Rteest

<TABLE class=tborder id=post1209250 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD class=alt1 id=td_post_1209250 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #c9ced4 1px solid">I was banded in June 2008. Everything seemed fine and on track until December 2008. I began experiencing problems and kept going back to the surgeon to have my band unfilled. I would feel ok a few days then go back to being sick again...excessive vomiting, dehydration, and minimal infrequent bowel movements. I have been through many tests the last few months, an upper GI, endoscopy, and most recently a GES..gastric emptying study. It's been determined my digestive system is working too slow. The purpose of the band is to keep the food in the stomach longer so you feel full, but mine seems to be to the extreme. I am getting backed up and theres no where for the food to go but back out the top. A gastroenterologist ordered the GES test and I have to go back for my follow up, but they suggest I take a medicine to speedup digestion...its called REGLAN. They said i had to sign a legal waiver before it could be prescribed though as it has major side effects including involuntary muscle reflexes and suicidal effects. Needless to say I will be refusing to take this medicine. I am scheduled to see my band surgeon to see what his opinion is, and I plan on having my band emptied for now. I have lost 93 pounds in 10 months, too fast really, as I can barely eat, and have never gotten beyong the soft foods stage. I was just curious if having the band has caused this effect on anyone elses digestive system. I did not have this situation before being banded. I dont know if emptying the band at this point will help my digestive system. </TD></TR><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: #c9ced4 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #c9ced4 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #c9ced4 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #c9ced4 1px solid"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

UPDATE: I had so much trouble with my band for a year. After my 2nd fill in Spet 08, I was sick all the time, losing too much too fast, throwing up daily, awake all night with reflux, and barely able to eat. I kept going back to the lapband surgeon and he would take some Fluid out, then I would be ok for awhile, then the problems would start again. In May 09 I had my band taken down to 1cc. I felt much better and was able to eat better and function in life until August 09. The problems all began to come back and I barely had anything in my band. After a particularly rough week of not being able to keep any food down, then eventually I could not even keep in a sip of Water, I called the dr's service over a weekend. I was so weak and dehydrated. They admitted me to the hospital and I had an upper GI, then band was totally emptied. It was determined my lapband had slipped and my stomach was herniated up into the band. I had lapband replacement surgery on Sept 17. It took a year for this problem to be diagnosed. While I lost 90 pounds, I was sick most of that time and couldnt enjoy life. I had endoscopies and upper GI's during that year but nothing ever showed up. Somehow everytime I was tested the band was in place. I feel much better now. I go for my 1st fill on Oct 28. My band is empty now, I feel just a slight restriction but can eat most anything except bread. I have gained some weight back, and quickly. Hopefully this time the fills will work like they are supposed to instead of making me sick. Thankfully my health insurance paid for my lapband replacement as well.

I had lapband surgery in June 2008. I had some GERD, acid reflux, and minor stomach ulcer issues before that and was on protonyx. After surgery the surgeon kept me on protonyx, which I still take. 6 months after surgery, I had some stressful things going on and I began to get reflux issues. I went for days not sleeping, because everytime I would drift off to sleep I would get reflux, even if I had eaten hours before. I would get awake choking and sputtering from the reflux. I have tried sitting up in a chair, but it still happens. All day long I am constantly belching and getting reflux, It's tough to get a night's sleep. If I take any tylenol or eat anything tomato based, cirtus based, or spicy, I throw up most everything for several days. The surgeon took some saline out of my band, saying I had pressure in it. For about 2 weeks I was better but now the reflux/sleep issue has gotten worse again. I have an appointment to see a gastroenterologist. I'm not losing much now because of having some taken out of the band, despite throwing up almost everyday. I'm just very frustrated here. My stomach feels as though it's constantly on fire. I am afraid I will have to have my band removed for GERD reflux and ulcer issues. Has anyone else experienced this. I thought the GERD would get better after losing weight. I am down 75 pounds now. Somehow it just seems to have intensified my previous stomach issues. Any thoughts, input or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

