Don't know what's going on... getting frustrated! Help!!

Well, I had my band to sleeve revision on 4/29.  It was a really rough first week with the recovery!!  The nausea was horrible!!  My surgeon just kept telling me that the revision was more complicated and would be a harder recovery.  I cam home and stayed on clear liquids an extra day before moving to full.  I made the transition pretty smoothly and was tolerating yogurt, pudding, strained cream soup, applesauce, etc.  Then Wednesday night I was taking my (crushed) medicine and felt like it got "stuck" (like with the good ol band).  So, like with the band, I made me mistake of trying to drink.... which made it worse.  After over an hour of hiccuping and burping I finally just encouraged myself to throw up!  I finally felt better and was able to sleep.

So, I called my doctor Thursday and they told me to do ice chips and clear liquids for a few hours, then full the rest and call the next morning.  Same thing - fine during the day.... tried to take meds in yogurt and boom!!  Had to throw it up.  Called doc Friday morning and she said stay on clears until Monday and call back.  Well, gotta get the meds in - used yogurt again.... same crap!!  

Today I have gotten my Prilosec in with some Jello.... but I am starting to really worry I may have screwed up deciding to do this -OR- that something is really wrong (from the band) and I may never be "normal" again!!  

Did anyone else with band to sleeve experience this??  I am really depressed and scared!!!  Any info appreciated!

Tonya

 

I'm not an expert by any means but I did have a revision on March 19th from a RNY to a DS and I could not take any pills by mouth until I was about 4 weeks out. You are only 2 weeks out and maybe your stomach is still a little swollen and rebelling about having certain things in it. I was on clear liquids for 2 weeks before moving on to full liquids. Your very early out and you just may have a very sensitive stomach. It will get better. I still have good days and bad days but mostly good. Each week I find I can eat a little more and my stomach is much happier now than it was 3 weeks ago. hang in there! Every one is very different. And I still get nauseated too! (but its getting better also)

It could be that your body just doesn't like yogurt.  Prior to my sleeve surgery, I had planned on scrambled eggs and tuna salad with yogurt dressing to be the mainstays of my diet.  My body would tolerate neither.  I was flabbergasted.  But, every experiment I did with tuna completely failed - no grilled, canned, poached tuna of any shape kind or sort.  It all came right back up.  Same with scrambled eggs.  It never occurred to me that it was the food itself that was the problem.  Eventually I discovered I could eat hard boiled eggs.  Interestingly enough, with my revision so far it appears that I can't eat eggs at all. 

Perhaps trying to take your meds with another liquid would help.  To get mine in initially, I would eat first, wait the 20-30 minutes, and then take a pill with a sip of liquid.  At the beginning I could swear I felt the pill traveling the length of my esophagus and at the end, sort of "ploop" into my stomach.  It was quite an odd sensation.  And, it took both breakfast and lunch to get my pills in.

btw - I ended up doing cottage cheese with unsweetened applesauce and a sweetener packet added.  I still eat that for breakfast. It is a frustrating adventure at first to find foods that we can tolerate.  However, once you get familiar with what works for you, you will always have that as a baseline to fall back on when other things fail.   

Hope you feel better!

Hi Tonna,

I also had a revision from RNY to DS. I am 5 months out, had complications, and was NPO for 8 weeks. Eating is still a chore for me. I throw up almost daily mostly in the evening but I used to throw up several times a day. I found I could tolerate more earlier in the day but after 4 nothing but liquids were possible. I am on a PPI which has helped. Give it time you tummy had been through hell and needs time to heal. You'll  be ok. Buyers remorse is normal. 

Good luck

Best,

Whitney

sorry for the typos... 

Hi Tonya--

 

Just ignore me if I'm wrong.  My band surgery was 10 years ago so it's been a really, really long time since I've been on the liquid diet but is full liquids really going straight to yogurt and pudding already or is things like protein drinks?  It seems like yogurt was the next phase after protein drinks?  But again....I could be wrong becasue it's been a really, really long time since I've done this.

 

And regardless..I'm so sorry you feel so lousy.  I know you have to get your meds down!

 

What is really worrying me is I am looking into revising my band to a sleeve and I was hoping the puking would stop after I get this band taken out.  I didn't think it would happen anymore unless I got the flu.  Guess I was wrong.  :(

 

I hope you start to feel better soon!

 

 

Michelle
Washington State

Sorry you're having trouble. I think you may just still be swollen and we do tend to retain fluids as the day goes on. I'm guessing maybe the yogurt is a little thick and maybe doesn't go down as smooth as say the jello or applesauce, maybe try a warm drink like tea first then try the meds with jello and see if that works. Some just have to stay on the clears longer than others and if you are vomiting you are irritating your little tummy just like with the band and may need to stick with more liquidy things awhile longer. It will get better I'm sure just baby yourself a little longer till your tummy calms down. Hugs

Do you have to crush your meds? My dr says with a sleeve it is ok to take them as long as they are about the size of a tic tac. So the bigger ones I cut up and just take the normally. She said to space them out about every 15 min with a sip of water.

I still can not keep most mushies down and I am over two months post op (Band to Sleeve). I throw up often so I am sticking to protein drinks, I am tired and exhaused but I am losing weight and it is not as bad as it was with the band.

Try to stick with the protein drinks at least 3 a day. If I only do two I get dizzy. I use 4 scoops of Unjury a day. I hope it does not take you as long as it is taking me to take in mushie/solid food.

Oh my gosh! Bless your heart! I am praying I have not made a huge mistake! I still can't even do protein shakes! I am so weak and tired. I just hope my body doesn't give out on me when I'm at work.