One of the comments on a post a few days ago, generously contributed by Sparkler, demonstrated incredible insight into some aspects of my predicament. I'm going to address them one by one and see where it takes me:
This is a really tough time in the journey...all the newness has worn off, you're nearly there so you're probably pretty comfortable with your weight right now, so the urgency has dropped.
That is SOoooo right. Truth is, if I didn't lose another pound - I'd be a little disappointed but I wouldn't be devastated, because the worst of the weight has gone. I started at 20 stone, I now weigh about 12 and a half. I'd like to be ten and a half - but I'm thin enough that I can walk, jog, swim - and all with relative comfort. I can buy 'normal' clothes in 'normal' shops for the first time in my adult life and so the urgency has gone. Spot on Sparkler. But when I sit down and really think about it - I don't want to settle for this - it is less than I wanted when I started out and I want better. I am not looking for perfection but I do want to be in control of my eating and my weight. No, I wouldn't be devastated if I didn't lose another pound, but I don't think I would look upon my band experience as a complete success either.
Everything about the band is so familiar which means it doesn't take much thinking about.
Yes, you're right again. But this is the problem. I often THINK it doesn't need thinking about because it's so familiar - but actually it does. For example, I thought I'd 'cracked' the think about not drinking after eating - I thought it had become second nature. But in the last few months I have got back into bad habits again. Also, I have had more slime and regurgitation events in the last few months than I've ever had. This is not because my band is too tight - it's because sometimes I just forget it is there and get back to old eating habits (eating too much, too quick, the wrong type of food, eating while distracted etc). I probably need to get out my old 'band manual' and re-read it again from start to finish and keep on reminding myself that I have a little friend inside me - and it's going to be there for life....
I'd be interested to hear what your restriction is like now on an average day. Do you still eat the same small portion sizes or are you able to eat more at a sitting? Do you still have certain foods that are a no-go area? What's it like once it all becomes routine, mundane and everyday?
When I make good food choices I have excellent 'sweet spot' restriction. My meals are small and they fill me up. I can't guzzle a drink down fast like I used to but have to take it in smaller mouthfuls and slowly. I'm much more restricted in the morning and can't really eat much till mid-morning. IF (and it's a big IF) I don't eat chocolate and other 'bad' foods, I exist very happily on about 1200 calories a day and don't feel physically hungry at all. There's no sign of my band getting looser. There are very fews that are a no-go area - mainly chips (French fries), very fatty foods like battered fish (chip-shop style), and the skins of cherry tomatoes and grapes! I avoid white bread but can easily eat whoolemeal bread (though not in large quantity). Many of the things that I used to perceive as big problems or difficulties - just aren't! I can eat out but do so very cautiously. So far I have avoided having any embarrassing incidents while eating out and would like it to remain that way!
Good luck with getting that focus back to fight off that last stubborn stone and a half. Actually having a break from the strict regime probably won't do you any harm as once you get back to your walking and cut out the lovely but lethal chocolate you'll be like a new dieter who has a really rewarding first three weeks or so. A post-Easter resolution perhaps?
You may be right about having a break from the strict regime but I think I need to get back to it soon. Now that work has eased off I am finding time to get back to some exercise - walking, stepping and swimming mainly. I think you are right - I will wait until I am firmly back in the UK after my trip and then set a date to kick-start my band-life.
Many thanks for your insight and encouragement!
Showing posts with label Saliva. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saliva. Show all posts
Friday, April 16, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Ups and downs
Hello people! This has been the longest I've ever left it between posts - I'm writing a Masters thesis so working every waking hour. It'll be done in a week so I can get back to blogging more often. Anyway, what have I been up to? Well in terms of physical activity - absolutely nothing. I've been sitting on my backside most of the time and not got my heart pumping for ages. My eating habits have been all over the place. Some days I've managed to put away 3000 calories or more, and other days I've got by on a third of that! One recent development which is helping things is that I've given up chocolate for Lent! Lent only began this Wednesday so I've gone without the brown stuff for just four days so far - another 36 to go....
Another new development is that in the past month, on days when I've over-eaten, I have had bad acid reflux at night. I've had to lay propped up on pillows and I've been taking Zantac pills to help. Of course when I eat more sensibly the acid disappears - so it's my body's natural warning to do just that. Makes sense really!
Today, somewhat out of the blue, I had one slime episode, and another slimy regurgitation episode. The first was triggered by nothing more than drinking some cold Ribena a little too fast, and the second was triggered by eating half a small yoghurt after my lunch.....?! Anyway, since then I've been eating somewhat cautiously the rest of the day.
Something else happened today which I found surprising. I was talking to a complete stranger at work. She'd obviously seen a head and shoulders photograph of me on the staff noticeboard and commented that I'd lost a lot of weight. I find this surprising because:
1. It was very observant on her part
2. I wasn't aware that it was so obvious - just from a head and shoulders shot
3. She asked how I'd lost the weight and I immediately blurted out 'I've got a gastric band!' - to a complete stranger! Oh well, I'm obviously getting a lot more relaxed about it!
I'll be back posting again soon. All the best.
Another new development is that in the past month, on days when I've over-eaten, I have had bad acid reflux at night. I've had to lay propped up on pillows and I've been taking Zantac pills to help. Of course when I eat more sensibly the acid disappears - so it's my body's natural warning to do just that. Makes sense really!
Today, somewhat out of the blue, I had one slime episode, and another slimy regurgitation episode. The first was triggered by nothing more than drinking some cold Ribena a little too fast, and the second was triggered by eating half a small yoghurt after my lunch.....?! Anyway, since then I've been eating somewhat cautiously the rest of the day.
Something else happened today which I found surprising. I was talking to a complete stranger at work. She'd obviously seen a head and shoulders photograph of me on the staff noticeboard and commented that I'd lost a lot of weight. I find this surprising because:
1. It was very observant on her part
2. I wasn't aware that it was so obvious - just from a head and shoulders shot
3. She asked how I'd lost the weight and I immediately blurted out 'I've got a gastric band!' - to a complete stranger! Oh well, I'm obviously getting a lot more relaxed about it!
I'll be back posting again soon. All the best.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Pre-band fears part 2: Being sick
Before I got banded I'd read and heard so much about bandits being sick that it really began to worry me. I got the impression, from various forums and web sites, that vomiting was a normal everyday part of life being a bandit. I read stories about people throwing up while they were eating out - much to everyone's embarrassment. I'd also read about people who more or less threw up every time they ate. But then, to add to my confusion, I read advice and guidance from bariatric surgeons and doctors saying that being sick was not a normal everyday occurrence for bandits - or at least that it shouldn't be. So, I decided to plough on ahead with surgery anyway and deal with vomiting if, and when, the time came.
Over a year on, what has the reality been? Well (and I advise you to read this before you eat if you've got a weak stomach!), first, there are three different kinds of vomiting with the band:
1. The 'slime'
2. Regurgitation
3. Vomiting - proper
I'm going to break with tradition and deal with these in reverse order.
3. Vomiting: We've all done this, whether from over-eating or too much of the amber nectar! This is when we bring up partially or fully digested food from the stomach. For bandits - this means the main, lower stomach. In the normal run of things, this shouldn't ever happen to a bandit purely from eating too fast etc because the lower stomach has much greater capacity than the upper pouch. However, vomiting could result from a tummy bug or other illness. Proper vomiting is dangerous for bandits because 'it' has to come up through the stoma created by the band, past the pouch and into the oesophagus. If the band is quite tight, forcing partially digested food past at a great rate of knots can cause band slippage. This is why if you ever go to a country where tummy bugs are likely, always take a supply of anti-sickness medication with you. Personally, I have not vomited at all since having the band.
2. Regurgitation: This is bringing back undigested food from the upper pouch. This occurs if we eat too fast, too much, without chewing enough, and sometimes with particular types of food. It can also occur if you drink after eating. This is the type of 'vomiting' that most bandits are referring to. Regurgitation is unpleasant, to say the least, and if it happens too often, can begin to cause damage to the oesophagal wall. This is because of the acids that accompany food digestion which can attack the walls of the oesophagus, and also because of mechanical damage. It's best to avoid regurgitation! Although brought on by not sticking to the basic rules of eating slowly, chewing well and taking small mouthfuls - it is much more likely to happen if the band is too tight. So, if it's happening to you on a regular basis and you are sure you're sticking to the rules (and not drinking after eating) you should get your band checked out - it could be too tight. It is a misnomer to think that a 'too tight' band is a good thing because you will lose weight more quickly - you may also cause permanent damage to your oesophagus and there are a variety of other complications too, some of which require surgical intervention and the removal of the band. So it's not worth it. My personal experience is that since being banded I have regurgitated three times. The first time was when I got angry with my iPhone because it was misbehaving(!), and in my anger I scoffed down two thirds of an iced bun before I remembered I had a band.....! By then it was too late and I had a very unpleasant 20 minutes leant over the sink. The second and third times both happened at work while eating my lunch and working at the same time. In other words, I got distracted and ate too big a mouthful without chewing properly. Mia culpa.