My problems with reflux also started after my 2nd fill. I was already taking protonyx prior to my banding as I already had GERD. I have a 10cc band, and got 3cc's the first fill...no problems, in fact after a week or so I could go back to eattign most anything. The 2nd fill was 4 weeks later...only 1cc to make a total of 4cc's in my band. By that evening I could not even keep a sip of water down and had to meet the surgeon in the er tne next day in between his surgeries to have the 1cc removed. This was Sept 08. I was still having trouble with vomiting and went back a week later to have another half cc taken out. i seemed ok for awhile but gradually developed this reflux by December 08. many sleepless nights and waking up vomiting or choking. In Jan 09 I saw the dr and he took out half a cc and sent me for an upper gi in Feb 09. It showed my band emptied very slow but the surgeon didnt seem concerned by that. They saw no band slippage. I went back in early March 09 still having troubles with reflux and not sleeping because of it. By this time the surgeon was only allowing me to see his PA. I could tell they all thought i was just imagining things. I went back at the end of March 09 and had more taken out of the band by the PA and was told not to come back for 3 months, that I may gain some weight. In the meantime I had taken it upon myself to see a gastro dr. I knew years ago because of my weight they had told me I had reflux, gerd, and hiatal hernia. He did an endoscopy, and not understanding lapbands well, told me i just eat too much. He prescribed Kapidex for the reflux. On my follow up a month later the gastros PA listened to all my issues and sent me for a GES...gastric emptying study...it too showed my food was sitting in the pouch too long. The want me to take REGLAN, to speed up the digestion. This is a drug with many side effects and has many pending lawsuits because of side effects. I am scared to death top take it. I just cant seem to get all the dr's together on 1 page. I was about the 40th band that my surgeon did. He knows the surgical part but doesnt seem interested in the follow up or after care. It is very frustrating. I feel terrible most of the time, cant sleep from the reflux, get dizzy and can barely eat or drink. I have 1.5cc's in my band. I see my surgeon this week and am asking to have the band emptied.

I would certainly think insurance should cover that since its causing you all sorts of medical issues. They (your surgeon) should have fixed the kink the moment they found it it was there...knowing eventually it would cause problems. I would get that addressed ASAP. I have trouble eatting and drinking also, not from a kink, but that causes so many other issues eventually. Good luck and I hope things work out for you.

I saw my family dr yesterday, whom I hadn't seen in 6th months. She seemed very concerned of all my band issues. She said she would do her part to help me. I spoke to her about REGLAN, she said its been around for a long time and used a lot. She said if I was 85 I shouldnt take it, but she felt I would tolerate it ok and that it can be stopped if any side effects occur. It still makes me leary to take it. She ordered all types of bloodtests, which the band surgeon never does. I am to have the following blood tests done: METAB PNL, COMP....TSH....CBC W/AUTOMATED DIFF...B12 LEVEL....and IRON SERUM. I know that TSH is for thyroid issues, which I have and see an endocrinologist for, and B12 and IRON, but does anyone know what the other tests are looking for? My dr mentioned something about potassium too. I told the dr I was getting no nutrition and basically living on dairy, which is about the only thing I dont throw up, and that I have bouts of constipation, then severe diarrhea, and a lot of dizziness. I am getting very little protein or fiber. I have almost constant stomach pain, like a burning, which some others have mentioned here also. I will have to try the pineapple and see what happens. I will have to drink pineappple juice as I doubt pieces of actual pineapple would stay down for me. I see my band surgeon in a few days, but he really hasn't been very helpful. He's a surgeon and knows that part, but doesn't seem to know what do do with issues afterward. I wish he would associate with other dr's to help patients follow through with issues afterward. I feel like most dr's are guessing here. After almost passing out twice at work, I am extremely concerned. I dont know if I almost passed out due to dehydration, or my electrolites and potassium levels are way off.

I also have a 10cc band, I never did get more than 4 cc's in it. I am down to 1.5 cc's now, I am hoping an unfill helps but I hardly have anything in it now, I dont know how much of a difference I will notice if the bans is empty. Thanks for the information.

Winthrop, I'm sorry to hear of all you have been through. I am glad to hear getting a complete unfill has made you feel better. If I may ask, how much was in your band when you decided to get a complete unfill? And what size band do you have? I too can tell that anytime I received a fill or had a bad bout of vomiting, that my stomach was injured/traumatized and needed time to heal. It is odd how everyoness body's/stomachs react differently. Thank you all for the suggestions and support.

