Since my last fill, I have been vomiting almost daily. I finally have the restriction others have been talking about for months. I'm just wondering how often you all vomit. Is there a learning curve or will I be doing this forever?

Sue I agree on a lot of things with you...

I decided to ride out my tightness & learned to live with it. I have to stop eatting 4 hours before bed or I will be up all night spitting up. Sometimes it gushes out my nose...(saliva)

I learned that when I am too full, I can just bend over the tiolet and without much effort it rolls out my mouth. I would be scared if I was hurling and thrusting but there is no preassure from my stomach area.

Some days Im tight some days I can eat anything as long as it's a small portion...

I'm glad my Doctor was agressive, I couldn't stand the pain from the fill... Or the long drive to TJ & $100.

I am slimming down everyday even without excercise.

I don't weigh myself because I don't want to be discouraged.

Thx for all the advice...

Sue I agree on a lot of things with you...

I decided to ride out my tightness & learned to live with it. I have to stop eatting 4 hours before bed or I will be up all night spitting up. Sometimes it gushes out my nose...(saliva)

I learned that when I am too full, I can just bend over the tiolet and without much effort it rolls out my mouth. I would be scared if I was hurling and thrusting but there is no preassure from my stomach area.

Some days Im tight some days I can eat anything as long as it's a small portion...

I'm glad my Doctor was agressive, I couldn't stand the pain from the fill... Or the long drive to TJ & $100.

I am slimming down everyday even without excercise.

I don't weigh myself because I don't want to be discouraged.

Thx for all the advice...

OMG, sometimes you read the most alarming things on here! Are you really OK with this?

Does it not occur to you that your stomach has a one way valve and that bending over and having food "roll out your mouth" is NOT normal. Have you considered the fact that if food can just fall out of your stomach with no ejection, that might be because your pouch is dilated and the food is actually sitting in your esophagus?

You SHOULD be scared and worried by this. Dont leave it. It is NOT normal to have to stop eating 4 hours before bed and it is not normal to regurgitate food with so little effort. You are at the very least way too tight, that can damage your stomach and predispose you to erosion, and that's if you havent already slipped. What you are experiencing is not learning to live with tightness, its abnormal and possibly dangerous.

OMG, sometimes you read the most alarming things on here! Are you really OK with this?

Does it not occur to you that your stomach has a one way valve and that bending over and having food "roll out your mouth" is NOT normal. Have you considered the fact that if food can just fall out of your stomach with no ejection, that might be because your pouch is dilated and the food is actually sitting in your esophagus?

You SHOULD be scared and worried by this. Dont leave it. It is NOT normal to have to stop eating 4 hours before bed and it is not normal to regurgitate food with so little effort. You are at the very least way too tight, that can damage your stomach and predispose you to erosion, and that's if you havent already slipped. What you are experiencing is not learning to live with tightness, its abnormal and possibly dangerous.

I appreciate your concern but others would also say it's not normal for a person 30lbs over weight to get a Lapband...

Huh?

Look, your body, your call. I dont mean to offend with my concern. You're the best judge of what you're willing to risk or tolerate for normal weight.

I dont get the 30lb comment though?

[quote name=I decided to ride out my tightness & learned to live with it. I have to stop eatting 4 hours before bed or I will be up all night spitting up. Sometimes it gushes out my nose...(saliva)

I learned that when I am too full, I can just bend over the tiolet and without much effort it rolls out my mouth. I would be scared if I was hurling and thrusting but there is no preassure from my stomach area.

Some days Im tight some days I can eat anything as long as it's a small portion....[/quote]

Redbone, the problems at night may be reflux. there is a higher incidence of this problem with the lapband. Raise the head of your bed (pillows or a wedge) . Refraining from eating prior to bed helps a lot. Let your doctor know.. there are OTC and prescription meds you can take to help. Really, works, too. It is treatable.

I only have flareups with sinus problems. But it is awful.. I understand the tightness. With this latest sinus infection, I have been on a liquid diet for 10 days (any thing else came up, just like you described) I am finally eating pureed foods again but the sinus problem isn't over. (I see the doctor again Friday.)

