Question about restriction

1disneyfan · 07-03-2009, 05:30 PM

I had my third fill yesterday morning. Of course after my fill I only drank liquids....SF Latte and SF Lemonaid. No problems. Last night before bed I drank a few swallows of lemonaid and had the "stuck" sensation, mouth watering etc. but it went away fairly quickly, no vomiting. This morning, I couldn't drink lemonaid or water without that feeling. But SF Latte went down fine.
After my first two fills, I felt no different. (No restriction, no weight loss, etc. after first two fills) But I immediatley new that I had restriction after about 2 hours from the fill yesterday AM.

This afternoon I ate a small container of SF jello, no problem. I can drink, but very slowly and it feels like I swallow a lot of air (not using a straw). I don't know how to not swallow air??? Is this what restriction feels like? I am excited (hoping my weight loss will really begin now) and ok with it, just wondering if it will loosen a bit over the next few weeks. Is this what restriction feels like? or is it too much? I haven't tried anything other than about 1/4 cup of broth and the jello, they went down fine, it is the drinking of water and lemonaid that I feel the "air" or what feels like "air".

Hope all of this made sense. Any response would be appreciated.

Thanks,

RestlessMonkey · 07-03-2009, 05:55 PM

Maybe you're taking too large a swallow? I don't feel "air" sometimes but something more akin to what I THINK I'd feel if I swallowed a small golf ball. Is it like that?

Just take sips or small swallows but (very important this:) Make SURE you get the water in per your surgeon's guidelines. It is vital. If you can't get enough in over 24 hours, you can quickly dehydrate. And it needs to be water, not lemonade or SF latte, ok?

:)

Otherwise yes it should loosen up a little. If it doesn't you need a slight unfill; the point of the band isn't to limit us to a liquid diet. For now, take it slow, be careful, stay hydrated, and have a good 4th!

KartMan · 07-03-2009, 06:49 PM

I think the verdict is out on water versus SF lemonade. I have had tons of doctors tell me that Crystal Light is equivalent to water for hydration and getting your “water” in. I don’t hate water, but I find it a lot harder to hit 64 oz a day if I don’t mix in Crystal Light for a big chunk of that. It hasn’t slowed my weight loss and I don’t see any other ill effects. I know some people are affected by artificial sweeteners and they should watch out for that, but for me they don’t seem to be a problem. I might be a bit of an anomaly though, I am also able to drink 3-4 8oz cups of coffee a day with no apparent ill affects.

RestlessMonkey · 07-03-2009, 06:59 PM

Hey Kartman! I drink iced tea in buckets myself, superoctane caffeine charged, with no trouble. But since the jury is out on water, OP should get enough per her surgeon's guidelines (as I said) to stay hydrated. For all I know he told her to only get 8 ounces a day :)
Or none...but she needs to follow his medical direction especially post fill to make sure she's hydrated. We all process things differently as you noted, and usually medical types don't count latte as hydration! :)

There is some medical debate about whether or not both lemon juice AND caffeine/coffee are diuretics. Jury is still out, as far as I know...so that's why I said water, not lemonade or latte.

Major point...stay hydrated. If you can't, go to ER or call doc's after-hours number.

KartMan · 07-03-2009, 07:20 PM

I personally don’t count the coffee in my daily water tally. However, some people do suggest that any clear liquid (and the they classify tea and coffee in that group) as legitimate sources of water.

This is another one like the pre-op diet, post-op diet, post-fill diet… every doctor seems to have their own rules. I do agree with you that each of us needs to follow what their doctor says. Lucky for me my doc is ok with artificial sweeteners and coffee

Fab by 50 · 07-03-2009, 07:45 PM

1disney

I understand what you are saying, when I drink it feels like I have taken in a huge air bubble. I had my 4th fill last week and usually for a week after I have trouble keeping anything down. I don't know how to not get air either maybe we are unique??? I bet someone else will come in and tell us what to do.

Good luck, Bernadette

1disneyfan · 07-03-2009, 10:00 PM

Thanks for the replies. I don't think I got enough liquids in today, but probably close. This evening I PBed for the first time, most of what I PBed was slime...is that normal? Also, it feels like there is still somthing stuck...now I understand the slime thing! How long after you PB before you feel better and how long until you can drink something.

RestlessMonkey · 07-03-2009, 10:01 PM

Did just liquids make you PB? In other words, you didn't eat anything, just drank?

