Emergency advice needed...

[blue_monkey 0]

i was banded on feb 24th 2009 and so far was okay until saturday 11th april. food gets stuck occasionally but the pain and stuck feeling generally pass about an hour after eating. this is fine.

however, on saturday i ate a packet of dorritos which i shouldnt have. i threw them up almost straight after finishing them. this was at about 7pm at night.

not long after that i was in extreme pain. this pain is still here even after almost 2 and a half days.

i have not been able to hold down any food or liquids since saturday night. i am exhausted.

on the sunday morning i went to the local hospital because i was worried that the band had slipped. they took an x-ray but said they couldnt see anything wrong with the band and that they could not 'hear' an obstruction in the band area.

i know it was stupid, but i really need some advice. i haven't been able to sleep, and the pain is very intense. i have tried to take calpol but it generally comes back up.

the vomit contains my stomach acid as well as the liquids i have tried to consume. any milk i have tried to drink has curdled into what looks like cottage cheese. also, the vomit has started to turn brown as of monday morning.

any advice would be helpful.

thanks

[Delivered 0]

Call your doctor immediately!

[BethFromVA 5]

Definitely, what Delivered said! You really should have called first thing Monday! But I don't want to do a coulda, shoulda, woulda, just call FIRST THING when you get up!

[blue_monkey 0]

thanks. i will call my doctor as soon as they open.

any advice on how to keep liquids down?

[BethFromVA 5]

Absolutely nothing stays down? If not, then I don't know what you can do until you get in in the morning. I'm sure they'll take you in immediately since you haven't been able to keep liquids down since Sunday, is it? Yeah, not good.

In the future, that is an immediate-if-not-sooner visit to the doc.

[blue_monkey 0]

no liquids/food have stayed down since before saturday 7pm

Water will stay down for about 5 minutes if i dont take more than 2/3 small sips. any more than that and it comes straight up. if it doesnt come up straight away it seems to be stuck in my chest/just below my breasts, and will come up after about 5-10 minutes.

i did go to the hospital, but i guess they were not much help.

its only typical that this happens during the weekend i have off due to bank holidays. we are also meant to have family stay for a few days. thats going to be fun.

however, i guess the doctor may admit me to hospital. Do you think i will be admitted? i think i need a drip to stay hydrated...

thanks for everything.

have you ever had any problems?

[blue_monkey 0]

i have just come back from my doctors.

i was told that i am 'too well' for it to be totally serious. if it was a proper obstruction or band slip i would be in too much pain to lie on my back and allow an examination.

as i cannot keep fluids down, i was told that instead of sipping Water, use a teaspoon as it is slightly less than a sip and you are less likely to over drink. i was told ribena is okay as it tastes better than Water, lol.

she said if nothing changes in about 24hours to call the surgery for advice. lets hope i am drinking by then.

thanks for your advice.

[malissa 0]

I am very surprised they didn't give you IV fluids to get you back hydrated. They must think you are going to bounce back.

Wishing you well-

Malissa

[BethFromVA 5]

I'm more than surprised -- I'm actually ALARMED that that's all they did! There has got to be a reason it's all coming back up, and when fluids won't stay down, that's a very dangerous issue. Blue, did they give you a reason why? Could you be too tight? These people aren't taking this as seriously as they should be. What about the brownish vomit (which I thought maybe had blood in it)?

They just don't sound very serious about this. What you are experiencing is NOT normal at all.

[dreamer69 0]

Please keep us updated....

Hope all is well with you.

[jacobsgram 0]

Did you go to your family doctor or the surgeon who did the surgery? I would call the surgeon's office. Hopefully you are better now, but if not, call the surgeon.

My husband was having trouble keeping food down, but first he was eating too fast then he was too full.

Hope your better.

Edited April 14, 2009 by jacobsgram

[BethFromVA 5]

I'm more worried that she can't keep even small amounts of liquids down. That will put her in a hospital FAST. I can't believe the doctor acted so blase about that.

[blue_monkey 0]

i went to my local doctor, my surgeon is in birmingham and i live in bournemouth (about 3/4 hours drive) so i couldnt go see them.

the band couldnt have been too tight (well i dont think so) as i had it filled for the first time about 2 weeks ago, 3ml put in, i think)

may sound a bit odd but the liquids seem to be staying down if i take very small amounts and leave quite a bit of time between them. i remember when i had the Norwalk (nora) virus that ice lollies stayed down better than normal liquids so i have started to take them. i take a bit, put it in the freezer, take a bit, put it back etc.

i am feeling a bit better, not back to normal or anything but a bit better.

looking up the brown stuff on the internet, it seems that its gunk/bile for lack of a better term. i threw up and thought i was bleeding, when i remembered that i had eating a red ice lolly not long before, you should have seen how i panicked... lol

as i am keeping a bit of liquid down and feeling a bit better (more awake, and less exhausted) i dont think calling the surgeon is necessary, if i am not totally back to normal by thursday morning i will call then, or if it gets worse tomorrow i will call then as well.

thank you everyone for your help.

i was really panicking when it all started happening.

hope everyone else is okay with their band

i will be taking better care from now on.

bai

[BethFromVA 5]

Blue, have you spoken to your surgeon at all? I would be curious to see what s/he says about you not even being able to handle liquids properly. Can you call them today or tomorrow? You have no idea the damage that could occur by getting a bad bit of information from your general practician. I just worry that that doctor didn't take it very seriously and probably doesn't fully understand everything involved here.

I don't want to be a nag or mom-like, but please call your surgeon, just for peace of mind -- even if it's just mine! lol

Edited April 14, 2009 by BethFromVA

[luluc 6]

i went to my local doctor, my surgeon is in birmingham and i live in bournemouth (about 3/4 hours drive) so i couldnt go see them.

the band couldnt have been too tight (well i dont think so) as i had it filled for the first time about 2 weeks ago, 3ml put in, i think)

may sound a bit odd but the liquids seem to be staying down if i take very small amounts and leave quite a bit of time between them.

the very worst thing we can do is self diagnos, or come to a support board for guidance in areas such as this where medical intervention is needed. even if you didn't have a band, the lack of fluids is dangerously low.

my dr is 1.5hr away from me - but if i could only handle a few sips of liquids every hr or so; i'm calling his cell & he's going to meet me at the nearest location.

this isn't how the band should work - and your too many days in w/a problem that will only get worse. please call your surgeon and get in asap.

keep everyone posted,