Thanks Maria (you know who you are), for convincing me that I should get back blogging. Over the coming days and weeks I can fill in some of the gaps since I last posted, but for now, I'm in a scary times sort of limbo - my band has been emptied this morning.
I've often wondered what it would feel like to have no restriction again, so I could compare it with how I have felt over the last four years since getting bended in the first place. But I never actually thought I would experience 'emptiness' so to speak. So why, I hear you ask? Acid. Or acid reflux to be more accurate. I've had it on and off for long periods over the last couple of years and I think I'm due some serious commission from Zantac, Rennie and Gaviscon. I've had two small de-fills already to try and solve the problem, but each time, I get a few weeks of improvement and then it comes back again.
If you've never had acid reflux it's horrid. You get woken up many times in the middle of the night with this nasty acidic taste in your mouth and sometimes acid shooting up the back of your throat. You never get a decent nights sleep and it just wears you down. Things have got quite bad because I've even been getting it during the day over the last couple of weeks. Hence my visit to my friendly bariatric nurse, Clare.
I thought it might be a case of needing yet another small de-fill but Clare convinced me that it wouldn't solve the problem, and that I needed for my band to be completely emptied to let my stomach settle down. I've to see if things improve over the next week, and if not, book an x-ray appointment to see what's going on. If things do settle down, then I can skip the x-ray and start to get my band re-filled again in about three weeks time.
The band was emptied two hours ago and I don't feel any different yet. Maybe I'm expecting to be ravenously hungry, or maybe the presence of the band itself will provide enough restriction to keep the hunger pangs at bay. I don't know. I'm really not sure what to expect, but I'll keep you posted.
Showing posts with label Aspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aspiration. Show all posts
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Friday, December 18, 2009
Some advice to a potential bandit
After a previous post, a reader posted some questions to help her decide whether to go ahead and have gastric band surgery. I posted my answer as a 'comment' but I know some of you may not read the comments section - so here it is:
I'm pleased that you find the blog useful and helpful. I will try to answer each of your queries - but do remember that (a) this is only based on my experience - the experiences of others may vary, and (b) I'm not a doctor (well, not a medical one anyway!)!.
Loose skin: Yes, I have loose skin and it was one of my greatest fears before I got the band. However, it is much less of a problem than the health problems, humiliation and lack of fitness that go with being obese. I will need to have a tummy tuck and am considering other cosmetic surgery too. However, you are only 22 years old and your skin will be much more elastic than mine (I'm 45 years old). That means it is more likely to 'spring' back into position after you have lost weight. Therefore, you should have a very good chance of not getting excess skin after weight loss. You can do lots of exercise and muscle toning activities,and there are also lotions you can apply to help keep your skin taut. I'm not sure how much these are effectve. The main factors are how overweight you are, your age, and how rapidly you lose weight. You are young, you're not as heavy as I was when I started out, and people don't tend to lose weight too rapidly with the band (compared with a bypass, for example).
Diet: In theory, it shouldn't be necessary to 'diet' with the band. It is not about following a special diet; more about healthy eating, good nutrition and portion control. However, I find that my willpower is so weak that I need to count calories and keep a rigorous food diary to keep me on the straight and narrow most of the time. Most of my meals are healthy and portion-controlled. I also tend to have healthy snacks most of the time. However, I also slip up on a regular basis - yesterday, for example, I managed to fit in two bars of chocolate and a mince pie....!
Multivitamins: I take a daily multivitamin - just a common off-the-shelf variety from Tesco. I use a chewable one. I can swallow small tablets but prefer the chewable ones anyway - they are much like eating a sweet! As a bandit, you should find that after the initial liquids only phase, you can eat a fairly normal diet - albeit with much smaller portions. Therefore, it is not usually necesary to take any other supplements as it is if you have a bypass. I don't use any effervescent tablets but I could if I needed to - I am still a regular drinker of Diet Coke. As long as you pour it into a glass to allow the worst of the gas bubbles to escape, and drink it slowly and carefully, - I've never had any real problem.
Thank you for your kind words. I do hope that your surgery goes well. Do make sure that you get a good aftercare package that includes follow-up appointments, fills and an emergency number just in case you need it. I've never needed to use the emergency number given me - but it's a great comfort knowing that there are people available should anything go wrong. I've just read about a lady who had her op done in Belgium and her surgeon os only over in the UK once a month. She urgently needs a de-fill but has to wait a month for it - I, and some other bandits have advised her to get a de-fill from somewhere else and not wait. So - make sure you get a good aftercare package included with your surgery!!