1. The 'slime': This happens - a bit like regurgitation - when you eat too much without chewing properly. Food gets 'stuck' in the pouch, unable to get through the stoma because some less well chewed food is blocking the way. It can also happen if you drink after eating - the liquid can't get through the stoma because the food you ate, nicely sitting in the pouch and making you feel full, is blocking the way. So, the body produces what seems like tonnes of saliva to lubricate the oesophagus and pouch to try and remove the blockage. Usually, this does eventually work and you get a real sense of relief when the blockage clears. But meanwhile, your body is producing loads of this saliva and until the downwards blockage is cleared it has to go somewhere - upwards! The slime (as most bandits call it - I'm sure there's a correct technical term for it somewhere!) builds up gradually. You'll be eating something and start to feel an unusual heaviness around the breastbone (where the band is). Then you'll feel gurgling and things happening in your gullet, and then in your throat. Then you'll notice that your mouth is filling with saliva, and it's no good trying to swallow it because your mouth just fills up again. At the point when I notice the gurgling sensation, I know I've just got time to make it to the toilets at work - as long as no-one tries to stop me or talk to me on the way. Once, while rushing to the loo at work, my mouth full of saliva to bursting point, I passed a colleague in the corridor. Inevitably, he said "hello" and I just grunted. I often wonder what he thought.... Anyway, persaonally I went through two phases of doing lots of sliming - both were when my band was too tight and both times I ended up having an aspiration (de-fill). Since then, I still occasionally get the slime - but it's always when I've eaten too quickly, not chewed, or drunk after eating.
So, if you chew well, eat slowly, eat small portions, don't drink after eating and take anti-sickness tablets with you when you go abroad, you need never have any fear of vomiting with the band! On a more serious note, if you're already a bandit and regularly regurgitate or vomit, there's something wrong - either with your eating behaviour or with the band. Get it checked out. Vomiting, of any kind, is NOT a normal part of everyday life post gastric band surgery - and don't let anyone tell you that it is.
Over a year on, what has the reality been? Well (and I advise you to read this before you eat if you've got a weak stomach!), first, there are three different kinds of vomiting with the band:
1. The 'slime'
2. Regurgitation
3. Vomiting - proper
I'm going to break with tradition and deal with these in reverse order.
3. Vomiting: We've all done this, whether from over-eating or too much of the amber nectar! This is when we bring up partially or fully digested food from the stomach. For bandits - this means the main, lower stomach. In the normal run of things, this shouldn't ever happen to a bandit purely from eating too fast etc because the lower stomach has much greater capacity than the upper pouch. However, vomiting could result from a tummy bug or other illness. Proper vomiting is dangerous for bandits because 'it' has to come up through the stoma created by the band, past the pouch and into the oesophagus. If the band is quite tight, forcing partially digested food past at a great rate of knots can cause band slippage. This is why if you ever go to a country where tummy bugs are likely, always take a supply of anti-sickness medication with you. Personally, I have not vomited at all since having the band.
2. Regurgitation: This is bringing back undigested food from the upper pouch. This occurs if we eat too fast, too much, without chewing enough, and sometimes with particular types of food. It can also occur if you drink after eating. This is the type of 'vomiting' that most bandits are referring to. Regurgitation is unpleasant, to say the least, and if it happens too often, can begin to cause damage to the oesophagal wall. This is because of the acids that accompany food digestion which can attack the walls of the oesophagus, and also because of mechanical damage. It's best to avoid regurgitation! Although brought on by not sticking to the basic rules of eating slowly, chewing well and taking small mouthfuls - it is much more likely to happen if the band is too tight. So, if it's happening to you on a regular basis and you are sure you're sticking to the rules (and not drinking after eating) you should get your band checked out - it could be too tight. It is a misnomer to think that a 'too tight' band is a good thing because you will lose weight more quickly - you may also cause permanent damage to your oesophagus and there are a variety of other complications too, some of which require surgical intervention and the removal of the band. So it's not worth it. My personal experience is that since being banded I have regurgitated three times. The first time was when I got angry with my iPhone because it was misbehaving(!), and in my anger I scoffed down two thirds of an iced bun before I remembered I had a band.....! By then it was too late and I had a very unpleasant 20 minutes leant over the sink. The second and third times both happened at work while eating my lunch and working at the same time. In other words, I got distracted and ate too big a mouthful without chewing properly. Mia culpa.
1. The 'slime': This happens - a bit like regurgitation - when you eat too much without chewing properly. Food gets 'stuck' in the pouch, unable to get through the stoma because some less well chewed food is blocking the way. It can also happen if you drink after eating - the liquid can't get through the stoma because the food you ate, nicely sitting in the pouch and making you feel full, is blocking the way. So, the body produces what seems like tonnes of saliva to lubricate the oesophagus and pouch to try and remove the blockage. Usually, this does eventually work and you get a real sense of relief when the blockage clears. But meanwhile, your body is producing loads of this saliva and until the downwards blockage is cleared it has to go somewhere - upwards! The slime (as most bandits call it - I'm sure there's a correct technical term for it somewhere!) builds up gradually. You'll be eating something and start to feel an unusual heaviness around the breastbone (where the band is). Then you'll feel gurgling and things happening in your gullet, and then in your throat. Then you'll notice that your mouth is filling with saliva, and it's no good trying to swallow it because your mouth just fills up again. At the point when I notice the gurgling sensation, I know I've just got time to make it to the toilets at work - as long as no-one tries to stop me or talk to me on the way. Once, while rushing to the loo at work, my mouth full of saliva to bursting point, I passed a colleague in the corridor. Inevitably, he said "hello" and I just grunted. I often wonder what he thought.... Anyway, persaonally I went through two phases of doing lots of sliming - both were when my band was too tight and both times I ended up having an aspiration (de-fill). Since then, I still occasionally get the slime - but it's always when I've eaten too quickly, not chewed, or drunk after eating.
So, if you chew well, eat slowly, eat small portions, don't drink after eating and take anti-sickness tablets with you when you go abroad, you need never have any fear of vomiting with the band! On a more serious note, if you're already a bandit and regularly regurgitate or vomit, there's something wrong - either with your eating behaviour or with the band. Get it checked out. Vomiting, of any kind, is NOT a normal part of everyday life post gastric band surgery - and don't let anyone tell you that it is.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
A funny ol' day
Yeah, it's been a funny old day. I've gradually developed a splitting headache and have variously been starving and stuffed. I've also had a slime episode and binged on chocolate! I discovered that it 'that time of month' which probably explains the headache, odd cravings and weird stomach feelings. I put the slime episode down to the fact that I was working at my computer while eating my lunch - a recipe for getting distracted and eating too much or too fast - or both.
Anyway, I'm home now, and feeling rather full after munching my way through several Kitkats on the way home. It wasn't helped by the fact that there was some sort of special offer on, and when I went to pay for my one Kitkat and bag of Maltesers, the guy behind the counter gave me another free Kitkat! I almost gave it away to a complete stranger as I left the garage forecourt - but I simply couldn't do it - so I ate it instead.
I think I'll just put today down to an odd one and not worry too much about it.
Anyway, I'm home now, and feeling rather full after munching my way through several Kitkats on the way home. It wasn't helped by the fact that there was some sort of special offer on, and when I went to pay for my one Kitkat and bag of Maltesers, the guy behind the counter gave me another free Kitkat! I almost gave it away to a complete stranger as I left the garage forecourt - but I simply couldn't do it - so I ate it instead.
I think I'll just put today down to an odd one and not worry too much about it.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Finding a twin and turning a corner
At last - I have found another bandit who is exactly the same as me!!!!! A lady posted on the UKGastricBand forum all about her typical eating and drinking during the day, and some stuff about her philosophy on the band and restriction - her experiences of PB'ing, regurgitating, iron fist and all that - and she's SOooooo similar to me - it's scary!!
Like me, she has hardly ever done all the nasty stuff like vomiting and regurgitating food. She doesn't get any pain. She can eat anything but in smaller portions and with a great deal of chewing. She also drinks a lot so she's fully hydrated. She has moderate restriction but finds it harder to eat in the morning until after she's had some drinks. Like me, she can eat chocolate and biscuits for England. The foods that she eats during the day are very similar to me - Oatso Simple for breakfast, or a small banana and Muller Light yoghurt. She has crispbreads and protein and salad for lunch and very similar evening meals too! She also loves Alpen Light cereal bars and doesn't hesitate to take a healthy snack if it's needed.
It brought tears to my eyes as I was reading her post because I am sure I've never encountered another bandit who shares so much in common with me. For months I've read stories and had face-to-face discussions with bandits who get loads of pain / iron fist, vomit / regurgitate and can only eat three peas before feeling full (!) and I've never had any of that - so I've always felt as though I just must be a bit weird!!!
