stomach flu with band

[JenWis6 98]

Well, I have officially gotten my first bout of the stomach flu since being banded last year. Not much food to have come up but any liquid I took in to keep hydrated came back up pretty violently. What is the chances I had my band slip??? Will there be a way I can tell if it slipped? I am planning on calling my doctor tomorrow to get his thoughts. Ugh...

[mrsto 2,925]

GOOD that you're calling your doctor tomorrow. I don't think anyone can really comment on whether or not your band has slipped from this. But continual vomiting isn't good.

About three weeks ago, I bought some liquid vitamins. I mixed the dose with some Water, and starting drinking it. I guess I didn't have enough food in my stomach, because rather immediately, I ran to the bathroom to throw it up. I ended up over the toady heaving like crazy, but nothing actually came out. In the five months since surgery, I've never had any issues with vomiting, dry heaves, etc., so I was concerned about the band slipping. I emailed my doctor (on the weekend), and he said that if I was vomiting/dry heaving several times throughout the day, there may be cause for concern. But one episode, he felt that I was fine.

So, YES - call your doctor first thing in the morning. Only he/she can advise you. If it's been as bad as it sounds, they may want to take a look.

I hope you feel better sooner than later.....

[Toddy 758]

Definitely call your doctor's office. My band slipped after only vomiting twice. I knew something was wrong because both episodes of vomiting were followed by horrific pain that sent me to the ER.

Apparently to have a slip so early on (eight months) and after only vomiting twice is definitely not the norm. My doctor, who had done over 3000 bands at the time, had never seen one slip so soon. I really don't thing he believed that I had only vomited twice...

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Ugh you poor thing!

Yeah I'd call your doctor too. I've vomited a couple times since getting my band. Once when I had a strangulated hernia and once from a gallbladder gone bad. Both times I literally panicked because I was so afraid I'd caused a slip. The doctor who did my band also did my gallbladder removal, and I was so afraid of a slip I was getting wheeled into the operating room going "oh my gosh, you have to check my band! What if I made it slip?" He actually laughed at me going "hon we'll get this surgery out of the way then I'll check it".

I've had no symptoms of a slip since then, but I won't lie, in the back of my mind I still get paranoid I did damage. I vomited REALLY hard both times, it couldn't have been good for my band and it'll haunt me forever. The other thing I found out is that I can't actually vomit. food apparently can't come back up through my band because no matter how hard I retched, only slime came back up. Which honestly, I think made it worse because my body kept trying to toss the food up because of it. It would've been better if the actually food could come up and out so I'd stop retching.

Chances are slim you caused any damage but I totally understand your fear. Hopefully talking to your doctor will reassure you.

I hope you feel better!

[forensic6 89]

Your doctor can prescribe sublingual Zofran or its equivalent that will keep you from vomiting. I was exposed to someone with the flu at work and just because of that I was able to get a prescription. Now I just keep 4 tabs on me at all times in case I ever get sick.