Big things happened yesterday.
Big. Huge.
It was fill day! Yippeeee. Yippeeee because I of course got to see Dr. Friedman who is looking great! He is doing well and on a good track. It made me feel so much better. He told me he wasn't going anywhere, anytime soon.
He better not be lying to me. Because I will kick his ass. Gently.
He told me he hadn't read my blog in awhile...that the last time he read it "I had started dating a woman".
Good times.
So we chatted for awhile, caught up, laughed like school girls. I told him everything I have been eating. He told me he didnt believe me, because I hadnt gained any weight.
I told him I was for-realz. And that I was only being saved by working out. But just barely.
So he said, "Okay, I will give you a .5cc fill."
I just stared at him. With big doe eyes, blinking.
And he said "You want more. I will give you more if you think you need it. You know your band".
So I got 1cc.
And I hope I don't regret it. I ate the Creamy Chicken Divan Soup that I posted about yesterday. I ate close to 2 cups, nice and slow. No problem.
But about 30 minutes into my sleep...my stomach acid started coming back up into my mouth. In all my years of being banded (that sounded fun), I have never had heartburn. Never. In fact, I am not sure I have ever had heartburn in my life. But it was gross. I would fall asleep and wake up as it literally gushed into my mouth. I would swallow it back down and try to sleep again. I would say this happened about ever 10 minutes. I was a little panicky. Heather was scared I was going to drown.
By 3 am I decided I would try to sleep on the recliner. And for two hours, I slept...no stomach acid.
This morning I ate a can of cream of chicken soup. It took me about 30 minutes, but it was just fine.
So I am still feeling out the fill. I feel like I am a baby bandster again. I am a little afraid to eat something solid. But I might give it a try later.
I shall keep you posted my friends!
kisses.
OH...I forgot to tell you that while I was at the doctors office, I got to speak to two potential bandsters. Of course I pulled my shirt up for them, let them feel my port. I am excited for them!
mmmkkay.
Carry on.
OH, ONE MORE THING. SO, I know some of you have been so tight that you had the reflux. Can someone explain to me what our band being too tight has to do with that?
Thanks!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
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I made the creamy chicken divan soup yesterday. Just had some at work, and I have to say... I love your soup almost as much as I love you!!!!
ReplyDeleteAmy, you are looking great! I've been missing from blogger world recently and have been catching up.
ReplyDeleteHi! I am going to try that recipe this weekend, sounds yummy. Hope this fill does the trick for you :)
ReplyDeleteDo not like heartburn. AT ALL.
ReplyDeleteYour soup recipe sounds good, but do you think it may be a bit high in fat possibly giving you the heartburn? Just saying because I find cheese (a little bit is okay) to be a culprit when I get heartburn. I have to watch the fatty stuff :(
I have had acid reflux issues off and on since October. I take Prilosec every day and it keeps it at bay. I know what you're describing with the waking up choking on stomach acid. That's the worse.
ReplyDeleteSince you've never had heartburn before, you might want to have a bit taken out. But if you decide to stick it out, the heartburn can be managed with various different meds.
I am going to have to try that soup! I am glad your dr is doing better.
ReplyDeleteHey Amy.. I've been reading your blog for awhile now and I am always so encouraged by you!
ReplyDeleteJust a warning... I hadn't had much restriction in my band for awhile and hadn't lost or gained weight in forever.. I was stuck. SOoo I had an aggressive fill, promising my dr I'd return if I had problems to get some fluid removed if need be. Well.. my band was super tight, but I finally started losing weight again, after months of no success. Unfortunately that same thing happened to me.. the whole throwing up in your sleep, stomach acid awesomeness. I moved from VA to TN, and so my doctor was now 8 hours away, and I hadnt switched over to a new one, so I thought I'd tough it out until I could get home to VA to see my dr.. In the three months I lived with my super tight band, yes, I lost 25 lbs and was getting tons of compliments about the way I looked, but in the process, I also got myself a sweet case of pneumonia from aspirating in my sleep.. it was like a full cup of water tipped over into my lungs while I slept every night. It was super dangerous, and so dumb of me! I was miserable AND I of course gained back the weight once I removed fluid from my band since I'd just put my body through hell for three months. Pay back stinks!
You look great though! Thanks for sharing your story with so many of us, and for making us laugh along the way!