But probably the best thing about her post was what she said about her philosphy on restriction and getting fills. She said: "On a bad day I eat chocolate/biscuits/cakes/sweets/lattes but no matter how tight my band I'd still manage them so why have it that tight and suffer even when I'm being good?". Wow - she is so right. For ages now, as you know if you're a regular reader, I've to'ed and fro'ed about whether I needed another fill. But the truth is this: On a good day when I make good, healthy food choices, my restriction is perfect. I can eat anything I like but in small portions and with a lot of chewing. On a bad day, when I make poor food choices and scoff chocolate, cakes, biscuits and such, the band has no effect. It doesn't stop me eating that stuff - I knew it wouldn't and I know it never will - no matter how tight my band is. So what would be the point in making myself suffer with over-tight restriction when I'm being good, to gain no advantage whatsoever when I'm not being good?!
Mentally at least, I feel as though I may have turned an important corner.
Like me, she has hardly ever done all the nasty stuff like vomiting and regurgitating food. She doesn't get any pain. She can eat anything but in smaller portions and with a great deal of chewing. She also drinks a lot so she's fully hydrated. She has moderate restriction but finds it harder to eat in the morning until after she's had some drinks. Like me, she can eat chocolate and biscuits for England. The foods that she eats during the day are very similar to me - Oatso Simple for breakfast, or a small banana and Muller Light yoghurt. She has crispbreads and protein and salad for lunch and very similar evening meals too! She also loves Alpen Light cereal bars and doesn't hesitate to take a healthy snack if it's needed.
It brought tears to my eyes as I was reading her post because I am sure I've never encountered another bandit who shares so much in common with me. For months I've read stories and had face-to-face discussions with bandits who get loads of pain / iron fist, vomit / regurgitate and can only eat three peas before feeling full (!) and I've never had any of that - so I've always felt as though I just must be a bit weird!!!
But probably the best thing about her post was what she said about her philosphy on restriction and getting fills. She said: "On a bad day I eat chocolate/biscuits/cakes/sweets/lattes but no matter how tight my band I'd still manage them so why have it that tight and suffer even when I'm being good?". Wow - she is so right. For ages now, as you know if you're a regular reader, I've to'ed and fro'ed about whether I needed another fill. But the truth is this: On a good day when I make good, healthy food choices, my restriction is perfect. I can eat anything I like but in small portions and with a lot of chewing. On a bad day, when I make poor food choices and scoff chocolate, cakes, biscuits and such, the band has no effect. It doesn't stop me eating that stuff - I knew it wouldn't and I know it never will - no matter how tight my band is. So what would be the point in making myself suffer with over-tight restriction when I'm being good, to gain no advantage whatsoever when I'm not being good?!
Mentally at least, I feel as though I may have turned an important corner.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Tut tut - should know better!
I really should know better by now........Last night I got bad 'head hunger' and went to my local Co-Op for 'sustenance'. I only intended to buy one Kitkat....... but I came back with a kitkat, a bar of Dairy Milk, a strawberry mousse-thing and a packet of two iced buns. I scoffed the lot without them hardly touching the sides - oh, except the second iced bun which I left till this morning.
I got up this morning feeling ever so slightly guilty, and decided that instead of watching that iced bun all day and worrying about it, and thinking and dreaming about it, I'd just eat it for breakfast!!! Then, my theory went, it would be gone and I could get on with being a 'good girl' for the rest of the day. D'you know what? I got distratcted while eating that there bun, ate it too fast and ended up having a prolonged attack of the slime, and for the first time ever, regurgitation of food.
Yuk. Nasty. Don't want to do that again. But then again, I'm human, so I probably will!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Changing my mind?
I don't know - yesterday I posted in a more positive vein about the success, or otherwise, of my latest fill. I'm already doubting the wisdom of my optimism! Earlier today I asked for advice from the readers of the UKGastricBand forum. I don't normally do this, but I tought I would post the same basic text here in case any of my blog readers can offer any insight and post a comment.
I need some advice on whether I need another fill or not. It's been just over a week since my NINTH fill and I've been eating solids for most of that time. I have 7.7ml in a 10ml band. My sequence of fills has been:
Well I can still eat more than all of them. Although I generally stick to about 1200 calories a day - I have to work quite hard at this. If I ate entirely guided by my hunger I could easily manage quite a bit more than that. A typical evening meal is four baby new potatoes, half a side plate of veggies and a 'normal' sized piece of salmon. This leaves me feeling pleasantly satisified or even full - but within a couple of hours I'm getting hunger pangs again. I think they really are hunger pangs, rather than 'head hunger'.
Don't get me wrong, I am losing weight - but I feel I am having to work so hard at resisting the hunger - which is what I got the band for. I'd love to be able to relax and just eat when I'm hnugry and know that that amount would keep me losing weight.
I don't want to be so tight that I take an hour to eat an apple, say (!) - but does this level of restriction seem right to you? Am I being fussy? Do I need another fill or is this risking going through the de-fill cycle all over again?
I need some advice on whether I need another fill or not. It's been just over a week since my NINTH fill and I've been eating solids for most of that time. I have 7.7ml in a 10ml band. My sequence of fills has been:
- Op 15th November, first fill ten weeks later.
- 5ml under x-ray, followed by 1.5ml then 1ml. This took me to 7.5ml which was too tight (slime, indigestion).
- Had de-fill of 0.5ml, then later top-ups of 0.3ml and 0.4ml - taking me to 7.7ml. That was way too tight (acid reflux, couldn't drink properly, slime, constant indigestion etc).
- Had second de-fill of 0.5ml, then later top-ups of 0.3ml and 0.2ml - taking me right back to 7.7ml which is where I am now!
Well I can still eat more than all of them. Although I generally stick to about 1200 calories a day - I have to work quite hard at this. If I ate entirely guided by my hunger I could easily manage quite a bit more than that. A typical evening meal is four baby new potatoes, half a side plate of veggies and a 'normal' sized piece of salmon. This leaves me feeling pleasantly satisified or even full - but within a couple of hours I'm getting hunger pangs again. I think they really are hunger pangs, rather than 'head hunger'.
Don't get me wrong, I am losing weight - but I feel I am having to work so hard at resisting the hunger - which is what I got the band for. I'd love to be able to relax and just eat when I'm hnugry and know that that amount would keep me losing weight.
I don't want to be so tight that I take an hour to eat an apple, say (!) - but does this level of restriction seem right to you? Am I being fussy? Do I need another fill or is this risking going through the de-fill cycle all over again?
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Drinking harder than eating - EUREKA!
On My 22nd, a couple of weeks after my last fill, I posted ("Saliva, tightness, choking and all that jazz") about the weird experience I was having of being able to get food down, but struggling with liquids. I had asked a number of people about this and although I found a few others who had experienced the same, nobody could explain the phenomenon. Logic suggests that liquids should go down much more easily than solid foods - but t'was not the case..... Anyway, today I happened upon a web site called http://www.fillprovider.net/. It has been set up by an anaesthetist Dr. Kai Rabenstein who, on one morning per week, runs a clinic (in the south east of England) providing fills for gastric band patients(at £75 a time). He started the clinic after his wife had a gastric band fitted. The web site includes some really interesting advice and guidance - interesting because it is particularly frank and honest. For example, he says:
"I think it needs to be spelled out clearly that, certainly for the initial weight loss period, perfect restriction sometimes means being so tight that you experience some regurgitation of food, drink and saliva - known as "productive burps" (PBs). Patients who are horrified by this prospect and the consequent need to develop strategies to hide PBs from others in a social context ....... are unlikely to find success with AGB [adjustable gastric band] implantation and should probably choose a different WLS [weight loss surgery] strategy".
I don't know about you, but I find this approach refreshingly honest. So, back to the drinking and eating thing. Dr Rabenstein says:
"Because the oesophagus (the gullet) and the stomach itself are designed by nature to actively advance food "down the line" through a wave of muscular contraction (called peristalsis), patients with AGBs may find that with tight restriction they can still swallow food (which is solid and therefore will be gripped and propelled beyond the band by the peristaltic movement) but not liquid (which is too "elastic" for peristalsis to get a grip on). That means that in case of temporary severe restriction, the need for an emergency defill can sometimes be avoided by eating sodden solid food or semi-solids."
So I wasn't going mad after all!!
"I think it needs to be spelled out clearly that, certainly for the initial weight loss period, perfect restriction sometimes means being so tight that you experience some regurgitation of food, drink and saliva - known as "productive burps" (PBs). Patients who are horrified by this prospect and the consequent need to develop strategies to hide PBs from others in a social context ....... are unlikely to find success with AGB [adjustable gastric band] implantation and should probably choose a different WLS [weight loss surgery] strategy".
