Restriction Getting Worse? Judych

[judych 225]

hi all. Ive posted already about being tight, not being able to eat meat and other issues. WEll, i kept a small portion of smoked cod from last nights tea. i thought i would have it for my lunch today and see how i go with Soup tonight as i seem to be tighter of a night.

I had about five small mouthfuls of fish. Chewed well, waited. Then the discomfort started up all over again. Ive been getting this nearly every meal now...not quite so bad at bfast time but faint in the background.

. The discomfort builds, i feel everything churning around. it comes back into the eosophagus, i start to salivate, get the hiccups,, all that sort of thing. Throughout this i need to swallow a lot. i feel like im swallowing air . its very very painful. i feel quite faint im so unwell.

Anyway... (TMI... im sorry. lol.) ive just been through another episode. It kept getting worse and then projectile vomiting of mucus. i just had time to reach the loo. i just hate to think if it happened to me out somewhere. I feel better now.

O.k.... so do you think id better go get some of the fill taken out? im worried now that my eosophagus may be inflamed. after all, its a daily ocurrance now. this is the first time i have had to vomit though.

Ive decided to ring the dr in the morning. I have to go to the city on the 30th. i will make an appointment to see him then. Meantime its back to liquids i think. I cant got to the city before the 30th... so do you think just liquids from now until then? all input gratefully received. thanks.

[Skyvic 226]

Yes call doctor it is not worth esophageal dilation or other dangers. We have to remember that this is a journey. Restriction does not make a successs just unhappy because we can't be normal. Doctor says the best thing is to eat three small meals a day following the rules. I'm afraid you need to consult with dic and in meantime high Protein Shakes and soft mushies.

[judych 225]

Yes call doctor it is not worth esophageal dilation or other dangers. We have to remember that this is a journey. Restriction does not make a successs just unhappy because we can't be normal. Doctor says the best thing is to eat three small meals a day following the rules. I'm afraid you need to consult with dic and in meantime high Protein Shakes and soft mushies.

thanks Skyvic. this has really thrown me. i had 3 ccs put into an empty band... and its not been right ever since. i can hold down liquids and mushies, and some chick peas and baked Beans, a fried egg and a little bacon but not much else im afraid. i dont want anything to upset my progress. do you think its safe if i just go on mushies or liquids until the 30th? i live a long way from the city.

[Skyvic 226]

Your doc will know best. I had a fill in February, with kind of same issues. I pretty much ate Soup, shakes, and slider foods. When I went in this week knowing I did not want another fill, my doctor said he wished I had called him with me filling this way. I guess I didn't realize it was not good and I thought I needed that type of restriction. Reality is... You want to take this journey in stride. I'm at 5.5cc and in green zone finally. However, it was a struggle in march and April. Now in may I feel like I can have a decent meal...down 17 pounds since February. 81 all together.

[Jen75 33]

hi all. Ive posted already about being tight' date=' not being able to eat meat and other issues. WEll, i kept a small portion of smoked cod from last nights tea. i thought i would have it for my lunch today and see how i go with Soup tonight as i seem to be tighter of a night.

I had about five small mouthfuls of fish. Chewed well, waited. Then the discomfort started up all over again. Ive been getting this nearly every meal now...not quite so bad at bfast time but faint in the background.

. The discomfort builds, i feel everything churning around. it comes back into the eosophagus, i start to salivate, get the hiccups,, all that sort of thing. Throughout this i need to swallow a lot. i feel like im swallowing air . its very very painful. i feel quite faint im so unwell.

Anyway... (TMI... im sorry. lol.) ive just been through another episode. It kept getting worse and then projectile vomiting of mucus. i just had time to reach the loo. i just hate to think if it happened to me out somewhere. I feel better now.

O.k.... so do you think id better go get some of the fill taken out? im worried now that my eosophagus may be inflamed. after all, its a daily ocurrance now. this is the first time i have had to vomit though.

Ive decided to ring the dr in the morning. I have to go to the city on the 30th. i will make an appointment to see him then. Meantime its back to liquids i think. I cant got to the city before the 30th... so do you think just liquids from now until then? all input gratefully received. thanks.[/quote']

Judy, several thoughts as I'm reading this...

1. With restriction you are not going to be able to eat as much as you were prior. Also, with restriction, it is quite possible you may not be able to eat certain foods again for awhile. I find on some days I can take a bite or two and feel my "soft Sign" which is usually a burp or a sigh, for me. That is my que that I am full. when you feel these things you need to stop eating. Also, I was told to only allow myself to eat for 20-30 min. Whatever I could consume in that time is all I should eat up to 1 cup.

2. Definitely go back to liquids for 12-48 hours after a vomiting episode. Eating too quickly afterwards can inflame the esophagus and even though you may or may not be too tight. However, inflammation will make you tighter thus repeating the cycle over and over. (I've done this and finally realized what I was doing wrong) Then start all over introducing puréed and Mushie foods increasing to solids... EVERYTIME you vomit!!!

3. Restricttion varies throughout the day and is different for everyone. I personally am tighter in the morning and can eat an entire store at night if I allow myself to. My suggestion if find when you are able to eat and consume the bulk of your calories during that time. I think a soup in the evening is a good idea and try and get the most or bulk of your Protein in the am since that is when you are loosest.

4. 3ccs may have been a bit much at one time as you go from zero restriction to quite a bit. It's a difficult adjustment. You very well might need a slight unfill but certainly not the whole 3 ccs. A 1/4 to a 1/2 cc should be sufficient but that should be up to your doctor.