I aint no pro or nothin but if I remember right, the problem is that at the top of your stomach there is a valve, a little flap, that lets food into your stomach and, when working right, stops the acid from going back up your esophagus. The band is placed just below that valve. When you are too tight, that valve can't close all the way.
ReplyDeleteThat's why it's bad to let it continue. Your esophagus should never have acid in it. Like Molly said above, it can cause pneumonia and it can also cause "burns" to your esophagus which it takes months of pills to remedy - but usually winds up with scar tissue...it's never "undone".
If you are too tight, don't stay that way. Please please please. I had the same thing happen to me back in Aug and I got the unfill and almost instantly felt better. And I can't imagine, as far along as you are, even though it's been a long time since you got a fill, that you actually "needed" 1 whole cc. That's pretty danged aggressive, I'd think, at your stage...
Just my $0.02...
I hope it doesn't happen again tonight.
I a currently experiencing the acid thing when sleeping. I wake up two and three times a night choking on it. I thought that meds would help and it did in the beginning, but now a week later it is just getting worse. Going in for an unfill on Tuesday.
ReplyDeletestomach acid + thin skin of esophogus = bad. If this keeps up I would go in for a little unfill. Maybe .5ccs. It is a valve and band placement issue, too much pressure = reflux with = hot in your food tube!! Be well dear, don't wait too long if it keeps up.
ReplyDeletehot really??? what I meant to type was hole...geez where is my brain?
ReplyDeleteCoochie coochie coo! Aren't you so cute feeling like a newbie with your fill?! :)
ReplyDeleteYou've NEVER had heartburn?
ReplyDeleteOK, another reason to hate you.
I got it horrible when I was pregnant. As in the burning in my throat, all day every day for about the last 3 months of my pregnancy. I really didn't have any other problems, including no morning sickness, so I counted myself lucky.
I got the burn right after the surgery. The first week or so I needed to sleep in the recliner because it would burn up my throat. I attribute it to something akin to vapor lock in our esophagus. Like the time I was too tight and getting stuck on everything. It didn't really feel so much like I couldn't get the food down, it was that the air in there was so tight, nothing was going to get down around it.
So, um... like being in a space ship? Think of your torso that way I guess. :)
Amy - If you are really on the fence about getting a little taken out. Try not eating anything at least 3 hours before bed. And stop drinking at least an hour before bed. If you still have issues, then it's time to get a little sucked out. Too tight is no fun and then you start grabbing food that just goes down easy = junk. It caused me to actually slow down my weight loss.
ReplyDeleteJust be careful. And by the way, you look great girl! Just wanted to say that since I haven't posted in awhile. You're an absolute hoot and hope to someday meet you in person. But hell - who comes to Ohio!
The reflux happened to me when I was too tight and I ended up with a small peptic ulcer. Sounds like the fill was a little aggressive. Hope you feel better.
ReplyDeleteI had the reflux when I was too tight too...I would stay on liquids another day or 2 and see what happens. Dr Lords office always has us do 2CLEAR 2FULL & 2MUSHIE after every fill cause he says the fill can sometimes irritate the band too.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for getting a fill!! I am contemplating one sooner than my next appt, just so I can get back on track, get the ball rolling :) I had trouble with the acid too, my doc prescribed Omerperazole to take at bedtime, or shortly before and it has done wonders. If for some reason I forget and the acid creeps up on me, a small glass of milk seems to help neutralize the acids. Keep up the great work....you are certainly an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteMy question is how long was it from the time you ate the soup until you went to bed? I found timing was/is huge. If I am tight (just after a fill)..I need 3 or more hours but I can feel how long it takes for my pouch to be completely empty before I go to bed (be one with your pouch is what Im saying here). I even drink water (only water) 30 minutes before going to bed to both test the emptiness and make sure the water isn't hanging around in there when I go to bed.
ReplyDeleteThe acid aspiration thing is wayyy worse than normal acid reflux (or at least was for me). I have handled it by being really careful for a time and then letting my band loosen up again. I can now eat later at night because the food goes through faster but if or when I get another fill I will definitely need to go on night-food watch again.
Ugh. I'm right there with you. I only got .25 ccs and up all night with reflux/night cough. Sucks. Hope yours settles down (and mine too!)
ReplyDelete