I don't know about you, but I find this approach refreshingly honest. So, back to the drinking and eating thing. Dr Rabenstein says:
"Because the oesophagus (the gullet) and the stomach itself are designed by nature to actively advance food "down the line" through a wave of muscular contraction (called peristalsis), patients with AGBs may find that with tight restriction they can still swallow food (which is solid and therefore will be gripped and propelled beyond the band by the peristaltic movement) but not liquid (which is too "elastic" for peristalsis to get a grip on). That means that in case of temporary severe restriction, the need for an emergency defill can sometimes be avoided by eating sodden solid food or semi-solids."
So I wasn't going mad after all!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
What a relief !!
I went to see my nurse today. After describing my symptoms (heartburn, acid reflux, slime, vomiting, pain and difficulty drinking), she immediately recommended an aspiration. In order to ensure that my stomach has time and space to settle down (especially after all the acid), she took out 0.5ml, taking me to 0.1ml less than I was at when I had my last fill. She suggested that once I had given my stomach a chance to settle, I could go back to the clinic and have a small re-fill in a couple of weeks or so. At first, this amount of de-fill (0.5ml) seemed a little alarming - I expected her only to take about 0.2ml out. In a way it feels like going backwards. But on the other hand, the relief I have felt since is worth the backtracking.....
Obviously I am back onto fluids for three days and then mush for three days before reverting to solids again. After getting back to work following my de-fill today I immediately tried some drink, and found, with enormous relief, that I can drink again!! Oh, the sheer heaven of being able to drink a glass of anything and not suffer all the burping and gurgling and acid and pain and slime! The absolute beauty of being able to drink a glass in a couple of minutes instead of taking an hour or two! At the time of writing this I have already drunk twice as much today as I have typically got through per day in the last week or two. I am now on a mision to re-hydrate over the next few days and get some serious moisture back into my skin, hair and nails!!
I asked about the oddity of being able to eat easily but not drink without a great deal of trouble and the nurse didn't immediately have an answer. I hypothesised that it might be because solid food somehow 'opens' up the stoma between the pouch and stomach, whereas drink doesn't have enough 'force' to do this and 'backs up'. On reflection, the nurse recalled a number of gastric band patients who have noted that sometimes when eating, the first few mouthfuls are more difficult - and then the restriction appears to ease off. This could indicate that my theory has some merit. Anyway, there doesn't appear to be any other obvious explanation. I will raise this issue when I next go to the support group meeting and see if my doctor has any suggestions - I am curious!!
I am sitting here watching 'Britain's Got Talent', with a finished glass of Diet Coke by my side and plans to re-fill it during the ad break! Just such a simple pleasure in life holds such meaning and satisfaction!!!
Obviously I am back onto fluids for three days and then mush for three days before reverting to solids again. After getting back to work following my de-fill today I immediately tried some drink, and found, with enormous relief, that I can drink again!! Oh, the sheer heaven of being able to drink a glass of anything and not suffer all the burping and gurgling and acid and pain and slime! The absolute beauty of being able to drink a glass in a couple of minutes instead of taking an hour or two! At the time of writing this I have already drunk twice as much today as I have typically got through per day in the last week or two. I am now on a mision to re-hydrate over the next few days and get some serious moisture back into my skin, hair and nails!!
I asked about the oddity of being able to eat easily but not drink without a great deal of trouble and the nurse didn't immediately have an answer. I hypothesised that it might be because solid food somehow 'opens' up the stoma between the pouch and stomach, whereas drink doesn't have enough 'force' to do this and 'backs up'. On reflection, the nurse recalled a number of gastric band patients who have noted that sometimes when eating, the first few mouthfuls are more difficult - and then the restriction appears to ease off. This could indicate that my theory has some merit. Anyway, there doesn't appear to be any other obvious explanation. I will raise this issue when I next go to the support group meeting and see if my doctor has any suggestions - I am curious!!
I am sitting here watching 'Britain's Got Talent', with a finished glass of Diet Coke by my side and plans to re-fill it during the ad break! Just such a simple pleasure in life holds such meaning and satisfaction!!!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tales of the unexpected
Well, it's been an interesting day. On Thursday last week I posted about the patterns emerging in my eating and drinking since the last fill. Well, I have a change to make. I said that I had been finding it difficult to drink, but eating is OK. I also said that drinking was a little easier AFTER eating. Now, I know I am not supposed to drink very soon after eating, but lately I have been finding this is the only way to successfully get much fluid down. Today, I experienced the down side of drinking after eating.....
I'd drunk half a litre of Ribena by about mid-morning. This sounds impressive, but it had taken me two hours or so of very slow sipping to get it down. I then managed some breakfast mid-morning - All Bran with milk. Around lunch time I tried some more liquid but found it really hard to get down. I had loads of gurgling in the back of my throat, burping and bubbling and general noisiness! It also felt as though the liquid was getting 'stuck' in the back of my throat and not really progressing down to my stomach (either of them!) like it should be. I tried several times more but gave up. Around 1pm this afternoon I ate a whole sandwich (slowly, of course), and was quite pleased. I then made the mistake of trying to have a little dink immediately afterwards. On a few attempts at doing this recently it has been moderately successful. I sipped my way through about 0.1 litres of Ribena (about half a small glass) - and then felt the slime coming on.......
I tried to suppress it and kept swallowing - but it was having none of it. Slime kept building up in my mouth and as fast as I swallowed it, more arrived. I left it too late to make a dash for the toilets but fortunately my office mate had left for the day and I had the room to myself. I locked the door from the inside in case anyone walked in, and proceeded to spit this saliva out into my used plastic breakfast tub!!! It was horrible, but worse was to come. After about five solid minutes of spitting saliva into my pastic tub I started to feel really sick. Next thing I knew, I was vomiting masses of Ribena into the dangerously full plastic tub!! This is the first occasion that I have actually regurgitated anything I have swallowed since getting banded and it was not an experience I want to repeat.
After settling down, wiping my mouth and generally composing myself, I headed off to a meeting. When I returned I decided to telephone my nurse at Healthier Weight to get her advice on what to do. She wasn't there but I left a message. Later on, Healthier Weight got back to me and made an appointment for me to see the nurse at the clinic tomorrow morning. I am so pleased and relieved that I am going to be able to explain all this to her and hopefully make some progress. I expect she will suggest a small aspiration and I will be happy if that is the case. I have held out until now, thinking that it might get better. I could persevere for longer in the hope that these odd symptoms might lessen, but what's the point of 'suffering' unecessarily? I want the band to work for me - in the context of living as near a normal life as I am able.
So starting tomorrow, it'll probably be back onto fluids and mush for another six days and then the waiting game starts all over again. I'l keep you posted! I recall reading a post on the UKGastricBand forum where an experienced bandit was explaining to an impatient novice how much trial and error there is in getting restriction levels right. She said something along the lines of "...and when you get near to your sweet spot - that's when the fun starts". Oh how right she was!!!
I'd drunk half a litre of Ribena by about mid-morning. This sounds impressive, but it had taken me two hours or so of very slow sipping to get it down. I then managed some breakfast mid-morning - All Bran with milk. Around lunch time I tried some more liquid but found it really hard to get down. I had loads of gurgling in the back of my throat, burping and bubbling and general noisiness! It also felt as though the liquid was getting 'stuck' in the back of my throat and not really progressing down to my stomach (either of them!) like it should be. I tried several times more but gave up. Around 1pm this afternoon I ate a whole sandwich (slowly, of course), and was quite pleased. I then made the mistake of trying to have a little dink immediately afterwards. On a few attempts at doing this recently it has been moderately successful. I sipped my way through about 0.1 litres of Ribena (about half a small glass) - and then felt the slime coming on.......
I tried to suppress it and kept swallowing - but it was having none of it. Slime kept building up in my mouth and as fast as I swallowed it, more arrived. I left it too late to make a dash for the toilets but fortunately my office mate had left for the day and I had the room to myself. I locked the door from the inside in case anyone walked in, and proceeded to spit this saliva out into my used plastic breakfast tub!!! It was horrible, but worse was to come. After about five solid minutes of spitting saliva into my pastic tub I started to feel really sick. Next thing I knew, I was vomiting masses of Ribena into the dangerously full plastic tub!! This is the first occasion that I have actually regurgitated anything I have swallowed since getting banded and it was not an experience I want to repeat.
After settling down, wiping my mouth and generally composing myself, I headed off to a meeting. When I returned I decided to telephone my nurse at Healthier Weight to get her advice on what to do. She wasn't there but I left a message. Later on, Healthier Weight got back to me and made an appointment for me to see the nurse at the clinic tomorrow morning. I am so pleased and relieved that I am going to be able to explain all this to her and hopefully make some progress. I expect she will suggest a small aspiration and I will be happy if that is the case. I have held out until now, thinking that it might get better. I could persevere for longer in the hope that these odd symptoms might lessen, but what's the point of 'suffering' unecessarily? I want the band to work for me - in the context of living as near a normal life as I am able.
