Please, please share your ideas...

Koala · 03-11-2007, 09:19 PM

I think I'm in big trouble with my band right now. I pray someone has a wonderful idea for fixing this because I need to be able to eat and drink something soon. I haven't had food since last Sunday.

Here's how my week has been:
Saturday- Got an additional .6 fill in my band for a total of 2.8 in a 4cc. band.
Sunday- Waited 24 hours to eat as the fill dr. instructed. Did fine.
That night, hamburger got stuck tight.
Monday- Couldn't even hold down a drink of water until the Dr. said to try
a hot liquid. It went down.
Tuesday- Liquids all day...but rushed the two days on liquids orders of my
doctor and had some chicken. Well, at least I swallowed it. It
came back up.
Wednesday- Not even a sip of water would stay down. Went back to fill
doctor. He checked my band to see it was still in place. He
emptied my band to let me drink, then replaced
2.4. He ordered a liquid diet until Sunday.
Thurs.-Sat.- Did fine on an all liquid diet.
Today- Tried to eat, got stuck, now, even water hurts tremendously and
isn't going down.

I really need help. What can I try? My doctor is a 5 hour drive away, and I've already made that trip twice in a week. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop that horrible running to the bathroom side effect during an all liquid diet?

**Jack** · 03-11-2007, 10:04 PM

well....it certainly is an uncomfortable situation....my bet is your Os/Stoma lower esophagus is irritated....

And it sounds like eating burger & chicken too fast clogged you up....twice over....(don't ask how I know this).....

Were I to make a guess, I'd believe the step up from 2.2 to 2.8cc was just too much, and a (probable) error of eating compounded a couple times to produce what your describing....

I had a horrid time going from 1.5 to 1.8/4cc band....and finally had to take out .3 cc.......only now, a year later, have I even dared to creep up .1 and then another .1cc........

I'm 'only' a 5 hour ROUND trip drive to my surgeon....and he is leaving the country next month....so....

we have to develop a back up plan. All of us.

I don't think food intake is really all that critical, but fluids are. And if you have trouble with 'just water' you need professional help.

Use the telephone. Call the surgeon. Do you have any access to air taxi in the Outback?

Sometimes it is best to head in 'again' regardless....it gives time to review what exactly our eating plan did to contribute to this problem.

Just looking at what you've posted, you seemed to be doing well up until the fill....

.

re; 'running to the bathroom'......are you taking any water pills or other meds that might contribute to this? Usually, the amount of urine produced is only a certain fraction of what you drink in FLUID....while some is lost in perspiration, water vapor from lungs, etc...are you loosing a FULL bladder or only a little each time?

The Os gets a LOT smaller very rapidly at this degree of fill, take a look at the volumetric depiction of the Band opening between 1.5~2.0~2.5/4cc...

I don't have the link, someone posted it a while back.

Keep us informed, and get help from the local surgeon....

***Susan*** · 03-11-2007, 10:30 PM

You sound like you are having the same problem I had in January, and it is serious and you should get back to your doctor right away. I had a fill in January. For a week, I could not eat or drink anything. Even my own saliva was causing me to pb. I let this go on for a week thinking things would get better before I finally called my doctor. By then, I was severely dehydrated and had caused my band to slip a little from all the pb'ing and vomiting. As your doctor did, mine took my fill out. However, he made me wait almost 6 weeks before he would put my fill back in. This was to give me time to heal and time for my band to reposition itself, which, thankfully it did. I got my fill recently and am doing much better this time. Perhaps you needed to leave your fill out longer in order to give yourself time to get fully healed and recovered from the ordeal your body has been through.

Koala · 03-12-2007, 12:00 AM

Thank you guys so much for answering. It is priceless to have others who totally understand this journey to share with and to look to for support.

Here's my update, I am getting some hot cider through right now. My tummy is gurgling away, but it's going through. My plan is to stay on warm liquids until the achy feeling goes away, then try something mushy.

Any suggestions as to a perfect first food to try: mashed potatoes, cream of potato soup, fish, or what?

If I don't have some real food down by Wednesday night, I'm going back to see the doctor and have a total unfill.

Funny, last Wed., that was what I dreaded most. I was so thrilled when I left .2 up from when I went in for the fill in Saturday. Now, after a long week without eating, I'm kind of looking at things differently.

I am so very tired of the chest pain and the diahrea that seems to go along with the all liquid diet, well, at least it does for me.

Jack, you are so right about needing a backup plan. I'm in Las Vegas and the doctors here make it outrageously high to see someone whose band they didn't place. The fact that my doctor is in Mexico doesn't help. I'm limited on what I can do medically here since my insurance excludes anything related to the band. THIS part is a hassle, but one I contemplated about prior to being banded. I really had to take the shot for beating this weight thing once and for all. I'd just rather not go on a starvation diet, literally, to do it. :paranoid

Carlene · 03-12-2007, 12:24 AM

I would definitely proceed slowly. Mashed potatoes are not my friend. They end up acting like a dam for liquids, etc. Your mileage may vary, though.

I would do very creamy soup first - no chunks of any kind. Tomato soup is good. I add some low-fat cream cheese to it and it really tastes a lot better.

