Pain in throat feel like I cant breathe after Lap Band Surgery

[mztmom 3]

I am 3 weeks post op and for the last 2 weeks I wake up in the middle of the night with a bad pain in my throat area midway down and a weird pain like in my chest bone area. not sure if it is coming from my stomach area or something in my throat but It is a really weird pain and I have to immediately sit up in the bed to make it go away. then when i wake up a few hours afterwards i still have an awkward feeling in my throat. Oh and all this also gives me a headache. So I wake up feeling like a cant breathe with a pain in my throat and a headache. Remind you this only happens when i lay flat for too long. Has anyone else had this problem or do you know what it could be and will it ever go away?

[xavier 153]

This really sounds like heartburn or GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) to me. The band can make it worse, sending stomach acid up to the esophagus and laying flat allows it to sneak up also. For people who have never had it they dont realize it can be as painful as a heart attack! Take a few Tums or a swig of Pepto before bed and see if you consistently sleep fine all night...if so, you have probably confirmed that you have reflux. Talk to your doc about it.

I have got it pretty bad depending on how tight my band is so I take Protonix daily because I need my band tight to stay where I am.

I hope I have helped!

[mztmom 3]

thank you for your help but honestly I dont think it is GERD. I had extremely bad reflux before the band, so I know the feeling of being woke up by reflux and this feeling. This is a totally different feeling. I just took a nap and woke up with the same feeling again. I feel like something is maybe blocking my airway maybe and thats why i wake up with a horrible headache. I am very worried that it is something serious and my doctors office will not call me back. I really hope it will all go away!

This really sounds like heartburn or GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) to me. The band can make it worse, sending stomach acid up to the esophagus and laying flat allows it to sneak up also. For people who have never had it they dont realize it can be as painful as a heart attack! Take a few Tums or a swig of Pepto before bed and see if you consistently sleep fine all night...if so, you have probably confirmed that you have reflux. Talk to your doc about it.

I have got it pretty bad depending on how tight my band is so I take Protonix daily because I need my band tight to stay where I am.

I hope I have helped!

[Jewel28 5]

Omg I thought I was the only one with this, but I dont have the chest pains but I get the weird feeling in the throat and the headache but once I sit up it goes away. I now just sleep through these feelings. I figured all this is related to the band since I didnt have this problem prior.

[roziecakes 20]

Have you had your thyroid checked before? I have hypothyroidism and before I got diagnosed I used to feel this way when I lay down to sleep.< /p>

[mztmom 3]

Oh I am so glad to know that someone else has this problem too. I just dont understand how you sleep thorugh it. sometimes it is so unbarable I have to sit up. I want to be able to sleep through the night. this really sucks to be honest with you. I hate it.

Omg I thought I was the only one with this, but I dont have the chest pains but I get the weird feeling in the throat and the headache but once I sit up it goes away. I now just sleep through these feelings. I figured all this is related to the band since I didnt have this problem prior.

[mztmom 3]

Yes I have had my thyroid checked before. A couple of times actually. It is just weird. It didnt do it at first. it just started doing this probably about 2 weeks after my surgery.

Have you had your thyroid checked before? I have hypothyroidism and before I got diagnosed I used to feel this way when I lay down to sleep.

[xavier 153]

Well I dont know then but I will say my GERD symptoms are totally different now that I have good restriction than before I was ever banded...I will wake up sometimes choking on acid and with a pain like a knife...weird how surgery can change thigs. Thyroid is a good idea though.

[byrd 28]

Also, it could be from that breathing tube they put down your throat when you in surgery.

[Jewel28 5]

It wakes me up but what I do is change positions and then go back to sleep. I was hoping it will go away on its own but it hasnt. I wonder if it has something to do with me not being able to burp.

[mztmom 3]

This is exactly what I was thnking. Maybe something was damaged down there. I dont know.

Also, it could be from that breathing tube they put down your throat when you in surgery.

[mztmom 3]

thats exactly what I do Jewel. Wake up roll over and sleep for a bit longer till i wake up again with the same feeling. GOSH I HATE IT!!!

It wakes me up but what I do is change positions and then go back to sleep. I was hoping it will go away on its own but it hasnt. I wonder if it has something to do with me not being able to burp.

[54Shirley 105]

Has anyone thought of calling their Bariatric Dr., and getting checked out ? They will know...

[Aria3 4]

I can relate to what you are experiencing. I've had chest pains for the last two days that have been extremely unbearable and have made me cry. I called my doctor's office this afternoon and spoke with the PA and she said that it's esophageal spasms. She recommended that what I consume be warm and that sipping with a straw will also help to prevent it.

[mztmom 3]

Yes I have called my doctor and I am waiting on a call back from them but not feeling too thrilled about that because I have left 2 messages already. I will call everyday until i get someone to call me back!

Has anyone thought of calling their Bariatric Dr., and getting checked out ? They will know...