Throwing up after lap band surgery

Help..............I was banded in May 11'.  There are times when I eat too much or get the guilty feeling for eating something I shouldn't have and think "If I could just throw up I would feel better."  Unlike so many other posts I have read where people throw up after having lap band surgery, I try to make myself throw up sometimes just to feel more comfortable but I can't seem to throw up.  I feel miserable and just want to get the food out but can't throw up.  It almost feels like the band is actually stopping the throwing up.  Any suggestions on how to make throwing up easier?  I'm not bullimic and don't feel this way everyday but during times I do, I just wish I could throw up to feel better.

That is the band and your body's way of telling you to STOP IT, this is how you learn not to over eat. Myself I've never been able to throw up since I was banded even tho a few times I prayed I could. So instead of figuring out how to throw up, figure out how to not eat too much or too fast then you will feel better all the time. Anytime you throw up you are stressing your band and this isn't a good thing. Try eating off a small plate, with a pre-measured amount, cut up tiny and eat slowly, this will help you slow down.

I was banded in 07 , I hate to tell you this , but this never goes away , NEVER gets better and gets much worse... this is band life . It does not get better. This early out of surgery you should not be throwing up anyway , but the fact that you are is not a good sign.
Im not trying ot be mean , however I wish someone would hvae told me this is how it was gonig to be when i had my  band BEFORE I had my band.
http://tryingtostayskinnyintexas.blogspot.com/

First of all-- you're just a little over 3 weeks post-op.  I was on ALL liquids the first 3 weeks post -op.  After that, I was on mushy, soft, foods for 3 months.  So I have to ask--what are you eating?  If you're eating dense proteins and "normal foods" then you're simply over eating.  You're eating too much, too quickly. 

You probably have very little or no saline in your band HOWEVER, your stomach still has an object wrapped around it, so you probably are feeling a tad bit of restriction.

FOLLOW the guidelines.  If you follow the guidelines and eat slowly and chew thoroughly, you'll be OK, but the band is not everyone.  It's going to require that you have self control and self discipline when you're eating. 

Good luck!

I agree with Hislady. You need to really pay attention to what you are eating, how much you are eating and how quickly you eat and how well you chew your food up. How did you do through the Janie stage? You should only be eating when you are hungry now too. I am a little over 4 months out and some days only eating two meals and under 500 calories. I still do not get hungry. Listen to your body instead of your brain. It is a very difficult change to make after so many years of overeating. I struggled with it for the first three months. I was in the habit of eating three meals at certain times and a couple snacks each day.

You can do it. It takes discipline, but once your mind and body get used to it you will not have problems keeping up with the changes.

Use MyFitnessPal.com to log everything you eat so you can really see what you are doing.

Good luck! We are here for you!

Nicely said!

In fact, tonight, at about 8 months post-op, we went to a steakhouse.  I ordered the small fillet...you know I STILL cut the first piece off as I would have PRIOR to surgery.  I literally had to stop and stare at that piece of steak on my fork and thought "There is no way that's going down and going to stay in my stomach--no matter how much I chew!"  I re-grouped my thoughts and decided that I would have to thinly slice each piece of steak that I was going to eat.

It's hard to explain, but it really does come down to TRAINING yourself how to eat in a totally different way.

Tiny, tiny bites, very, very slowly--be it a piece of steak or piece of broccoli or bite of a baked potato.

It's hard.  And it's easy to "forget" the way you need to eat.

You are absolutely right! I eat out way to many times and I have learned to look up my food online before I order or I ask for a nutrition menu. I have also learned to make sure that I am loving what I eat. I don't get much of it so I am sure that I am satisfied. I send way more things back to the kitchen because I don't settle anymore. They will make it the way I want it! I have become a food *****! But I am happy!

Let me start by saying that I have lost over 70  lbs with this whole process.  I mentioned that I am not bullimic nor was I previous to the surgery.   If you are that disciplined that you never overeat to the point you feel miserable, kudos to you......not every person is perfect and can be that disciplined.  I am not worried at all about band slippage because it isn't that often nor do I feel that I am going to be a complication stat.  Let me also state I sure in heck wouldn't have gone through all of this for the mere experience of being able to throw up easier to lose weight.  Some people can be so judgemental.  If you didn't have an answer for the question I was asking, I really didn't need your response.  And yes, after losing the amount of weight I have and continue to lose, I do believe I have realized how your eating habits must change and I know all about the "tiny" hole my food has to go through.  Thanks so much for the warning................NOT.......you completely took what I was asking and twisted it.  As for the band and vomiting not mixing, maybe you should check the statistics of people with the lap band.  Many throw up on a regular basis with the band.  Is it healthy?  No, but then again it is something they have to learn to live with because of the band.  The band can actually cause vomiting for people that have it.  I read about it constantly.  I have 6 cc in my band and have done great.  I was simply asking IF or WHEN I do have those times I eat too much to the point I feel miserable, what can I do.  I have found that I can be eating and be fine and all of a sudden it feels like a rock just dropped into my stomach.  Does that mean I'm not following the diet?  No, it is just the way my body reacts and after over a year post op I am trying to learn before hand how much to eat before that happens.  Some people purposely eat too much so they can throw up, that is not the case.  You also might want to consider some compassion towards people who are bullimic or anorexic because it is a disease.  You seemed quick to add me into that category.  My heart aches for them and what they are doing to their bodies.  I certainly don't judge them.................

PS - this post was directed to Nana.

Sorry if you feel I am being judgmental...I am being honest and TRUTHFUL...I don't know if you are a bulimic or not, only you know that, I was just trying to let you know the consequences and anyone else reading this thread of what WILL happen if someone vomit with the band.

Also lap banders can no longer vomit from the lower stomach and it is not gross nasty vomiting with acid like pre op. Bansters barf is called Productive Burping, because all food goes in the upper pouch initially and if you get food stuck it comes right back up undigested and not real vomiting.

Here are some tips to avoid vomiting....

1. For starters if your band is too tight  you WILL vomit more often regardless of how you chew. You may need to get a small amount of saline removed

2. Chew your food to mush and wait until it goes down, avoid thick bread, rice and bananas when your band is tightly restricted.

3. Make sure you are hydrated, your food will go down easier if you constantly drink room temperature water prior to a meal.

4.Listen to you body and signals of being full, they can be a hiccup, sigh,burp or runny nose, these are your signs to stop eating, the band will never stop you , but help you pull back from the table, if you continually eat too much to the point of getting food stuck or if you continually eat too fast, this cause issues.

Everyone WILL get stuck on occasion with the band no one is perfect and we all make mistakes, I've gotten food stuck plenty of times, but it is not every single day and I rarely vomit. Again, like I mentioned before PBing and getting food stuck should be a rare mistake not an every day several times a day occurrence, I am here to give you advice, not to sugar coat or lie to you, I am hear to help...remember I've had my band almost 7 years and I've seen and heard it all.