First of all, I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe and Happy New Year!!!

I have been having acid reflux lately and have woke up several time coughing on my spit or something that came up in the middle of the night. So yesterday, I was eating lunch and my food came right back up....I was eating little pieces of creamy chicken. So after that I went to CVS pharmacy and picked my up some Maalox, and I took 1 tsp with a sip of tea and about 20 minutes after that...it came back up. About an hour later I had to go and PB my spit. So, I called my Dr's office and he is out of town for 2 weeks. They told me to go on liquids for 5 days to see if it helps. No back up Dr around here to take a fill out when my regular Dr is gone. Last night woke up twice coughing, choking...so I went and slept on the couch sitting up....

But, last night I went and got Campbell's Soup at Hand Cream of Broccoli and it went down and stayed down. They taste really good.....

I am having the Blended Vegetable Medley or the Velvety Potato for lunch today.....

So, that is my story for now..........

I am hoping that the liquids help......and this band is so unpredictable.....

Kelly- I hope you're feeling better soon. My doctor always recommends cream based Soups for when I'm too tight (usually right after a fill). Apparently they are heavier than a Water based soup and kind of push themselves through the band without needing a lot of help. I've never had reflux so I can't tell you if it will work with that, but is sounds like the Cream of Broccoli went well.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

Megan

Kelly, the acid reflux is something I used to have a huge problem with pre-band. But did you notice before getting sick that you always wake up with a raspy throat? I've been thinking it was just allergies, but I'm convinced food and/or liquids from my belly are still creeping up my esophagus every single night. I had a hiatal hernia before getting banded (my doc must have positioned the band to hold the hernia down.) I had that same "choking on food" thing all the time before. Even when I stop eating hours before going to bed, I still wake up with a raspy throat.

I hope you get better soon. Being on liquids is really hard for me. The only way I'm able to do it is by having the Protein shakes with chromium, because it's like a diet pill for me that helps me stay away from food.

You know I was complaining that my throat burned and was sore. It started in my throat and traveled down to my neck...it was the weirdest thing.

I did drink some of the Vegetable Medley soup and some of it came back up; not all of it. I am slowly sipping on tea and I can feel it hit the band and then my stomach...it takes it a second to get to my stomach.....!!! Hell, another day another story

I posted a sticky about Gastric Reflux, directions from my gastrologist. Extensive hints for eating, sleeping, meds, lifestyle changes, etc. Hope you get your unfill soon!

I hear that "sticky" term alot. Is that another word for the Bandster Dictionary?

Well this last trip to the bathroom makes 4 times since lunch that I have thrown up.....It is like my spit will accumulate and then after a while I have to go throw it up...or PB. Something is not right here...anyone willing to do a unfill???????????????? anyone please.........................

Hi!

I would worry about becoming dehydrated,especially since you can't even swallow your own saliva!!Can you drink enough water?

Can you call again and tell them how bad it is and ask for their advice on how to get unfilled?

Sounds horrible what you're going through...

Keep us posted!

They told me that they could send home health out and put me on IV fluid if need be....I work for an ambulance company, so if I need IV's that is not a problem. They told me that I could take a 2 hr drive to another Dr that would see me at his convience....yesterday they sent a patient over there and the Dr could not see that patient. So I could take the 2 hour drive and never get anything accomplished. Seriously, I am almost to the point to try myself....

I think any doctor in ER could unfill it. My family doctor has taken care of patients who have ports because they have cancer.He beleives it must be the same.I don't know. of course i would never let him touch me but if i HAD to and if you get any worse you could head to the ER?...

I just lurk and might have missed it but did you just get a fill recently? It takes me a week or two for the swelling to go down...could that be what's going on?Either way right now you are suffering and it seems WRONG that no one can help you?!

Wish i could help!!!

R U ready for this??? I have not had a fill since October 11th!!!!! My family Dr tried to hit my port in October and could hit it but not get in the port. So, no luck there. When I went to the ER in Houston in August, not a single person knew anything about the port and how do unfill it. We had to wait for my Dr to get there before they would do ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelly

So sorry to hear of this ordeal. I know a friend with cancer that has a port for her kemo. Hang in there.

Kelly, I can't believe that your doctor doesn't have at least another doctor that he has trained to do unfills in emergencies. The nurse in my surgeon's office does it plus he has an internist who works with him to do fills and unfills. I really hope you start feeling better soon. Surely your doctor has SOMEONE covering for him for emergencies? I've never heard of a doctor who didn't.

Nancy

Kelly, all joking aside, you should call Inamed immediately and tell them it's an emergency. We can't be throwing up so much - you could risk hurting your band. Larry and Craig at Inamed might be able to make a suggestion or at least maybe they can get through to a doctor. Those Inamed guys seem to be good friends with a lot of doctors, so maybe they have cell numbers or home numbers. This is not good. Are you nauseous? Would something like Pepcid calm the belly, or is the aggravation higher up in the pouch? I have actually heard rumors of two local Vegas people that give their own fills - but it's strictly rumors and Inamed is against it. Also try anything warm, like baths, heating pads. One of the Inamed guys told me to drink warm liquid in the morning to open up my esophagus. Since the liquid isn't staying down, how 'bout a hot steam? Just boil some water and toss in some eucalyptus or any other nice herb, then put a towel over your head and breathe. I'm reaching here... I just don't want you throwing up anymore today.

I think...that you have irritated the stoma (the passageway where the band is causing the most pressure) and the more you try to eat, the worse it will get. I would stick with Clear liquids. Or full liquids with a Protein component.

Next, find out at your nearest hospital (which treats cancer patients), which nurses have experience with subdermal ports. Most nurses who deal with chemo patients have a lot of experience with subdermal ports. THAT'S who you need if no experienced band doctor is available.

IMHO you have a few choices, none of them great. But the most important thing you can do is to avoid being in a position where you might end up inhaling any of the acid coming up from your stomach. That stuff can cause a nasty pneumonia. And stay hydrated.

Next, I would avoid ANY solids. The stoma can become so irritated that people have had to go on NOTHING by mouth and IV nourishment until it settles down.

Then, the saliva thing...your brain has not read the LapBand owner's manual. When the stoma is swollen or irritated, EVERYTHING that hits it is interpreted by the brain as "blockage." The brain's first attempt at clearing the blockage is to send saliva...thick, gooey saliva, to "rinse" the blockage through. Eventually, that just makes more stuff that's plugged up AND the brain says, "Well, if it won't wash through, it's coming up." THAT'S when you feel the urge to heave, and why you are throwing up saliva.

Anyway, right now, you need to maintain hydration. You can do that IF you can hold down clear liquids. Camomile tea with a little sugar or honey. chicken broth. That kind of thing. Forget food, it will just make things worse. If you cannot hold down Water, start the IV. If you cannot get to a band doctor, find that chemo nurse. And sleep sitting up!

Good luck,

Sue

I agree with Sue..the cancer nurses are very familiar with ports. My son had cancer and had a port , I have spoken to one of them and told her about my port and she told me if I was ever filled too tight that she could extract some of the saline for me in an emergency. When I had the espohagitis, the only thing that worked wel lfor me was clear liquids, everything else made me so umcomfortable. I never had refluz or slime or spitting up but anything other then clear liquids irritated my esophagus horribly...after about 4 days of clear liquids, I weent to ful lliquids and I was able to tolerate them..then to mushys..then to solids but it was 2.5 weeks of this. Hang in there Kelli..I hope this all passes soon. I can sympathize with you.