is this heartburn band related or pregnancy related?!!?

[falcon 1]

So, I'm about 1.5 years post surgery, at my goal weight, and 11 weeks pregnant.

The practice I use does NOT believe in taking out Fluid during pregnancy unless there's a reason.

I have been throwing up a lot in early pregnancy and not gaining weight and went in to have a little bit of an unfill. I wanted to have .2 removed but the dr who saw me said I looked awful and proceeded to remove 1 cc. He promised to put back in half in a month if I felt it was necessary. Anyhow, he was totally right because I went from throwing up every day to throwing up not at all (it's 2+ weeks since the unfill). I feel much better and have gained 2 lbs which I know is what I am supposed to be doing. I do not feel like I have ANY restriction now but am doing okay. I went from having 5.6 in the band to 4.6.

Anyhow. . . the story is, that I am suffering from TERRIBLE heartburn/stomach pains. It's embarassing that I'm not really sure it's heartburn but I've never really had it before. Some times it's just what people describe (burning up my esophugus), other times, my stomach just hurts (lower down) so I'm not 1000% sure. It's also much worse in the morning/early afternoon and lets up a bit as the day goes on.

I know heartburn is common in pregnancy independant of the band. Zantac is not helping (nothing is). Should I take MORE out of the band (even though I don't even feel like I have much restriction etc so don't REALLY think it's because of the band) or should I just assume it's because of pregnancy and grin and bear it?

I called the dr's office and spoke to some nurse who said to come in but I don't want the whole hassle (and expense) of going in again if it's probably nothing to do with the band.

What do you think?

TIA!

[KellyGram 36]

Well, I got terrible heartburn AFTER the baby was born. Had two upper GI's etc and the conclusion is it's not the Band. It's the result of intra-abdomenal pressure from pregnancy. The hope is that as my body heals up and adjusts to the post-partum changes, the heartburn will go away. For now I'm on 1600mg of Tagamet and I eat an organic apple every night before I go to bed. The apple, being mildly alkali, helps with the stomach acid so I don't have reflux at night.

However... The acid reflux / hearburn can irritate the banded area, which causes inflammation and slows down the drainage of the pouch and any acid that might get trapped in it. I ended up having my band completely emptied out 4 months ago (and still dropped 35#) and within a couple of weeks noticed that the discomfort was much better, though not gone.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Krussell19 217]

I would talk to your band doc and your obgyn. I started getting bad heart burn and indigestion along with naeusa and it was the baby they put me on rantanidine for heartburn and it cured it plus the naeusa .. odds are it is the baby but it doesn't hurt.to ask.