My Secret - Anyone Nudge an upper pouch cleaning before bed?

Leila, What feeling do you get that you know food is stuck in your pouch.  I only know when food is in my pouch when I am stuck and waiting for it to pass. Otherwise I don't know where it is.  Do you feel the food there? What about flushing it out drinking hot tea before bed. The heat will loosen the band so food passes. 

Hi Viva! Food has never gotten stuck in my pouch (I did get a jawbreaker pill stuck - talk about dry heaving.  I almost had an ambulance called ;-).  My Lap Band did not work straight away.  right out I had a flipped port  and then a cracked port with punctured hosing.  Then my out- of-town doc abandoned all of his patients.  Me during my first fill while I was deathly obstructed for 8 days.  A witch doctor  took my fill out - it was an extremely traumatic saline removal. Anyways after lots of trouble I found a wonderful doc and by that time I think I was terrified of becoming obstructed again.  So I had lots of fills and unfills.  My band  just did not work and I just did not know what to expect.  I have always been a lover of veggies and so I continued eating my spinach post op and then with a fill that stuck.  I didn't know that it did not agree with me as small amounts clung (sorry if I said stuck - although it may have stuck and blocked the stoma) to my upper stomach.  Food is not in my pouch at night now as I've learned to modify my food, and when I eat.  I don't have reflux neither.  when I bru**** is sort of a thicker saliva that come up. Best, Leila

Ok I re-read your posting.  Your saying and please correct me if I'm wrong.  You eat whatever say 4 hours before bed.  Which in that time you said "( I mean food wasn't even holding in my upper pouch.  it just arrived there when I  layed down to sleep) so I couldn't understand why I was having reflux" right?  People suggested a possible tight band, but that is not the case correct?  I am wondering what your band postioning is.  The band should not be working like that for anyone.  Something is being missed with the testing.  If you lay down and food is going back into your pouch that is an issue.    If saliva is collecting in your pouch that's an issue.  And no matter how "soft" something comes back up it is not good for our bands.  Food that has already been in your stomach has acid in it.  Please talk with your doctor this could truely cause you to lose your band.  Best of Luck. Jenn 

Hi Leila:  I haven't posted in a while, but still lurk and read.  Might I suggest instead of bringing your food UP with a gentle cough (big band/slippage/erosion problems down the road) you send it DOWN through the correct direction by drinking something after your meal?  After dinner I usually drink 2 pretty big cups of jasmine tea before bed (no flaming please) and that does 2 things:  1) it sends the food in the upper pouch through to the bottom stomach and 2) fools my upper pouch into thinking it's still full of food. (It also relaxes me before bed)  I've never had reflux or any problems with food coming up during the night.  I'd much rather see you try this rather than bring things up and maybe get some big problems in the not-too-distant future.   Please try it and see how it works for you, Chris

Thanks Christina. I am going to start drinking tea after dinner.  Why would you get flamed for having 2 pretty big cups of jasmine tea before bed?

Oh, food never comes up.  it's thick saliva.  This is long after I've  eaten.  Hot tea may break my 'stuff" down.

Best,

Leila

I understand what you are saying - I've had more weird coughs, burps, noises coming out of me since I've been banded tha you can imagine.  I do agree that drinking hot tea after dinner might relax your stoma a bit and allow whatever remaining thinck saliva that remains in your pouch from the day to go down your esophagus.  It might be worth a try.   

Lelia, seems like you are on the defense now even though you asked for peoples opinions. No one is judging you, we are just worried that this action will cause you long term problems. As far as people not "telling the truth" about what they do and dont do with the band you are probably right - but those people did not post and ask for responses.  no single band acts like any other - we are all different people with different bodies but to say that there aren't certian things that we should all avoid is false. If there is soft mucus, liquid or what ever in your pouch hours after eating then something is not right and you need to find out what. It is cold and flu season, do you have allergies? Could it be post nasal drip? If so they have medication that reduces the mucus flow so that it won't build up while you sleep - relieving the need to cause yourself to purge before bed (or call it what you want). It could be something totally unrelated to your band - kind of a cause and effect thing but you really do need to find out what it is.  Wishing you the best. Lynn

we are all different people with different bodies but to say that there aren't certian things that we should all avoid is false.  What did I say that we shouldn't avoid?  No one should PB!  I am not PBing or vomiting and I certainly am not advocating that!  And yes, I am on the defensive about that.  I don't like to be misinterpreted.  You are the one that quickly assumed I was developing bulimia and that I should get a therapist ASAP.  I work with therapists all day long.  They are in psychoanalyis as part of their psychoanalytic training and so it was natural for me to be curious and do that too (I've been over-treated).  Don't be so quick to prescribe a remedy when you don't know the ailment.  No one on this face of this earth can claim to know "everything".  I don't believe in "standard answers"  "unbreakable rules".  Naomi just said she could go to bed right after eating.  I can't no matter how loose my band is.  I too sip with my meals if I feel like it.  If I don't feel like it, I don't wait the suggested 20-30 minutes.  And because my food went down my pouch doesn't mean I, me get hungry sooner. There too is a certain way you talk to people. ED's are delicate.  There once was a woman who came here posting that she was afraid that she was becoming bulimic.  I personally knew this person.  This forum nailed her to the wall.  It is not a safe place.  I mean no one knew it, but she was a smart woman - a gosh darn Ph.D. and she didn't defend herself.  she gave up posting and she didn't get better.  She knew she could harm herself or her band.  A smoker know the risk of cancer - most diabetics know the risk of damage to their organs with uncontrolled glucose levels, people with HBP know that they can blow out their kidneys and end up on dialysis if they don't control their blood pressure, alcoholics know that they are ruining their liver and relationships . . . relieving the need to cause yourself to purge before bed  Lynn, I'm pretty damned wise.  Call me defensive or whatever you'd like.  You might have had a smooth Lap Band Journey.  I have not!  This is my journey, my path.  I am using what I have learned works for me. Could be there is something wrong with me or my Band.  My doc insist that there is not, so have his partners, so have other docs.   I trust my doc with my life - He is one of best docs in NYC and he really cares about me.  If something went wrong, he would not hesitate to take care of me. Best, Leila

Just so newbies won't get confused...this IS a PB. You can call it or not call it what you want, but that is what is it. Any time you empty your pouch with a burp or cough, whether it is slime or food, it's a PB. I'm not saying you're harming your band or not, who knows, but it is what is it.