Help! Weird Symptoms (slip?)

[Cloud_dance 5]

I've complained before about the fact I am 16 weeks in. I've had no fills offered by my PA. I am not hungry often.

I barely can swallow in the mornings. I can eat way too much in the evenings.

But about 9 days ago I tried to eat a chicken finger with a butter biscuit as a treat. One of them got stuck in my band and I spent the next hour choking on it, trying to vomit, and finally getting hiccups. It was very painful.

My stomach was sore after that. I had a stabbing soreness behind my lower sternum that lasted a few days.

Since then whenever I try to eat more solid food, I go through some pain that radiates from my sternum.

And now If something gets stuck, I suddenly get a violent urge to vomit and end up bending over the commode, drooling, and try to cough up whatever it is.

Then I feel a sharp pain below my sternum as if the food is passing. I've had acid reflux in minor amounts but Ive also had some portions of acidic food like chili and a greasy piece of pizza recently at a party.

I'm afraid I have slipped. I sent a note to the nurse asking for an Xray to make sure.

I'm so worried.

[2muchfun 8,927]

Call your doctor. And, over the weekend go back to liquids to give your pouch/esophogus a chance to recover. liquids, Soups over the weekend.

tmf

[2muchfun 8,927]

One more thing. Heated liquids can make any swelling worse. Try to chew on ice or sip ice Water or liquids more than coffee or tea?

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I agree, you need to not guess and just get into your surgeon ASAP.

Good luck.

[Cloud_dance 5]

Dr. told consulting nurse, "...hates Lap-bands, never putting another in again." I am sad. He said 48 hours on liquids. I wish I had not gone through Group Health and just dealt with a regular surgeon in my local area. I really want another doctor with me on this. But there is only one.

I know he does only gastric bypasses because he treats fat people who thinks he can't control themselves and MUST have their stomachs cut out. I still worry he did a bad job of it so I would fail and he would be right.

[zinhaa 363]

2much really? I thought the go to was warm or hot liquids. Learn something new everyday

[hely88 883]

I am sure there are other doctors in your area who would be happy to take your money.

[2muchfun 8,927]

2much really? I thought the go to was warm or hot liquids. Learn something new everyday

Watch any sports event and the first thing they do is ice a sprained ankle, tendonitis etc. Sometimes, it's good to use ice and hot but that's on joints. The stomach might be different but cold has always been a way to avoid inflammation.

[Cloud_dance 5]

Thanks for the advice. I am pretty sure it has really slipped. I am burping down low in my stomach now and I can feel it when liquids struggle to get through the lower band.

I know when it happened. I know why it happed. I know that what I did after the intial slip probably just made it worse as I choked the next five days on food.

Now on Monday they will tell me to get an X-ray. My doctor will tell me I should just get a gastric bypass. I will see if my insurance covers it. I will do what he says UNLESS my insurance covers only the fix for the slip.

Then I get set back three months. All my job interviews go on hold. All my volunteering goes on hold. I have to find someone to take me 100 miles to the hospital for emergency surgery. I am REALLY depressed.

And the whole time I just look like a lazy fatty who can't control her eating to my doctor. That is unless of course, he did a shoddy job to start. > It's going to be a tough weekend.

[Summerrain 520]

Thanks for the advice. I am pretty sure it has really slipped. I am burping down low in my stomach now and I can feel it when liquids struggle to get through the lower band.

I know when it happened. I know why it happed. I know that what I did after the intial slip probably just made it worse as I choked the next five days on food.

Now on Monday they will tell me to get an X-ray. My doctor will tell me I should just get a gastric bypass. I will see if my insurance covers it. I will do what he says UNLESS my insurance covers only the fix for the slip.

Then I get set back three months. All my job interviews go on hold. All my volunteering goes on hold. I have to find someone to take me 100 miles to the hospital for emergency surgery. I am REALLY depressed.

And the whole time I just look like a lazy fatty who can't control her eating to my doctor. That is unless of course' date=' he did a shoddy job to start. > It's going to be a tough weekend.[/quote']

Just try to relax stressing will only make things worse.

Could it be because you had your first bad episode if you didn't go on liquids for a few days the irritation/ swelling didn't go down and by continuing to eat and getting stuck its only been aggravated things more?

From what I've read and been told it takes a lot for the band to slip. If you don't even have any fills then its just a band around your stoma area with no restriction but you've got restriction because of swelling now. As others have said stick to liquids till you see your doctor and can get this looked into.