All the best, Trees x
I'm pleased that you find the blog useful and helpful. I will try to answer each of your queries - but do remember that (a) this is only based on my experience - the experiences of others may vary, and (b) I'm not a doctor (well, not a medical one anyway!)!.
Loose skin: Yes, I have loose skin and it was one of my greatest fears before I got the band. However, it is much less of a problem than the health problems, humiliation and lack of fitness that go with being obese. I will need to have a tummy tuck and am considering other cosmetic surgery too. However, you are only 22 years old and your skin will be much more elastic than mine (I'm 45 years old). That means it is more likely to 'spring' back into position after you have lost weight. Therefore, you should have a very good chance of not getting excess skin after weight loss. You can do lots of exercise and muscle toning activities,and there are also lotions you can apply to help keep your skin taut. I'm not sure how much these are effectve. The main factors are how overweight you are, your age, and how rapidly you lose weight. You are young, you're not as heavy as I was when I started out, and people don't tend to lose weight too rapidly with the band (compared with a bypass, for example).
Diet: In theory, it shouldn't be necessary to 'diet' with the band. It is not about following a special diet; more about healthy eating, good nutrition and portion control. However, I find that my willpower is so weak that I need to count calories and keep a rigorous food diary to keep me on the straight and narrow most of the time. Most of my meals are healthy and portion-controlled. I also tend to have healthy snacks most of the time. However, I also slip up on a regular basis - yesterday, for example, I managed to fit in two bars of chocolate and a mince pie....!
Multivitamins: I take a daily multivitamin - just a common off-the-shelf variety from Tesco. I use a chewable one. I can swallow small tablets but prefer the chewable ones anyway - they are much like eating a sweet! As a bandit, you should find that after the initial liquids only phase, you can eat a fairly normal diet - albeit with much smaller portions. Therefore, it is not usually necesary to take any other supplements as it is if you have a bypass. I don't use any effervescent tablets but I could if I needed to - I am still a regular drinker of Diet Coke. As long as you pour it into a glass to allow the worst of the gas bubbles to escape, and drink it slowly and carefully, - I've never had any real problem.
Thank you for your kind words. I do hope that your surgery goes well. Do make sure that you get a good aftercare package that includes follow-up appointments, fills and an emergency number just in case you need it. I've never needed to use the emergency number given me - but it's a great comfort knowing that there are people available should anything go wrong. I've just read about a lady who had her op done in Belgium and her surgeon os only over in the UK once a month. She urgently needs a de-fill but has to wait a month for it - I, and some other bandits have advised her to get a de-fill from somewhere else and not wait. So - make sure you get a good aftercare package included with your surgery!!
All the best, Trees x
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.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
ONE YEAR TODAY!
It's my bandiversary today! One year ago I was recovering in hospital after my early morning surgery. In fact, at this precise time, I was sitting in the chair watching TV and trying to take my mind off the discomfort and general fuzziness that was my head. Reading back over my blog post the day after surgery, I am reminded that on the evening of my surgery I watched the X Factor before getting a nurse to help me back into bed for the night. Well nothing new there a year on then, because I'll be glued to it again this evening!So how has the last year been? Well, on the plus side, I am 110 pounds lighter than I was a year ago, I am MUCH fitter and healthier, and can now fit into size 16 clothes. I still have 25 pounds to lose and a couple more clothes sizes to drop, but even if I don't lose another pound, I would still consider my band journey to be a success. On the minus side, it hasn't been easy. There have been some low points as well as highs and it has been a complete pain the bum having to keep a daily food diary! That said, it will be the last habit I break becuase it has been enormously valuable and I wouldn't have achieved what I have had I not kept it religously. I've had a long route to finding my sweet spot, including seven fills and two de-fills. I've spent 48 days of the last year on fluids and a further 48 on mush!
This blog was started on day one of my pre-op diet, on 10th Novemeber 2008. Since that time there have been more than 6,000 visits to the site and about 350 posts. I have communicated with hundreds of fellow bandits through the blog and through the UKGastricBand forum (and other similar sites) and feel I have made some firm friends, albeit virtually, for life. In fact I will be meeting up with a group of bandits in Manchester next weekend - we've never met before but have all shared the ups and downs of band-life on a regular basis and Im sooo looking forward to it.
