Gastroparesis

[Tristessa 11]

Has anyone developed gastroparesis post-op? I've just been diagnosed (finally) after two years of dealing with pain and severe nausea and having every test under the sun to rule out gallbladder. As I have no history of diabetes and never had any issues prior to banding my GI doctor figures it was caused by the surgery.

It messes with the mind a bit to have to live on liquids and when I do eat solids have to have Water with them after over two years of living by band rules. I haven't seen my band doctor yet (not my surgeon, I was banded in Mexico, but the local bariatic surgeon that I see for fills) since being officially diagnosed, so I haven't had a chance to ask him if I should be having the band removed or not but my GI doctor said that he doesn't see why I would need to.

I'm currently on Domperidone (Motilium) but it doesn't really seem to be helping. I've been taking it for a month but whenever I try a solid meal I end up with nausea and pain, so I'm still living on mostly liquids. Has anyone had a stomach pacemaker put in with their band? If so, how has that been working? I can't tell yet if the pacemakers are approved in Canada or not, I've seen lots of clinical trials here for them but nothing definitively saying yes, this is a standard of care here.

[renniemommietoo 1]

I'd bet that you may need to take off your band. I read something about this being caused by damage to the Valgus nerve and the band can press on that. (mayo clinic information) Maybe with the band gone, your nerve will recover (they always do a bit) and if there is any pressure on it, that will be gone as well, if the band stays it might get worse?

[Gotta win 4me 12]

Has anyone developed gastroparesis post-op? I've just been diagnosed (finally) after two years of dealing with pain and severe nausea and having every test under the sun to rule out gallbladder. As I have no history of diabetes and never had any issues prior to banding my GI doctor figures it was caused by the surgery.

It messes with the mind a bit to have to live on liquids and when I do eat solids have to have Water with them after over two years of living by band rules. I haven't seen my band doctor yet (not my surgeon, I was banded in Mexico, but the local bariatic surgeon that I see for fills) since being officially diagnosed, so I haven't had a chance to ask him if I should be having the band removed or not but my GI doctor said that he doesn't see why I would need to.

I'm currently on Domperidone (Motilium) but it doesn't really seem to be helping. I've been taking it for a month but whenever I try a solid meal I end up with nausea and pain, so I'm still living on mostly liquids. Has anyone had a stomach pacemaker put in with their band? If so, how has that been working? I can't tell yet if the pacemakers are approved in Canada or not, I've seen lots of clinical trials here for them but nothing definitively saying yes, this is a standard of care here.

I was just diagnosed with GP on last week. They did a stomach emptying test and determained this. I had my surgery on November 9, 2010. I ended up in the hospital because the food was not leaving my stomach, and I was in alot of pain. I notice alot of gurgling in my stomach and I really haven't experienced nasuea or pain since the first episode. Just the really bad reflux with the nasty taste of sourness!!! Eww. My GI doctor says that it is the band and my surgeon seems to think it will go away. It has been hard as I don't have children yet and a whole list of I got to take meds everyday. Well I decided the past weekend that body will have to find another way to digest the content because I will not get addicted to drugs. I'm just going to lean on God and pray for healing!! I can eat just about anything...I just wont because I don't know what digest and what doesn't. I asked my gastro doc how bad is it and he told me to talk to my surgeon. WTH!!! I don't get that at all! I have more good days than bad days I just hope my surgeon is right and that this ish will pass! I really need someone to talk to about this so if there is not problem could you please give me a call. I will message my number.

[Tristessa 11]

I've gotten pretty good over the past few months of figuring out what my stomach can tolerate and what it can't (broccoli and oranges are an absolute NO for me) meat in very small quantities every couple of days unless I have a really bad day, then it's 5-7 days of straight liquids.

My frustration is that the medication isn't working. I was hoping it would stimulate stomach movement enough to go back to eating band-size meals. It's not like I eat a huge plateful of food but most "meat" days as I call them I can only tolerate about one ounce of meat. And of course since it's not hitting the stomach instantly, if I eat too much I don't realize it until it's too late and I end up on liquids for days because of the pain and nausea. I really need to find a good dietitian who is familiar with both lap bands and GP.

I'm really hoping that if I need to have the band removed that I can be converted to a sleeve. I've read of some people who have had some success after being sleeved with their GP. Since it will be for treatment of an illness and not a weightloss surgery I'm hoping that our healthcare will pay for it. Looks like revision surgery to a sleeve can be pretty pricey. I've been wondering if maybe getting an unfill might lessen the pressure on the vagus nerve and offer some relief so I'm going to see my fill doc tomorrow to run that, and a million other questions, by him.

Thanks for the replies! I look forward to talking to you Kscott12!

[KayleighsMommy 16]

:cryin:

I've gotten pretty good over the past few months of figuring out what my stomach can tolerate and what it can't (broccoli and oranges are an absolute NO for me) meat in very small quantities every couple of days unless I have a really bad day, then it's 5-7 days of straight liquids.

