morning restriction/esophagus

I had band surgery on July 18, 2008 and have done extremely well (lost almost 60 lbs.).  I have only 2 ccs in my band (that fill was about 3 months ago), but for some odd reason, I have been experiencing some new things for the past month:

1.  In the mornings, I have a protein shake and have had one every morning since last July.  However, in the past month, they won't go down in the morning....sometimes, I even have to bring up the first couple of sips. because it won't go down.  I have had to even drink some hot tea in the morning to "open" up things.  Has anyone had issues with this?
2.  I cannot tolerate red meat any more.  I never was a die hard red meat eater, but every once in a while, I would have some soft red meat like meatloaf or taco meat.  Now, it won't go down....I even threw up for the first time since surgery.  Has anyone had issues with foods all of the sudden not agreeing with them?

Any advice?  I see my surgeon for a follow-up in a week and a half and I intend on discussing these issues with him, but I wanted to see what some of you had to say.

Thanks!

i can't eat red meat either anymore....not even ground...i get stuck every time....i two dring shakes in the morning but i am ok and i stay full untill lunch so that i happy with, i tried eggs in the morning and i get stuck real fast....i have 7.72cc in my 9cc band
talk to your surgeon....maybe smaller sips ....
good luck lori.

I would suggest calling your Doctor.

Recently I had a fill - and everything was fine for the first 2 - 3 weeks, then little by little things started to get stuck. At first I thought maybe I wasn't chewing enough, or taking too big of a bite. But when liquids and scrambled egg started to get stuck, I knew something was up.

I just went to the Doctor and he took out 1 cc. So far that did the trick !! No more stuck, and yet when I eat I am full. Maybe this is the proverbial sweet spot.

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

Auntennie13,

Wow, that is really scary.  I am only 6 months out, but haven't experienced anything like that.  It's almost a year for you and you only have 2 cc's that is great in itself.  I have 3cc's and only 6 months our.  I don't feel like I have any restrictions.  I plan on getting another fill in a week.

How do you know you found your sweet spot?  Do you get full faster, nothings stays down, etc. 

I do hope all is well with you, please keep me posted, because that definitely shouldn't not be happening (at least to my knowledge).

God Bless

Hi, sorry to hear about your problems with keeping stuff down.  I have not had my band installed yet, surgery date is the 18th of May, but my doctor did tell me that not to try to eat anything first thing in themorning, but drink a cup of hot coffee or tea as there is a mucus plug that forms at the stoma and that the hot drinks will loosen it up.  also told me not to use straws, as it puts too much air in the stomach.  As for red meat, said to cut it into very small peices, like the tip of your little finger, or put it in a blender and mu****  I am not a big red meat eater, mostly chicken, but on occassion like to eat a steak, so that is a bridge I will cross when I get to it.  Also your band maybe too tight, might have to relieve some of the saline in the band...just talk with your doctor, he will help you through this difficult time.  Eat small portions, one person on the site uses a time clock for eating....not a bad idea, although if you only have 20 or 30 min. for lunch, does not give one too long to eat.  i am so bad about scoffing my food down, that is going to be one big challenge for me, to eat slowly.  Best wishes in your success....Farmgirl58

Problem Solved!

I went to my surgeon and he removed 1 cc from my band.  I'm doing MUCH better since that was removed.  I now only have 1 cc in my band, but it does the trick for me!  10 months and only 
1  cc....not bad! 

It turns out that 2 cc's was too much restriction for me.  They took out 1 cc and I feel SO much better! 

For those of you out there who are all caught up in the "number of cc's in your band," forget about it!  It varies from person to person.  Just rely on your body to tell you what's up and report back to your doctor with accurate information so that they can adjust you one way or the other.

I'm so glad you found out was was wrong. I thought for a second you were having the same problem as me, but I can eat in the morning and hardly keep water down. isn't that weird? I take a sip and it feels like it's going to get stuck. But if I wake up and I'm hungry I can eat whatever I want. So weird.... I'm glad you're better. I've been out 7 1/2 months and I have 7 cc's in my band. I think I'm at good restriction now, well, some times. I ate a whole sandwich yesterday and nothing but then the day before that I could hardly eat my yogurt in the afternoon. Bands are so funny...