My daily life isn't hugely different from what it was. I don't eat breakfast before I leave for work any more - I eat it later in the morning. I also don't eat in the staff canteen any more. I don't eat 'on the go' any more - my daily eating is carefully planned out, prepared in advance, weighed, measured and written down! The contents of the food cupboards in our house are different - there's no chocolate, very rarely any cheese in the fridge (except Rosemary Conley's low fat cheese sometimes), and no biscuits or cakes. I still eat out occasionally, but I'm always the last person to finish now. I can still eat anything. I very rarely take the lift at work and can now take the stairs up to my fourth floor office two at a time. I do a bit of jogging, visit the gym, swim and do lots of walking. I get much less sweaty than I used to!
My wardrobe is completely different. There is now nothing left in my wardrobe that I wore before getting banded. There are relatively few clothes in there because I don't want to buy too many before I reach my final target weight. What has surprised me is the fact that most of my shoes are now too big and my wedding ring now fits!
Looking back to the days before I had surgery, I know that I had a number of concerns - not least of which was 'would the band work?'. But there were other things too, like, would I still be able to eat out? I had visions that I would never again be able to go out for a meal with my family. Anyway, to celebrate my 'coming of age' today, I have decided to start a short series of posts (starting later this week) where I will explore some of these pre-op qualms and look at how they have panned out, how I have dealt with them, was I right to be anxious about x, y and z, or were they empty fears?
If you have any pre-op fears that you'd like me to focus on, please leave a comment and I'll do my best!
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?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Come in number nine....
I had my ninth band adjustment today (0.2ml) and am hoping and praying it will be my last (apart from any long term MOT adjustments). I've been so close twice before but never quite found my sweet spot. I've had a couple of drinks already and satisfied myself that I can get liquids down ok. Then I tried a Weight Watchers low fat yoghurt. I finished it, just, but it's left me totally stuffed! Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.
I know that some newer bandits might be a little off-put at the thought of having so many fills - especially if you don't gave an inclusive aftercare package as I do. However, it might also reassure those who've struggled to find their sweet spot that (a) you're not abnormal, and (b) it's still possible to lose weight even while you're waiting to find that elusive sweet spot.
I'll keep you informed of my progress but wish me luck!
I know that some newer bandits might be a little off-put at the thought of having so many fills - especially if you don't gave an inclusive aftercare package as I do. However, it might also reassure those who've struggled to find their sweet spot that (a) you're not abnormal, and (b) it's still possible to lose weight even while you're waiting to find that elusive sweet spot.
I'll keep you informed of my progress but wish me luck!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Another fill?
I think I've lost count of how many fills I have had now - a lot! Anyway, since my last - at the end of June, my experiences have been mixed. Some of the time I have really struggled to keep up with good eating habits - and I know this is partly because there have been a few too many meals out, holidays and visitors etc. At other times, particularly when I've had the chance to get into a routine and had some structure to my days, I've done better. However, even during those 'better' times, I still don't think I am experiencing the same level of restriction as other bandits seem to. I can't help wondering now, whether around the time of my first de-fill I wasn't perhaps a bit too hasty in getting an aspiration. I think perhaps I panicked a bit and got de-filled too quickly - perhaps if I had persevered a bit longer it might have worked out OK?
The same cannot be said to be true after my second de-fill - on that occasion I really was struggling to get fluids down and the excessive restriction was adversely impacting on my life. The thing is though, if I get another small fill now (I am thinking of about 0.2ml), this will take me back to exactly the same total fill that I had when I needed my second de-fill.
I'm on my second holiday from today so my eating this next week will be far fom routine or structured. However, when I get back, I will have one week before my provisional fill appointment to decide whether to go for this small top-up or not. Currently I'm thinking I will - I just keep eating at the moment and I'm not losing weight. But time will tell.
The same cannot be said to be true after my second de-fill - on that occasion I really was struggling to get fluids down and the excessive restriction was adversely impacting on my life. The thing is though, if I get another small fill now (I am thinking of about 0.2ml), this will take me back to exactly the same total fill that I had when I needed my second de-fill.