You could put some chunky soup thru the blender, then sip on it. I have some great soup recipes. Just PM me your e-mail address if you want them.

**Kat817** · 03-12-2007, 12:28 AM

The way I see it is, you have lost 102 pounds, you KNOW how to eat properly, and you may have to struggle to do just that, on your own for a period of time, while allowing your stomach to heal from the massive swelling it sounds like you are dealing with.
Liquid in-Liquid out is very common on a liquid diet---not sure there is much that can be done about it. Maybe looking into some of the protein type shakes specializing in fiber.....not sure how they would work.
I agree, with TOM that going back yet again seems the safest thing you can do. Let him help you, unfill you, get your stomach healthy again, and begin the fill again, as they did with Susan.
Keep us posted on how you are doing. You have done so well, I hate to see you so depressed with it.
Hang in there!
Kat

waterlily1072 · 03-12-2007, 12:54 AM

I agree that you are swollen and irritated from the PB's. Whether 2.8 is too much for you or not I'd say can't be determined yet, but for now you definitely need an unfill so that you can drink. Some people swell more than others, I swell and stay swollen for at least a week after a fill. And being as tight as you are the swelling may have been too much still to proceed to food. After you have healed up I would ask for smaller fills. I know it is a bummer to have to drive for 5hours for a fill but it is better than what you are going throu right now. Till you can get in try sipping hot liquids. Please let us know how you are doing.

libra · 03-12-2007, 09:11 AM

I agree that your food choices could have irritated the problem. After every fill, my doc recommends 2 days liquids, 3 days mushies. Chicken and hamburger are a no-no all the time for me.

I'd say to stick with liquids...maybe yogurt would be good to try. But if you can't get anything down soon, you need to get back to the doc.

LeeInDe. · 03-12-2007, 12:35 PM

I have not had that problem as of yet, but my heart goes out to you, and I am sorry that you have to travel so far to see your doctor.
I wish the very best for you, and hope all works out for you very soon!

NaturalBeauty · 03-12-2007, 01:08 PM

It appears that with this fill you may not be able to digest hamburger and/or chicken for a while. Fills are tricky but I just believe you jumped to fast into regular food. You may need an unfill but it sounds like you are swollen and need some time for your body to rest.

Take it easy on yourself and go to mushie before starting regular food. Your body will thank you in the long run.

I hope all turns out well for you.

sunny · 03-13-2007, 07:27 AM

Not quite the same situation but just as scary....started to feel a little unwell last Tuesday....indigestion, heatburn that type of thing....managed to put up with it til the early hours of Wednesday morning...pain increasing, not being able to swallow anything at all...worst and most scary thing was i vomited blood like stuff 3 to 4 times....ended up in the A&E department of my local hospital....was admitted...put on a drip....lucky for me there was a 'band' doctor at the hospital who emptied my band...was kept in for 4 days until i could eat solid food.

I still don't know what caused all the trouble....doctor checked for an ulcer...nothing...so i am unfilled and still a little sore around the ribs but grateful i can eat and drink normally....going for a check up on Thursday not even going to think about getting anything put in the band for at least 6 weeks....if i'm honest i'm a little scared!!

xxjanexx

LeeInDe. · 03-13-2007, 09:15 AM

Oh Sunny, that is a tough one. Sorry you had to go through that. Us bandsters are creating our own set of emergencies to deal with in ER's now.
They will need to have docs familiar with banding problems in all ER's if we keep coming up with band emergencies!
Good luck to you........

marys · 03-13-2007, 09:22 AM

I can't eat chicken to this day! It is as bad as white bread for me. When I am on liquids I love tomato soup or V8 juice -it is filing and easy to go down (if you thin out the soup). Also thinned out oatmeal works - watch thick mushies as they can easily clog the stoma (I did it once on sugar free pudding - it was like a plug in me). Someone once suggested it should go through a straw - a coffee stirrer straw - and that might work for you - you need to only try such thin things you won't pb - that is just making your situation worse. I hope you feel better soon - i have been there -done that!

Koala · 03-14-2007, 08:49 AM

Here's my update:
After a full day and night without getting so much as a drop of water through, I headed back to Mexico. My doctor did a complete unfill and told me to wait three weeks before going back. He also said to do four more days of liquids.

I will follow his orders, but man, I've not had anything solid in my stomach for ten days as it is. It could start making me grumpy, you know?

Anyway, even after the unfill, liquids weren't passing through quickly, so my insides were realllllly irritated.

I'm actually thankful for the break after having every sip burn and ache...and after being that thirsty. This is a minor setback no where near a defeat.

Thank you to everyone for your well-wishes and support.

Please send some strength this way that I don't gain anything during this "off" period.

kima · 03-14-2007, 09:00 AM

Koala

It sounds like you are doing everything right...everything you need to do to get yourself healthy and on track. Let the energy of all of us pulling for you keep you going. I can't imagine someone with such a great sense of humor really being grumpy! You have had such a great result. A real inspiration. Love your NO DEFEAT attitude.

Glad to hear your insides are healing. Thank you for sharing.

Kim :kiss2:
banded 1/30/07
223ps/217s/203t/135g