Cinderoo

Had my lap band placed in 2003. I am wondering if by saying "vomiting", people are actually referring to regurgitating a mouthful of food. Before I learned to eat appropriately, this happened to me several times. My husband was ever so patient, kind, and understanding that I would just bring an opaque cup to the table with me so I could bring up and spit out the offending food. Again, my question to readers is, are you actually vomiting or merely spitting out food that you've regurgitated. This is vitally important to me because of the following: In 2008, I had pneumonia and took a big swig of guaifenesin to suppress my cough. Immediately I needed to throw up -- not regurgitate but actually throw up. This was my first time since I had the band placed. I couldn't throw up; just had a couple of dry heaves. Then I got a "thunderclap" headache, worst pain ever, I became diaphoretic (cold sweats) and couldn't control my bladder. What I suffered was a subarachnoid hemorrhage. I was hospitalized in ICU for over a week. Luckily, I had no permanent brain damage due to the location of the bleed. I contacted my surgeon and wanted the band removed out of fear that this may happen again but he refused, saying that he couldn't justify the surgery because he didn't think the bleed was actually caused by the band. Jump forward three years, in 2011 I had another subarachnoid bleed. This time it was deeper in my brain and I had some significant brain damage. I had a very complex job with lots of multitasking. I was unable to perform my duties and had lost my critical thinking skills. I had to retire. Again, the surgeon refused to remove the band because mine was the only case he had ever heard of. I am commenting and asking because I want to find out if anybody else has had any problems similar to mine. Thanks for reading.

Hi Lisacaron: Thanks for your post. You certainly hit all the salient points that my neurosurgeons and neurologists did after my first head bleed. No AVMs, no aneurysms, no trauma, nothing structurally wrong in the brain. They called both bleeds idiopathic and spontaneous. Both quit bleeding on their own without surgical intervention. Since I am a (retired) registered nurse, I was kept very well updated and asked all pertinent questions. And, as an RN, even I couldn't convince them to look at the lap band as a potential cause. I haven't pursued it as far as I plan to, but my bariatric surgeon says, because it's still in place and functioning, Medicare protocol will not allow him to remove it (and get paid by them.) So, I am looking at paying out of pocket for it. Ah, such is life. Since there doesn't seem to be many -- if any -- lap band recipients who have experienced what I have, I doubt you have much to worry about regarding Medicare coverage.

Dear 2muchfun: I was diagnosed with hypertension only AFTER my first head bleed. Never had it before and I checked my BP often. I don't think the neurosurgeons and neurologists are being sinister or anything, I just think they haven't heard of a lap band causing a subarachnoid hemorrhage before. My surgeon won't fudge on anything. He's straight-up and I like that. Since I had to take a medical retirement from nursing after my second head bleed, I'm now on Medicare. It's always been their policy to remove a lap band only if it fails mechanically. Since it hasn't (it still holds a fill), I don't meet the protocol. One of those 'stranger than fiction' things, I guess. Thanks for reading and posting.

Just want to put it out there and possibly see if anybody has ever experienced increased intracranial pressure while vomiting. Not just coughing up food but actually vomiting from the flu or other GI upset. I have -- twice. And both times I experienced a subarachnoid hemorrhage which put in Intensive Care both times. The second time I had enough brain damage that I was forced to retire as a Registered Nurse. None of the doctors I have encountered -- neither the neurosurgeons nor the bariatric surgeons, believe that my lap band caused the head bleeds. Why would they not? Has anyone ever NOT had either bloodshot eyes or a slightly more significant vessel break in their eyes when vomiting -- with or without a band? Well, a subarachnoid bleed is just a little deeper. I would love to have my band removed (it was deflated when I had the bleeds) but nobody will remove it unless I pay out of pocket. I guess the insurance companies would rather pay about $500,000 for each episode of head bleeds for me than pay the mere pittance it would cost to remove the band. Any comments or experiences from anyone?