It is frustrating that no doctors seem to know what to do with us...even the surgeons who do the banding aren't sure what to do when a problem or complication arises. I'm not sure if I ever would have gotten banded if I had known that no one could help us with a post op issue. I get tired of the people in the surgeon's office rolling their eyes, telling me to tough it out, or acting like they don't believe my symptoms, then just telling me anything to placate me to get me out of the office. We are the ones with this band inside of us, we know when we don't feel right and something's wrong. Dr's need to start listening more instead of dismissing us. They really dont know all the answers, and should admit to that. I realize everything has side effects, but people who are downright miserable need help and to have their issues addressed.

I was banded in June 2008. Everything seemed fine and on track until December 2008. I began experiencing problems and kept going back to the surgeon to have my band unfilled. I would feel ok a few days then go back to being sick again...excessive vomiting, dehydration, and minimal infrequent bowel movements. I have been through many tests the last few months, an upper GI, endoscopy, and most recently a GES..gastric emptying study. It's been determined my digestive system is working too slow. The purpose of the band is to keep the food in the stomach longer so you feel full, but mine seems to be to the extreme. I am getting backed up and theres no where for the food to go but back out the top. A gastroenterologist ordered the GES test and I have to go back for my follow up, but they suggest I take a medicine to speedup digestion...its called REGLAN. They said i had to sign a legal waiver before it could be prescribed though as it has major side effects including involuntary muscle reflexes and suicidal effects. Needless to say I will be refusing to take this medicine. I am scheduled to see my band surgeon to see what his opinion is, and I plan on having my band emptied for now. I have lost 93 pounds in 10 months, too fast really, as I can barely eat, and have never gotten beyong the soft foods stage. I was just curious if having the band has caused this effect on anyone elses digestive system. I did not have this situation before being banded. I dont know if emptying the band at this point will help my digestive system.

I am going through very similar symptoms as dragon is. I have a 10cc band which I received in June 2008. 6 weeks later I had my first fill...3cc's. I felt some restriction for a week then seemed I could eat most anything again, didn't lose anything really. 4 weeks later I had my 2nd fill....1cc. By that evening I was so tight I couldnt not even swallow a sip of water and had to have an emergency unfill of the 1cc the next day. A week later of pain vomiting and no eatting and some weight loss, I went back for another unfill of a half cc. I had a lot of trouble eatting solids after this, so stuck mostly with soft mushy foods. In December I had some stressful family situations happen, and it just seemed to make the band feel tighter. From september through december I had lost over 40 pounds. I was averaging 10 pounds per month of loss. I just started feeling weaker and weaker, and could eat less and less. Finally nothing solid, just mush. It also seems to get even worse each month when I get my period. Ice cream has become my staple food. I am not getting the nutrition I need. I started having trouble taking any kinds of pills, I was on BP meds, an iron pill, daily multivitamins, protonyx, and a thyroid med. Anytime I would take a pain med, even tylenol or liquid tylenol, It made everything so much worse. I started getting terrible reflux at night, not acid, but just what was laying in my pouch. This caused many sleepless nights, I was already taking protonyx for this. The surgeon ordered an upper gi which showed my pouch was emptying very slow but otherwise everything looked fine, no slip of the band. In Feb 2009 they did a slight unfill of half cc. I was still only eatting mostly ice cream and losing 10 pounds per month, not sleeping well from reflux. I went back in March still not feeling well and the dr did another half cc unfill. I am dizzy, and lethargic most of the time, I assume from poor nutrition, being dehydrated from lack of food and liquid and get a lot of pain in my stomach, around the band and below it. I took it upon myself to see a gastroenterologist who did an endoscopy. He came in after my scope and said your pouch is stretched out you eat too much and fill up your stomach so of course thats why you throw up so much. I was exasperated at this point, because I could barely eat or drink anythign during a days time and still going without much sleep due to the reflux. I was back at the surgeons for another half cc unfill...I have 1.5cc's in a 10cc band, still only eatting mush and ice cream, still nauseated dizzy and lethargic. Gastro dr put me on a new reflux med called Kapidex, which helps some. He sent me for a GES...gastric emptying study. It too, like the upper gi, showed that my pouch empties very slow, so I am getting backed up. I am not getting any fiber in my diet to help push things through, and protein drinks and any foods with fiber just dont seem to want to go down at all. My hair is falling out also. The gastro dr wants me to take a med called REGLAN, which has major side effects, but somewhat speeds up your digestion. I see my family dr this week, the band surgeon next week and the gastro dr in 2 weeks. I am at a loss here. I feel what some of you do about being frustrated. I dont want to lose my band, but I have lost too much too fast and it has caused a bevy of other issues. I dont know if I have a slight slippage which no one has picked up on or if my body just cant tolerate the band. I am happy to have lost 93 pounds but in 10 months thats a lot. I can not enjoy the benefits of the weight loss. Im sick and tired of being sick and tired. I dont always feel like the band surgeon knows what hes doing as he told me on one visit to try to tough it out. The gastro dr is trying to help but hes unfamiliar with lapbands really. I have missed so many days of work due to tests, drs appts, and simply not feeling well. As I write this post I am sitting up in the middle of the night so sleepy, but having reflux that wont allow me to sleep. I barely ate anything today, but what little I did eat is still sitting in the pouch 12 hours later, not wanting to come up or go down through.

