Threw up one hour after eating at a restaurant

[JillBengt 0]

I threw up tonight for the first time since getting banded on Jan. 13th. Took my boys to their favorite restaurant since their sister was at a father-daughter dance. Everything went perfectly fine during dinner. I chewed the food thoroughly and did not get anything stuck, which has been a problem for me. It was not until I was home that I started feeling strange. Soon, I was sliming and feeling nauseous. I threw up in the kitchen sink in front of my disgusted sons.

I am confused by my body's reaction and would like some feedback so I can prevent this from happening again. In the past, any reaction to improper eating has been immediate. What I find so strange about tonight is that it was a delayed response.

I made an effort to follow the plan, eating 1/3 of a chicken breast, 1/2 cup baked Beans, 1/2 of a side ceasar salad but I did eat two things not on the plan...a garlic dinner roll and a small potato skin. This is clearly the most fat I have eaten since getting banded (as well as my first restaurant experience). Was the throwing up caused by too much fat...too much food?

I have not had a fill yet, I get things stuck once in a while and do not feel hungry. I have lost 29 pounds in 5 weeks. I have been very careful so far. I am mad at myself for letting this happen. What have I done? Help!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

You aren't even 4 weeks post op, are you? Per MY surgeon, i'd still have been on mushies at that time. If you are sure you followed your surgeon's post op diet, I'd make sure I called monday to tell him you vomited and what you ate; it takes a while for the band to heal and "settle into" place around your stomach.

As to why it took so long for you to PB, I am sorry I don't know.

[suepro 39]

It was possibly the bread roll as bread swells and the potato skin (not something I would have post banding although I used to love them) blocking your stoma and stopping the food from going through and being digested.

[SunnyRachel 7]

My surgeon's instructions were to avoid bread, red meat (like steak), and tough skins (potato and apple) for the first three months.

Combined with the chicken breast and lettuce, it sounds like you had quite a few things going on there that could get stuck. If you think of the pouch and stoma as a funnel, things are going down slowly, but I am guessing as you move about and the food works it's way down, it can shift and behave differently even after you've stopped eating.

My first experience with almost vomiting was after I had eaten at a restaurant. I came home with my leftovers, and thought almost an hour had passed since I had eaten. I made the mistake of opening the box and eating one little shrimp. Well, shrimp are tough, and apparently my food was still working its way down... that one bite of shrimp made me so miserably sick. Luckily I didn't vomit, but I came so very close. Needless to say, I have not done that again. So you think you are fine, but your stomach might react later in a way to surprise you.

That's just my theory.

I hope you will get some answers from your surgeon and hopefully not experience this again.

Take care!

Edited February 8, 2009 by SunnyRachel
typo

[Shamrockgirl60 1]

Gee I was still on mushy stuff at 4 weeks. You had way too much food. Even now I can't eat that much and it's 6 months since I was banded. When I go out I make sure to order a childrens plate or something that goes does easy. No bread or undercooked veggies. Steamed chicken breast with mashed potatoes and maybe squash.

East meat first, then veggies then starch. I take half of it home and have it for lunch or dinner the next day.

Also stews are good and chili goes down nicely.

[crzytchr 3]

You should contact your doctor and find out what he/she says. You may be told to go back to fluids for a few days. I was on regular foods by this point post op also, but I ate less food than that. I was eating less than a cup of food. You ate 1 1/3 cups plus the roll and potato skins. I think you are probably correct in thinking the roll and potato is what pushed you over. Be careful and beware of lettuce, bread, Pasta, red meat and potatoes. :thumbup:

[JillBengt 0]

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes, I agree I ate too much. Since it was my first experience in a restaurant and without my trusty measuring cups, I only estimated. During the actual dinner, I did follow the Protein first rule, then the salad then the starch. The roll and the potato skin, however, came as an appetizer about 15-20 minutes before. At the time, it seemed an acceptable amount to eat but once I wrote what I ate down in this post, I could see that it was WAY too much. Dumb!

To answer everyone, yes, I am on regular foods now. My surgeon has everyone on a liquid diet two weeks before surgery as well as 10 days after. Then 10 days on mushies. I started regular foods on February 4th.

My doctor never gave us a list of foods to eat. Basically at this stage we can eat whatever we want as long as it is weighed and measured and around 1200 a day. This plan has worked very well for me so far but it has definately been a learning curve. Through unpleasant experiences, I now know to stay away from bread and rice and fruit and raw veggies and soft tortillas. Anything crunchy like crackers or Romain lettuce work fine.