1disneyfan · 07-03-2009, 10:17 PM

I had about 1/4 cup of gumbo rue (thick broth) and about 1/8 of the inside of a small crab cake (very mushy....but maybe my mushy was actually packy?) All that came up when I PBed....at least I think it did. After I PBed I felt much better.....but then I took a few sips of water and I feel the same way again....but the only thing that comes up is slime/clear liquid...

Anything I can do to get this feeling out of my chest?

RestlessMonkey · 07-03-2009, 10:23 PM

Ok...once your doc is open, ask him....
but as long as you are in pain, don't eat mushies, ok?
My doc usually says 24 hours on liquids but if we feel really tight, make that 48 post fill. When you quit hurting...give it a good 24 hours. do liquids; protein shakes, etc. then SLOWLY advance to mushies. I've never had a crab cake but I know a lot of fish is considered a "soft" food, not a mushie, so unless the crab is blended beyond recognition then no, it isn't a mushie. Mushies are things like smooth mashed potatoes or refried beans. Mushies kind of "come apart" in water. If you soak a crab cake I bet you get pieces of crab in goo, right?

If you still hurt you most likely either 1. have more to come up or 2. really irritated yourself and need to give it time to chill out.

So just stay on liquids...small sips until you know you can keep it down. Ok?

If you aren't better by Monday call your doc. If you start to really feel worse, you may need to go to the ER. I hope not! It will be a mad house!

1disneyfan · 07-03-2009, 10:31 PM

Thanks for the quick reply! I just "coughed" up some more slime....didn't appear to be anything in it though...I have done that several time...and I am terrified of my band slipping...this is the first time anything like this has happened.

After I coughed up some this last time, some of the pressure has eased and is more tolerable. My mouth is not watering like iit has been for the last hour or so either...hopefully that is a good sign.

No more anything for me tonight. I will try small sips of water tomorrow and do only clear liquids tomorrow and Sunday I'm sure. Would prefer NOT to go to ER unless it is unavoidable.

I really don't want to go back to the doctor unless I absolutely have to because I'm scared he will completely unfill me....and he will only do fills every 6 weeks. But I will before I continue to feel like this!! Talk about miserable!

Thanks for replying to me so quickly. I am trying to not "freak" out since I know stress can make my band even tighter!

RestlessMonkey · 07-03-2009, 10:37 PM

I'm not going to say he WONT unfill you because I don't know him and docs do odd things, but it's more likely if you still feel badly on Monday he'll check to make sure you don't have a slip (really outside chance of that so don't freak) and then do a SLIGHT unfill, which is the usual modus operandi for overfilled patients. Ok?

If he wants to unfill you, demand to know WHY. He really shouldn't.

And yes get your water...my surgeon says that the less hydrated we are, the tighter we are, and the LAST thing you want is to be tight, right? :) So get a good bit of water and clear liquids in and if you feel normal by sunday, have some mushies, if not, wait. AND...do have protein shakes ok? It won't HURT you to go a day or two on just liquids but no reason to totally torture yourself.

It's a learning curve! :)

and PS ... I LOVE Mickey Mouse, I'm a FANATIC for the mouse, so i had to jump in and help you! :)

1disneyfan · 07-03-2009, 10:42 PM

Thanks again...one more question..do I sip on water now or wait until the pressure is completely gone before I try to get any liquids down?

(I too love disney...I am taking my parents the second week of August....its going to be hot...but at least we will be at Disney!)

RestlessMonkey · 07-03-2009, 10:47 PM

OMG of the about 8 times I've gone to WDW, ONCE was in August. Lord help you...stay cool! :)

I'd wait an hour or so and then TRY to sip a little, but if you still feel pressure, sipping may just get it all going again. If you're thirsty, try again (slowly!) in a little while, sip or two, and then wait about 5 min and see how you feel. Seems overly cautious but if you are just aggravated you don't want to stir things up even more.

if it stays down fine after 5 min, drink a bit more, wait a bit less, see how you feel, and on from there ok?

1disneyfan · 07-03-2009, 10:56 PM

I'm not really that thirst, just terrified and miserable! I keep coughing up slime and it is gross and hurts and then the pressure remains! I am assuming eventually I will cough up or PB what ever is stuck or it will pass through? I think I will wait to sip on anything until this feeling has passed. I am even spittin out the spit from my mouth watering...that pre-throwing up mouth watering...sorry, I don't mean to be grosss..I just want to make sure that this is normal....somewhat! LOL