Subtle Signs of Band Complications

[Baba Wawa 543]

LB symptoms you might mistake for something else, causing delay in treatment and subsequent damage.

1) returning heartburn: many of us obese folks had heartburn/reflux and hiatal hernias preop. After surgery, losing weight or HH repair, our symptoms resolve, we go off our meds and carry on with the business of losing weight. IF your reflux symptoms return or increase at any time, at any level, call your band surgeon and consider a small unfill. This early warning could save you from further complications, lifelong damage and misery. It might allow you to lose more weight, since you will tolerate raw veggies, salads better with a bit less fill. It might save your band.

2) chest pain, mid-back pain that radiates to left shoulder, neck or jaw is a sign of trouble; vagus nerve irritation, esophageal spasms, etc. this was my first sign of trouble. I'd waken during the night, with mid epigastric pain, radiating to my left arm, neck, jaw and teeth. Drinking a little Water and/or changing positions helped...over time, it did not.

3) change in bowel habits. I had IBSd most of my life. This last year, it changed to IBSc. I became so constipated, I was having a BM only every 10-12 days. I attributed it to intolerance of salads and fibrous foods. Turns out, I developed a motility disorder affecting my entire GI tract. This is a serious and potentially life threatening disorder.

4) regurgitation of food. If you're eating and feel like you might get stuck, then regurgitate food, your food might not be getting out of your esophagus. This is true, especially if you've had the above mentioned symptoms. If you are burping a lot and regurgitating up small bits of an earlier meal, this is a warning that you have retained food in your esophagus. I have had tiny bits of food from meals days before just come up...

5) random tightening of band (without a recent fill), getting stuck on liquids or soft foods: this is a sign of an esophageal issue. The food isn't getting out of your esophagus, so it's not necessarily your band tightening, it might be psuedo-achalasia, a recently recognized complication of banding. If treated promptly, it can be reversed. If allowed to continue, you risk losing your band and potentially damaging the esophagus permanently. It's amazing to see this on ex ray. The Fluid goes into the esophagus, distending it, while the esophogeal muscles contract violently, trying to force it through. In my case, the entire distal portion of the esophagus was tightly contracted, the mid portion dilated 4x normal and the liquid sloshing around in there. My heart rate increased a lot, since all of this was happening directly adjacent to the heart, hence the name "achalasia cardia".

6) feeling tight with an empty band. This is also a sign of trouble. Empty bands slip more easily. Food getting stuck in your esophagus feels like food stuck in your band...no way to tell without an Esophogram.

Any one or combination of the above symptoms is cause to call your band doctor. I'm posting this to bring awareness of these symptoms and prevent someone else from suffering the pain and anxiety I have for the last year. I also believe that had I recognized these symptoms sooner, had some saline removed early on, I might have saved myself a lot of misery and lost more weight. I only had 3.5 cc in my band, was compliant in all respects with diet, nutrition and hydration, but since I saw people posting about their "fickle bands", random tightening, getting stuck on liquids and these things being chalked up to a "normal" consequence of banded life, I wasn't alarmed.

[line-dancer 810]

thanks for this post I am now recovery from a slipped band. I go in to day to have it checked out and hopeful faline put in....I thought I had the flu but it was. always call your doctor when something chages. always

[Maddysgram 6,159]

The biggest lesson here is, always consult your Dr. None of us here are qualified to diagnose or treat any disorder whether LB related or not.

Call your Dr when problems arise, thats what we pay them for.