So starting tomorrow, it'll probably be back onto fluids and mush for another six days and then the waiting game starts all over again. I'l keep you posted! I recall reading a post on the UKGastricBand forum where an experienced bandit was explaining to an impatient novice how much trial and error there is in getting restriction levels right. She said something along the lines of "...and when you get near to your sweet spot - that's when the fun starts". Oh how right she was!!!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Saliva, tightness, choking and all that jazz
I got some really good advice yesterday from the UKGastricBand forum. One piece of advice was to take Gaviscon for the heartburn. My husband very kindly went out and bought some Gaviscon liquid today while I have been at work - so I haven't tried it yet. However, I have heard about Gaviscon and believe they have a very good reputation. I don't intend taking it in the long term - just long enough to get me over this current bout of extreme tightness and associated acid.
Another nugget of information I got was from a lady who herself has experienced this odd thing of finding it easier to get solid food down than liquid. I was so relieved to find someone else who had experienced this because I really was starting to think I was going mad!! I guess it's possible that solid food kind of 'pushes' its way through the stoma of the pouch into my main stomach, whereas liquid may just 'sit around' and temporarily block the stoma. I have certainly felt something that can only be described as a 'suction' effect sometimes - this may be when the liquid makes it to the other side (of the stoma) so to speak!
I am aware that stress, emotions, 'that time of the month' and other things can be a reason for the band suddently getting very tight. A man at the Healthier Weight support group told us about a time when he was experiencing huge stress at work. He found that over the course of a week, he went from having 'normal' restriction to a point where he couldn't even swallow his own saliva! And in his case, he had not just had a fill as I have, but had been banded a couple of years before - so this really was completely out of the blue. He had to get an emergency aspiration.
I don't think I am anywhere near that point - but I did have a bit of a fright this morning. I woke up in the early hours half choking. I rushed into the bathroom and had to spit out some saliva. I remembered this man's story and wondered if I was experiencing the same thing. I slowly drank through a cup of hot water and reassured myself that all was OK - I could at least get liquid down. In hindsight, this morning's experience was almost certainly related to the fact that I went swimming last night - swimming late in the evening always makes me very snotty next morning - so I suspect I was simply 'choking' on a bit of snot / saliva in the back of my throat (sorry if this is all a bit too graphic - hope you're not eating while you read this!!!).
There is a hint that my band restriction may not be quite as ridiculously tight today, although having said that, I have so far eaten very little (haven't really felt the need!). I haven't had quite so much pain and fluids are going down slightly quicker (I can drink 0.5 litres in about one hour, as opposed to two!!!).
I will persevere and be patient and see what tomorrow brings.....
Another nugget of information I got was from a lady who herself has experienced this odd thing of finding it easier to get solid food down than liquid. I was so relieved to find someone else who had experienced this because I really was starting to think I was going mad!! I guess it's possible that solid food kind of 'pushes' its way through the stoma of the pouch into my main stomach, whereas liquid may just 'sit around' and temporarily block the stoma. I have certainly felt something that can only be described as a 'suction' effect sometimes - this may be when the liquid makes it to the other side (of the stoma) so to speak!
I am aware that stress, emotions, 'that time of the month' and other things can be a reason for the band suddently getting very tight. A man at the Healthier Weight support group told us about a time when he was experiencing huge stress at work. He found that over the course of a week, he went from having 'normal' restriction to a point where he couldn't even swallow his own saliva! And in his case, he had not just had a fill as I have, but had been banded a couple of years before - so this really was completely out of the blue. He had to get an emergency aspiration.
I don't think I am anywhere near that point - but I did have a bit of a fright this morning. I woke up in the early hours half choking. I rushed into the bathroom and had to spit out some saliva. I remembered this man's story and wondered if I was experiencing the same thing. I slowly drank through a cup of hot water and reassured myself that all was OK - I could at least get liquid down. In hindsight, this morning's experience was almost certainly related to the fact that I went swimming last night - swimming late in the evening always makes me very snotty next morning - so I suspect I was simply 'choking' on a bit of snot / saliva in the back of my throat (sorry if this is all a bit too graphic - hope you're not eating while you read this!!!).
There is a hint that my band restriction may not be quite as ridiculously tight today, although having said that, I have so far eaten very little (haven't really felt the need!). I haven't had quite so much pain and fluids are going down slightly quicker (I can drink 0.5 litres in about one hour, as opposed to two!!!).
I will persevere and be patient and see what tomorrow brings.....
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Some patterns emerging
I believe that in the fuzziness and unpredictability of my band, there are possibly some patterns in its behaviour emerging....
1. It's definitely MUCH tighter in the morning
2. It's A LOT easier to eat mushy food than to drink (yes!)
3. It's easier to drink AFTER I have eaten than before (yes again)
4. It's easier to eat mushy food than 'smooth' food like yoghurt or soup
When I say "it's easier.....", I mean that the harder option gives me mild pain in my chest (in between my boobs) and all round the sides to the middle of my back! I also get mild heartburn, lots of gurgling in my throat, and occasionally slime. I had a slime moment today - and it wasn't after I ate my dinner (Weight Watcher's ocean pie) - it was after eating a smoth Muller Light yoghurt. Well, I say "after", I had only actually eaten one fifth of it!
I really don't understand this thing about drinking being harder than eating. When I drink, the only way I can get it down is to take tiny, tiny sips - it took me about two hours this morning to drink 0.5 litres of low sugar Ribena. Even sipping it very slowly I was getting a considerable amount of discomfort - to the point that I felt like not bothering - but I know how important it is to keep drinking and stay hydrated. It feels almost like someone taking the end of a vacuum cleaner to my insides - like a sort of suction effect!
And (if you've been reading the last few posts you will know this) I have only experienced any post-fill difficulties of this sort in the last couple of days. Initially, through the fluid, mush and early solid phases - it all seemed fine! I have posted a message on the UKGastricBand forum to see if anyone has any ideas. But failing that, I am going to persevere for at least a few more days before perhaps calling my nurse to see what she says.
Watch this space!
1. It's definitely MUCH tighter in the morning
2. It's A LOT easier to eat mushy food than to drink (yes!)
3. It's easier to drink AFTER I have eaten than before (yes again)
4. It's easier to eat mushy food than 'smooth' food like yoghurt or soup
When I say "it's easier.....", I mean that the harder option gives me mild pain in my chest (in between my boobs) and all round the sides to the middle of my back! I also get mild heartburn, lots of gurgling in my throat, and occasionally slime. I had a slime moment today - and it wasn't after I ate my dinner (Weight Watcher's ocean pie) - it was after eating a smoth Muller Light yoghurt. Well, I say "after", I had only actually eaten one fifth of it!
I really don't understand this thing about drinking being harder than eating. When I drink, the only way I can get it down is to take tiny, tiny sips - it took me about two hours this morning to drink 0.5 litres of low sugar Ribena. Even sipping it very slowly I was getting a considerable amount of discomfort - to the point that I felt like not bothering - but I know how important it is to keep drinking and stay hydrated. It feels almost like someone taking the end of a vacuum cleaner to my insides - like a sort of suction effect!
And (if you've been reading the last few posts you will know this) I have only experienced any post-fill difficulties of this sort in the last couple of days. Initially, through the fluid, mush and early solid phases - it all seemed fine! I have posted a message on the UKGastricBand forum to see if anyone has any ideas. But failing that, I am going to persevere for at least a few more days before perhaps calling my nurse to see what she says.
Watch this space!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Back on solids - or am I? Part three
...continued...... Saturday and Sunday were definitely cases of My Jekyll and Hyde Band. At breakfast on Sunday, I ate the same as the day before but I felt as though my band had got tighter. Although I got everything down in the end, it took an eon. I noticed that pure liquids like black tea and orange juice were becoming even more difficult to swallow - and I started experiencing mild indigestion. I even had a near-miss slime moment at one point and thought I was going to have to make a quick dash to the toilets! This tightness continued to lunch time where we ate in a small coffee shop. I selected jacket potato with melted cheese because I thought trying something soft was advisable. Again, I got it all down in the end but it took about an hour. I am sure the ladies in the shop were wondering how it could take anyone so long to eat a simple jacket potato! I was putting a few flakes of potato at a time onto the end of my fork. We were back home by the evening and again I opted for soft food - quorn cottage pie with soft cooked mixed vegetables.
