Bandster Hell but Losing Weight

TangerineDreams · 05-12-2008, 12:12 PM

I had my second fill a few weeks back, which brings me to 2 cc in a 10 cc band. Honestly, I have not able to eat much since. And what I do eat usually gets thrown up within 15 minutes.
But even though I am having a hard time, I don't want to unfill ~ I am losing weight so fast now.
I just wonder how long I can keep this up.
Grrrr.

yaya78006 · 05-12-2008, 12:22 PM

When you throw up it irritates the pouch.
we are suppose to drink liquids for 2 days after the incident.
I was throwing up every day and they took the fill out of my band.
I still can not eat a lot of food without the fill in there.

The PA says my band is a small band and I might be normal without any saline in there ever. It also holds 10cc but the Dr. says that can be misleading because some bands are big and wide and some are narrow and some people can't handle too much fill.

You need to be careful about how you eat.
Really, just have a bite of food and space the bites.

Eventually you will be able to eat normal. Like a normal bandster.
It took me over 6 months to get to where I can eat at a restaurant.

I still can't eat pasta or bread, which I think is a blessing.

If I take a drink of anything after eating, I lose it. ugh!

Be careful about throwing up too much, I think that could hurt your esophagus.

Good luck!

Bunkey1965 · 05-12-2008, 12:22 PM

Its dangerous for you to be throwing up. I have a friend who got too tight. At my first fill and his 2nd (he was banded in June 06, I was done April 08) we went together. I got a 1cc and he had his deflated. His esophous was stretched out from vomiting. Now he cant have a fill for 4 weeks until he heals inside. Slow and steady wins the race.

TangerineDreams · 05-12-2008, 12:58 PM

I tend to agree with you both.
It really does depend on the day and time. Some days I can eat (mushy) without any problems. Other days, forget about it.
I know the throwing up cant be good. I am trying to reduce this by eating very soft foods and not trying to force it when I feel it's just not a good day to eat.
I guess I am so excited with the weight loss that I am dealing with the vomiting and regurgitation.
I have to say though, the liquids before and after eating has been one of the most difficult things to get over. I cant process the food much easier without any liquids before and after.

westcoastmom · 05-12-2008, 02:45 PM

I know all of these choices are so personal.

I was banded only about 5 or 6 weeks ago. So I probably don't have too many personal experiences to share with you. I have not been filled yet. I actually got a slight de-fill recently when it felt like I was having a bit of reflux.

I want to be fairly conservative to make sure my overall quality of life is good. I know the goal is to lose weight, but you also have to enjoy life as well. I can't imagine enjoying my kids and wanting to run around with them if I was getting sick or even just weak from not being able to take in enough food.

I also don't want to do something that would be harmful to the band or my overall health. It feels like PBs and vomiting could be harmful in the long run. They could damage the band or cause slippage or even start habits that might enlarge the esophagus.

It just worries me when I read that people might want to live with things that seem at the least very bothersome and possibly harmful - just to lose quickly. Maybe we need to look more at the big picture and long term goals. If we can learn to change habits long term, it might help us to live a more healthy life in whole.

Good luck with all your choices and I hope you feel better.

AMYA · 05-12-2008, 03:00 PM

I am so glad you wrote this thread.

It was 3 weeks ago today that I had my first fill. Yes, I am loving the scale moving so fast, but I can't keep anything down, especially the protein that they say you have to eat. I have been vomitting most of the protein I eat and losing strength and energy. I almost had them take some of my fluid out last week, because I felt sick all the time.

What you wrote is EXACTLY how I was feeling last week. My doctor told me that he didn't want to take any fluid out because I did have one good day in between and he thought that my stomach (being a muscle) had gone into a spasm and that if I took it easy for a while I would be okay. He told me to come back in a month and he thinks I'll be asking for another fill then.

I don't think I will. I still have a really hard time. The pain and nausea that I feel when I eat something that is just not going to go down is almost unbearable. I have no other choice but to throw it up. Today is a good day, but I am throwing up more and more often.

I was relieved when my doctor told me he didn't want to unfill. I didn't really want to either because without fill I had almost no restriction.

