Hi all, I was banded 10 days ago and have had the worst pb'ing! I mean, I couldn't keep ANYTHING down! It's gotten better in the last few days, but I wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this? If so, how long did it last for you? I also have gastritis, so the fruit juices aren't very good for me, so I'm drinking watered down smoothies. Also, it seems after I drink ANYTHING, I have to burp. Is this gas from the surgery, or will it always be this way? I'm so happy that I've lost 23 lbs, but it seems to have come at a pretty high price! I'm sure things will get better-just looking for some common experiences out there. One more question-how long does milk/soup (anything besides straight liquid) stay in our pouches?

Thanks!

Cindy

301.5/278.5/160

Banded 12/6 Dr. Sanchez

Cindy, it sounds as if you need to take smaller sips. Definately don't "drink" at 10 days post-op if you are burping or uncomfortable at every drink. Slow down! Also, maybe warm broth would be better than smoothies. Anything liquid should be fine as long as you are sipping slowly. Warm does better than cold most times.

For the next few days, think of yourself as swollen and extra tight and you need to sip, sip slowly and sip liquids that aren't hard on you or are acidic. Stay away from tomato Soup for now, too.

Avoid PBing, especially this early in the game. It increases your chances of slippage. I'd also contact your doc and see if he recommends some type of acid-reducer like Nexium or Prilosec or whatever.

I had a rough 2 weeks post-op and a MX doc. Here's what I did, after going to the ER for IV fluids. I sipped the smallest sips imaginable. I would sip, then swallow that sip in about 3 swallows. I took crushed Prilosec twice a day. I avoided tomato soup and drank lots of broth and Egg Drop Soup. And my protien drinks, too (Boost). Sip. If I could go back, I would have added Aloe Vera juice to my "diet". It's very healing.

Check with your doc though. Don't let this go on and on, okay? The gas/burping will go away and I promise in the future you will be able to guzzle drinks on an empty stomach with no trouble whatsoever.

Oh, another thing. Nothing will go through fast when you keep PBing and irritating the stoma that is already swollen from surgery, then gets worse with drinking too fast and PBing more. Stop the PBing, let the band area rest.

It's sounds like you are still swollen from the surgery, and I think you need to call your surgeon. PB'ing regularly, especially right after surgery, isn't good for your band. I'm also thinking you must be dehydrated if you can't keep water down. Full liquids should really go right through your pouch. In the meantime, sip, sip, sip and take in liquids slowly. Feel better soon!

I had problem with PBing and actually vomiting. I found out that it was do to the pain medication I was taking from the surgery. I was allergic to it. I do not know if you are taking pain medication but I thought I would mention it.

Cindy, it sounds as if you need to take smaller sips. Definately don't "drink" at 10 days post-op if you are burping or uncomfortable at every drink. Slow down! Also, maybe warm broth would be better than smoothies. Anything liquid should be fine as long as you are sipping slowly. Warm does better than cold most times.

For the next few days, think of yourself as swollen and extra tight and you need to sip, sip slowly and sip liquids that aren't hard on you or are acidic. Stay away from tomato soup for now, too.

Avoid PBing, especially this early in the game. It increases your chances of slippage. I'd also contact your doc and see if he recommends some type of acid-reducer like Nexium or Prilosec or whatever.

I had a rough 2 weeks post-op and a MX doc. Here's what I did, after going to the ER for IV fluids. I sipped the smallest sips imaginable. I would sip, then swallow that sip in about 3 swallows. I took crushed Prilosec twice a day. I avoided tomato soup and drank lots of broth and Egg Drop Soup. And my protien drinks, too (Boost). Sip. If I could go back, I would have added Aloe Vera juice to my "diet". It's very healing.

Check with your doc though. Don't let this go on and on, okay? The gas/burping will go away and I promise in the future you will be able to guzzle drinks on an empty stomach with no trouble whatsoever.

Oh, another thing. Nothing will go through fast when you keep PBing and irritating the stoma that is already swollen from surgery, then gets worse with drinking too fast and PBing more. Stop the PBing, let the band area rest.

I am on Nexium (much the same as Prilosec) and it says not to crush it because it is time released. How did you crush Prilosec. If you have a prescription it comes in a capsule. Did you merely open the capsule to take it...and oh yuck it must have tasted horrible, or did you take OTC meds? I am curious how I'm going to take the Nexium, but my dr. has told me that probably she will switch me to Acifed which is as small as a birth control pill for gas. What I really want to know is how you got that Prilosec down?