I'll jump forward to today - which raises all sorts of unanswered questions about the behaviour of this band. In a nutshell:
1. I couldn't even drink tea first thing this morning - it took a couple of hours before I could gently swallow some low sugar Ribena
2. I had three attempts at a Muller Light yoghurt over the course of about three hours before finally getting it down
3. I ate a tiny portion of All Bran breakfast cereal at about 1230h
4. I managed to consume some leftover cottage pie at about 3pm
5. When I got home from work at 6pm I ate a Weight Watcher's mushroom soup - it took about half an hour to eat what has previously taken me five minutes
I haven't eaten my dinner yet. I'm going to attempt some soft salmon (a small portion!) and runny mash potato. I have no idea whether I will be able to get it down or how long it will take. As I have been typing this I have been slowly sipping a low sugar Ribena - it's going down but I'm getting al sorts of gurgling, a little heartburn and indigestion. Earlier today I was experiencing a tight 'band' (no pun intended) around my middle - about where my bra line goes - every time I ate or drank anything. And in case you're wondering, no my bra isn't too tight - I checked by taking it off and eating!!
So what is going on? I sailed through the mush and liquid phases after this last fill and initially, the solids seemed to be going down without any problem. So much so, that I thought the fill hadn't 'worked' and I was getting disheartened. Now, steadily over the last few days my band appears to have been getting tighter and tighter - where will it end?
Earlier today I posted a reply on the UKGastricBand forum - to a lady who was experiencing very similar symptoms to myself and was wondering if she should have a de-fill. I guess I need to take my own advice. I advised her: (a) If she was getting fluids down OK, then there's no need to panic and get a de-fill immediately - but to persevere for a little longer. (b) Switch back to soft foods and mush for a while to see if the band settles down.
I have already been down the road of getting an aspiration and would rather avoid that again - it feels like taking a step backwards. I am determined that unless this tightness becomes unbearable, or unless it actually stops me drinking and I start to become dehydrated, I will persevere and see what happens.
I'll keep you posted! Thanks for reading.
I'll jump forward to today - which raises all sorts of unanswered questions about the behaviour of this band. In a nutshell:
1. I couldn't even drink tea first thing this morning - it took a couple of hours before I could gently swallow some low sugar Ribena
2. I had three attempts at a Muller Light yoghurt over the course of about three hours before finally getting it down
3. I ate a tiny portion of All Bran breakfast cereal at about 1230h
4. I managed to consume some leftover cottage pie at about 3pm
5. When I got home from work at 6pm I ate a Weight Watcher's mushroom soup - it took about half an hour to eat what has previously taken me five minutes
I haven't eaten my dinner yet. I'm going to attempt some soft salmon (a small portion!) and runny mash potato. I have no idea whether I will be able to get it down or how long it will take. As I have been typing this I have been slowly sipping a low sugar Ribena - it's going down but I'm getting al sorts of gurgling, a little heartburn and indigestion. Earlier today I was experiencing a tight 'band' (no pun intended) around my middle - about where my bra line goes - every time I ate or drank anything. And in case you're wondering, no my bra isn't too tight - I checked by taking it off and eating!!
So what is going on? I sailed through the mush and liquid phases after this last fill and initially, the solids seemed to be going down without any problem. So much so, that I thought the fill hadn't 'worked' and I was getting disheartened. Now, steadily over the last few days my band appears to have been getting tighter and tighter - where will it end?
Earlier today I posted a reply on the UKGastricBand forum - to a lady who was experiencing very similar symptoms to myself and was wondering if she should have a de-fill. I guess I need to take my own advice. I advised her: (a) If she was getting fluids down OK, then there's no need to panic and get a de-fill immediately - but to persevere for a little longer. (b) Switch back to soft foods and mush for a while to see if the band settles down.
I have already been down the road of getting an aspiration and would rather avoid that again - it feels like taking a step backwards. I am determined that unless this tightness becomes unbearable, or unless it actually stops me drinking and I start to become dehydrated, I will persevere and see what happens.
I'll keep you posted! Thanks for reading.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Early post-fill update
Well, so far I have gone from fluids-only onto mush - and I know it's far too early to give any definitive post-fill status, but I thought it might be useful to describe some of my eating experiences since my fill on Thursday. I stuck fairly rigidly to fluids on Thursday evening, Friday and during the day on Saturday. This time, I was too lazy to make my own homemade soup as I have done on previous occasions, and so ate Weight Watcher's mushroom soup (with the mushroom bits sieved out!) and Weight-To-Go parsnip soup. I had a couple of soups each day plus strawberry shake. To make the latter more interesting and filling, I blended in banana, milk and apple to make a really nutritious drink. I've also been drinking lots of black tea, low sugar Ribena and water. However, on Friday and Saturday, I found it impossible to consume what I consider to be enough calories per day (i.e. about 850 as a minimum, but ideally 1000). So I did what I have done previously while on the fluid phase, and sucked some chocolate!! I consider this my reward for surviving on soup only and it does no harm - it boosts my calorie intake to a more acceptable level and hey, chocolate does have some nutrition in it!!
I've had a little extra gurgling in my throat when I swallow drinks - particularly in the morning. However, it's nothing like as bad as it was on the occasion when my fill was too tight, and I think it's a common experience for most people during the first few days after a fill. I have not had any vomiting or slime, though I had a hint of slime coming on, on the first day after a I drank some shake. What I have noticed is that it defintely takes me longer to consume anything in the morning. On Friday it took me about an hour to drink a cup of tea and a glass of orange juice!! However, this has reduced on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I find it helps if I have something warm or hot first (like tea, soup or low fat creamed rice), and then have cold drinks like orange juice and/or shake. Having said that, this moning my breakfast drinks went down at near-normal rate (with tea first, then orange, then creamed rice).
On Saturday evening I moved back onto mush and had mashed potato, scrambled egg and some baked beans for dinner. This all went down very well with no problems. I did my usual and ate it quite slowly, taking about 30 minutes. I also chew everything well before swallowing and eat off a 7-inch side plate. After eating this I felt pretty full and did not want or need an evening yoghurt.
Today (Sunday), I had low fat creamed rice for breakfast and orange juice. For lunch I had a Weight-To-Go smoked haddock and potato meal which was lovely. I made certain that I chewed the fish well and had no problems getting it down. I was really quite full afterwards and didn't start to feel peckish again for several hours.
So, in a nutshell, I still don't really know whether I have good restriction yet because I am still eating soft, slider foods. However, I am relieved that I am not too tight and in need of an aspiration - particularly since I now have more fluid in my band than I had previously when I did need an aspiration! The signs are good for restriction but I'm not getting too excited yet. I cannot wait until I get back onto proper solid foods to see whether I am anywhere near my 'sweet spot' at last!!
I've had a little extra gurgling in my throat when I swallow drinks - particularly in the morning. However, it's nothing like as bad as it was on the occasion when my fill was too tight, and I think it's a common experience for most people during the first few days after a fill. I have not had any vomiting or slime, though I had a hint of slime coming on, on the first day after a I drank some shake. What I have noticed is that it defintely takes me longer to consume anything in the morning. On Friday it took me about an hour to drink a cup of tea and a glass of orange juice!! However, this has reduced on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I find it helps if I have something warm or hot first (like tea, soup or low fat creamed rice), and then have cold drinks like orange juice and/or shake. Having said that, this moning my breakfast drinks went down at near-normal rate (with tea first, then orange, then creamed rice).
On Saturday evening I moved back onto mush and had mashed potato, scrambled egg and some baked beans for dinner. This all went down very well with no problems. I did my usual and ate it quite slowly, taking about 30 minutes. I also chew everything well before swallowing and eat off a 7-inch side plate. After eating this I felt pretty full and did not want or need an evening yoghurt.
Today (Sunday), I had low fat creamed rice for breakfast and orange juice. For lunch I had a Weight-To-Go smoked haddock and potato meal which was lovely. I made certain that I chewed the fish well and had no problems getting it down. I was really quite full afterwards and didn't start to feel peckish again for several hours.
So, in a nutshell, I still don't really know whether I have good restriction yet because I am still eating soft, slider foods. However, I am relieved that I am not too tight and in need of an aspiration - particularly since I now have more fluid in my band than I had previously when I did need an aspiration! The signs are good for restriction but I'm not getting too excited yet. I cannot wait until I get back onto proper solid foods to see whether I am anywhere near my 'sweet spot' at last!!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Booked my next fill
After several weeks of prevaricating, I have finally decided to get another fill. It's booked - I'll be acting the pin cushion again on Thursday 7th March at the Birmingham clinic of Healthier Weight. I could have got it done sooner but on 27th April I am going away, to Scotland, for a week on work-related business. I didn't want to get a fill just beforehand as I would have had to somehow manage fluids and mush while away with colleagues. Not only would that have been difficult from a practical perspective, but would also have been rather interesting, shall we say, to try and explain!! So, why another fill? I haven't said too much on here about progress since the last fill because it's so been so variable on a day to day basis. I haven't really sorted out in my mind out whether the last fill 'worked' or not! If I can generalise about my experiences at all, here are the generalisations I would make:
1. Most mornings I have to eat my breakfast carefully and pay particular attention to eating slowly. If I don't, I get lots of burping and gurgling and mild indigestion. I also find that hot drinks go down easier in the morning than cold drinks. I usually drink my tea first and drink the cold orange juice after - otherwise the orange seems to 'stick' somewhat (i.e. it goes down slowly).