You're doctor also needs a big boot up his behind as far as I'm concerned because if he isn't going to give you the appropriate aftercare with your band you're likely to fail on your own. If he isn't going to do that with his lapband patients then he needs to seriously rethink putting them in at all. Aftercare support is crucial to being successful also.

Fingers crossed its only irritation you're experiencing and get this sorted out quickly.

[supernurseD 5]

Just try to relax stressing will only make things worse.

Could it be because you had your first bad episode if you didn't go on liquids for a few days the irritation/ swelling didn't go down and by continuing to eat and getting stuck its only been aggravated things more?

From what I've read and been told it takes a lot for the band to slip. If you don't even have any fills then its just a band around your stoma area with no restriction but you've got restriction because of swelling now. As others have said stick to liquids till you see your doctor and can get this looked into.

You're doctor also needs a big boot up his behind as far as I'm concerned because if he isn't going to give you the appropriate aftercare with your band you're likely to fail on your own. If he isn't going to do that with his lapband patients then he needs to seriously rethink putting them in at all. Aftercare support is crucial to being successful also.

Fingers crossed its only irritation you're experiencing and get this sorted out quickly.

I have read that if you go on liquids for a little while like maybe a few days-weeks it can reverse a minor slip if any. I do not have any personal experience with this but it is just a positive thought.

I also think that your doctor sounds terrible and I would try to find a new one ASAP. I am a nurse and that is just not okay... at all. He did the surgery, if he hates lap bands then don't do them. It is not your fault at all. Just try to relax and de-stress. If it has definitely slipped, which it may not have, go somewhere else that will actually do their job and take care of you and your health.

Best of luck!

[Cloud_dance 5]

Thanks for watching over me. This feels like a big slip. The restriction is at my sternum. I burp and it comes from much lower. I am getting reflux.

I am down to full liquids so I'm eating soft Soups and yogurt. Soup is soothing.

I had two questions:

1. Is repairing a lap band (with insurance) covered under the intial surgery after-care time period or is it something i'm going to have put in a seperate claim for?

2. Could I have done this to myself by starting Ab crunches two weeks ago? I am still pretty overweight so my crunches are'nt very huge, but I am doing simple ones and cross one where I attempted to touch my elbow with my opposite knee.

[Cloud_dance 5]

I just had my GI Floroscopy. And I found out that there is a local Lap-Band surgery center of excellence in my town. Once I get this fixed, i'm quitting my *** so I can have that doctor take over my fills. My current *** had NO intent in helping me maintain a Lapband or do my fills as required for it to work.

The cool thing is the new doctor has support groups just for Lap-band people and provides the type of support I need. I should have left my *** before the surgery and started with these guys.

I feel much better being on liquids, the pain is gone mostly, and I'm pretty sure the band has shifted up but its still not where it was before.

I also started drinking aloe vera juice to help reduce the inflamation.

So, probably one more surgery and I am done with borderline medical malpractice.

A doctor who does not believe in Lapbands should not do Lapbands NOR should their *** advertise they offer Lapbands if they don't have the facilities to maintain them and do regular fills.

[flrosie 154]

2much really? I thought the go to was warm or hot liquids. Learn something new everyday

Me too. Warm liquids are really soothing. But I guess it makes sense - you ice an injury to take down the swelling...

[marfar7 1,533]

I just had my GI Floroscopy. And I found out that there is a local Lap-Band surgery center of excellence in my town. Once I get this fixed, i'm quitting my *** so I can have that doctor take over my fills. My current *** had NO intent in helping me maintain a Lapband or do my fills as required for it to work.

The cool thing is the new doctor has support groups just for Lap-band people and provides the type of support I need. I should have left my *** before the surgery and started with these guys.

I feel much better being on liquids, the pain is gone mostly, and I'm pretty sure the band has shifted up but its still not where it was before.

I also started drinking aloe vera juice to help reduce the inflamation.

So, probably one more surgery and I am done with borderline medical malpractice.

A doctor who does not believe in Lapbands should not do Lapbands NOR should their *** advertise they offer Lapbands if they don't have the facilities to maintain them and do regular fills.

So, was it a slip or not? Thats awfully soon to have a slip. I went thru 2 1/2 yrs of vomiting about 50% of my meals before my band had finally had it and slipped. I don't think crunches would have anything to do with it.

Good luck!

Marci