Katie713

Lux...are you ok?

I copied some information from Livestrong that might be helpful. Try drastically reducing your fat intake so that bile is not required for digestion to help you as you heal. You are right though, it does sound as though your pyloric valve might be compromised. Take it easy and eat things that are very easy to digest. I know when I had my gallstone attacks, I was asked to wait 6 months for my "voluntary" surgery (gallblader removal) and the advice given was to eliminate nearly all fat, which really helped, and I lost 60 pounds before surgery. Bile and food Bile is secreted in response to fat in ingested foods. A 2005 article in "Neurogastroenterology and Motility" titled "Mechanisms Underlying Duodeno-Gastric Reflux in Man" studied the effects of diet on bile reflux. This study found that high-fat meals lead to more bile refluxing into the stomach than meals with lower fat levels. Because bile is secreted in response to fat, it logically follows that high-fat meals would increase bile secretion and raise the probability of experiencing bile reflux in a patient who has a damaged or weakened pyloric valve. Symptoms Patients with episodic bile reflux may develop a variety of symptoms after eating meals that have a high-fat content. This can include severe upper abdominal pain and nausea. High-fat meals can also contribute to esophageal reflux, so patients may also experience heartburn. In extreme cases, patients may also vomit bile or develop a sore throat or hoarseness. Treatment Bile reflux can cause lasting damage to the stomach and esophagus and should be treated, even if the problems are only episodic. Patients can avoid eating fatty meals to limit the production of bile. A medication called ursodeoxycholic acid, "The New York Times" explains, can be used to alleviate some of the pain and other symptoms of bile reflux by easing the flow of bile into the small intestine. Other drugs, which speed food through the digestive tract, can also be used. Because bile reflux is caused by an anatomical abnormality, surgery can also be used to reroute food away from the damaged pyloric valve. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/114529-can-bile-reflux-episodic/#ixzz2Dj1wyV9l

Queen of Crop...probably a reduction/lift where they use your own tissue to give you back your firmness and give them some perk. I think I may go that route if I eventually have plastics. I am still a 38DDD after losing nearly 100#, but they definately need "picking up" if you know what I mean.

I am almost 8 months out and this still happens to me on occasion, but without the getting dizzy - just the intense feeling of having to vomit. Sometimes even one or two bites too many, especially if I have eaten fast can send me running to the bathroom. I guess old habits die hard. Thanks for the reminder as we head into Thanksgiving, we need to go slow and carefully to not overwhelm our little sleeves!

From what I've read here those with the worst complications share one thing in common, a leak that is often diagnosed after weeks of intense nausea and vomiting, sometimes masked by other complications like blood loss, abcesses, and the like. You NEED hydration and you need nutrition. It might be time to go back to the E/R and get those things taken care of and then your surgeon can re-address whether you now have a leak that needs to be dealt with. This does not sound like a stomach virus. It is better to be safe than sorry Lux.

Exactly Carey....think about where we were last year. I have donated most of my old big clothes over this year, but hadn't touched my coats. When the weather cooled down, I was trying them on to see what might fit and they were so big, I could tuck the edges under my armpits from both sides. They were huge and LONG too. I had to run out and get a few sweaters but no jacket yet, I am between a 14 and 16 on top because I am still busty. I am on a hunt during the Christmas sales to try and get a 14 that will take me through next Spring. Eventually I hope to hit goal at a size 8-10. I feel so much better this year!! Hope you do too, so go ahead and enjoy Thanksgiving and then pick up right where you left off..

I no longer dread anything. I finally feel an element of control and look forward to the holidays. Last year was harder, I was on a the pre-op plan and had to lose, not gain before the surgeon would give me approval. I focused on the good stuff and minimized my servings of the bad stuff and I did OK. The same applies now, since I can't eat much, I will have to be selective - but I will probably have a few bites of everything because I no longer feel that I am in a race. I think I can realize my goal by the one year mark. I eat sensibly, and I get my excercise in almost everyday. I also think an occasional indulgence is fine, then get right back on plan. No need to feel utterly deprived. I feel so liberated!!

I'm feeling the same way girlfriend and rocking my size 14's !! I have no fear about Thanksgiving either, I know how to eat, focus on my turkey with a bit of gravy - a tablespoon of stuffing, a tablespoon of mashed potatoes a tiny bit of cranberry sauce....and of course I will save room for a tiny sliver of pumpkin pie. I am no longer feeling like this is a race. It is a way of life and although I am losing slowly, I have not gained weight, I stall then lose, stall then lose, that's just how it is for MY body. Love your pictures, you look so happy and skinny!!!

I was taken off my PPI at the 6 month mark. No problems with heartburn or reflux as long as I don't lay down after eating, or eat too much, (that actually happened to me last night with too much meatball Soup, a little too much broth and it had to come up) but I do keep some tums around if need be. Citrus acid is the only thing that still seems to be a bit much for me, so I have to pass up on the margaritas, darn it Iggy - how's that claw holding??