My frustration is that the medication isn't working. I was hoping it would stimulate stomach movement enough to go back to eating band-size meals. It's not like I eat a huge plateful of food but most "meat" days as I call them I can only tolerate about one ounce of meat. And of course since it's not hitting the stomach instantly, if I eat too much I don't realize it until it's too late and I end up on liquids for days because of the pain and nausea. I really need to find a good dietitian who is familiar with both lap bands and GP.

I'm really hoping that if I need to have the band removed that I can be converted to a sleeve. I've read of some people who have had some success after being sleeved with their GP. Since it will be for treatment of an illness and not a weightloss surgery I'm hoping that our healthcare will pay for it. Looks like revision surgery to a sleeve can be pretty pricey. I've been wondering if maybe getting an unfill might lessen the pressure on the vagus nerve and offer some relief so I'm going to see my fill doc tomorrow to run that, and a million other questions, by him.

Thanks for the replies! I look forward to talking to you Kscott12!

Right before Thanksgiving I started having really bad gas/pressure pain that went up into my ears. I called my band doc's office and was told to come in for a total unfill. Had a unfill, but still pain. Went to the ER where I was told my band was fine but my stomach was distended. Went to a different band doc (the one the hospital called) the next day and he looked at me CT scan and said "Your stomach is HUGE!!!" He ordered a upper GI and it turned out my stomach wasn't emptying, though again, my band was "fine".

Based in this I was diagnosed with GP.

Still had restriction but pain got worse. Still had the gas pressure pain on a regular basis, but also developed a "ball of pain" in my chest when I ate. Finally got into a gastro doc last week (new insurance, 3 week wait) She did a endoscopy and found out I had a large erosion. :cryin: .

I saw the surgeon today and am having my band removed next week. :cry_smile:

I asked about a sleeve and he said I can NEVER have one. He said it would totally paralyze my stoamch and I would be on a feeding tube for the rest of my life. He told me putting a band on me would be malpractice!!! He said when I ate anything I would drool. Sounds crazy (and none too pleasant) but I did believe him.

He told me (and I alreay knew this) that a bypass will usually fix this problem.

Have you had an endoscopy??

Perhaps your doc will give you a different (and better) answer than this.

[Tristessa 11]

:cryin:

Right before Thanksgiving I started having really bad gas/pressure pain that went up into my ears. I called my band doc's office and was told to come in for a total unfill. Had a unfill, but still pain. Went to the ER where I was told my band was fine but my stomach was distended. Went to a different band doc (the one the hospital called) the next day and he looked at me CT scan and said "Your stomach is HUGE!!!" He ordered a upper GI and it turned out my stomach wasn't emptying, though again, my band was "fine".

Based in this I was diagnosed with GP.

Still had restriction but pain got worse. Still had the gas pressure pain on a regular basis, but also developed a "ball of pain" in my chest when I ate. Finally got into a gastro doc last week (new insurance, 3 week wait) She did a endoscopy and found out I had a large erosion. :cryin: .

I saw the surgeon today and am having my band removed next week. :cry_smile:

I asked about a sleeve and he said I can NEVER have one. He said it would totally paralyze my stoamch and I would be on a feeding tube for the rest of my life. He told me putting a band on me would be malpractice!!! He said when I ate anything I would drool. Sounds crazy (and none too pleasant) but I did believe him.

He told me (and I alreay knew this) that a bypass will usually fix this problem.

Have you had an endoscopy??

Perhaps your doc will give you a different (and better) answer than this.

I did have endoscopy done in January and my band is fine, no erosion, and the stomach is ok. I was h. pylori positive and was treated for that but am still sick.

The surgeon I see for follow up care thought it was odd the GI doc made a diagnosis of GP without sending me an emptying test (I thought it was a little strange too, but I guess he figured I had everything else under the sun done so this must be what it is) so I'm going for an emptying test on March 1st. I'll stay on the Motilium until then and just live on a modified diet.

It's weird that some people have success with a sleeve with GP and others have success with bypass. Some yet have no success with any and have to go the feeding tube route.

My band itself seems to be fine though, so if I can find a way to live with it and a modified diet I'll be happy so long as I don't start gaining weight. I've learned to adapt to the liquid/mushy diet without going overboard with the calories and am finally seeing the scale move down again after it going up six pounds when I started consuming a lot of liquid calories.

I've gotten better about not eating foods that cause me to get really gassy, though it still does happen on occasion, but I would get to the point where I looked 5-6 months pregnant I'd bloat so bad and the pain would be crippling.

Sorry to hear that your band has eroded. That's one of my biggest fears with this and was what I was afraid was happening last year as I wasn't having slip symptoms but something seemed wrong with my stomach.

I would really like to keep in touch to know how you're doing and what route you decide to go with.

[KayleighsMommy 16]

I did have endoscopy done in January and my band is fine, no erosion, and the stomach is ok.

So glad to hear that.

