Living My Dream

I had revision surgery for a slipped band in November. A month later, I started having fainting spells and spasms that originate mostly in my stomach and diaphram. I have been to hospitals and doctors, had lots of tests and no one can get to the bottom of it. My lapband surgeon says it is not related to my band. All my friends and family think I should have my lapband taken out. I don't want to lose my lapband. It is my $16, 000 investment that did help me lose 85 lbs and feel super. Now I can't exercise or do much because exertion brings on these spells. I am on three medications to control the seizures but an EEG did not show they were seizures. One doctor thinks it is some kind of problem being caused by the placement of my band in proximity to the vegas nerve and is irritating the vegas nerve. I am in limbo, waiting for the medications to stop the fainting and seizures, and wanting to get back to my sweet spot and my exercise program. I also am waiting for surgery for a mass in my sinus. Has anyone ever heard of the band or the tubing irritating the vegas nerve and causing this? I am really down because my activities have been seriously cut back and I am gaining weight. Thanks for any suggestions or information you have. Lynda

Oh, and my family and friends have been telling me to remove the band too which I don't want to. I picture myself getting up to a huge size and hating myself. Do what you need to do. Maybe counselling for your eating habits. We have to make the band work for us again like it did in the beginning.

I just found your message. I haven't been on here for quite a while. Sounds like you are trying very hard but you are fighting the beast that made you and I fat in the first place, craving food. Maybe joining a group or does your lapband clinic have support in place that you can access. Unfortunately I live two hours from my clinic so I don't get to access all the lapband support they offer. If not, then start a group of lapbanders to get together where you live. You need emotional support to stop your cravings for food.You are sabotaging your own efforts and the band. I do the same then hate myself. Good luck and keep your chin up. Let me know how you are doing. Lynda P.S. In case I don't go on this site very often and see your message, you can email me at lwood@xplornet.ca

Sorry I didn't read your post til now. I was doing the same thing, eating sweets like ice cream and Cookies because my band had slipped and I was constantly feeling sick. Go back to your surgeon and get a defill. Have him check again for a slip. None of the tests ever showed a problem with my band but there was. Good luck. Let me know how you are doing. Lynda

Sorry I haven't been on this site to read your message. I am still having fainting spells and seizure like spasms from exertion. I tried calling another lapband clinic and they would not do anything unless I paid them $5000 dollars. Since I paid for my own surgery, $16,000, I don't want to pay out any more money. Especially when I am covered for everything under my own lapband surgery for life. I am now taking neurofeedback to calm my central nervous system and resting as much as possible. The doctor at the neurofeedback clinic thinks the vegal nerve was damaged during surgery and has to heal which means very little exertion. My husband pushes me in a wheelchair when we go out. Even talking or socializing brings on the fainting/spasms. I am very frustrated. Lynda

I would appreciate anything you have heard about this. I will google it again. Lynda

Yes, Elcee, I have had all those things tested. I have been taken to the emergency 10 times, 8 of those by ambulance, 2 from places in the hospital where I was having testing (lung study and tilt test, I fainted at both and they took me to the emergency). I have been admitted to four hospitals. We have a handicap sticker now and carry a wheel chair. If I feel tired and dizzy, or there will be too much walking, my husband pushes me in the wheelchair because we know I will faint. Lynda

I have been to see my lapband surgeon twice and he denies that the band will cause this. I even fainted in his office the first time and he had to call an ambulance. I have had the same problem for another 5 months since then. My lapband surgeon does not seem to care and has done nothing to help solve this. I have been tested for everything they can think of including heart problems, cancer, blood clots, low levels of blood sugar, potassium, etc. I have had blood tests, catscans, MRI's, xrays, endoscopes, you name it. I am kept groggy with all the meds they have me on to calm my body from this. I can't push myself physically or I faint and have these spasms. I am very frustrated.

Yes, I have a date for revision surgery because my band slipped. It was caused by vomiting too. I have IBS and got sick while traveling and the band took the brunt of it. I have nothing left in my band as I have had so many defills to relieve the symptoms. I have acid reflux and vomiting. I also choke and it feels like there is some obstruction in my throat and it cuts off my air so I struggle to breathe with it. The surgeon says I must have a hiatus hernia and the band is coming up through that into the esphogus. I am praying my band is fixable. I originally lost 85 lbs but have yo yoed a bit now because of the slippage. I stay at about 70 lbs lost which is still a lot more than I could do on any other weight loss program. Lynda