Sue,

I can't say it's reflux, I think I'm just a little too tight... I have already made an appoint. I think I will have .1 or .2 cc's removed.

I do sleep elevated on the nights I feel I may spit up. Did it ever come through your nose?

I definetly do not eat 4 hours b4 bed, I work nights 4:30-1am so it works for me anyway. So, when i do have to spit it's only a clear liquid with no acid taste.

Redbone, you sound like you are singing an old song that I sang once before and the name of that tune was "Not only are you to tight but your band has slipped and you need a revision surgery" Now I am not saying that any of that is applicable to you but I had an experience much like yours with the reflux (with no acid taste at all), and being able to expell food very easily if it felt stuck and up sometimes by just bending over the toilet, sink, whatever. I'm glad to hear that you have an appointment, you may want to ask to have a swallow test done so they can check for sure that there has been no slippage. and sometimes the reflux is related to a hernia. keep us posted, and good luck to you, my fingers are crossed in yor favor that the worst case senario is that you're just to tight.

Redbone, you sound like you are singing an old song that I sang once before and the name of that tune was "Not only are you to tight but your band has slipped and you need a revision surgery" Now I am not saying that any of that is applicable to you but I had an experience much like yours with the reflux (with no acid taste at all), and being able to expell food very easily if it felt stuck and up sometimes by just bending over the toilet, sink, whatever. I'm glad to hear that you have an appointment, you may want to ask to have a swallow test done so they can check for sure that there has been no slippage. and sometimes the reflux is related to a hernia. keep us posted, and good luck to you, my fingers are crossed in yor favor that the worst case senario is that you're just to tight.

Wow! Thx for the info. I'm glad I posted & found I'm not the only one...

I had a hernia repaired while banded & didn't even know I had it.

I'm hopping I'm just tight, my Dr has given me slippage symptoms & I don't believe that has happened.

Thx for the well wishes!

My appoint isn't until next Fri.

Wow! Thx for the info. I'm glad I posted & found I'm not the only one...

I had a hernia repaired while banded & didn't even know I had it.

I'm hopping I'm just tight, my Dr has given me slippage symptoms & I don't believe that has happened.

Thx for the well wishes!

My appoint isn't until next Fri.

I alos had a hernia that I no idea I had prior to having the band put in and during that procedure my surgeon reparied that hernia, BUT come to find out along with the reflux and the slippage i had ANOTHER hernia...girl i was a mess! but the killer was i really thought that i was fine. we just really have to be careful and really listen to our bodies and be your own advocate. unaddressed reflux and PBing (which is wat we are doing not vomiting) can cause irreversable damage to our esophagus. good luck!

Do any of you feel that your band gets tighter when you're stressed or in pain?

I've been having really bad menstrual cramps the past couple of days and haven't been really hungry. So, this afternoon I was taking some Advil (the only thing that will make my cramps lessen) and I think they got stuck. I was taking them with an Atkins shake and for the next hour I spent it in the bathroom throwing up the shake. Eventually it stopped and a few hours later I was able to eat some yogurt. So for dinner I tried "normal" food and was in the bathroom within 10 minutes of finishing and out it came again... I rarely PB unless I don't chew well enough or eat too fast or something I shouldn't (bready stuff).... so this is kinda bugging me.

Should I go to liquids and purees for a few days to heal or what?

Sue,

I do sleep elevated on the nights I feel I may spit up. Did it ever come through your nose?. So, when i do have to spit it's only a clear liquid with no acid taste.

Redbone, i had no acid taste at 1st; but it was reflux- they found it just before the surgery. I have had it go through my nose before I used several pillows to raise my head a lot; and sometimes when I have sinus infections, it happens, too. i end up sleeping upright at these times.

Do any of you feel that your band gets tighter when you're stressed or in pain?