Thanks for the advice...in the next week I have appointments coming up with my family dr, the lapband surgeon, and the gastroenterologist, I will see what they all have to say. I know the gastro dr doesnt understand things about lapbands, and the lapband surgeon doesnt understand all there is to know about the digestive system, I just with the 2 of them were in 1 room with me when we discuss it. So many places I have gone or peopel I have seen are unfamiliar with lapbands and the effects...and there really is no long term research on any effects.

Restless monkey are you familiar with REGLAN? I looked it up online and was scared to death reading all the potential side effects and having the dr's office ask me to sign a legal document before it could be prescribed.

I wondered if anyone else had trouble taking pain medication since being banded? I know we aren't supposed to use motrin, and I don't. But even things like tylenol, liquid tylenol, or something like midol really messes me up for a week or so after taking just one or 2 pills or doses. I have had numerous tests, upper GI, endoscopy and theres nothing wrong in my stomach except a minor irritation near the bottom of the stomach. I was taking 40 mg of protonyx for GERD and reflux, and now am on 60 mg of a new stomach med called Kapidex, a slow release med for reflux. It helps a little but not enough. Last week after taking 2 midols, with food already in, I had throwing up and reflux for over a week, causing a mostly sleepless week and a loss of 6 pounds in a week due to not being able to keep anything down, not even most liquids. I just came from the dr and had half a cc taken out of my band, which I also had done about 8 weeks ago for the same issue. I do not have a hiatal hernia, I do not have h. pylori, no ulcers. Dr's, my band surgeon and a gastroenterologist, seem baffled by tylenol or midol causing such a reaction. They don't seem to know what else to do or try or say.

I too am cold most of the time after losing 80 pounds. I have had to call the heating oil company several times to fill my oil furnace tank because it was nearly empty. I have never had to do that before. I used to keep my heat on 68 degrees over the winter. This winter I have usually set it on 75-76 degrees. I sleep with 3 blankets on my bed, and wear a sweatshirt sweatpants and socks also under all the covers and the high heat. I was never a cold person before being banded.

Chicken is very dry......befriend a small food processor to chop up meats...and when things are wet they go down much better...try mixing chopped up chicken with some mayo or eat it with gravy and mashed potatoes.

I'm sure you have a leak going on somewhere, that will not fix itself. It could be the port, tubing, or the band itself. Whatever it is needs to be found and replaced. Dr's i think dont like to hear that theres a leak bacause they know its money out of their pocket to have to go back in and replace something. It could have been faulty from the company or perheps the dr, on giving you a fill, poked the needle in the wrong place and caused the leak. 2 people in my support group have had leaks, one in the tubing, because her port had turned and the other person had a band leak. The port and tubing were replaced, but shes till fighting with insurance as to who will pay for it. The other person found to have a band leak, is stuck. The company would not admit to a faulty band and if he wants another he will have to pay for it himself. I wish you luck, but if they take the Fluid out and its less than what they but in there is definately a leak. Be assertive and make the dr follow through with fixing things.

