Lap Band and CPR

[AlienBandit 10]

Ok I know this is a strange question but can someone performing CPR on you hurt your band or your stomach because of the band? I began to wonder this the other day because of the location of where the band is and if someone doesnt know I have the band.

I have kept my band a secret from everyone I know but I am always worried something could go wrong if I was in an accident or something and no one knew I had the band. I think I might get a medical alert Bracelet.< /p>

I know there are a few people on here who are nurses or might know the right answer to this question about CPR.

[Humming Bird 275]

I have to take a CPR class every 2 years. It seems to me that if done properly, it won't cause a problem with your band. The chest compressions are done in the center. Your stomach and band are to the left.

[mommymya 1]

I was told by the nurse who runs my support group that we should absolutely have a mediacl alert bracelet/necklace, etc. She was saying that if we were to need a secured airway, the band could get gurt from the tube going in. I don't know about chest compressions, but for the reason she gave, I bought myself an alert charm to put on whatever Bracelet I may be wearing at the time. Hope this helps!

[onenuttynurse 0]

Well this is my thought...If you are needing to be tubed or getting chest compressions. I wouldn't care so much about the band as I would making damn sure they do those compressions right. Because in the end...if they dont get you back, the band isn't really going to matter at that point........Crista(nurse for 20 years)

[AlienBandit 10]

its not the band I am worried about because I know it can be replaced if something happens but I am worried about my stomach or area around it getting damaged ( ie if i have internal bleeding from the band being pulled or it ripping my stomach and if I am unconscious they wont know that I might/could have internal problems if they dont know about the band.

Thanks for the input everyone

[mommymya 1]

Well this is my thought...If you are needing to be tubed or getting chest compressions. I wouldn't care so much about the band as I would making damn sure they do those compressions right. Because in the end...if they dont get you back, the band isn't really going to matter at that point........Crista(nurse for 20 years)

lol, I obviously would take a "broken" band over dying....but it was my understanding that making sure to have identification about being banded was important so that when needed emergency medical care the medical professionaly would know what they were dealing with. (the example given to me by the nurse was that if needing to be intubated (sp?), the tube would seem to be going in shallow since we have the band.)

[BetsyB 9]

This is a really great question. Actually, it's fairly common for injury to occur during CPR, even with correct compression technique. Ribs break, lungs get perforated, etc. A band injury is definitely possible.

Of course, the aim is to restore life--so as you noted, a band injury is better than death! The key, though, is being able to quickly identify and treat any injury that might occur as a result of CPR.

Wearing a MedicAlert is really important. Check Fashionable Medical Identification Jewelry & Medical ID Bracelets for some really nice options. No one even knows I'm wearing one (well, no one who's not looking; it does have the caduceus symbol in red on a tag to identify it as such)--it looks like a nice Bracelet because I wear the Medic-Alert tag on the inside of my wrist.

Edited January 18, 2010 by BetsyB

[Humming Bird 275]

If a bystander has called 911 and attempts CPR to save your life, they wouldn't even see a Bracelet that looks like any other jewelry would they?

Your stomach is so much lower and to the left of the airway, heart and lungs. They would have to be doing ineffective CPR to do damage wouldn't they?

That would really have to be something strange they use to intubate to damage the stomach wouldn't it ?