I've been having really bad menstrual cramps the past couple of days and haven't been really hungry. So, this afternoon I was taking some Advil (the only thing that will make my cramps lessen) and I think they got stuck. I was taking them with an Atkins shake and for the next hour I spent it in the bathroom throwing up the shake. Eventually it stopped and a few hours later I was able to eat some yogurt. So for dinner I tried "normal" food and was in the bathroom within 10 minutes of finishing and out it came again... I rarely PB unless I don't chew well enough or eat too fast or something I shouldn't (bready stuff).... so this is kinda bugging me.

Should I go to liquids and purees for a few days to heal or what?

I have had this same exact thing happen before after taking a pill when I was tightly restricted. I think liquids and purees for a few days is definitely necessary. If you keep PB'ing, your stomach may continue to swell and instead of it getting looser over time, it might get tighter until you need an emergency unfill and have to slowly go about getting your band to restriction again.

My surgeons office in this case also suggests taking liquid motrin as an anti-inflammatory which will help with stomach swelling. However, some offices strictly advise not taking anything of this nature including advil. My office says it is ok to use it on a very limited basis to combat stomach swelling.

Good luck. If you are careful and baby your stomach for a day or two . . . it usually passes. I hope you feel better soon.

Bridgette, I agree with heather O . once you start PB and vomitting, the band gets tighter. Ater an episode, go to liquids. Stress affects my band. Even PMS ,causes bloating which affects the band. Chill out. My 1st time was right after a fill, the sinuses acted up and I had a presentation the next day. - could not swallow. gagged all night. Made it through the presentatin on all the decongestants I could find, and had a deflate. Any sign of problems and I grab the decongestants, and switch to liquids.

lately, i've been vomiting at least once a day (past month or so, before it was maybe once or twice a week).

my last fill was shortly before christmas 2009 and i had to go back the next day for an un-fill because i couldn't even swallow saliva as the night went on.

i was okay after that, for the most part. but the restriction really drove it home that bread, pasta, potatoes and rice are my enemies. i'd try something and get "stuck" for hours. and then i'd resort to making myself vomit because i didn't know what else to do.

recently, the restriction is much, much worse. i am basically eating soups and soft cheeses and that's about it. i've tried the papaya enzyme, to help, but i don't know if it has since i'm scared to eat much food.

i'm so tired of not being able to eat healthy things (lean meats, meat in general, veggies, etc) because they all get "stuck". i'm chewing well, eating small bites, not eating much at a time... even drinking stuff is hard. small sips often don't go down easily, i'm burping a lot, feeling some aching in my stomach no matter if i'm drinking OR eating.

here's a few things:

- work changed insurance because of cost (from AZ blue cross blue shield to aetna) and aetna covers NOTHING band related (hey, it was elective! :wink2: ).

- cash prices for doctor visits are either $75 or $100, a fill is $150

- lost my job last month due to work slowdown but i still have worthless aetna via COBRA

- i've tried protein drinks but whey protein turns me into an anxiety ridden mess (no kidding) and because i have PCOS, i'm reluctant to introduce any soy into my diet because of it can mimic estrogen (and i have that in bundles as is)

sure, i've lost weight. almost 60 pounds so far. but i'm miserable. exhausted a lot. and tired of not being able to eat, especially when i know i NEED to for nutrition (esp. proteins). and i know i'm close to dehydrated if not actually dehydrated. (but when i'm eating, a lot of my food is in liquid form). i'm so tired of it. i kind of want the band out

i just don't know what to do, as i cannot afford to see my doctor at all.

Kyoto, That story sounds like mine and I just had to have my band removed because it slipped and my stomach was prolasped. If you're vomiting every day, can't get anything down other than liquid and yet that liquid is still kinda coming up or you're burping the liquid shakes for hours.....yes you do need to get a swallow study. Perhaps you can get your PCP to order the test not as a bandrelation but, perhaps from reflux. I'm assuming if you're throwing up you've got some reflux too. Then at least you'd know if your band slipped and maybe then the insurance would pay to have it taken out, elective or not. Good luck.