Getting a little worried...

[Shleb 0]

I was banded on 8/13/07 and then re-banded on 8/17/07 due to slippage and herniation. I didn't have any complications after that except starting my fills later than most people do.

Since about the end of this September (2008) I've been experiencing some vomiting after eating. This was attributed (by my dietitian and surgeon) to not chewing well enough and eating too fast. I took the advice to chew better and slow down. The vomiting was almost instant and the relief was as well. I'm sure that some of you know that feeling of relief when the food isn't stuck anymore.

This past week, I had a BAD experience with lunch and was vomiting for almost an hour after only eating a couple of bites of my lunch. It hurt-I had pains in my stomach that I had never had before and I've never vomited more than once after eating a meal and this time it was 3 times. In between vomiting, I had these awful sharp pains that traveled from my stomach up my esophagus and then nothing happened, and I would get another one that started in my stomach and traveled up. I had never experienced this much pain from vomiting before.

I was scared, because of my complications so early on-that I decided to contact my surgeon's office. They again said it was from not chewing well enough and/or eating too fast. (This was food that I had tolerated before and not had any problems before that day) They told me to do Clear liquids the rest of the day and if I couldn't keep anything else down or got the sharp pains in my stomach again, that I would need to go to the Emergency room of the hospital that she is in-which is 2 hours from where I live. Luckily, I was able to keep some Soup down for dinner and avoided exercising for the night, just to let my body settle down. The Soup made me sick to my stomach, but I think my stomach was just sensitive from the vomiting earlier that day. So needless to say, I didn't have to make the 2 hour trip to the ER.

Well, this past weekend, it happened again. I had dinner on Saturday night (leftovers from dinner on Friday night, that I had tolerated fine on Friday night) and this time I had the same thing happen- I felt sick for about 10 minutes before I finally threw it up, then still felt like I needed to vomit again. This time I vomited twice, and it hurt again. The pains in my stomach weren't nearly as bad as they had been during the week when I got sick, but I still felt like it hurt more than it should have.

Now I am having pain/discomfort/pressure in my port area. Sometimes I experience discomfort just because it's there and sometimes it's when I'm exercising.

I had a fill on 10/14/08 and now have 2.5ccs in a 4cc band. So I am a little over half full. I still don't feel like I am all that restricted, although I have lost quite a bit of weight since surgery (although I am discouraged by losing weight slowly and wish I could lose more) The prospect of needing an "unfill" has come up, but I feel like it's counterproductive to my weight loss. I have to drive 2 hours for everything and I don't want to drive up there again to get Fluid taken out of my band- it's discouraging to think that might be a possibility.

Soooo, basically- I am kind of worried because I'm afraid that my band might slip again, or might be slipping, or eroding-or some other BAD thing. I don't think my surgeon would do another band on me, and the idea of having to have surgery again is UNTHINKABLE! I had such a hard time having it twice in one week, I don't think I could do it again.

Has ANYONE out there experienced anything like this? To be vomiting at this stage in the game is frustrating because you think it's something would deal with in the beginning-not over a year out.

And does anyone know if a band will slip suddenly, or can is slowly slip until it's completely slipped? I know what signs to look for-because I had a slip before and it was absolutely awful. It was right after surgery, so I thought the pain and stuff was normal, until I started to vomit blood-that's when I knew something was wrong. I haven't vomited blood this time, but I'm just paranoid about this.

Does anyone have anything for me?

Trying to be patient and positive about this...

[Kelbell 0]

Hi there! I too was banded in 2007, I had a very slow start in my journey due to personal issues and wasn't doing my followups the way I should have. Needless to say, this year I started doing the followups and the weight started dropping like crazy. I find myself vomitting anytime I eat anything, especially in the past 2 weeks. I saw my doctor today and told him that I was having issues being able to eat, but that I feel fine. He of course mentioned taking a little out of the band and I of course fought him on it. My friend Sarah and I had our surgery the same day and she went through something similar but she couldn't even hold down liquids. He took 1cc out of her band and she rather quickly put back on 40lbs!!! Neither of us experienced any pain with the vomitting, but I think my first question for you would be if you still have your gall bladder? I know he asked me that today and said that might be the issue. I know for myself, the majority of my problem is stress. But I would be concerned as well if I had pain. I wouldn't let that continue for to much longer. Please keep me posted as to what your doctor says and I'm sorry that I don't have better information for you. The next time your call your doctors office let them know that you would like to speak to the doctor directly. I've found that the nurses in my doctor's office aren't the best source of information.

[Sunwyse 1]

This doesn't sound good, I can understand why you are worried. If I was you, I would arrange to get that last fill taken out, then go on Clear Liquids for 48 hours, just to let it all rest and settle down. I'm sorry, but I disagree with your surgeon, if its happening from foods that are fine one day, but not the next, then your chewing has nothing to do with it. Go back to that doctor and demand to be seen. If they won't see you or remove the fill, find yourself another surgeon quick.

[TerriDoodle 6]

This doesn't sound good, I can understand why you are worried. If I was you, I would arrange to get that last fill taken out, then go on clear liquids for 48 hours, just to let it all rest and settle down. I'm sorry, but I disagree with your surgeon, if its happening from foods that are fine one day, but not the next, then your chewing has nothing to do with it. Go back to that doctor and demand to be seen. If they won't see you or remove the fill, find yourself another surgeon quick.

Well, this isn't quite true. If you are very tightly restricted even the slightest change in stress levels, hormone levels, or irritation to the band can cause it to be very fickle. Yes, you certainly can tolerate a food one day and not the next!

Ok, here's what I think is going on with your band Shleb --

1) you are eating solid/risky foods after you have already irritated your stoma previously....which causes further irritation.

2) You probably are not chewing well enough or small enough bites for the amount of restriction you have.

3) You may also be experiencing some esophageal spasms which may occur periodically when you're too restricted, esp. after eating spicy/greasy foods.

So....if you want to manage with your current restriction for awhile, this is what you should try:

1) If you ever have an episode of getting 'stuck' or throwing up your food, for the next 24 hours (at least) go to a liquid and very mushie diet.

2) Don't take bites any larger than a pencil eraser (not kidding!) especially of things like meat, fibrous fruits & veggies, Pasta, bread, eggs, fried foods...or any risky food. Take a full minute between bites. Don't eat another bite if you feel the slightest bit of discomfort until that discomfort passes.

3) Avoid spicy/greasy foods and use deep breathing or other relaxation techniques to reduce or alleviate the spasms.

4) Start watching for reflux symptoms! Don't eat after 7:00p at night.

If you choose to keep your band that tight, then you'll have to do these things. OR...... you can have a wee bit taken out and feel much better, eat a wider variety of foods, and rely on your good sense and willpower to get you where you need to be.

This is what 'they' meant when 'they' said that the band is not magic wand...it's a tool!!

Edited November 7, 2008 by TerriDoodle

[babedoe4 5]

wow Terry! Well put!!!