2. If any time I completely forget to eat slowly and take small mouthfuls, I get 'slime' (I have previously referred to this as 'saliva-pouring' - but most bandits call it The Slime - sounds like a horror movie!!). I had this quite spectacularly after wolfing a Danish pastry down a week or so ago (probably a good reminder that I shouldn't have been eating such food anyway!) and it was rather unpleasant. I also wolfed some berries down at breakfast yesterday morning and had to sit and wait for five minutes while my oesphagus sorted itself out! I've only had slime twice since my last fill.
3. Occasionally, probably once or twice a week, I get what feels like really good restriction. After eating a meal the size of a 7-inch side plate I feel really full and cannot eat any more - and don't want to eat any more. I feel as though the band should be producing this level of restriction all the time.
4. Most of the time, especially at lunch and evening meals, I can quite easily eat a full side plate of food. I have noticed I can eat slightly larger mouthfuls than I was a couple of months ago and am chewing less than I probably should. But most of the time, that's fine and I suffer no ill-effects. After meals, I can eat a fromage frais or yoghurt and sometimes some fruit too. After lunch, in particular, I often feel hungry again within a couple of hours.
I realise that if now, occasionally (see 3. above), I get good restriction, then having another fill could mean that occasionally I am very tight - or even too tight. In the early days of being a bandit I used to get my knickers in a proverbial twist about this - being too tight, I mean. I used to worry that I wouldn't be able to eat enough or consume enough calories to supply the energy I need to lead a normal life (!). However, I am now experienced enough to know that there are ways around this. For a start, if I was occasionally too tight to eat solids, I could always have a protein shake instead. I have previously made some lovely protein drinks by adding milk, bananas, apples and all sorts to the strawberry powders I get from my provider. Alternately, I could adopt the philosphy of my surgeon - if you're not hungry, don't eat!! Obviously I wouldn't want to be like this all the time. However, if another fill gives me good restriction most of the time and too much restriction occasionally, then I would be very happy with this.
Somebody posted on the UKGstricBand forum that at a fill, their doctor had asked them if they wanted to be comfortable, tight or very tight. I think that most of the time I would describe my current situation as too comfortable, and occasionally as moderately tight. I don't want to be very tight, and never have wanted to be. But too comfortable means I have to put in a lot more effort and willpower than I'd like. After all, if I'd had willpower aplenty I wouldn't have bothered with the band in the first place!
1. Most mornings I have to eat my breakfast carefully and pay particular attention to eating slowly. If I don't, I get lots of burping and gurgling and mild indigestion. I also find that hot drinks go down easier in the morning than cold drinks. I usually drink my tea first and drink the cold orange juice after - otherwise the orange seems to 'stick' somewhat (i.e. it goes down slowly).
2. If any time I completely forget to eat slowly and take small mouthfuls, I get 'slime' (I have previously referred to this as 'saliva-pouring' - but most bandits call it The Slime - sounds like a horror movie!!). I had this quite spectacularly after wolfing a Danish pastry down a week or so ago (probably a good reminder that I shouldn't have been eating such food anyway!) and it was rather unpleasant. I also wolfed some berries down at breakfast yesterday morning and had to sit and wait for five minutes while my oesphagus sorted itself out! I've only had slime twice since my last fill.
3. Occasionally, probably once or twice a week, I get what feels like really good restriction. After eating a meal the size of a 7-inch side plate I feel really full and cannot eat any more - and don't want to eat any more. I feel as though the band should be producing this level of restriction all the time.
4. Most of the time, especially at lunch and evening meals, I can quite easily eat a full side plate of food. I have noticed I can eat slightly larger mouthfuls than I was a couple of months ago and am chewing less than I probably should. But most of the time, that's fine and I suffer no ill-effects. After meals, I can eat a fromage frais or yoghurt and sometimes some fruit too. After lunch, in particular, I often feel hungry again within a couple of hours.
I realise that if now, occasionally (see 3. above), I get good restriction, then having another fill could mean that occasionally I am very tight - or even too tight. In the early days of being a bandit I used to get my knickers in a proverbial twist about this - being too tight, I mean. I used to worry that I wouldn't be able to eat enough or consume enough calories to supply the energy I need to lead a normal life (!). However, I am now experienced enough to know that there are ways around this. For a start, if I was occasionally too tight to eat solids, I could always have a protein shake instead. I have previously made some lovely protein drinks by adding milk, bananas, apples and all sorts to the strawberry powders I get from my provider. Alternately, I could adopt the philosphy of my surgeon - if you're not hungry, don't eat!! Obviously I wouldn't want to be like this all the time. However, if another fill gives me good restriction most of the time and too much restriction occasionally, then I would be very happy with this.
Somebody posted on the UKGstricBand forum that at a fill, their doctor had asked them if they wanted to be comfortable, tight or very tight. I think that most of the time I would describe my current situation as too comfortable, and occasionally as moderately tight. I don't want to be very tight, and never have wanted to be. But too comfortable means I have to put in a lot more effort and willpower than I'd like. After all, if I'd had willpower aplenty I wouldn't have bothered with the band in the first place!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
I'm no sinner.....
My husband said he heard a song on the radio today that went something like this: "I'm no saint, I'm no sinner, it's all cool, if I get thinner". As well as fitting in well with the title of yesterday's blog post, I also thought it sounded like an excellent anthem for all bandits!!I haven't been quite as much of a glutton as yesterday but have still eaten some 'forbidden fruits' today. This afternoon I ate a Danish pastry - and paid for it. I was enjoying it so much that I forgot my good habits and ate it too fast. Soon, I was experiencing the familiar feeling of indigestion and an intense burning in my upper chest (good job it didn't happen on the first aid course I had just finished or I might have had some well-meaning first aiders thinking I was having a heart attack!!). This then developed into the build-up of saliva in my mouth and I was back to some fairly serious 'saliva-pouring' that went on for ages.
I have never read anything about this phenomenon but I imagine it is the body's way of helping the blocked food to get down. By producing excessive amounts of saliva, it helps the food to turn to mush and go through the stoma into the stomach. However, until the blocked food starts moving, the excess saliva has only one way to go - and that is up! It seemed to go on for about 20 minutes - I think the longest period I have experienced this - and it left me feeling knackered!
Anyway, I have decided I am not a complete waste of space - I'm going swimming this evening and expect to burn off quite a few calories, including that darned Danish pastry!!!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Band adjustment no. 5
I had my fifth band adjustment today. I had 0.3ml added, which makes me 0.2ml short of where I was when it was too tight. This is my band history so far:
Adjustment no. 1 - 19th January = 5.0ml added (weight 16 stone 6lbs)
Adjustment no. 2 - 15th February = 1.5ml added (weight 16 stone 0lbs)
Adjustment no. 3 - 26th February = 1.0ml added (weight 15 stone 8lbs)
Adjustment no. 4 - 4th March = 0.5ml taken out (weight 15 stone 3lbs)
Adjustment no. 5 - 22nd March = 0.3 added (weight 14 stone 12lbs)
With a bit of luck, this should be my last fill, although I understand that we often need to have a small top-up each year to allow for minor leakage. As always, the procedure was not at all painful, and the needle going in is hardly noticeable. Afterwards, I was able to drink a 200ml glass of water fairly quickly and without any problem. I have since drank a thick banana milkshake - also without any difficulty and no sign of pain, saliva or indigestion. Fingers crossed that this one will go well. I am hopeful that this will give me the perfect level of restriction - my 'sweet spot'.
Adjustment no. 1 - 19th January = 5.0ml added (weight 16 stone 6lbs)
Adjustment no. 2 - 15th February = 1.5ml added (weight 16 stone 0lbs)
Adjustment no. 3 - 26th February = 1.0ml added (weight 15 stone 8lbs)
Adjustment no. 4 - 4th March = 0.5ml taken out (weight 15 stone 3lbs)
Adjustment no. 5 - 22nd March = 0.3 added (weight 14 stone 12lbs)
With a bit of luck, this should be my last fill, although I understand that we often need to have a small top-up each year to allow for minor leakage. As always, the procedure was not at all painful, and the needle going in is hardly noticeable. Afterwards, I was able to drink a 200ml glass of water fairly quickly and without any problem. I have since drank a thick banana milkshake - also without any difficulty and no sign of pain, saliva or indigestion. Fingers crossed that this one will go well. I am hopeful that this will give me the perfect level of restriction - my 'sweet spot'.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sharing experiences
I went to the HW support group meeting today and it found it really helpful. It wasn't so much the formal presentation (though that was also very useful), but more the general sharing of experiences among the bandits present. It's unbelievably helpful to know that other people have experienced similar struggles, successes and concerns as I have. I got so much out of the meeting I cannot hope to relay it all to you, but here's a selection of things I recall:
1. My hair is still falling out! I was advised to take some zinc supplement tablets or kelp. However, the hair loss is very widely known among people who have lost a lot of weight and is only temporary (I was assured that I wont go bald!). I bought some zinc supplement tablets from Boots on the way home - they are not chewable but seem small enough to swallow without any trouble.