I know exactly how you feel, and BANDSTER HELL is a really good description. And the fact that in 3 weeks I am down a little over 15lbs. is all I need to keep me going. Keep on trudging on. I am hoping it gets better.
Amy A.

TangerineDreams · 05-12-2008, 03:12 PM

Amy:

Although I can't quite eat I have no issues with liquids ... I can have my protein shakes any time. I would be totally useless if I couldn't keep down liquids ...

I suppose your doctors knows best ... but if you are getting weak due to lack of food, then you may need to stress that to him.

Good luck!

AMYA · 05-12-2008, 03:19 PM

I get really gassy with the protein shakes. And they feel like empty calories that don't keep me full. I am trying my hardest to follow my doctor/nutrutionist's advice about the protein, but that seems to be the hardest thing to keep down. If I have really bad days, I do drink at least one protein shake. And I do get all of my water in with no trouble. And I am trying to take the chewable multi-vitamins, but they make me gag too.

The weird thing is that sometimes I can eat certain things and the next time I try, I can't keep it down. I just wish there was a way to know what definitely works and what doesn't. It looks to me like everyone is different. But then also seems that there are good days and bad days, which make all the difference in the world.

For now, I am going to keep pushing along and trying new things. If it stays this way with only very few GOOD meals staying down, I probably will ask him to take a little out.
Thanks for your input. This is a great thing to have!!

By the way, I am originally from New York (Westchester), but moved to Florida 4 years ago. Had my surgery here.

kbinaz · 05-13-2008, 09:57 PM

You should call your doctor ASAP - this is not normal or healthy. Do not choose fast weight loss over your health and the condition of your band. It is an expensive piece of equipment and deserves to be well cared for and you are risking ruining it. You can still lose weight at the proper level of restriction, and you don't have to be miserable doing it. Please don't stay at this level or you may really regret it.

hungry4help · 05-19-2008, 04:26 PM

hi tangerine... congrats on your weight loss. but as others here have mentioned, you do sound too tight. consuming mostly liquids seems to defeat the purpose of the band. does dr roslin know how restricted you are? (he's also my doctor.) maybe you just need a .5cc or less unfill? it might be worth checking in with him about.

best of luck.

TangerineDreams · 05-19-2008, 05:10 PM

I feel like I have been making bad food choices.
The last week or so I have been more careful about what I am eating and the pace of eating and have found that I am dealing much better.
I really think I was trying to sneak by pastas and breads, thinking that a small amount would be ok. It's not. If I stick the right foods and eat slowly I have no pain and no vomiting.

Hungry4help: you know Mitch is very conservative with the fills ... I am very straight with him about my health and the band. I do believe though that since I have been more mindful of what and how I am eating I am not vomiting or going thru the pain.

Sweetmeat · 05-25-2008, 11:16 PM

I received my third fill one week ago and I really think that I have reached the sweet spot everyone has talked about. I was able to eat certain things before, that I can definitely no longer eat. I had my first vomitting episode since surgery on Feb. 18, 08. This was something that I don't want to go through again so I will be very careful with eating . Since, it has become hot in Texas I thought I could get away with something cold,not..................the spasm from the band was almost unbearable. Anyone want to chime in with something new feel free.

cdcsrn · 05-26-2008, 04:20 PM

I was banded on 10/07 and I have experienced the same problems. I am just under 3cc's. Make sure when you do regurgitate that you immediatel go to liquids for 2-3 days. When you throw up, it causes the area around the band to become irritated and that causes swelling, which makes it even harder to swallow anything. Your weight loss will be 1-3 pounds per week, but I always try to just say if I lose 1 pound a week, that's great. I know it's tempting to want to keep doing what you're doing cause you're losing the weight, but you will regret it in the long run. Take it slow. You'll still have times when you throw up, but always go to liquids immediately. Some days I can't do anything but drink--can never eat in the mornings. Always make sure you get 60-80 gms of protein/day, no matter what. I have found that unjury protein powder is the best. Remember to think long term, cause you don't want to have to have it taken out because you were trying to lose weight quickly and end up gaining it all back.