Lap Band and automobile accidents

[picardy3 0]

This morning on my way to work, I was involved in an accident with an 18 wheeler. :faint: I was rear ended. :omg: It sounds much worse than it actually was, though there is damage. My seatbelt functioned as it was supposed to and I am now beginning to feel the effects of the impact.

The area that hurts the most at the moment is right across the top of my stomach where my band is located. I don't think I hit the steering wheel, but my seatbelt did tighten up, mostly through that area.

Am I just sore or could there be anything else wrong? I have called my doctor's office and I left a message with the nursing supervisor, but I have not heard back from them yet. I'm just making sure that everything is ok and that what I'm feeling is just soreness from the accident.

Mostly I'm just wondering if anybody else has been through something like this or if I'm just paranoid. :suspicious:

Picardy

[barbara465 2]

It sounds like you did what you should have - called your doctor. Chances are you didn't do any damage to the band. It may have bruised you inside, but the band is probably OK. If you didn't do damage to your internal organs your lapband is OK as well.

Take care and I hope the soreness goes away soon.

[paula 4]

Phew -what a close call. SO glad to hear you're OK!

Have you noticed any loss/gain of restriction? That would be my first indication that something is wrong. I agree, sounds like a some bruising issues. But you are wise in calling the MD - even if its just for chart notation!

[*susan* 1,709]

Wow, it sounds like you were very lucky. My last car accident, I had a similiar sounding soreness, and it was prior to being banded. It turned out I had bruised a couple of ribs. I would go to my doctor to be checked out just to be safe.

[picardy3 0]

Just had a call from one of the nurses at the office. There recommendations: if there is severe pain or I can't keep anything down, go to the ER and get x-rayed. Since I just seem to be sore from impact, then there shouldn't be anything wrong, but pay attention in case things change.

Mostly I just wanted there to be something on record in case something comes up later. It also put me more at ease. If there had been something terribly wrong, it would have already made itself known, so I'm just gonna be sore for a few days. I did go on to work so in case there was something wrong I was with people and not at home by myself.

Luckily the impact happened with both of us in motion. If I had come to a complete stop or had hit the vehicle in front of me, the semi would have done MAJOR damage to my truck and me.

Oh, did I mention? My truck is officially one month old today and the first payment is due tomorrow. :think

I am babying the band for a while. This would not be a good time for a PB. I don't think I could take the extra pain.

[tracey anderson 0]

Hi,

I have a friend with a band and she was rearended and it caused her port to come loss and flip so I would go have things checked out If I were you. Tracey

[Jachut 487]

Funny you should mention it. I"m glad overall you're OK. I was in a car accident last week where I was crunched in between two cars, five cars involved in total. It was just a hard bang for Eliza and I, we were second car from the front, but I did have a few bruises. Then a day or two after I woke with a pain in my belly, right in my stomach, it gradually spread through my abdomen and pretty much lodged on the rightish side, but I spent quite a while being terrified of erosion or slippage. I think it was actually my back as it hurt between my shoulder blades too and there was absolutely no nausea associated and eating and drinking didnt affect it at all but moving did.

After 3 days its pretty much gone today apart from the odd twinge. I also went for a run on Monday night (it started Tuesday) with Eliza in the jogger but Doug was with me and I had to run awkwardly and steer with one hand to accommodate him on the footpath and I"ve put my back out doing that before.

So yes, its probably just that you've had a nasty wrenching, and associated with that but it would never hurt to check it out with your doc. If I wasnt feeling so much better today I'd definitely be at my doctors office and I will mention it at my next visit.

[losingjusme 12]

sorry to hear about your accident, maybe if you are still really sore in a few days go have a barium swallow ???

losing jusme

[FullofGRACE 0]

I have heard of slippage due to a car accident....it was posted on here at some point. A car accident with a major impact to the abdominal area. I'd personally have it checked out now rather than later. Glad you're okay.

[gonnabethin 10]

GLAD your OK!!

DONT settle with the insurance company without a barium swallow to make sure the band is in place!! not leaking etc..... The 18 wheeler insurance should pick up the tab.

[Yoda 0]

Yeah, glad to hear u are okay, overall; coulda been much worse.

About 6 years ago (pre-band) I had an accident and I had the same type of injuries/soreness that you are describing.....from the seatbelt doing it's job. I had the entire seatbelt "imprinted" across my chest...you know...diagonally from the left shoulder, down across my chest, ribs, stomach to the other side. Like it was tatooed on my. Big ol' nasty bruise. It was quite painful. I didn't actually mind THAT injury as it likely helped make the damage less than it could have been.

What I did NOT like was the damage from the damn airbag. It exploded in my face....giving me a very nice orbital fractue (fracture of the bones around the eye). Now, THAT was not pleasant! In my case, the airbag did more damage than any good it could have done. They are supposed to explode in your chest area....but due to most women's smaller height and positioning at the wheel, they unfortunately get us more in the face (which is the reasoning behind not putting kids in the front seat where there are airbags).