5. Certianly call the doctor in the am. See what they have to say. Since your far away from the city, I would imagine that staying on high Protein liquids until the 30th should not be a problem.

I do know you have had some stress, and that you have been having a hard time since your last fill. This is going to be an adjustment and unfortunately a lot to take on at once. Give yourself a break...relax and just do what you need to do.

6. As a bandsters, it is a unique situation. We struggle with wanting/needing to get enough calories in vs. feeling hungry. Try and listen to what your body is telling you and eat only whe you are hungry. Good luck my friend!

[elcee 3,343]

What Jen has said is good but I would like to add 1 more thing. Leftovers , especially if they are reheated are a common cause of problems. the food tends to be a different texture, often a lot drier the second time around.

[honk 780]

It seems like your left overs where not your only problem (some people have problems with fish and left overs in general. If you can not eat 3 oz of solid Protein at lunch and dinner you are too tight. Some people (as odd as it sounds) never even need fills. Based on that fact you may not even need 3 CC;'s you may loose weight with 2. Sounds to me like you need a slight unfil becuase you have trouble with a variety of foods. Knock on wood in almost 2 years I have never PB'd or vomitted.

[judych 225]

Judy, several thoughts as I'm reading this...

1. With restriction you are not going to be able to eat as much as you were prior. Also, with restriction, it is quite possible you may not be able to eat certain foods again for awhile. I find on some days I can take a bite or two and feel my "soft Sign" which is usually a burp or a sigh, for me. That is my que that I am full. when you feel these things you need to stop eating. Also, I was told to only allow myself to eat for 20-30 min. Whatever I could consume in that time is all I should eat up to 1 cup.

2. Definitely go back to liquids for 12-48 hours after a vomiting episode. Eating too quickly afterwards can inflame the esophagus and even though you may or may not be too tight. However, inflammation will make you tighter thus repeating the cycle over and over. (I've done this and finally realized what I was doing wrong) Then start all over introducing puréed and Mushie foods increasing to solids... EVERYTIME you vomit!!!

3. Restricttion varies throughout the day and is different for everyone. I personally am tighter in the morning and can eat an entire store at night if I allow myself to. My suggestion if find when you are able to eat and consume the bulk of your calories during that time. I think a Soup in the evening is a good idea and try and get the most or bulk of your Protein in the am since that is when you are loosest.

4. 3ccs may have been a bit much at one time as you go from zero restriction to quite a bit. It's a difficult adjustment. You very well might need a slight unfill but certainly not the whole 3 ccs. A 1/4 to a 1/2 cc should be sufficient but that should be up to your doctor.

5. Certianly call the doctor in the am. See what they have to say. Since your far away from the city, I would imagine that staying on high Protein liquids until the 30th should not be a problem.

I do know you have had some stress, and that you have been having a hard time since your last fill. This is going to be an adjustment and unfortunately a lot to take on at once. Give yourself a break...relax and just do what you need to do.

6. As a bandsters, it is a unique situation. We struggle with wanting/needing to get enough calories in vs. feeling hungry. Try and listen to what your body is telling you and eat only whe you are hungry. Good luck my friend!

thanks Jen. good advice. One thing. it takes me an hour to eat about a quarter cup of meat or fish. just that on its own. i think i will get three mouthfuls in 20 minutes. i will try just sitting for twenty minutes and eating though, and then get up. appreciate your input.

[judych 225]

It seems like your left overs where not your only problem (some people have problems with fish and left overs in general. If you can not eat 3 oz of solid Protein at lunch and dinner you are too tight. Some people (as odd as it sounds) never even need fills. Based on that fact you may not even need 3 CC;'s you may loose weight with 2. Sounds to me like you need a slight unfil becuase you have trouble with a variety of foods. Knock on wood in almost 2 years I have never PB'd or vomitted.

thanks honk. i just rang the dr and they have fitted me in for thursday the 31st. that will give me enough time to help settle any inflammation down that might be going on. i hope that i only have a small amount taken out. i dont want to stop losing weight.

[judych 225]

thanks Jen. if you look into your post to me you will see my reply. dont know what happened there but its all in one. hugs judy

[honk 780]

Being too tight you are more likely to maintain or gain weight. When you are too tight you are more likely to resort to high calories sliders like milkshakes, mash potatos, etc.

[judych 225]

Being too tight you are more likely to maintain or gain weight. When you are too tight you are more likely to resort to high calories sliders like milkshakes, mash potatos, etc.

ive gained back one pound in a week so you are right. eating softer foods is a trap.

[judych 225]

thanks honk. i just rang the dr and they have fitted me in for thursday the 31st. that will give me enough time to help settle any inflammation down that might be going on. i hope that i only have a small amount taken out. i dont want to stop losing weight.

..more thoughts on this one. im wondering now how much the dr will remove from the fill next week. i wont have my regular dr. can i ask him to take out a certain amount or is it up to them completely? i dont think i need any more than about .50 to 1 cc fill at the moment. i was feeling restriction when i was banded, I just needed a little fill. i got 3 cc's instead. way too much.

[judych 225]

What Jen has said is good but I would like to add 1 more thing. Leftovers , especially if they are reheated are a common cause of problems. the food tends to be a different texture, often a lot drier the second time around.

thanks elcee.... ive taken note of that. how about , say for example, putting some oil over the smoked fish before reheating?? do you think it would still be too dry?

[elcee 3,343]

Difficult to say as everyone is different. It might work better in some kind of sauce. You will just have to experiment and see what works best for you.