Experience Since 4Th Fill...not Good

[jsbk 3]

So since my fourth fill (4cc's) I have been throwing up every day. Its been 3 weeks - the first 2 I could only hold down liquids and mushy foods. I was able to eat a half deli meat sandwich a few times and not throw up but then other times I try that and I do throw up. Some days are much worse than others. But on the average I throw up at least one meal if not all meals every day. All my friends keep telling me to go get Fluid taken out. But I am concerned maybe its just me - I had practically no restriction with 3 cc's.

I can usually eat - f/f cottage cheese, greek yogurt, crackers, toast, light non-chunky Soup, belvita Breakfast biscuit

I held down a few times (but tried again and vomitted) - tuna salad sandwich, turkey sandwich (could only eat half a sandwich though), scrambled eggs

Vomitted a bunch after eating - cooked mustard greens and chard, baked potato, chicken breast, steamed broccoli, brown rice

I have tried all sorts of different things even from switching to wearing and underwire bra to a sports bra, waiting till 10a to eat even though I am starving in the morning.

I watch my time and I chew for at least 1 minute and wait 2-3 minutes between bites. I am not over eating at one sitting because I can only eat about 4 bites of a solid food before I have chest pain and I try to keep my bites small and chew till mush.

This constant vomitting, hunger, headaches - its all affecting my work, school and personal life.

I don't want to abandon progress - I have lost 14lbs in 3 wks. But I feel like I am now a bulemic except not by choice.

What do I do?

[Guest imperfect1974]

I experienced the same thing w/my last fill acouple weeks ago...........................Im finally able to eat very small meals but not til afternoon - dinner being the best time for me to eat but liquid or mush too.................salads have done good on my tummy. Have you tried them??? It sucks throwing up daily.....................Im doing the same thing................but Im trying to figure things out - try belching more and waiting a couple minutes in between bites. But I dont want to go backwards cuz I too didnt have restriction til my fill.

Drink lots of Protein.........................focus on Protein and take your Vitamins and hopefully it will ease up

[jsbk 3]

I have not tried salads yet. Do your salads have any meat in them?

[Bandista 7,466]

This is not okay! If I were you I would call the doctor immediately.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Throwing up is never normal and never ok with the band. Every time you vomit, you put yourself at serious risk for a band slip.

It's imperative you call your surgeon ASAP.

[SandyM 1,956]

Also, look at what you are eating. Some of the foods on your list are already on a lot of peoples "do not eat list". None mine necessarily cuz so far I've been lucky enough to be able to tolerate most anything so far. chicken, I have a lot of problems with and have to make a dip for it. If the first bite doesn't go through, the next certainly won't. First try and see if you are eating small enough bites and making sure you are chewing well. And as Missy says, throwing up isn't good ever.

[chasingadream 1,311]

I'm only 2 months out and havent needed a fill yet...so i am in NO WAY experienced....

But it seems that you would be too tight with your last fill....I would surely be on the phone with the doctor ASAP.

I know one thing for sure....throwing up is not supposed to be the "norm".

Wishing you luck!

[Steffyp 63]

I agree with the last 2 comments, throwing up is not good. You need to call you surgeon and even though you may not want it you may have to get a slight unfill. Better an unfill than causing damage.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

The number of fills that it takes to get to the green zone varies between people. I have only 3cc's in my band and that is all I have for four years now. Anymore then that I can not eat. The question is who wants to live like this in the name of losing weight and if you keep throwing up you are going to dislodge your band then you will be having surgery to have it removed and will not have a band. So my suggestion to you is 1. Wait it out you might be swollen and drink only liquids and not eat food. 2. Call your doctor and get an unfill because throwing up is a sure way to have your band slip. It's your choice. In all reality after fills if you throw up two consecutive meals then you are too tight. Why wait three weeks and try to eat when the end result is your head in the toilet. Go get unfilled.

[Leena 108]

Call your doctor immediately, it sounds like you NEED an unfill.

Explain to them how many times you've vomited, and see if they'll check you for a slip.

Your stomach needs to rest, my doctor recommends liquids after any vomiting for a few days.

[KAATNS 1,473]

It's easy to get addicted to fills or want to hold on to your saline, trust me I've been there. But what you're describing does not sound healthy or normal. Even a slight unfill could make a big difference. It's okay to let a little go, really it is.

[B-52 7,113]

Not going to say what is right or wrong...but 1/2 of the foods you mentioned I cannot eat, and have not for 2 years...

I had to re-educate myself and learn new healthy, band friendly foods.....

An example, I can be enjoying a very good meal, and one bite of a biscuit, or a drink of Water can spoil the entire meal..... I could say I can't keep anything down when in reality it is bread, and related bread/flour based foods, or perhaps that little rice, etc, I cannot eat....90% of everything else was fine.....

I would not throw the baby out with the bath water.....but that is me...EVERYONE is different and has different stories how they reached 100% success....so it's all good...

I eat tuna fish salad all the time....but never a sandwich.....sandwiches, wraps, whatever are all memories....

I no longer eat meat...even sliced luncheon meat....

I'll always choose mashed over baked, and NEVER french fries again....

There are some foods that no matter how well and long I chew, the texture will never change...like a raw carrot for instance.

So for me, it was a lifestyle change, a true learning curve....Bandster Hell......I had to change my ways in order to have the band work efficiently, IMO for me....

That was the only time I struggled with the band....that initial 6 months were everything had to change...

Since then it has been a care free free ride, easy as can be providing I stay within the parameters the band has set for me....

....I can also get a slight un-fill and eat everything and anything I want with no fear....then have to get very strict about counting calories, measuring portions, everything I used to do when I was on so many different diets....(and failed)

And to show how everyone is different...my first fill was 4cc's, after which I gained weight!! As though it was nothing at all.....the 2nd fill of 2cc's, put me 50-50 where I could control my hunger only a few hours between meals, and was still able to eat large portions....it took the 3rd fill to put me over the top and reach that point of balance....but again, that's me...not everybody.....

Getting stuck and vomiting ( not really vomiting) is not the norm....but either is hitting myself on the head with a hammer....Dr., everytime I hit my head with a hammer, it hurts! Please make the pain go away!

We do certain things in life, we always pay the consequences, good and bad....

[Guest imperfect1974]

MY SALADS HAVE NO meat IN THEM - SIMPLY LETTUCE AND cheese - AND CHEW REALLY GOOD

[jsbk 3]

UPDATE: Went to my surgeon today - he said band was too tight and took out a cc of Fluid.

[2muchfun 8,928]

Small fills the size of .1 CC can make you too tight. My doctor snuck up on the green zone with .25 fills till I found the zone. My recommend is call the doc and ask to have maybe .25-.5 CC removed and take it real easy till you find satiety for 4 hours.

Leaving the band too tight for too long can damage so many things including your future success with the band.

tmf