I survived the Polar Vortex. I survived Chiberia. I really thought I was going to make it through this lousy Chicago winter without a cold, but nope. Sneezing, runny nose, post-nasal drip at night. When I get a cold, I don't take antihistamines due to high blood pressure, just a preventive puff of Advair morning and night to head off any bronchitis that may decide to grab me. Here's what I noticed today. My lunch was a paltry 1/3 cup of Soup from Subway, because I had to throw out the pieces of food in it (I'm still on full liquids.) Since that seemed so sparse, I followed that with an Atkins shake and I had to stop drinking halfway through. It wasn't a stuck feeling or anything, just "whoa, better stop here." A minute later I was able to slowly finish the shake. Did I just have my first experience with restriction? I have zero fill. Does having a cold make your stoma swollen, or congested in any way? I've been on Soups and shakes for two weeks and never had to take them slowly until today.

Yes, illness causes our bodies to retain fluids so your stoma could be swollen. Of course, if you're a few days or weeks out of surgery, you could still have swelling.

Sounds like restriction but not the good kind. When we talk about restriction, it's mostly the type of restriction that signals it's time to stop eating and not the dreaded "Stuck" episode straight ahead.

I've got to slow down even more with my eating, even though my food right now is liquids. Those videos you posted that showed how a swallow of food goes down really hit home for me. I've been eating my soups slower now, but the shakes not so much. So today was an eye opener. Thanks for the feedback.

Yes, getting a head cold with the resultant post nasal drip and congestion can make one feel tighter because of the stuff sitting in your stoma. I read a pdf from a lapband doctor who suggests using an OTC decongestant as well as a mucus fluidifier to help reduce this. It makes sense to stay extra careful with bite size and foods at this time, certainly.

Hope you feel better soon! I love ginger tea and find that very soothing -- and clearing. Also zinc lozenges. We are definitely moving into post nasal drip season here -- a winter of the wood stove going hard and soon the trees will start leafing out. Oh boy. I have been feeling "tighter" and suspect it is the same kind of thing going on -- thanks for bringing this up!

@@JustWatchMe recently I have had a very bad cold and sinus infection this last round actually sent me to the Dr. to have 1cc removed from the band since food was sitting above the band for far too long before it would fully digest and it was starting to make me feel horrible.

The postnasal is the worst, especially in the morning. It fills up the pouch above the band and irritates the stomach and can swell and plug the stoma. I really had NO choice but to see the doc. I felt 100% better after the un-fill and the plug that was in there was able to pass.

Last night, I spent the night with the hubby in the ER he has the "virus" that's going around here. This one included a stomach bug with the congestion and he was vomiting so violently I called our Bariatric Dr. last night. They are so awesome I can't say enough about them. We had to drive about 30 miles to the hospital that treats us, but it was WORTH it. The PA came in and opened the office for us, they drained his band and walked us personally down to the ER where they set the hubby up on IV and anti nausea meds till he felt better and could hold down some liquids. They did a video and x-ray to be sure the band was in good position and all was well thank goodness.

So for now he has no Fluid in the band, but once he's feeling better he will go back in for a fill. Getting sick stinks and with the band it can be even a little more challenging. I am so grateful that it's adjustable and can be modified to fit what ever the need is to help you recover and feel better and get back on course.

My advice to you is that if you are feeling stuck get a tiny unfill that worked for me and saved me from having to go through what the hubs did last night.

Feel better soon!!

I used to take zinc, vitamin c and echinacea before my band, but zinc just hurt my stomach so much back then I don't want to chance it now. The otc decongestants almost all raise my blood pressure. One positive NSV already is that with my weight loss so far in this journey, I've gone down from two blood pressure meds to one. Yay! I'll try the Robitussin mucus thinner stuff if needed, but it feels like it's breaking up today. It was just so weird to feel that "slow down" signal for the first time when all I was having was liquids. It was actually good to "know" my band was really in there!

Thanks, Lisa. I'm only two weeks post-op and still on liquids, so I'm not stuck. My morning shake went down fine today. I really appreciate all this feedback, because I'll be better prepared once I start solids!