Good morning 50's friends...I guess without our fat layer, we are feeling the cold much easier. I have had to bring a sweater to work and I also live in southern California, and this is a new feeling for me, but I am dealing with it, many more days with socks and real shoes instead of my sandals!! Oh and by the way, my hair loss finally stopped. I am 7 months out from surgery in April 2012. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving....a bite of this and a bite of that will be a shared experience for this group

Glad you went to have this checked out. Our bodies "tell" us when something is wrong. Your first post sounded so familiar that I had to give you my honest opinion. I hope you have a speedy recovery. Take good care of yourself!!

Pookey - I got an e-mail notifying me, but nothing in advance, just a notification that all external tickers were removed, so I made a new one using this site.

My first attacks were spasms and doubling over in pain, it was hard to find a position to feel comfortable while I went thru the "episode"...I did not throw up or have diarrhea, and I only had pain during the episode which shortly followed a meal. I found out the meal brought it on, because when you eat fats, the concentrated bile from the gallbladder is activated. Stones block the ducts from the gallbladder to the stomach, so it really is episodic and not constant pain. But YES, I did have some referred pain when having the attacks between my shoulder blades. An ultrasound can quickly rule this out. Gallstones are VERY common with any kind of WLS.

Have gallstones been ruled out? Sounds a lot like when I used to get an attack.

Hopefully you are past the worst of it. For most, things get better as the days go by and your stomach heals internally. I really do wish you the best!!!

Good glad you are going to the ER. Better to be safe than sorry. Good luck!! And no - I do not think Propel Water would have any bearing on how you are feeling.

I keep a battery operated BP cuff at home and use it often. For awhile my BP was very high at times, especially during the pre-op process. My primary asked that I record my BP daily for a few months while we worked on a combination of meds to bring it to normal readings. It cost me about $20 and it is digital and works on the wrist. You might want to have someone pick one up for you so that you can get a reading, it might help to at least know where you stand with your BP. Your sliming is an indication your stomach was not ready for the food item, or it is very hard to make it's way down the esophagus into your sleeved stomach. Pull back on the Protein bar and even the eggs if they make you slime and go back to a more pureed consistency and see if that helps. Sliming is NO FUN. Hope you feel better this weekend!!

Doesn't sound like a leak to me, but if your blood pressure is bottoming out, something could be going on internally. If you feel worse, please go on in to urgent care this weekend, at least you can find out immediately if your blood pressure has plummeted. Our bodies "tell" us when things aren't right, and you have to follow your instincts. Do you have anyone taking care of you at home?

You are doing great newgrandmother!! Keep up the good work, and now that you've had the positive reinforcement from your NUT, you can be even more encouraged. Obviously, you are doing it right !!

sleeve4me... Out of all the responses on this thread, yours was the only post that was condescending and rude to the OP. Then you proceeded to attack another poster that has gone through a near death experience having complications from surgery, and call her out as having a "disgusting display of character"? I find this to be exactly what most posters loathe on these boards. You are the one that needs to "scroll on by" from my point of view. These boards are to support and educate, to share real life stories whether the outcome is positive or not, and patients that suffer complications need this support more than the rest of us, and a warning about the realities of the risk is prudent to all people contemplating surgery.

At first I wondered if it may be low blood pressure or something similar. You should be taking B12, Thiamine and your multi at this point, perhaps have some diluted gatorade to add electrolites and a little sugar to your system, your body has been through a lot and is still recovering. If you don't feel better get yourself checked out either in urgent care or a follow up with your surgeon or bariatric doctor.

Yeah, most of us go trhu this once in awhile, I did shortly after surgery and even as recently as a few nights ago, I'm 7 months out. I had dinner but a few hours later I got a craving for a turkey meatball and had 2 small meatballs with sauce, and ate faster than I should, I knew it was OLD behavior...got sick right away and threw it up and felt better. Have to keep focused our tummys are really small!! Good luck!! Not to worry it will eventually go down, or if you have to throw up, its not like before surgery, its quick and you're done.

How far out are you from surgery? What stage of eating are you at?

I also had 3 c-sections and my gallbladder removed in an open surgery (this was before they did it laparascopically). I did well after all my surgeries, the usual weakness after having the abdomen muscles cut, but no intense pain. The gallbladder was worse than the c-sections because they cut me under the ribcage from the sternum to my side, but even so I did ok. VSG for me was even easier. Some discomfort from excess gas but no real pain. I used the morphine pump to sleep and get relaxed but felt fine to walk around, use the bathroom, etc a few hours after surgery. Took a month off work, walked a couple of miles every morning. Could have gone back alot sooner but opted to get my R&R. Fluids well tolerated and I feel better than I have in decades.

You'll be just fine. I got dropped off at the hospital and went through it by myself with no problem whatsoever. When it was release time, my son came and picked me up. At home, I took care of myself as well. Of course I had no complications and felt pretty good!