The surgeon I see for follow up care thought it was odd the GI doc made a diagnosis of GP without sending me an emptying test (I thought it was a little strange too, but I guess he figured I had everything else under the sun done so this must be what it is) so I'm going for an emptying test on March 1st. I'll stay on the Motilium until then and just live on a modified diet.

I assume I may have to end up having a emptying test too, though they saw on the Upper GI I did not empty. After an hour there was very little barium in my intestines... the rest was just sitting there in my stomach.

It's weird that some people have success with a sleeve with GP and others have success with bypass. Some yet have no success with any and have to go the feeding tube route.

Yes, that is strange. The surgeon was really emphatic I could NEVER have a sleeve. Guess it is just a matter of opinion.

My band itself seems to be fine though, so if I can find a way to live with it and a modified diet I'll be happy so long as I don't start gaining weight. I've learned to adapt to the liquid/mushy diet without going overboard with the calories and am finally seeing the scale move down again after it going up six pounds when I started consuming a lot of liquid calories.

Before I found about the erosion I decided to try to get in all my calories (this has always been a battle for me) I drank a coulple of "nutrition drinks" with extra Protein in them. One in the morning and one in the evening. I had a small amount of food, also. Got in 89 grms Protein and 1100 cals. I thought I was going to die by the end of the night. It's crazy that even liquids are causing me issues.

I've gotten better about not eating foods that cause me to get really gassy, though it still does happen on occasion, but I would get to the point where I looked 5-6 months pregnant I'd bloat so bad and the pain would be crippling.

Oh, man. That gas pain is the worst. I am so hoping this gas/pressure in my chest is from the band. I don't think I can go through this pain for any length of time. The shall we say... other, much lower pain, is really, really bad but liveable.

Sorry to hear that your band has eroded. That's one of my biggest fears with this and was what I was afraid was happening last year as I wasn't having slip symptoms but something seemed wrong with my stomach.

Thank you. I am so glad your band is OK too. Sorry, I don't remember.. did you say you ever got some Fluid taken out? Perhaps it would take some of the pressure off the vagus nerve???

I would really like to keep in touch to know how you're doing and what route you decide to go with.

I would love to stay in touch. Looking forward to hearing how things go for you too.

[Marax 0]

I see that is has been awhile since either of you have posted. I have been trying to deal with very similar symptoms (not to mention test after unfruitful test) for the last six months or so.

I'm curious if either of you have found what the underlying problem was, and what (if anything) has solved, or provided relief for, it?

So far, for me, it's been a diagnosis of possible minor slip on the band, and mild gastroparesis. This is the culmination of several barium tests, gallbladder function tests, abdominal xrays, two CT scans, ultrasound after ultrasound, partial emptying of the band, motiility enhancing prescriptions, two emptying studies, and lots and lots of ups and downs in my quality of life (ability to eat day to day, pain and bloating, etc.).

When I feel okay, I swear it must be mostly stress related...

When I go through a week or two of pain, I swear that this isn't normal, and I cannot go on living like this any longer.

Currently, I'm in the latter of those two phases. Which is what brought me back to the forums, today. Any help we would be greatly appreciated.

[Bandarella 223]

I haven't been on here for a while as I developed achalasia and gastroparesis over the last few months. I had my band removed and most of my symptoms have resolved. The pain is gone and though I'm still on soft foods, I can swallow again and it seems that food is getting to and thru my stomach. It was as if my digestive tract was paralyzed. After my manometry came back showing nearly no motility, the surgeon decided the band was the culprit.

Apparently there was a lot of scar tissue under the band and around the top of the stomach and esophagus. The removed as much as they could, but any further surgery is too risky...no revision for me! I honestly wish I never got the band, but got the sleeve instead.

[miss2011band 0]

I have discovered that taking magnesium 1000 mg (Magnesium Oxide) nightly helps me with gastroparesis because it is a NATURAL laxative. It helps my digestive system to keep things moving. It is also good for your bones and muscles, and it is found in the Vitamin/Mineral section of the drug store. If I don't take it for a few days, I too, suffer with terrible nausea, bloating, indigestion, and Constipation.

I learned about this after I heard Naturopathic Doctor Janet Maccaro speak on the television program Life Today. I decided to try the magnesium, and I am glad that I did.

I was tested and diagnosed with Gastroparesis a year or two before I had my Lap Band surgery in 2011. I was prescribed Reglan but I decided not to take it because I was concerned about the side effects.

Maybe this will help you.

[Bandarella 223]

Why on earth would a doctor recommend banding or sleeving a patient with gastroparesis??? With this condition, the stomach is literally paralyzed...

[sewtami 2]

I had my lap band surgery in May 2009. I was just diagnosed with stage 4 gastroparesis. I have other tests scheduled at this time. It seems no matter what I eat I am in pain. At this time I wish I had never had lap band surgery if it is indeed the cause. I am now wondering where the rest of you are in your journey since you posted about having gastroparesis.