Will I lose my band?

[Sherbrooke 0]

I don't know where else to turn. I'm hoping that I will get some answers here.

I had a LapBand fitted in November 2006. For 2 years I had regular fills and lost about 60kg. (From 195 to 135 kg)I had no problems with the band. Suddenly, last year I began to have 2 sites of pain: upper central abdominal pain just below my breastbone and left abdominal pain just under my last rib. Suspecting erosion I went to see my surgeon and he did a gastroscopy that indicated some mild gastritis but no erosion. When the left pain got worse, he suspected that my gall bladder was inflamed (no sign of gall stones on the scan) and I underwent surgery to remove the gallbladder. He said he had looked at the band while he was doing the gallbladder surgery and that everything looked fine. The gall bladder was inflamed. My band was emptied. Now a year later I still have the pain, despite having my gall bladder out. I have not gained any weight back because eating is painful.

A second gastroscopy showed no problem with the band. Surely there must be a correlation somehow?

I am on Nexium and antibiotics for possible H.pylori infection but the pain persists.

Has anyone else had a similar problem and what did you do? I don't want to have my band out because I had lost so nicely and am still hoping that once the pain goes, I can be refilled.

[Tish5632 0]

Hi,

Well, I have had similar problems to you - but it was before I had my band placed. In 2003 I too had gallbladder problems - chronic inflammation (Cholelithiasis) but no stones. I had my gallbladder removed too - and I still had pain for about a year and a half. I was so scared that the gallbladder wasn't the entire problem! It did finally resolve. I had my band placed 7/4/09 (By Dr. Ortiz) and I've had no problems, it even cured my GERD. Keep your chin up, and keep in touch with your docs. It sounds like they've thoroughly checked the band and it is not the problem. Don't lose hope - I don't think you're going to lose your band.

[Sherbrooke 0]

Thanks Tish for your prompt reply and supportive words. The fact that you still had pain for a year and a half after your gallbladder op really gives me hope that it will resolve itself eventually.

[BetsyB 9]

Phantom gall bladder pain is really very common---it can persist for quite a while.

I hope you get good relief soon!

[Tally23 0]

I do not have a band but just got over pancreatitis back in Feb. All my symptoms sounded the same as yours. The tail of my panc. was just inflammed no gallstones or anything. Maybe the doc should look at that..