Almost There But I Am In Trouble!!!

Only 13 pounds to go folks. What a long arduous road we travel to get there, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

Unfortuntely, I have been having a lot of trouble with my band lately. I was PBing a lot and having a lot of trouble with solids so about 4 weeks ago I went to my surgeon to have a complete unfill to let my esophagus rest and get back on the right eating plan. I only had 1CC at the time and he talked me into going down to .5CCs instead of the complete unfill. Well, I was OK for a few weeks and now I am in the same spot I was in the last time. I PB almost everything healthy and solid I attempt to eat unless I stick to 3 or four tiny bites which leaves me starving most of the time. For the last 3 days it has been nothing but protein shakes, split pea soup, mashed potatoes and yogurt- anything else I have tried has made me violently PB. I know I need to get all of the fill out now and probably have an endo or barium swallow.

The problem is, it's Saturday night and on Monday morning I fly to Southern California for four days to train for my new job at my new company's corporate office. The training is not just for me- there are eight new Managers nationwide and it is for all of us. There is simply no getting out of it.

What can I do?? Does anyone know of a doctor in the Ontario CA area or surrounding areas that I should call if this becomes an emergency? It is bordering on one now and I will be seeing my surgeon the minute I get home but I am pretty freaked out about going four more days like this. I am in agony!!!

By the way, I know sometimes there are no symptoms for a slip or erosion, but for the record I have not seen any blood in my PBs and until today the result of them has just been the chest pain and irritation. But for about 24 hours I have felt like I have a terrible stomachache in my lower stomach as well.

Heather, I can't advise on the doctor but I can tell you that until/unless you literally can't get any liquids down it's probably not an emergency. In order to keep your irritation from getting you to that point, you must stick STRICTLY to liquids. Start taking Prilosec immediately, or even better if you can get a prescription get one for Nexium or Prevacid. You have to do whatever you can to calm the area down. Stay away from coffee (brutal, I know, especially on a business trip) or anything acidic, and don't have anything at all late in the day.

I really sympathize, I know how you feel. Good luck, and as SOON as you get back from your trip CALL YOUR DOCTOR!! (If there's any way you can call him today you should, even if just to talk--I don't know about that lower stomach ache and it doesn't sound good.)

<p>Thanks for the reply. I have been taking Prilosec two and sometimes three times a day, and right now I can get liquids down. I have been staying away from the coffee which has made me pretty cranky. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Today I had a container of yogurt which went down but caused discomfort for a few hours, and I just finished about 4 spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, and not only have the chest pain but back pain too. This SUCKS. I am taking protein powder and soup in my suitcase for my trip. I can't wait to get home and get the rest of this saline out!!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>

Wow...sounds like you have really had a bad time with this...I pray that all will be better, soon....

Di

Do you still have your gallbladder?

Yes, I do have my gall bladder. Would that account for all of the reflux, though? I never thought about that.

I would go to the conference/training but that's just me. For the next four days drink water, water, water, room temperature.

Having had horrendous heartburn I can tell you what to stay away from,
anything caffinated like coffee, tea and chocolatey. Run from tomatoes. They kill me. Stay with a bland diet. Chicken, baked. Potatoes, baked.
If you are still hungry go with cheese and water.

Unfortunately, I can't keep anything solid down. I tried some low fat swiss a few days ago and up it came. I also lost my cream of wheat Friday morning.

I have split pea soup and squash soup, vanilla protein powder, and instant mashed potatoes for my trip. It's going to be lots of fun explaining to all of my new colleagues why I can't eat with them at all during this training. I hear they already have a few fun outings planned to some of the hip restaurants in LA (Cut and Koi). But I'm going to pass, it would be too tempting!

By the way, I don't tell people about my band so if anyone can think of a good excuse for the liquids, bring it on:help: !!

Just for the record, gall bladder does affect heart burn.. My dad thought he was having a heart attack a couple years ago, ended up he was having bad heart burn from gall bladder problems.. so they took out his gall bladder.

this sounds like what happened to my friend - she had a hiatial hernia - maybe you could check that out too. good luck!

What made me wonder was you mentioned having pain in the lower part of your stomach that spread into your back. That's the same type of pain I felt before I had mine out.

I never threw up with my attacks but man did I want to and I could only eat very bland things without feeling sick to my stomach.

Just watch what you eat over the next few days.

I hope you make it thru this and get to your doctor soon.

Maybe ask them to check your liver enzymes - if they're elevated it could be your gall bladder and not your band. Just a thought.

Hi Bensmum, what an awful time you are having. If anyone asks me why I am not eating I just say that I have a rumbling gallbladder and I am trying to nurse it along because I dont have time to have an op. Maybe that will work in your situation. Good luck.

Liquids = diverticulitis ( I have to consume liquids and such after an attack. Roughage of any sort is out of the question for me )

Flu bug? Just getting over it.

Don't eat with the gang. Chances are you may find someone else who isn't a one for all and all for one person who prefers a quiet dinner. Did I mention room service? The kitchen can accomidate you. Low fat, cooked well for easy digestion.

Whatever makes it easy on you.

I started PBing and vomitting due to much stress over a week ago. I thought that since the "Big" deal at work was over I too would improve- NOOO! I then had a trip to Tuscon this week and it was worse- couldn't even get water down! I have been miserable! Now today, almost two weeks later I was able to eat shrimp for dinner and even a single serving of ice cream (though it did hurt going down!) I was getting the golf ball feeling, getting even hot tea to come back up! I was even carrying around my own tea bags to avoid black tea! I have been hating life lately, but today there was a gleam of sunshine! I was sad not to eat in tuscon and phoenix as well!! Too much!:think

Well, just in case you check in, the gall bladder sounds about right but I am no professional so a trip to the doctor is in order when you return. I had my gall bladder taken out years before I even thought about the band & I can just remember how bad it was. Everything I ate would cause me to have an attack, it had gotten that bad.

Anyway, I hope your trip is uneventful with your band & gall bladder & I hope you can get back home without a lot of trouble. Make sure you check in when you get back.