OK - I'm supposedly the *fearless leader* here in the Neighborhood --- walk the talk etc..... but today I feel like a screw-up!

In the past 4-5 weeks I have puked four different times (twice today). The first two times were on different days after stress eating turkey toooo fast. Once in a busy public restroom - lovely thank-you-very-much. Today I puked twice on water. TWICE while I was vacuuming the stairs (perhaps virtigo working from top to bottom???) ...... What's up with that? I'm 8 years out last September and still not getting it right.

Sorry if this is TMI --- just wondering if any of you still get surprised from unexpected digestive rejection? (Digestive rejection is PC for throwing up!)

You aren't a screw up. We live, we learn. I am sorry this happened. I am 2 years out and it happens to me sometimes. For me, when this happens it tickles me to know my pouch is still working!

Pregnant????????

Thanks for your fearless candor, Kaye! Yup...I puked today! Someone in the Neighborhood said in a recent post
that they can go from full to OMG in under two seconds. In MY case today, looking back, I drank a protein shake
too quickly when I was thirsty. I should NOT be quenching thirst with anything other than water or iced tea perhaps.
I can SO relate to your concerns! I do believe that we might remain prone to this reaction to what I refer to as,
The Need for Speed." We just cannot afford to hurry when nourishing our bodies or our minds. It reminds me of
George Costanza's father yelling, "Serenity NOWWW!" We have chosen the road less traveled and along the way,
I figure we're going to be more likely to get stuck with a brier or three.... stung by a bee or stub a toe. But the
view along the way is spectacular and I'm loving the overall journey!
My suggestion??? Honor your body with patience and care... {{HUGS}}

Oh look, Beth Wiksen made a funny!

Hiya Kaye---I've been having some real difficulty with this for a few months now. Plus added pain when eating most anything but soft foods or liquids. My PCP has scheduled me for an endoscopy. He thinks I may have an ulceration in my pouch or possibly a fistula from the pouch to my main stomach. If that is the case---it will mean a new surgery. This is one of the things that I have been needing to take care of and just put off.

We'll see how things work out.

Hope you find out what's up with you. The getting sick on water---that is just weird.

Pregnant???? LM-not-pregnant-AO!!!

Good one!

Today I drank a good amount of water and then used the attachment vacuum tool, bending at the waist, to vacuum the top four stairs working downward, no upward ---- that had to cause it, right? Aside from that I blame eating too fast not chewing enough. As we all know, digestion starts with chewing and skipping that step never nets a good result.

Here is a Library article about Gastrogastric Fistula --- Diane, let us know what you find out...

The getting sick on water may not be so weird. Qltyangel has a thread somewhere where she was asking about that exact thing. Some of us thought maybe she was gulping instead of sipping or maybe drinking too closely to eating. ?????

I feel for you, Kaye, because turkey is one food that Lucille does not appreciate right now. That feeling of it being there (and mine hasn't come back up) and just feeling like crapola until it digests is miserable. Maybe puking would feel better to me! LOL

I hope you both find out what's behind this & get it fixed. It's no fun to not feel well.

Jeanie

I THINK NOT PG!

Seriously Kaye, I think sometimes your body just wants you to slow down a bit. You mentioned eating too quickly and the water could have been a drinking too quickly and then doing something physical like vaccuuming too soon afterward. Screw up? Our fearless leader???? Never, never, ever! I wish I could throw up! It is better than knowing that my dumping consists of nausea and sweating like crazy but that lasts a lot longer than hurling. We all have our crosses to bear and I guess that this is one of yours.

I am many years out (1991) and still every once in a while I will get really really close to hurling. Rice and pasta are prime candiates. I learned how not to though and can't remember the last time I actually puked. For me the trick is the instant I feel that knotty feeling in my throat, get up and start walking. Saliva starts forming like crazy but I spit it out instead of swallowing it. Walking and gravity help get the knot of food down and when possible burping helps too. Finally I don't eat or drink anything after such an event for a while. It's a little painful but I much prefer walking to puking. LOL

Hi Everyone,

Kaye, so sorry to hear you have been feeling "pukeish!"

