A little nervous to post this....Chest Discomfort Anyone?

I've been doing really well with my eating the past few days but yesterday and today, I am experiencing a little chest discomfort that takes time to subside after eating.  This is happening when I am having very small portions of food 1/2c or less.  This has happened before when I knew I overate, didn't chew well or ate to fast but my breakfast was cottage cheese and I'm still feeling it.

My thoughts perhaps is that it is stress/anxiety related and making everything tight.  I've been extremely stressed and pressured at work since yesterday morning trying to meet my deadlines and with every new email I get my BP is going up like WTF give me a break! 

Has this happened to anyone else in a similar situation.?

I'm not at liberty to just pick and go to the doctor everytime I feel off balance, if that were the case I'd be there every other day for something.  I just saw my PCP last week and everything was all good there including my labs so I really doubt anything else is going on related to other things that could cause chest pain.  I normally do not have high BP either.

On top of all this work, I don't want to start freaking out and worrying about my band in addition to everything else causing more anxiety.  I have not vomited recently or had an band related episodes. 

If anyone is stressed and feels discomforts do you switch to liquids?  Clearly soft foods are going down fine and I'm not feeling stuck but still a bit uncomfortable after eating, however, I know my body is super anxious! 

Please feel free to chime in any which way!

Thanks,
Nikki

It's me, broken record here...

It's the Vagus nerves causing that feeling. The band causes the stomach to press up into the diaphragm where the Phrenic nerve system is. The Vagus nerves run throughout the diaphragm and the stomach and up into the base of your neck.

It happens to a lot of banded people... probably more often than not, actually.

I had referred pain severely and had to do a lot of research on this because my doctor didn't know enough about it to help.

So you would say that the vagus nerve is the issue alone and not the whole stress and anxiety exacerbating things?

I feel like I can't even eat lunch!  Just drinking now.  I broke down and took an anxiety pill to see if I felt better.  I have experienced this feeling many times being banded in 2.5 years but all of a sudden im being a worry-wort over everything! 

I came out of surgery with severe damage to my Vagus nerves... but I've watched most of my banded friends also develop the referred left shoulder pain while banded. It's incredibly common with banding.

I've posted this before, but looking at the illustrations really made it all clear.









I used to get the left shoulder pain a LOT worse when I was stressed out or upset. I think it's due to the fact that the Vagus nerves control a lot of those responses, but also because I have always gotten "upset stomach" when under emotional duress, too.

So, yes, I DO think stress and anxiety exacerbate things, too. Most definitely! At least, that was my experience.

I really do feel like a broken record... but this is why I have such issues with the lapband. I hate watching this happen to people over and over. It causes me distress because I've seen it happen time and time again. And the more the diaphragm gets irritated, the more likely it is to stay irritated. And it's miserable. I feel for you.

Your post is making me anxious...lol...

Yes, I think stress plays a role.  It definitely does for me anyway.  I have days that I have had that happen just because I was stressed and my 7 year old couldn't sit still while I was trying to eat!! 

Give it a day or two, take it easy...

Sounds like it might be stress, you'd might want to switch to liquids for a few days..........when I was having pain (between my breasts and under my left one) the PA told me to do liquids for a few days to gage if it was just stress, something stuck or irritated the stoma.......however if you are having the pain with liquids or water then a slight unfill and a doctors visit should be in order.....

I hope it is the stress, only you know your body and if this is something you haven't experienced before even when stressed prior and if at this fill level then I would contact your surgeons office.....

Stress isn't good and if the stressor isn't going to go away for a while a unfill might also be in order..........

Keep us posted....

Michele

Well my day hasn't gotten any better work wise, I just finally ate "lunch" but more like 2 small snacks.  I was not up for my healthy choice meal I brought.  I feel ok.  Still a little tense but not as much as earlier. 

I'm really going to gauge how I feel over the weekend.  THANKFULLY, I have off Monday and I just need some rest period.  I'm going on about 6 hours of sleep today and that just doesn't work for me! 

I think I am going home straight from work to veg out and hopefully relaxing will calm things down. I feel like I'm ready to fall over from stress and tiredness. If I get a second wind, I will hit the gym but no promises there...don't want to keep running myself down.

Stay tuned........

Stress plays a HUGE roll in my band getting tight. I've actually had to get a few slight un-fills, when it didn't go away. Hot liquids help me when I have that "stuck" in the throat feeling, or sometimes, Tums. I hope it gets better, if not you could call your Dr. that's part of the reason they are there.

Stress, etc. causes my band to get tighter. Just what you need when you are already stressed! I have found that if I drink some hot tea just a bit before I eat things relax and I can eat much better. Be sure you are very well hydrated since that will cause that puppy to tighten up, too. If after you have had your rest, or if it gets worse, run don't walk for a slight unfill. The last thing you want is to be too tight. That can stop weight loss and even cause a slip or other complication. I have to have unfills 3 times and have decided to stay on the loose side.

I started having chest issues in July, found a PE, thought that would be the end of it.  Not so.  Pain in the center of the chest, right between the girls.  I was even hospitalized because of it.  It continued until right before xmas when I had my band removed.  Almost immediate relief, had some pain, but now almost 2 months later almost never get the pain.  My surgeon did not think it was the band causing the problems, obviously it was.