I have the benefit of having a great friend to do this with me. She is two weeks ahead of me with the lapband. The only problem with this is that when I try foods that work great for her, they don't always work great for me. For example, she can eat any fruit or vegetable, raw or cooked. I, on the other hand, get them stuck (even mushie bananas and applesauce and most cooked veggies).

Everyone's bodies react differently to the band. I am glad this experience happened though. Sometimes it takes a slap in my face to learn what is and is not a no-no!

[twiggysmiff 0]

I was banded one day after you and I am allowed to eat regular foods too, but there would be no way I could eat as much as you did (not saying you shouldn't have, but its just a difference in what our bands are allowing since we haven't been filled yet). This morning, we went out for Breakfast with my parents. I told the waitress I had been banded and asked to order off the seniors' menu so I could get less food. She was very helpful and said there was no problem. My order consisted of 1 scrambled egg, one sausage patty, breakfast potatoes, and 2 slices of toast. I ate the egg first, then the sausage, 3 or 4 bites of the potatoes and the inside parts of the toast (not the crust...probably the equivalent of 1 piece of bread) and I was full. The plate was still full of potatoes and a lot of the toast. The mistake I made was having a cup of coffee before breakfast and the caffeine made me shaky. I've not had any caffeine since surgery and I'm not used to it and I don't like that feeling, so milk or Water for me from now on. I would say you got sick from the amount of food or the lettuce or potato skin. I would ask your doctor about it and go on mushies for a day to make sure you're OK. Good luck!

[IWannaBeSkinny 0]

I was banded the day before you and I am also on regular foods. But, my limit is 1/2 a cup at a time. Actually its supposed to be a 1/3 a cup but I have been eating up to 1/2 a cup depending on what/how hungry I am.

Sorry that you threw up. I am so scared of throwing up! I would just say skip the appetizer next time :thumbdown:

[SunnyRachel 7]

It's really hard to estimate in a restaurant in the beginning. Now that I've had one fill, I can tell when to stop, but before my first fill was when I didn't realize it because I didn't think I was full, but actually was there.

I'm glad you posted this though so that we could be reminded that what works for some doesn't work for others, and how we all have different restriction right after surgery. Hopefully it will help other newly banded people remember to be careful when trying out what they can eat. Thanks!

[SunnyRachel 7]

I would ask your doctor about it and go on mushies for a day to make sure you're OK. Good luck!

Oh, yeah! That's a good point. Did your surgeon give you instructions for when you vomit? My handbook instructed that after vomiting one should go on liquids for the rest of the day. Have you found out what your doctor would like you to do when something like this happens??

[JillBengt 0]

The vomiting happened last night (Saturday) so I have not called my doctor. I will called the RN on Monday. My doctor never gave instructions on what to do AFTER throwing up however I did get pills to prevent it. In fact, I had just popped one in my mouth last night when up it all came. Yuck!

I am glad for all you who cannot eat "too much" like me but everyone is different and you should keep that in mind. I can assure you I do not eat like a pig...at least not anymore :thumbdown:. As of this morning I have lost 30 pounds in about 6 weeks so I think I am doing great!

But the reality is, I have not had a fill yet and I have no restriction. I feel like I can eat anything. The reason I don't is because I measure everything at home. I never get full but I am not necessarily hungry either. At home, I just finish eating what I have measured out on my plate and I am done. If there is no restriction and no "full feeling" it is hard to know when to stop. I do hope that with my first fill on Thursday, I will achieve what so many have already seem to have with their bands...fullness.

[twiggysmiff 0]

I think you are doing great too! I would imagine that what happened was your stomach, for whatever reason, didn't like what you ate. I have noticed that there are days that my stomach is more sensitive than others. I have no idea why it happens. Good luck! (My first fill is scheduled for Thursday too!!)

[coloradobanding 5]

I think you're doing fantastic!! I also went out to a restaurant with my family on Friday (first time since I was banded). I had 5 bites of salad and almost 2 pieces of a childs size pizza. I ate everything well but was really concerned. Luckily no problems for me.

Some posts may seem like they're coming down on you, but just do what you and your doctor think is best for you! Different folks react differently and you had your first "test" of the band. Keep up the good work!!