I've been on the pre-op diet for a little over three weeks, and have one more week to go. I've stuck to it faithfully with no cheating whatsoever, but it has been extremely difficult from day one. Headaches, lightheadedness, weakness, and exhaustion, to name a few. I've also recently been having increased diarrhea and stomach pain from the feeling of emptiness in the stomach. Anyway, this morning, I woke up with more of that sour/empty painful feeling in my stomach than usual, and went to have my usual morning medications and daily vitamin/mineral supplements, along with two glasses of Water (there were a lot of pills/supplements, so that amount of water was necessary, and quite typical for me). Anyway, shortly afterward, I had the urge to go to the washroom (my second bout of diarrhea that morning), and at the same time I'm sitting on the john, I suddenly noticed increased saliva and an urge to throw up. I began mentally telling myself, "don't throw up, don't throw up", but my stomach started dry-heaving involuntarily a couple of times. It was through sheer willpower that I managed keep it all down, and the urge to vomit eventually subsided, though the upset-stomach feeling is still there to a small extent.

It's very rare for me to throw up, so that really freaked me out. I'm not sick with the flu and haven't eaten anything that would give me food poisoning (and I know it wasn't food poisoning, because I've had it before). I feel like I need to eat to put something into my poor empty stomach, but I've been so faithful to the pre-op diet and don't want to go off it. I'm also afraid of this being a sign of things to come after the band. What if I'm nauseous and vomiting after the band?

Has anyone else experienced this? Is this normal or something I should be concerned about? Please help!

Thanks!

-Vangirl

Tell your doctor pronto. MANY many people (me included) can't take Vitamins on an empty stomach! That can cause problems! You may have an ulcer or some other issue. After all this time if your body hasn't adapted it's trying to tell you something is very wrong. Listen to it and call the doc!

I don't vomit either and have in my whole long life thrown up about 6 times...but I couldn' take vitamins on an empty stomach and not have some bad issues.

I think you can tell when you're sick - you get a fever and aches and pains etc. Are you JUST nauseous and have the runs? If so, that torturous pre op diet can easily cause that.

If you are sick, you still have a week to go and should be OK for surgery by then. Gastro bugs dont tend to last that long. But you're right, its probably diet induced. I'd ring your doctor and see what he suggests.

You've done well, I abandoned the pre op diet (didnt have to do one but thought I'd try) after I'd fainted about three times. Its awful.

Tell your doctor pronto. MANY many people (me included) can't take Vitamins on an empty stomach! That can cause problems! You may have an ulcer or some other issue. After all this time if your body hasn't adapted it's trying to tell you something is very wrong. Listen to it and call the doc!

I don't vomit either and have in my whole long life thrown up about 6 times...but I couldn' take vitamins on an empty stomach and not have some bad issues.

I posted this on another forum, and you're the second person to tell me that this isn't normal and I should see my dr. I'm now getting scared because my surgery is next Wednesday (the 26th), and I actually can't get into see my dr. before then, as he only works Wed/Thurs. I've emailed the nutritionist who gave me the pre-op diet, and hopefully she'll give me some information that will help me. The idea that I might have developed an ulcer from my stomach being so hungry and empty for three weeks definitely scares me. I still feel that sour/acidic feeling even now, although thankfully no urge to vomit again. My feeling is that my stomach needs something in it, it's like it's eating itself or something.

I think you can tell when you're sick - you get a fever and aches and pains etc. Are you JUST nauseous and have the runs? If so, that torturous pre op diet can easily cause that.

If you are sick, you still have a week to go and should be OK for surgery by then. Gastro bugs dont tend to last that long. But you're right, its probably diet induced. I'd ring your doctor and see what he suggests.

You've done well, I abandoned the pre op diet (didnt have to do one but thought I'd try) after I'd fainted about three times. Its awful.

I agree, this isn't a flu, and usually other symptoms develop before that. It's just diarrhea and nausea/almost-vomiting. I'm not as concerned about the diarrhea (I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome and haven't had a normal BM in years), but vomiting is extremely unusual for me. I really hope it's just that my stomach needs food in it and is starting to feel too acidic from an extreme diet for three weeks. It's definitely been torturous from the time I started, but I stuck to it because I had a lot of pre-op weight to lose and didn't want to risk having to postpone my surgery.

It's really tough because I can't really get any medical advice at this point, and I'm torn between staying on the pre-op diet and listening to my body and putting some solid food in my stomach.

Van Girl,

Are you taking any aspirin, Ibuprofen, or other medications for pain? Especially on an empty stomach, they can cause nausea and vomiting, esp on an empty stomach.

Check with your physician and your pharmacist.

I have felt this way, too in prep for another surgery- turns out the Ibuprofen and other pain meds were too strong. Am toughing it out and taking Protonix

That's a really good point. My stomach, in usual circumstances, tends to be sensitive to ibuprofen, but obviously not to the point of vomiting (more like upset stomach, diarrhea). I didn't take any pain medications this morning, but perhaps the combination of all the pills and supplements I took at the same time was too much for my stomach to handle on an empty stomach.

Fortunately my nutritionist replied to my email this evening itself with some new food instructions, which I will follow (yay, real food now!). Hopefully this will help, otherwise she suggested it might be a virus. I really hope it's not because I want to have the surgery!

Thanks for all the help and support! It really helps to get advice from those who have been there.

I'm glad you were able to speak with your nutirionist, I just went to a lap band meeting on Wednesday and our nutritionist said that some people get the nausea when they need more protein.

That's really interesting, because the modified diet I'm on has increased protein in the form of chicken breasts and probiotic yoghurt. I really hope things get better soon because my surgery is in five days, and I don't want it postponed!

If you want increased protein but try to stay on the liquids, you could try "Zero Carb Isopure", its a whey protein shake and has 50g of protein a serving. My surgeon wants us to have 60-80g of protein a day and that has really helped me. I start feeling a little sick if I don't get in the full amount of protein they reccommend, so I work hard to get it in. I hope the extra protein works, and the sooner you get back on the liquid the better. Good Luck!! What day is your surgery? Mine is 12/1.

My surgery is next Wednesday (the 26th) so I don't have a lot of time to get back onto the liquid pre-op diet. :drool: Fortunately my nutritionist has been in regular email contact with me with advice on what to eat and has copied the mails to the surgeon. I just hope that the recent change in the pre-op diet doesn't result in my regaining the weight I've lost on the pre-op diet so far. Or that I have some sort of stomach virus or something.

I hope this goes away soon. I want to have the surgery as planned and everything going smoothly.

Most people get sick from taking Vitamins on an empty stomach and this is likely what caused the heaving.

I had diarrhea on the pre-op diet too. Liquid in, liquid out as they say.

You will be fine. Just save your vitamins until after one of your Protein shakes.

Most people get sick from taking Vitamins on an empty stomach and this is likely what caused the heaving.

I had diarrhea on the pre-op diet too. Liquid in, liquid out as they say.

You will be fine. Just save your vitamins until after one of your Protein shakes.

I've stopped taking my morning vitamins first thing in the morning. Now having my Breakfast first. Thankfully things have settled down considerably since Thursday. It's good to know I'm not the only one's who's experienced this, as it kind of scared me.

Take your diet time to time, take lot of liquids. Do not take any Vitamin pills or any medicine without your breakfast, Lunch or Dinner.

can you not take the vitamins/supplements for a day and see if that helps?

im glad i read the post about no alleve or advil after lap band