I'm taking all of the "anti-puke" advice to heart!

My surgery is set for 1/31 and the thing I am most afraid of is puking!

It has always been such a fear of mine and it is my biggest WLS worry.

I'm a teacher and I have the "luxury" of having a bathroom in my classroom,
I just hope I'll never have to use it!

Hope you feel better soon!

Darien

Hi Darien,
Don't worry to much about puking. I am pretty sure it happens to all of us especially the first 6 months or so. For me puking was actually much more of a spit up than the kind you do when you are sick. Eating to fast is the biggest cause for me. I learned pretty quickly to PAY ATTENTION to that feeling of somthing stuck in my throat and immediately put the fork down. To venture to the really gross side of things, a few years ago when I had the flu, having my band was so nice because even though I was "loosing my lunch" it was far less volume and not anywhere near as forceful as normal hurling would be. I don't know if it's the same for the RNY as it is my band though

Thanks Jas for the good word!
That eases my mind!

Darien

Ease for real...I have not puked, nor has my friend who is 2 yrs post op.

Hey Everyone - Thank you for the feedback.

Speaking physiologically it is very difficult to puke after WLS (both gastric bypass and gastric banding). The stomach is actually a muscle of vertical and horizontal muscles that expand and contract to help digest food. When we trade a full stomach for a pouch there is little muscle left to hurl - which makes it worse for when we need to puke!!! You need muscle to push it down and muscle to push it back out. A small pouch with limited muscle makes it difficult for many to puke. (Is it ok to use the word "puke" --- I just can't find a pretty word for this! ) So, that's the non-clinical explanation for why some post-WLSers have difficulty puking. As JAS said, there is a very acute warning feeling when we have pushed the envelope (aka pouch) and I can admit that I've pushed it with both rice and pasta only to proudly find myself bent over in the parking lot losing my lunch --- in fact I've learned this to such perfection I can escape with my shoes unsoiled..... (that's meant to be a joke, btw ).

It has been a very long time since I've had pouch overload to the point of rejection ..... that's why these last few times have been distressing and may I say highly annoying? Like someone else said - pouch test is complete - I know it is working.

Re: work & tummy upset --- I think I only puked at work a few times early on (like Darien I was mortified anticipating this event) but at work my diet was so well controlled that I never pushed the envelope. We each find our way, but I suppose in a good way most of us will be caught off-guard and be reminded we shall never be normal again.

Thanks again everyone - I had a good food day today - hope you did too!

I'm not a puker. Just an FYI. I WISH that I could puke, because I know that it would make me feel better when I've consumed too much too fast. So, instead, I just make a huge effort not to over fill the little pouchie-poo.

After reading your post Kaye, the first thing that came to mind was...DON'T VACUUM! Clearly, it is the act of cleaning that is making you ill. My house is a sty...I'm not sickly. There you have it. Study is complete.

Kidding aside, I do hope that you feel better tonight!

Coming up on my third surgeversary, I'm pleased to know the tool still works after eight years! Glory be!!! Personally speaking? Housework always makes me sick whether up-the-ladder-down or down-the-ladder-up. HA! I'm with Kim . . . just don't do it. LOL!

No matter what you call it, puke, throw up, up-chuck, barf, regergitation, vomit, heave, retch, spit up, eject, expel, spew, raaaaaaaalllllllllllph, it's just not pleasant! (I hope you're laughing.) When I don't chew, chew, chew like my mouth is a blender, I suffer the consequences. The same happens when I'm not paying attention and eat or drink too fast. It took me three times to learn my pouch doesn't like pasta. I guess I thought the first two times were by chance?! LOL! I don't know if this is in your experience, but I find combination of foods help to break them down when chewing making it more likely that I'm swallowing liquid with no pieces to get stuck.

Thanks for sharing your experience.