 3.2 which I PB'd a lot on). I have yet to PB again. The band is really fickle when it comes to restriction. I would recommend a slight unfill of .3 to see if that helps first, then .2 more if it doesn't. Another alternative is to move to liquids for a couple days followed by mushies then solids. Take small bites of everything and eat really slow. Good luck. Julie in CA.

[*susan* 1,709]

Please, if you are pb'ing, vomiting, regurgitating or whatever terminology you choose to refer to it as on a daily basis, that is not normal nor fine. You are either not following the bandster eating rules, which is to take very small bites, chew your food to mush and wait a bit between bites, or you are too tight. To do this daily, or several times daily is dangerous and can result in slipping your band. I know from experience as I had this problem and my band slipped and it was a hard lesson learned.

If your find yourself having excessive pb's, you need to re-examine your eating habits or contact your doctor and have a slight unfill. Juliegraci offered some good advice as well.

[losingjusme 12]

Regurgitating...that's fine. That's a tool you'll use on your journey in re-learning how to eat.

:confused2::confused2::confused2::confused2::confused2: WHAT? i'm sorry ... regurgitating, PB'ing, throwing up, yacking, whatever is not fine. you will be in danger of losing your band due to a slip.

a banded patient should be properly restricted - not too tight, not too loose. you should be able to have 3 meals a day - maybe liquids for Breakfast because a lot of people are tight in the morning, but lunch and dinner should be lean Protein (1/2 - 2/3 chicken breast maybe), small portion of veggies, and MAYBE if you have room a teaspoon or so of carbs.

your diet should not be all liquids, that is in no way, shape or form healthy or balanced and you will not learn healthy eating habits that way.

if you are vomitting, please consider a slight unfill. sometimes even .1-.2 cc makes a huge difference.

good luck!

[Linda Hamsing Rosen 1]

Thanks for all the support. I did see the doctor today and he was incredibly compassionate. He said that there is a learning curve with the band in that you want to eat more than what you should. He told me to measure my food (4-6 ounces) and try to not regurgitate. But he didn't seem overly concerned about it because he said this is part of the learning curve. He would not fill me but he would not unfill me either. I have to check back in 4-6 weeks. Like some of you said to do, he recommended something really soft in the morning due to the tightness. His said my weight loss is good.

So today I really tried listening to my body and I stopped when I felt I had enough. lunch went down well. Hopefully, I can eliminate this problem.

[losingjusme 12]

Thanks for all the support. I did see the doctor today and he was incredibly compassionate. He said that there is a learning curve with the band in that you want to eat more than what you should. He told me to measure my food (4-6 ounces) and try to not regurgitate. But he didn't seem overly concerned about it because he said this is part of the learning curve. He would not fill me but he would not unfill me either. I have to check back in 4-6 weeks. Like some of you said to do, he recommended something really soft in the morning due to the tightness. His said my weight loss is good.

So today I really tried listening to my body and I stopped when I felt I had enough. lunch went down well. Hopefully, I can eliminate this problem.

.

absolutely 100% agree. i'm glad you spoke with your doctor. PB (or regurgitate, etc) is a learning curve... you will learn after a couple times your 'stop sign'... it shouldnt happen on a consistant basis - especially for a year or so.

you're going to do great!!!

[dietpeach 0]

If you are vomiting, that's not good.

Regurgitating...that's fine. That's a tool you'll use on your journey in re-learning how to eat.

I do it often and sometimes daily...and I'm on maintenance. Took 20 years of overeating...just one year isn't enough to slow down. Gonna take me a few years to get this fine tuned.

But if you are losing and NOT vomiting (as in from the stomach)...congrats! You are in a good spot.

Just be careful with regurgitation every day - it can lead to esophagal cancer. Sadly it happens to a lot of bulimics. Here's some info I found over at Medline:

---

MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Barrett?s esophagus

Causes Return to top

Irritation of the lining of the esophagus by stomach acid causes Barrett's esophagus. It happens more frequently in men than women. Risk factors are frequent and long-standing gastroesophageal reflux. The condition carries an increased risk of cancer of the esophagus.

----

So just be careful! Regurgitation brings stomach acids into the esophagus, which is bad news if it happens too often. If it keeps happening speak to your doctor.

[mdgarcia31665 0]

VegasGrace, did a doctor tell you that regurgitation is fine? I know the difference between vomiting and reguritation. There really is none. Both are not good for you because you can dislodge your band. Everyone I have spoken with who has a band has said that the doctors don't want you regurgitating, vomiting, or PBing. It all has the same effect, and is not good. Please for your own safety, get into that mind frame. You are right, it is hard to break bad habits but it is something we need to do to reach our goals of being healthier.

[Cheryl Ann 2]

My experience since reaching restriction (about seven weeks ago) is virtually identical to yours. I guess old habits die hard -- eating too quickly, taking larger-than-recommended bites, not chewing until food is liquified -- which will take a while to become accustomed to. I do worry that I will dislodge the band with this often daily (and sometimes more than once daily) occurance.

How can you tell if the band has slipped? Are there clear-cut signs?

[losingjusme 12]

Cheryl Ann,

i suggest a slight unfill especially if you are PB'ing daily. this is NOT good for your band.

you may want to visit the complication section to get some ideas of what happens with a slip.

best of luck to you.