I'm going to go out on a limb today and blog about a topic that everyone is familiar with. . . poop. That's right, you heard me. :) If that's TMI for you, just enjoy the lovely picture and stop reading right now!Before I got banded, I would get upset stomachs all of the time -- at least once or twice a week. I don't know if that was due to what I was eating, or the amount I was eating, but I'm guessing it may have been the latter, since I still eat most of the same things. Since I've been banded, however, I noticed that this almost never happens. My stomach is serene, the formerly "delicate balance" is fine and, well, things are running like clockwork.
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I'd been hesitating about posting about this personal topic, but it's such a positive side-effect about being banded for me that I thought it was important to include!
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I will say that I worry about getting food poisoning or a bad stomach flu while I'm at restriction. I know that if this happens, I need to get to a doctor immediately for an un-fill. I'm thinking about asking my doctor to give me a syringe to keep at home, just in case I ever have an emergency. I don't expect that un-filling myself would be that difficult, and I'd rather do that than have to rush to the hospital while I'm in dire need of throwing up and other things. . .
8 comments:
I am so glad you posted this. You addressed one of my "need to know - afraid to ask" subjects! I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and an wondering if the band will help that - I sure hope so!
Same for me, re: need to know, don't wanna ask!
I used to eat myself sick to varying degrees and severities. Since the surgery I've had two bad tummy aches, both were because I'd been on liquids so long that the long past due BMs were painful.
I look forward to stomach ache free days!
I must say, I have had the exact same experience before and after! It's a GREAT side effect :)
Bowel Habits After Bariatric Surgery
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/klu/os/2008/00000018/00000010/00009456
Abstract: Disordered bowel habits might influence quality of life after bariatric surgery. Different types of bariatric operations—gastric banding (AGB), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), or biliopancreatic diversion (BPD)—might alter bowel habits as a consequence of the surgical procedure used. Whether change in bowel habits affects quality of life after AGB, RYGB, or BPD differently is unknown.
The study group contained 290 severely obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery between August 1996 and September 2004 [BPD: n = 103, 64.1% women, age 43 ± 1 years (mean ± SEM), BMI 53.9 ± 0.9 kg/m2, weight 153.4 ± 2.9 kg; Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: n = 126, 73.0% women, age 43 ± 1 years, BMI 44.2 ± 0.3 kg/m2, weight 123.8 ± 1.5 kg; adjustable gastric banding (AGB): n = 61, 57.4% women, age 44 ± 1 years, BMI 49.9 ± 0.5 kg/m2, weight 146.1 ± 2.0 kg). Changes in bowel habits, flatulence, flatus odor, and effects on social life were estimated at least 4 months after surgery using a self-administered questionnaire.
Fecal consistency changed significantly after surgery. Loose stools and diarrhea were more frequent after BPD and RYGB (P < 0.001) but more so after BPD than after either RYGB or AGB (P < 0.002). Constipation was more likely after AGB (P = 0.03). In addition, malodorous flatus affecting social life was more frequent after BPD than after either RYGB or AGB (P < 0.003). Furthermore, flatus frequency increased after BPD and RYGB, and patients were more bothered by their malodorous flatus than after AGB (all P < 0.001). Flatus severity score was highest in BPD, intermediate in RYGB, and lowest in AGB patients (all P < 0.001), a difference that was not influenced by frequency of metabolic syndrome before and after surgery. Moreover, observation period after surgery had no influence on overall results of bowel habits. Subsore quality of life bariatric analysis and reporting outcome system (BAROS) scores were largely similar between all three groups. However, flatulence severity score correlated inversely with quality of life estimated by BAROS in BPD and RYGB, but not in AGB patients.
The type of bariatric surgery affects bowel habits in an operation-specific manner, resulting mainly in diarrhea after BPD and RYGB, and constipation after AGB. Flatulence severity impairs quality of life most in BPD, is intermediate in RYGB, and is only minor after AGB, a phenomenon that was only partially mirrored in quality-of-life measures of BAROS.
OK, I have to admit that was fascinating (really gross, but fascinating)! Thanks, Chris -- and, congratulations on your amazing bike ride!
Funny that they don't tell you about this advantage of banding vs. bypass. . :)
Catherine
I had the same issue but I still wonder if part of mine was stress related. Now that my life seems to be taking a more positive direction I haven't had any issues, and the band I am sure helps that too!
Hi, I just wanted to say that I enjoy reading your blog, in fact all the blogs I read are full of great information. But I wanted to apologize for my double entry as a new follower. I had attempted to add my photo & it wouldn't work, so I tried it again a second time, still didn't work! Finally, my husband told me how to do it. Unfortunately, I am unable to delete the extra one!
No worries, Debi!
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