Very scared! Need some help please!

[becky42 0]

I got my band on 7/31/07 and I'm down about 90 lbs. Last fill was 6/30/08. All summer I was fine. I felt enough restriction but not a whole lot. Had a couple of PBs and threw up occasionally if I ate too fast. I have worked from my home office for six years and recently (3 wks ago) went back into the office. People eat in offices - A LOT - and after several lunches out I realized I'm eating more than normal and have tried to slow down.

My problem is that now no matter how little I eat I get pains in my chest and shoulder blade area. I throw up EVERY time I eat, sometimes before I even leave the restaurant and I can't drink very much without pain or throwing up.

I've tried drinking hot liquids, to no avail. I then started taking Children's Mucinex because I have some allergies going as well, but nothing helps. Now I'm waking up with food particles and liquids coming out of my nose at night. (sorry if TMI) It's really scaring me. I don't want to call the doctor because I'm afraid of him taking the fill out and me gaining weight again.

Has anyone experienced this? Any ideas?

Thanks a bunch!!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

You need to call your doctor! Goodness you are in pain and can't really eat or drink! Odds are you can just get a little unfill but even if you need it all out, that's not doom you know. You can just start over re-training yourself to do the "stuff", chew chew chew, small bites, no liquids with meals, etc. If you don't call him you risk slippage and/or erosion, not to mention bad health! Catch it quick and the odds of needing your band removed etc are really slim. Ignore it and you can hurt yourself and end up losing the band!

I know you're scared to regain; but hopefully he can just unfill you a little and let your stomach settle down, then refill you. Take care of yourself! :tongue2:

[Cocoabean 430]

I agree you should call your doc.

I am wondering if the larger portions have caused the band to slip? I am not sure that can happen. But throwing up can cause a slip.

When my band was too tight, my doc said a concern is throwing up often and causing a slip. With a small slip, he said that unfilling and letting the stomach rest often takes care of things. Then you can refill.

Definitely worth a call to the doc.

Take care and feel better,

Denise

Edited November 16, 2008 by Cocoabean
To correct a typo

[Lala D 0]

IMHO you need to have some taken out. I was having the same problems especially around my TOM where I could not eat any food, just drink hot tea. I went on Friday and had .5 cc's taken out. I thought I had my last fill in July but my doctor said it was April. She said she thought it was stress. My job can be very stressful and we recently had a death in the family. The combination of those things was the perfect storm of my band tightening up. Just having that little bit taken out was wonderful. I can now eat like the band intends, hard Protein, then veggies. You may just need a tiny bit. And if you get too much out (no restriction), you can have a tad put back in. Don't continue to be miserable, especially if you are pbing all the time as that might cause your band to slip. Let the band work as it should. It took me a month to figure that out but the relief was tremendous!!!

Good luck.

[SanDiegoPhotog 0]

I agree with the previous posters. You NEED to go to the doctor. If you had a recent fill -- as in the past week or so -- I would say go back to liquids for 24-72 hours, then mushies, and so on and so forth . . . but it's been quite some time since your fill. You're having symptoms for a REASON and your doctor will help you determine the reason. Remember, you doctor wants you to lose weight, too, so even if you have to get a slight unfill or complete unfill or whatever the case may be, he or she is still going to be there to help you lose the weight and make the band work for you.

Good luck. That all sounds very frightening. :thumbup:

[laurigee 545]

I throw up EVERY time I eat, sometimes before I even leave the restaurant and I can't drink very much without pain or throwing up.

Do you drink with your meals? I am going to agree with everyone, you should get a little bit taken out of your band. Just the smallest amount can make a big difference. Remember, this is about health, not the speed in which you can lose weight. Having a band that is to tight can be very bad for you and your bad. If you are aspirating at night the Fluid could go into your lungs and cause lung problems. Don't risk your band slipping over a few pounds, call your doc. Good Luck.

[becky42 0]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to call the doctor Monday. I didn't Friday (hard head I know). I am doing somewhat better though. I just find it strange that it took a few months to get too tight. However, I have started a new job. Someone mentioned stress - maybe that's part of it.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I recently went through this myself. I haven't had a fill since December. Suddenly, food started coming up in the middle of the night. I was basically puking in my sleep. I never had any trouble in the day time though. This is very dangerous.

I didn't want any fill taken out either, but that is what I needed. I don't understand either why it took almost a year to happen, but the band is a very fickle thing. It has a mind of it's own! I didn't have much taken out, and the problem is gone now.