How long should it take for my meal to clear the pouch?

[pixel 0]

I'm wondering how long it takes for my meal to pass through my pouch.

Since my last fill on the 11/13, I'm having a hard time eating and keeping down liquids. It seems like anything I eat is too much and comes back up.

This past Sunday, I ate lunch around noon - 3 bites of chicken, and 3 bites of green Beans. Not a lot, but I was full with just that. It wasn't until 6pm that evening that I could drink any fluids without it coming back up. I had a terrible headache.

I'm concerned I'm not getting enough fluids because I'm having to wait so long.

Today I had a few bites of chicken around 10am. I drank some liquids around 1, and threw up. Just a few minutes ago (almost 4pm now) I had some sliming and up came more chicken. I would think it should have all passed by now

I've also been spitting up foam.

Right now I'm only able to eat once each day. I'm thinking I'm too tight, and made an appt. for next week.

Any thoughts, or ideas?

[hpegg 0]

It sounds like you have been banded tight. After my fill, my doctor told me two days of liquids followed by one week of mushies. Did your doctor give you any special instructions? I think chicken is really hard to digest so you may want to start with something softer.

[pixel 0]

Yes, I did liquids. Fill was on a Thurs morning, by Saturday evening I was able to eat at my son's birthday party with very little issue.

The next day I felt really tight and have been that way since. Tomorrow makes two weeks since the fill.

I'm doing liquids today. Clinic is closed the rest of the week, but I made an appt. for Tuesday to get checked out.

[sistasassy 6]

It sounds like you are too tight or too swollen. I have big issues with swelling (as we just found out). I would try a couple of days of liquids, then a couple of days of mushies, and then try solids again and see what happens. It will give time for any swelling to go down.

[pixel 0]

Thank you.

I was swollen. Do you know what causes that?

When I went in, I was completely closed up. They removed .5cc and still nothing was passing through. Took out another .3cc and I felt a release and a big air bubble came up. It was the best feeling ever.

They are going to leave it open through the holiday and I go back in early Jan. to start closing it back up.

I did lose 10lbs in during that 2 weeks. I'm expecting to gain some of it back because it's so open. Surprisingly, I'm not as hungry as I thought I'd be.

[minou 0]

I've been having a similar problem, only I'm still on liquids and they're coming up even! I've found that if I drink something that's warm before I eat that the food will go down a little better, I've even managed some mushies that way. So, I've been sticking to hot teas, etc. for all of my fluids, otherwise everything comes back up.

As for the swelling, you're dealing with very sensitive tissue around your stomach. When the band is filled, it's going to irritate that area and cause swelling. Your stomach doesn't want to be constricted like it is. My vision is to think of a ring around your finger. If you put on one that is slightly tight, but still goes on and leave it for a few hours you're going to find that your finger has swollen and it will be very difficult to get the ring off again. The same thing happens in your stomach, only even more so. After awhile the swelling should go down, but it may take longer than you think.

I was thinking about having some Fluid out of my band, but hey last week I lost 7 lbs. I figure if I lose enough weight the band will loosen on its on and I can just wait a little longer for my next fill!

[Gill27UK 0]

Pixel, I am feeling the same as you did when yous tarted the thread. I think it's too tight but I'll persevere for a few more days as I think it may be just swelling.

Gill x

[pixel 0]

I go tomorrow to start tightening it back up. I know I've gained a few pounds being open over the holiday.

Now it's that time of the month and I'm feeling snug, so I'm hoping they can at least do a little fill to get me losing again. I don't want to go much longer with it this open.

If I had known that the swelling could be that severe, I would have not been so aggressive with my fills.