I was banded in January 2008 and was very successful. I lost 85 lbs over two years and was very excited to be able to wear a size 10 for the first time in my adult life. I thought I would never ever have a weight problem again. I loved my band and thought it was a miracle that I had finally conquered my weight. Almost a year ago, I had issues with a sick stomach while traveling and I had a kidney infection developing. My band tightened in the middle of my distress and I was very careful to cut back to mushy or liquid food while I got the rest of it sorted out. I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome before I got my band and have periodic episodes of nausea and vomiting. I got antibiotics and thought I would get over it. Instead, my stomach problems got worse and I could not keep anything down and was sleeping sitting up because of acid reflux even when I hadn't eaten. I finally stopped the antibiotics and my stomach settled down. Meanwhile, the vomiting and acid reflux left my band irritated and tight and I could not eat much for the next while. I knew that my band would settle down if I was careful in how and what I ate so eventually it did. From that time, I have had problems with my band getting tight on it's own and huge stomach problems. I also feel like my throat is constricted or blocked and I start choking and can not breathe well. I sound like I am barking trying to pull air through my throat. It is terrifying. I have addressed this problem with my clinic in Toronto and had had defills three times in less than a year to let my stomach settle and the band go back to normal. When I start to get filled up again the same thing starts all over. The last time, things did not settle down. I have now had three defills in a month and the problems are still ongoing. I believe the vomiting caused my band to slip and it needs replacement or repair. I am constantly in distress with my stomach and the band. I have stomach pain, vomiting, nausea, acid reflux, gas pains in my chest and back, the constriction in my throat and I can hardly eat or drink anything. I have found milk and milk shakes when I can get them down, alleviate the almost constant nausea and pain in my stomach. I am taking four over the counter medications plus a prescription for my IBS to cut down the acid in my stomach. All these and I still am in discomfort. I have not slept all night in the last month. I want my clinic to hurry up and get this fixed. It is affecting my whole life. I am also feeling tired all the time. Anyone out there with a similar experience? Especially the choking and fighting to get air through my throat.

Thanks for the kind inquiries. I now have a surgery date on June 1 for a laparoscopy and possible repair. The slimband surgeon did not have the CD of the Upper GI when I saw him last week but booked the surgery anyway because of my history. I continue to have constant gastritis and obstruction in my throat. I am praying that they can do a simple fix and I can again work with my band. It has been the best thing for me to control my weight finally. Because I can still hardly eat anything, my weight is almost down to my lowest but I was debating whether I need to lose maybe 15 pounds from that. I just hope I don't ricochet up again after surgery depending on what happens. I thought I had finally found the utlmate weight loss tool for me when all this started. I will let you know what happens. I am not on this site very much but I get your messages in an email. Lynda

This is the third time in a year I have had big defills so my stomach and band could rest and go back to normal. this time the problems have not resolved despite 3 defills in the last month. With the past defills, the problems came back once I started doing fills and got close to my sweet spot.

I did go to our local emergency and they couldn't help me they said. So much for those bandsters that live some distance from their lapband clinics and doctors. You can't get help just anywhere because they don't know how to help with the band.

Hi Thanks for your message. I have heard that milk and milk shakes make things worse. I am using it as a temporary fix right now til I can see my lapband doctor and my IBS doctor. Milk and milk shakes also don't help with weight loss so I can't follow a proper healthy diet to lose weight til I get my stomach and band issues resolved. I appreciate your input.

I am going through similar problems with my band right now. How can a person be intolerant of their band? God I hope my band can be fixed.

Thanks Doddie. I am waiting for the results of my upper GI and then I have an appointment on May 2. It is just taking soooooo long and I am in misery 24/7

thanks. I am sure that is what happened but this waiting is getting to me. The upper GI should show everything I hope then they can book surgery to fix it. Cross your fingers it is asap.

Just came back from my family doctor's and got a 1/2 cc fill which takes me back to where I was before they took out 2 cc June 29 at Slimband. I feel quite restricted and have only had water in the first couple of hours since my fill. I will stay on liquids today and tomorrow, then mushies before trying solid food. I hope this takes my hunger and craving for carbs away. I want to lose what I gained (almost 30 lbs) and then finish the last 10 or so after that to goal. Wish me luck.