Never crush pills without first checking with a pharmacist. Like Nexium, many pills and capules are time released or can't be crushed for other reasons. Don't open capsules or crush anything unless the pharmacist looks it up for you, and don't rely on what a doctor says when it comes to pills since they don't study pharmacology the way the dude at Walgreens does! Get to know your pharmacist and he'll help you more than most docs.

As far as PB-ing, you probably need to slow down and stick with small sips of warm liquids awhile longer. Some doctors say a bad PB, or too many PBs, can cause your band to slip, so avoid PBs and vomitting at all costs.

I had a couple really tight days, so I made my own little IV drip by simply using a sports bottle. I just held it above my mouth and let one or two drops into my mouth. IT took a long time to finish a bottle, but at least I knew I wasn't getting dehydrated, and the small drops just absorb in the mouth and soothe the throat.

I'm not a doctor, but you sound pretty normal to me - it just sounds like you're taking things too fast. Stop with the smoothies and try watered down blended warm cream Soups, one teaspoon at a time. Strain the bits of meat out. Stick to very thin liquids till you feel better. I felt like hell for almost 3 weeks. Baby yourself right now. Let your family pamper you. Use a heating pad and walk as often as possible for comfort. Have someone massage you, or go treat yourself to a spa-pedicure in a heated massage chair. Be good to yourself.

I used a baby measuring spoon to take my sips. 1/2 teaspoon at a time for the first few days, then I graduated to a regular medicine dosing cup. My goal was 1 oz every 10 mins, and I was able to handle that pretty well. As others have said warm is easier, try broth, jello that has not firmed up yet, I made it with gatorade and drank it warm, it gave me energy and helped get my liquids in too. I am making the same mixture for my 4 year old as she is really sick and that really seems to perk her up. Hope you feel better quick~Mandy

Ok, so I can already tell that me with my cast Iron gullet who is one week out and having absolutely no trouble with full mugs of thick soup will be the one complaining about being able to eat anything and everything in oh, about four weeks time! I havent had so much as a twinge from down there, I just feel constantly full like I just ate so I have no desire to break rules, and am getting by famously.

I was cautious and apprehensive day 1 and day 2 but not since then. Isnt it amazing how different we all are.

Cindy,

If you are having gas try liquid meds like gas-x or maalox. If you are having reflux or heart burn pepcid is sold over the counter and I take two tabs at a time. I think that you sould try to slow down and let your body heal. Don't try to force anything down. Also sugar free fudgesicles helped me out and blending my protein shakes with ice. They both feel like your eating or drinking something more than liquid but actually go down like liquid. Take it one day at a time;

I am on Nexium (much the same as Prilosec) and it says not to crush it because it is time released. How did you crush Prilosec. If you have a prescription it comes in a capsule. Did you merely open the capsule to take it...and oh yuck it must have tasted horrible, or did you take OTC meds? I am curious how I'm going to take the Nexium, but my dr. has told me that probably she will switch me to Acifed which is as small as a birth control pill for gas. What I really want to know is how you got that Prilosec down?

I had the same apprehensions about crushing the OTC Prilosec. The pharmacist said not to crush it, it's time released and dosed at once a day. Dr Kuri, over the phone from MX said, "Crush it. Twice a day." So I did. And it helped, and I'll occasionally crush, if I need to, a Prilosec OTC tablet in a plain ole pill crusher and mix it in with 1/2 ounce of gatorade or whatever with flavor. Any more, though, I can just take the tablet. I was crushing the Prilosec at day 9 post-op after going to the ER for IV fluids because I was so tight and irritated at the band and dehydrated. I took it twice a day for about 3 days then backed down to once a day for another 4-5 days, I think.

That's what I did, and I was comfortable with that. If you have a PCP working with you and can prescribe something liquid or crushable, or chewable, do it. Certainly don't listen to some crazy on the internet recommend doing something you are NOT comfortable with. I did what I did. If you don't want to, please don't. Checking with the pharmacist about just what is available by prescription would be very helpful, I'd say.

Sorry to dissappoint anyone by disregarding the pharmacist. It worked for me. But noone needs to feel compelled to follow my lead, that's for sure. Just throwing it out there in the information pool.