Friday, March 25, 2011

What A Day and BAND QUESTIONS !!

This is another version of my Lake Tahoe painting.  It is painting #9 and was painted in oil on a 2'x4' canvas.  I am happier with the Mountains reflection in the Lake this time.   Oh, and it looks much better in its Frame.  This was originally supposed to be our painting.  But after I started it, we decided to scale down to the RV, and where in the world would we put a 2'x4' painting in an RV???  LOL  So we gave it to Walt's boss.  He never even said thank you to me....oh well.  I guess that proves that he really didn't care for it!!  LOL

Hey Ya'll,

First off, on the Band Front.  Last night I tried sleeping on even more pillows to prevent the Acid Reflux.  I laid 2 king size pillows side by side so that I laid on them from about the waist to my head, then I placed a regular pillow at the top for my head.  It helped a LITTLE, but not good enough!  I still had Acid Reflux through the night.  The worst time it happened (at about 4 am), I was amazed at what was trying to come up.  It was what I had eaten for LUNCH!!  Shouldn't it have passed through my Stomach and been digested by this time????  This makes me wonder if I do indeed need to go have an unfill.....Walt wants me to stick to a bland diet for a few days to see if it calms down.  If not, then we will probably have to contact the Doctors office to get their recommendation.  Oh and did I mention that I am also having issues with being tight, and sliming almost every day now???  I can eat and feel fine, then an hour or two or three later, all of a sudden I will be tight and sliming.....What do you think??  Has anyone out there experienced this too?  And if so, what was your outcome????  Tonight I am sleeping on the sofa, so that I can be more upright.  If this works, then Yea!!!!!  I will keep you posted.

Well, the last two days have been nuts weather wise!  Yesterday, it snowed, but it was so windy that the snow was blowing horizontal, so it was barely sticking during the morning and early afternoon.  Then about 6:10 pm, the wind died down and the snow really started to fall!!  Within 30 minutes the ground was completely white!  By late last night, we already had about 3-4 inches of snow and by this morning we had 6 inches.  BUT...by this afternoon, it was almost completely melted!!!  Such weird weather.  LOL  We are supposed to have more snow tonight through tomorrow, then have nice weather for awhile...... :)

Since Walt will be going back to Sacramento Monday morning, we decided to do the laundry today.  But I wasn't lucky in having the laundry room to myself this time, so I only did 7 loads of laundry!  I will do the other 2 in a few days.  Well, I am tired and will get off for now.  Hoping to hear from you Bandster's that have had the same issues regarding Acid Reflux and not being able to eat much.  Till next time.....

Aloha My Friends  :)

9 comments:

Jen from Oregon said...

yikes! Sounds like you really irritated your band.
My own opinion would be to get over the counter prilosec / omeprazole 20mg. Take one 20-30 minutes before you eat or have coffee in the morning. Take another 30 minutes before you have your latest meal of the day.
I'd do this throught the weekend and continue until you can get in somewhere. You can take these for quite a long while. I have been on them for a long as 90 days (ask at the pharmacy about anything else you may be taking and the interaction)
I'd stick to protein shakes, soups/broth, apple sauce,nothing that makes your band work hard. Give it a good few days for the acid to settle and the irritation and swelling to resolve. But you may need a small unfill. This should make you more comfortable till you can get in somewhere.
Hope you feel better soon!

Kathy said...

Hi Debi, I am sorry you are suffering this way. I felt like I was reading my own posts from several months back. I had the same problem and slept on two pillows with a smaller one on top to keep me upright. That was the only way I could keep from waking with reflux during the night. I also had food from earlier in the day coming up. I continued to live this way for almost a year. I stopped losing weight and seemed to have no restriction. I also was on Prilosec the whole time and it wasn't helping. I called the doctor for a fill. When we got to the doctor's office my husband wanted me to be sure to tell the doctor about sleeping sitting up. I did, the doctor said no, I won't fill you. There is something wrong. You are too tight. I want you to have a swallow test (which is an upper GI) I had one the next week. He met me at the hospital to have it done. I drank a yucky liquid and the xray showed on the television screen how it progressed down my esophagus and instead of going to my stomach it went to a side pouch which had developed before going to the stomach. It was a dilated esophagus. He immediately unfilled me and I went back after 3 months to see if it was better. It was a little but not enough. I am now on my 6th month. I go back May 3rd for another test. Run, don't walk to the doctor. Have them check you too. The last thing my doctor said to me was if I hadn't healed completely the next time he may have to remove my band. I hope this helps you and if you want to ask me any questions please email me.

Debi said...

Jen, yes, this is what Walt wants me to do, except he is hoping that it will clear up and I won't need to go to the Doctor. I have been on Prilosec OTC for YEARS, because of all the Medications that I am on. However, I have doubled the dosage the last few nights (which basically makes it an RX strength). Even then, it hasn't helped much. :(

Kathy, I will go and read your blog back a ways to find out what you had been experiencing. I have been worrying that it could be something like what you have described. But I am ever hopeful that it isn't. I really hope that your next visit is what you want to hear, and that you don't have to have your band removed!! This is scary stuff!

Lonicera said...

Debi, I think Walt is right. I had similar problems when I had a fill last year (though not half as bad as you), and after several bad days I had a tiny unfill - and yet it left me too loose. I know now that I should have gone on to a bland diet for a few days to wait for what was almost certainly an inflammation to calm down. At least by doing that I would have been better placed to judge whether I really needed an unfill - which I didn't. As long as you can swallow water you're in no danger.
I'm sad for you that your beautiful painting wasn't appreciated... wish I had your ability to create them.
Caroline

Linda said...

Debi - be careful and really try to eat bland mushies for a few days to see if you can calm down the inflammation.

Sandy said...

Have you tried taking some Zantac before bed. It helped me pre-band when I had acid reflux. I wonder if your pouch has a little pocket where food sits. Try liquids, pureed for a day or so to see if it straightens out. Otherwise, do not be afraid of an unfill. I've now had 3 over the year.

Debi said...

Thanks Caroline! I know, you would think that he would have at least acknowledged that he was given the painting, and said thank you. Even if he hated it!!! LOL

And this is the question, do I just need to allow the inflammation to die down and keep my Fill, or go in to the Doctors office and see if I do indeed have a little pocket that is keeping me from emptying properly....

Linda, thank you so much for your suggestion too, this is what I will probably do. Hopefully it will work and I won't have to go in for the unfill...

Sandy Lee, I haven't tried Zantac (but I have used it in the past), but I do take Prilosac OTC every night, and I have doubled the dosage the last 4 nights (which makes the dosage a full strength RX Prescription, as I have had it prescribed in the past).

Which is why I am concerned....Since I am taking Prescription strength Prilosac every night, plus chewing 3 Extra Strength Tums before bedtime!!! And I still have Acid Reflux!!

Michelle said...

i had similar issues. I finally went in and I went down to 1 cc fill. I am slowly working my way back up.. I would give it about 3 days of straight liquids and if it does not heal up go to your doctor.....

Debi said...

Thanks Michelle!! I will probably do this, if not, I won't eat anything other than a bland easily eaten Oatmeal.