I had a tough time after my second fill. I have a 10 cc band and for the first fill got 3 cc's. I had only a slight restriction. A month later I went back for fill #2, I received 1cc. By that evening I couldnt even get a sip of water down. The next morning I called the surgeons office and was told he's in surgery all day. I met him in the ER between surgeries and he took out the 1 cc from the day before. At that point My stomach was very swelled and sore from throwing up and the band being too tight. I tried for a week to tough it out...barely eatting or drinking anything. I went back and the dr had to take out another 1/2 cc. At this point I seemed to hit my sweet spot, and the weight began to come off steadily. Up to this point I had hardly lost any weight 3 months post surgery, about 15 pounds. You do need to tough it out somewhat, but if youre in pain or can hardly keep anything down, you need an unfill. I think a lot of dr's dont pay attention to patients, they are more interested in the weight loss and # on the scale than listening to what the real person is telling them. You have to know what you want when you go in to see the dr. I have learned this over the months of being banded. And if you want some taken out be insistant...they will relent. Youre the only one who knows how you feel. I am to the point to where I tell them how much I want in a fill or an unfill...I can only handle small fills, such as 1/2 cc or 1/4 cc. After awhile your fills will last for many months as you continue to lose. Meat is something I can not really eat. The first 2 questions the dr asks when I go for a fill are.....can you eat meat? and does your stomach growl? If you say no he says youre doing great. I really cant eat meat, very rarely and only then if its chopped up in a food processor and smothered in gravy to make it wet enough not to stick. We all have to learn whats right for ourselves now, everyone is different. I only have 2 cc's in my band right now and I can not eat very much. Good luck to you.

Where can you get biotin?

At one point I was having some issues with too much restriction and keeping food down and I feared that my band had somehow slipped. The surgeon told me if the band did happen to move out of position, you would feel a lot of pain and not be able to keep any food down. I did have an upper GI just to make sure though, my band was just too tight at that point but had not slipped. A slight unfill helped.

That is incredible! Congratulations to you! I can not wait for the day that happens to me. I started out as a size 28, and now just getting into size 16s. Its amazing the little things that happen you realize the weight caused. I hardly ever could fit into a booth in a restaurant, now theres at least 8-9 inches between me and the table. When I would go for a check up the nurse always had to go out of the room to get the large blood pressure cuff.....now they can use the regular sized one on me, I had to move up my car seat as my belly wasnt taking up all the room and rubbing on the steering wheel anymore....I ran into 2 people I had not seen for a few months, and they did not recognize me at first. I can't wait for the day I don't have to shop at lane bryant or cj banks.

As part of my endoscopy some tissue was sent to be biopsied for H. Pylori. I have not heard about the results of that yet. They said it would take a week to 10 days for testing and I go back to see the gastro dr in 4 weeks. He did not mention anything about hiatal hernia either, so that was not an issue. I do think stress plays a part in all my issues as well. And the band seems to tighten and I throw up more and get more reflux when I have ahd a stressful day. I will be interested to see the results of the H. Pylori test.

Well, as an update to my original post....I went to see a gastroenterologist and he reccommended having an endoscopy. I had the test a few days ago. It showed some minor irritation in the bottom of my stomach, but everything else was normal. He saw evidence that my pouch had stretched. I did not think it was possible to have the pouch stretched, according to the dietician that does the support meetings I go to. The gastro dr said he suspects I eat too much. I have now lost 80 pounds since June 24, 2008. In those almost 9 months, I don't think I could have been eatting too much. But maybe so, who knows. A gastro dr knows all about stomachs but not much about bands. The surgeon who implants the band knows all about the surgery yet not much about what complications can follow. The gastro dr did put me on a new stomach med called KLAPIDEX, a slow release medicine for esophogeal erosion and GERD. I have felt much better since being on this med. And am trying not to eat 'too much'. I still do get the reflux, burping, belching, and sleepless nights, just doesnt seem as often. So maybe being on this med for awhile will help.

Lucky you for being able to eat chili...I have 2cc's in a 10c band and I can not eat chili.