I'm on my second holiday from today so my eating this next week will be far fom routine or structured. However, when I get back, I will have one week before my provisional fill appointment to decide whether to go for this small top-up or not. Currently I'm thinking I will - I just keep eating at the moment and I'm not losing weight. But time will tell.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Band adjustment number eight
I went to the Healthier Weight clinic in Manchester today for my eighth band adjustment. I had 0.3ml put in. This takes me back to 7.5ml - where I was a full four months ago! Oddly enough, when I was there the first time round it was far too tight. That began two cycles of saline out, saline back in, back out again and back in again!! I truly believe (and hope!) that I have the right amount of fill this time. Clearly 7.7ml was too much - but 7.3ml was not enough. Hopefully, at 7.5ml I am now at that ideal, in-between point.
Here's a reminder of my fill history so far:
Surgery 15th november 2008
1. Fill no. 1 - 19th january 2009 (5ml: total = 5.0ml)
2. Fill no. 2 - 15th February (1.5ml: total = 6.5ml)
3. Fill no. 3 - 26th February (1ml: total = 7.5ml)
4. De-fill no. 1 - 4th March 0.5ml: total = 7.0ml)
5. Fill no. 4 - 22nd March (0.3ml: total = 7.3ml)
6. Fill no. 5 - 7th May (0.4ml: total = 7.7ml)
7. De-fill no. 2 - 28th May (0.5ml: total = 7.2ml)
8. Fill no. 6 - 21st June (0.3ml: total = 7.5ml)
When I left the clinic I told the nurse that, in the nicest possible way, I hoped I wouldn't see her again for some time!! Since getting home I have drunk a 0.5l bottle of Ribena and some sieved mushroom soup. So far these have gone down well an without any problems. I'll keep you informed as I progress onto pureed foods later in the week.
Here's a reminder of my fill history so far:
Surgery 15th november 2008
1. Fill no. 1 - 19th january 2009 (5ml: total = 5.0ml)
2. Fill no. 2 - 15th February (1.5ml: total = 6.5ml)
3. Fill no. 3 - 26th February (1ml: total = 7.5ml)
4. De-fill no. 1 - 4th March 0.5ml: total = 7.0ml)
5. Fill no. 4 - 22nd March (0.3ml: total = 7.3ml)
6. Fill no. 5 - 7th May (0.4ml: total = 7.7ml)
7. De-fill no. 2 - 28th May (0.5ml: total = 7.2ml)
8. Fill no. 6 - 21st June (0.3ml: total = 7.5ml)
When I left the clinic I told the nurse that, in the nicest possible way, I hoped I wouldn't see her again for some time!! Since getting home I have drunk a 0.5l bottle of Ribena and some sieved mushroom soup. So far these have gone down well an without any problems. I'll keep you informed as I progress onto pureed foods later in the week.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Silly girl
Referring to myself of course! I've been an angel all day, honest. Then I dragged myself off out for a walk to get some movement into my bones, and what did I do? I stopped in a Co-op shop and bought a KitKat and some Giant Chocolate Buttons!!! Oh, and obviously I ate them - on the way home can you believe?! The only saving grace is that although I consumed about 440 completely unecessary calories in total, I actually burned off about 400 on my walk! What a waste!
I have been doing some silly things like this on and off over the past four weeks or so - ever since I had a de-fill and lost some restriction. I don't think it's entirely down to getting hungry - because I am only hungry some of the time. I also think I'm getting 'head-hungry' more often because I'm a little sad at not having enough restriction - if that makes any sense?!!
Anyway, only a few days to go now before I go for what I truly hope will be my last fill for some time. It's on Sunday and I don't think I have been more desperate to get a fill than on this occasion. I think this will be the first time I have seen the nurse and won't be able to show any weight loss (well there might be a pound or two but it won't be any more than that). Hopefully, that alone will convince her that I need some more saline. Wish me luck.
I have been doing some silly things like this on and off over the past four weeks or so - ever since I had a de-fill and lost some restriction. I don't think it's entirely down to getting hungry - because I am only hungry some of the time. I also think I'm getting 'head-hungry' more often because I'm a little sad at not having enough restriction - if that makes any sense?!!
Anyway, only a few days to go now before I go for what I truly hope will be my last fill for some time. It's on Sunday and I don't think I have been more desperate to get a fill than on this occasion. I think this will be the first time I have seen the nurse and won't be able to show any weight loss (well there might be a pound or two but it won't be any more than that). Hopefully, that alone will convince her that I need some more saline. Wish me luck.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tired, tired, tired....