2. A man who reached his target weight about four months ago (and looks fantastic) has not had a de-fill. He's stopped losing weight because he's chosen to consume more calories by eating 4-6 small meals per day. He says he eats anything, including some chocolate, but in limited quantities. He had also had a tummy tuck! It's funny seeing him now and not having known him before his weight loss - if I just saw him in the street I wouldn't have had the slightest clue that he was once super-obese!
3. I came away from the meeting feeling really reassured about getting another fill tomorrow. I have been a little anxious about it because of what happened last time (slime, pain and indigestion). However, hearing what other people can (or cannot) eat, it's clear that I do not have the same level of restriction as them. One man said he was in the same position as me some time ago and had had a very small fill of just 0.2ml and it made all the difference and got him to his 'sweet spot'.
4. I asked what signs a person gets that they are at the right level of restriction and was told (by several experienced bandits) that "you just know" when you get there - "you will know".
5. One person shared that although they had been banded and reached their 'sweet spot' a long time ago, they still exprienced very variable restriction - some days wondering "how in earth did I manage to eat all of that" and other days unable to eat more than a mouthful or two of a meal. I have had some hints of this - some days I seem to have restriction, and other days not.
6. Another man told us how during the week while he's at work he buys his lunch from a local sandwich shop. When he first went there he asked if they could make him a sandwich with just one slice of bread and since then they have nicknamed him "Arfur" - as in 'alf a sandwich!!! Nice to know that some outlets are willing to make special concessions for regulars.
Well that's it in terms of hard facts. The main thing I gained from today is just a sense of not being in this alone, that loads of other people have been there before me and are willing to share their experiences. If you are reading this and get an opportunity to go to a support group I would highly recommend it.
1. My hair is still falling out! I was advised to take some zinc supplement tablets or kelp. However, the hair loss is very widely known among people who have lost a lot of weight and is only temporary (I was assured that I wont go bald!). I bought some zinc supplement tablets from Boots on the way home - they are not chewable but seem small enough to swallow without any trouble.
2. A man who reached his target weight about four months ago (and looks fantastic) has not had a de-fill. He's stopped losing weight because he's chosen to consume more calories by eating 4-6 small meals per day. He says he eats anything, including some chocolate, but in limited quantities. He had also had a tummy tuck! It's funny seeing him now and not having known him before his weight loss - if I just saw him in the street I wouldn't have had the slightest clue that he was once super-obese!
3. I came away from the meeting feeling really reassured about getting another fill tomorrow. I have been a little anxious about it because of what happened last time (slime, pain and indigestion). However, hearing what other people can (or cannot) eat, it's clear that I do not have the same level of restriction as them. One man said he was in the same position as me some time ago and had had a very small fill of just 0.2ml and it made all the difference and got him to his 'sweet spot'.
4. I asked what signs a person gets that they are at the right level of restriction and was told (by several experienced bandits) that "you just know" when you get there - "you will know".
5. One person shared that although they had been banded and reached their 'sweet spot' a long time ago, they still exprienced very variable restriction - some days wondering "how in earth did I manage to eat all of that" and other days unable to eat more than a mouthful or two of a meal. I have had some hints of this - some days I seem to have restriction, and other days not.
6. Another man told us how during the week while he's at work he buys his lunch from a local sandwich shop. When he first went there he asked if they could make him a sandwich with just one slice of bread and since then they have nicknamed him "Arfur" - as in 'alf a sandwich!!! Nice to know that some outlets are willing to make special concessions for regulars.
Well that's it in terms of hard facts. The main thing I gained from today is just a sense of not being in this alone, that loads of other people have been there before me and are willing to share their experiences. If you are reading this and get an opportunity to go to a support group I would highly recommend it.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Back onto mush
Well, it's been four days since I had a small aspiration and I have progressed from fluids back onto mush. In a couple more days I will back onto 'proper' food again and then I might be able to detect whether I have good restriction or not. It's actually quite hard to tell at the moment, partly because mushy foods are 'slider' foods and probably don't hang around in my 'pouch' very long, and partly because my cold and cough seem to have developed into some sort of bug that is now starting to affect my stomach. I feel a little nauseous as a result and cannot tell, when I eat, whether I am full, or just feeling bloated because of the bug!
I spent the required three days on fluids and experimented with some homemade soup again. I re-visited my favourite fish soup which went down a treat. I've also taken to chewing on Trebor soft mints which relieve the boredom and satisfy a peculiar longing to chew something! Yesterday I ate some Tesco vegetarian cottage pie which is lovely, and in the evening ate softly steamed salmon, soft-cooked filled pasta and over-cooked spinach. It was lovely though I didn't enjoy is as much as I might have done but for this bug. Today I managed some scrambled egg for breakfast which brought back memories of the last time I ate scrambled egg and it brought on some awful retching and saliva-pouring. That is all behind me now, thank goodness.
So, until I get rid of this bug, I won' realy know the status of my restriction. Until then, I will just continue to judge my food portions by the size of my seven inch side plate! The weight is still coming off, I'm 15 stone and 2 pounds now. I am hoping that in a week's time, I will venture into the 14's for the first time in decades.......
I spent the required three days on fluids and experimented with some homemade soup again. I re-visited my favourite fish soup which went down a treat. I've also taken to chewing on Trebor soft mints which relieve the boredom and satisfy a peculiar longing to chew something! Yesterday I ate some Tesco vegetarian cottage pie which is lovely, and in the evening ate softly steamed salmon, soft-cooked filled pasta and over-cooked spinach. It was lovely though I didn't enjoy is as much as I might have done but for this bug. Today I managed some scrambled egg for breakfast which brought back memories of the last time I ate scrambled egg and it brought on some awful retching and saliva-pouring. That is all behind me now, thank goodness.
So, until I get rid of this bug, I won' realy know the status of my restriction. Until then, I will just continue to judge my food portions by the size of my seven inch side plate! The weight is still coming off, I'm 15 stone and 2 pounds now. I am hoping that in a week's time, I will venture into the 14's for the first time in decades.......
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Aspiration no.1
I travelled to Birmingham yesterday for a small aspiration. I had 0.5ml taken out leaving me with 7ml in the band - 0.5ml more than before my last fill. Straight afterwards I was able to drink a glass of water fairly smoothly, without any pain, gurgling, heartburn or 'slime'! Oh, the relief is palpable! I have been put on Rinitidine (an anti-indigestion formula) for a few days to reduce any inflamation in my oesophagus that might have been caused by the retching and saliva-pouring (what others sem to refer to as the 'slime').
Today I have been in Birmingham again, this time for a work-related meeting. A buffet lunch was provided so, being on fluids again (have I ever been off them?!), I drank some cold tomato soup that I had taken with me. Well, actually, I only drank half of it, it being decidely unpalatable. I have been feeling fairly full all day on relatively little food so the early signs are that I have good restriction wihout all the nastiness of pain etc.
It's been a long day and I could do with some food now, so I'm going to have some of my home-made fish soup again, left over from yesterday. This really is a winner, try it - here's the recipe:
1. Cook a boil-in-the-bag cod in parsley sauce in the microwave.
2. Defrost (in the microwave) a good handful of frozen prawns.
3. Boil, on the hob, some small-cut peeled potatoes together with a couple of handfuls of frozen sweetcorn.
4. Chuck all this in the blender with enough milk and/or water (2:1 milk:water is best) to produce the right consistency and add some vegetable (or other) gravy powder/granules.
5. Blend, heat up in the microwave if necessary, eat!
Lovely!
Today I have been in Birmingham again, this time for a work-related meeting. A buffet lunch was provided so, being on fluids again (have I ever been off them?!), I drank some cold tomato soup that I had taken with me. Well, actually, I only drank half of it, it being decidely unpalatable. I have been feeling fairly full all day on relatively little food so the early signs are that I have good restriction wihout all the nastiness of pain etc.
It's been a long day and I could do with some food now, so I'm going to have some of my home-made fish soup again, left over from yesterday. This really is a winner, try it - here's the recipe:
1. Cook a boil-in-the-bag cod in parsley sauce in the microwave.
2. Defrost (in the microwave) a good handful of frozen prawns.
3. Boil, on the hob, some small-cut peeled potatoes together with a couple of handfuls of frozen sweetcorn.
4. Chuck all this in the blender with enough milk and/or water (2:1 milk:water is best) to produce the right consistency and add some vegetable (or other) gravy powder/granules.
5. Blend, heat up in the microwave if necessary, eat!
Lovely!
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