Well, here I am, 3 months shy of being banded 3 years and in a position I never thought I would be in again. I have gained about 30 lbs since the end of June and my clothes are all tight. I have to search out my big clothes again. and sob, my lovely new clothes in size 10 don't fit. I am also depressed that this has happened. The main reason it happened was that I had to get a defill of 2 cc when my stomach was so upset and my band so tight. That was not my doing. What I do blame myself for is not controlling my eating. God knows I have dieted a million times in my life so I know how to lose weight and how to make good choices in my food. I had no restriction and I ate everything and anything. I was especially addicted to junk food and sweet stuff so of course I gained quickly. I have had 1 1/2 cc fills put back in and do feel restricted but not enough I guess. I can't get past my head hunger it seems. Probably because I was sooo restricted when my band was too tight, now I am bingeing. I started going to Curves again and am trying to eat healthy. I am going to get another fill of 1/2 cc. That will take me back to the full 2 cc I had taken out the end of June. I am so afraid my band is not going to work for me again. Anyone else struggling with similar circumstances?:thumbup:

Thank you so much for your encouragement everyone. I need to check out this site everyday right now so I can stay focussed. I get great support from my fellow lapbanders who understand.

It has been 2 1/2 years since I was banded. I got down to size 10 and my lowest weight was 155 lbs. My husband and I were traveling in March to May this year. I got sick with a kidney infection on our drive to Florida. My stomach got upset with my IBS and I was nauseated. My band got really tight in the middle of all that and the end result was MILKSHAKES! My stomach was so upset and my band so tight that I was living on very little food but could drink milk and milkshakes felt very comforting. They settled my stomach and filled me up. I got antibiotics when I got to Orlando but they made my stomach more upset. I was throwing up a lot and had terrible heartburn, throwing up if I laid down. I spent most nights sleeping sitting up. I was in misery. It was not caused by my band but my band got into the middle of everything. I needed a defill but was out of my country. I tried everything - bland foods, eating mushy or liquids, using antacids constantly. Nothing helped. We got home from our trip to Florida and I got more antibiotics because I felt like the infection was still there. I also got a small defill. We were leaving again only 10 days later for Hawaii for our 40th anniversary. When we got to Honolulu for the first week, I got really sick again. I was very nauseated and throwing up. My band felt very constricted again and I stopped taking my antibiotics. My stomach settled down but the band stayed very tight. When we got home from Hawaii the first week of May, I was sick again for about 4 days, vomiting and nausea. My band seemed even tighter and I could hardly eat anything. It was hard to even drink tea. My band seemed to have tightened on it's own again. Then I started having choking episodes and I felt like my stomach/pouch was up in my throat. I had a few episodes where I couldn't breathe and had to concentrate to relax my throat and let the food or drink go down so I could get my breath. I was terrified. I could not understand what was happening. It seemed like the band had slipped. I phoned and talked to my clinic and they advised me over the next few days to get a big defill. I did that and my stomach and band settled down. I had severe gas pains for about three days following the defill that doubled me over and I was in agony, pacing the floor and crying with the pain. Bandster hell. Finally that stopped. I then felt no restriction and was eating too much and too much junk. I started gaining weight and felt so upset with myself. I tried to stop overeating and watch what I was consuming but continued. I needed my band refilled. A month after my defill of 2 cc, I went back for a fill of 1 cc. that gave me back some restriction but I was still gaining weight. We had our 40th Anniversary party on Aug 7 and I felt self conscious and fat. I changed dresses to cover up my 14 lb weight gain. Other people didn't notice but I could feel the extra weight around my middle especially. I missed feeling svelte and beautiful and in control. I have had a lot of company and been too busy to spend any time on my Curves program or eating patterns. I am feeling more restriction now but have had another setback.After all the problems with my stomach, my doctor sent me for tests. One test I had on Monday this week was a barium swallow. The radiologist asked me questions before the test about what had been going on. He was not knowledgeable about lapbands but could see it in the xray. He told me that it was sitting on top of my stomach not like the picture on my lapband card I showed him. I guess my band has slipped and I am anxious to get it back to normal again before I gain too much weight. I wish I could control my eating and lose some weight through just diet. I really love my band and how wonderful it made me feel to lose all that weight in the first place. Wish me luck! :wink2::glare:

I had my band all checked out - barium swallow and xrays and it had not slipped at all. I just needed a large enough defill and then let my stomach rest before getting my band filled back up. It worked and I am healthy as a horse, as they say. I learned a lot about managing my band and what to do if I get into that problem again - get a defill asap and let my stomach rest.

Hi I live in Ontario. My husband and I both have lapbands and went to Toronto, Slimband clinic. Our daughter is in northern Saskatchewan and is just looking into lapband surgery and must travel to Regina. Is that where you had surgery? When did you have lapband surgery? Lynda

Hi joel My husband and I have lapbands and live in Ontario. Our daughter is looking into getting lapband in Saskatchewan where she lives. The closest place is Regina. Where are you? What other clinics are there in Saskatchewan? Where can you get fills in Saskatchewan? any places in or near Prince Albert? Lynda