I went for a walk in the Pennines today (at Widdop Reservoir, near Burnley,pictured). I think I covered about 15km on rough ground with a few ups and downs but no major climbs. The walk took about four hours in total, including stops, and I have arrived back home feeling really tired. Now, I know it's been a really hot day with a deeply intense blue sky, but I don't think I should feel as tired as I do. In fact, I was feeling quite tired right at the start of the walk and have been moving along somewhat sluggishly all day.I suppose one possible reason for this is related to what I have been eating the past couple of days - after all, energy out is largely controlled by energy in. Yesterday and the day before I only managed about 800 calories a day, mainly because I find it difficult to consume more than that when on fluids. I have, in the past, supplemented the calories from fluid intake by sucking on chocolate - but I thought I'd try to avoid it on this occasion. However, I have a theory that my lethargy may also be related to having the de-fill. Although the fill / de-fill procedure is largely painless and only takes a few minutes, I think that it actually takes more out of me than I think.
Today, I ate Oatso Simple porridge for breakfast. For lunch I ate some Tesco vegetarian cottage pie and a yoghurt. This evening I had my favourite meal, salmon, soft-cooked broccoli and mash. I am still supposed to be on fluids but have moved onto mush a day early - I don't think it's as essential to be strict after a de-fill, as opposed to a fill - because foods sould have got easier, not more difficult. I am sat here feeling quite full but oddly still tired and craving something sweet and packed with sugar. If only I had some chocolate.....
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!!!
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!
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'.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Full, twice in a day
It started with the lunch I had so lovingly prepared. The cherry tomatoes glistening and inviting, the cucumber and yellow peppers just crying out to be eaten, and the olives, spicy and chewy, just waiting to be stuffed - into my mouth. I also had some crunchy Ryvita minis and a pot of mixed tuna and cream cheese, to supply my protein needs. I started eating, doing my duty and chewing well. Within a short time, about a quarter of the way through my meal, I began to feel full. The whole meal was only about 240 calories, so not exactly a King's banquet. I have been happily eating small meals without any problem, so was a little taken aback to be feeling full so early. I should have put it to one side and not eaten any more. However, the 'food gene' in my head told me to have just a little more..... I stopped half way through and found the courage to put it to one side, aware of the conflict within me - my head telling me to carry on eating because there's still food on the plate and it would be a crime to leave it..... and my stomach telling my "stoooopppp! I've had enough!!"
So, I ate half of it, and ate the other half a couple of hours later. Then this evening I moved onto my next meal. It was sprouts, wholewheat pasta cooked al dente, spinach and smoked tofu. Delicious (it might not sound it to any carnivores reading this, but to me, a lovely meal!!). It was a low fat meal made of healthy ingredients - and it all fit easily onto a 7-inch side plate (as advised by my provider). The whole meal was about 300 calories. I got about one third of the way through it and began to feel very mild pain behind my breastbone. I paused for a while and ate a little more but at the half way point, quit. I still couldn't bring myself to throw good food in the bin so I've put it in a plastic tub and will eat it for lunch tomorrow!
So what's happening? I had a small aspiration a couple of weeks ago and since then I have been disappointed at the lack of restriction. I have been able to eat anything, including all kinds of 'difficult' foods. This morning, I decided I'd had enough and booked another small fill for Sunday 22nd March (in six days time). Then this afternoon, out of the blue, suddenly I'm getting real restriction and 'full' feelings for the first time. Odd timing, what?! I'm going to see what happens in the next few days and make a final decision on Saturday.
So, I ate half of it, and ate the other half a couple of hours later. Then this evening I moved onto my next meal. It was sprouts, wholewheat pasta cooked al dente, spinach and smoked tofu. Delicious (it might not sound it to any carnivores reading this, but to me, a lovely meal!!). It was a low fat meal made of healthy ingredients - and it all fit easily onto a 7-inch side plate (as advised by my provider). The whole meal was about 300 calories. I got about one third of the way through it and began to feel very mild pain behind my breastbone. I paused for a while and ate a little more but at the half way point, quit. I still couldn't bring myself to throw good food in the bin so I've put it in a plastic tub and will eat it for lunch tomorrow!
So what's happening? I had a small aspiration a couple of weeks ago and since then I have been disappointed at the lack of restriction. I have been able to eat anything, including all kinds of 'difficult' foods. This morning, I decided I'd had enough and booked another small fill for Sunday 22nd March (in six days time). Then this afternoon, out of the blue, suddenly I'm getting real restriction and 'full' feelings for the first time. Odd timing, what?! I'm going to see what happens in the next few days and make a final decision on Saturday.
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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