band frustration....

It wasn't a huge jump (assuming you have the 10 cc or bigger band) but if you've hit a "restriction point" then even a little saline can make a huge difference.

IMHO if you're so tight that liquid isn't going down after a couple of days then you should show up at their door Monday morning.  For now, if you can get your hands on some Nectar protein powder, it mixes in water and should therefore go down better.  You could also try whatever protein powder you normally use mixed with more water than usual and minimal shaking.   Also, milk has some protein and is better than nothing - try warming it to see if that helps.

Good luck!

I had my band filled from a 4.3 to a 5.3 on Thursday. I was able to dring a glass of water before leavin the DR office. I am now a couple of says out and I can't even dring an ensure or much water at all. Is this something that will calm down after a few days, or do I just need to show up at the DR on Monday mornign and tell them to take about .5 out? Is there an easy way to get some calories in that is a thin liquid form?

Thanks for all of the helpful advice. I am just having to continually drink things like chicken soup broth and Boost. I will be fine as long as I continually do fluids as I can. I will be waiting at the door (not literally) tomorrow to get an unfill. I think going from a 4.3 to a 5.3 (out of 10) may have been a bit much. I am going to ask to go down to 4.8.  

At the 4.3 I was still able to finish 2 spinach enchiladas with most of the rice and beans, followed by birhtday cake ( I know, that's bad, but it's once a year). My first fill after having the Lap was a 5.0 and after a month and a half I went down to a 4.3 because I just was loosing weight too fast (~24lbs a month). When I went to 4.3 I plateaued for 2 1/2 months after that.

I'm still at a learning point, and I still have some really bad habits to break, but I definately think the 5.3 is way more than I can tolearate. I am not going to get much more down than thick liquids at this setting, and the burping is starting to cause tons of chest pain.

Hopefully it will calm down, but that was a pretty big jump when you have that much saline in already (IMHO). How was your restriction before this fill? I wouldn't ride it out too long before seeking a bit of an unfill.

I drink the blue raspberry isopure zero carb from gnc. It has 40 grams of protein in the bottle and is as thin as water.
Brenda

I'm afraid that Drinking in the doc's office means nothing as to how much swelling will occur later on. For this reason, it's very wise never to get a fill on a thursday or friday, unless you know your doc is avialable 24/7 over the weekend for urgent unfills.

You are clearly too tight - it doesn't matter a bit how big a fill jump that was - for some it would be way too much, for others ok.

YOU cannot drink!  We need at the VERY minimum 48-64 oz a day to avoid dehydration. I'd urge you to call your doc NOW for advice. He will go over signs and symptoms of drhydrarion - you may need some IV fluids and unfill now, or might be ok to wait until first thing monday morning. Only he can take that responsibility.

At this point, you likely will need the whole fill out , and possibly even more. Any time we cannot drink - or barf - the stoma swells and can close off completely.
You doc must be the one to assess the amt to take ouyt. WE are never objective enoug to decide - we always want too much fill, and then too little taken out.

good luck  -please get some help quickly.

In the meantime, have only hot clear liquids - tea with honey, hot cider, hot broth, hot gatorade, hot cocoa (not SF) . You may need to do one tsp every 1-2 minutes for several hours to get enough in to prevent an ER visit.

These fluids  will have some electrolyres and are better than water, wehich has noe. a warm heating pad on your chest will also relax and open the stoma.

Good luck  -plese get help soon.

Sandy R
band educator

I was just reading your advise for this OH member ... thank you for the advise you have given him because this info is nice to have myself in case I ever need it... I was just wondering about the hot cocoa (not SF) why exactly do you not recommend sugar free...  

 

Thanks again for the info you gave... it is very interesting....I would have never thought about the hot liquids or heating pad

This poor guy needs some calories!!     He was asking specifically about  getting nutrition.        Generally, the SF stuff is fine, otherwise!

For this  reason, I also do NOT believe in SF things in the week or 2 after surgery, when we need calories and nutrition to heal well. THis , to me, is very basic post-op nutition needs for healing, as  taught in the most basic nursing nutrition classes.

Sandy

I was not thinking about the calorie need.  I was just thinking ...am I doing something wrong because I sometimes drink SF hot choc and SF cidar.     Have a wonderful rest of the weekend

Sandy...you do not recommend sugar free clear liquids in the post op weeks?  What do you recommend? I just assumed we wanted only SF because that allowed the stomach to rest completely...maybe I am completely off base?  What are your post surgery recommendations?  Thanks again...banded angel!