Help! Serious Lap Band Pain

[Batgirl23 0]

Two years ago I got lap band surgery in <st1:place><st1:City>Brooklyn</st1:City>, <st1:State>NY</st1:State></st1:place>. Unfortunately, I was over eager when I found these two surgeons that took my insurance (Medicaid). They had only done a couple hundred lap bands at the time and were too inexperienced. It has been a disaster since day one, to cut it short my last visit with them ended after they stuck literally 16 trying to access my port and then told me that I needed emergency surgery. I immediately got a second opinion by WL surgeon top of her field. (I would have went to her to begin with if she took my insurance) She accessed the port in one shot and said I didn't need surgery. She said the port felt "wobbly" like one of the stitches wasn't there. I had complained to my original Docs that I felt the port was moving around from day one, but I was ignored. I followed up with the new Doc (don't want to use real names here) paying by pocket and lost 90LBS! But because of a severe anxiety problem, I was vomiting daily and had to get the band loosened. I gained all the weight back, but I fixed my anxiety problem and got tightened again, ready to lose it all again.

IMPORTANT Part if you just want the short version.

2 months ago I started feeling extreme pain in my lower abdomen on my left side. Originally I thought it was my ovary. I got a pelvic ultrasound that came bake good and GYN doc said that something was pressing against my organs causing pain and was probably my band. The main sight of the pain then moved up to my port. And the pain radiates throughout my stomach and back. I also have severe nausea and acid reflux. I had a CATscan, XRays, Numerous blood and urine tests, and an Endoscope. EVERYTHING came back clear!?! No band problems, organ trouble, or gyn trouble. Band is in place and not eroded or anything.

DOCTORS are stumped. I'm in so much pain (worse than a ruptured gallblatter I had a few years ago) I'm only 26, no kids.

HELP! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?

I really think it has something to do with the port because that's where the pain is.

Could I some how be rejecting the band all of a sudden?

Any input would be greatly appreciated and sorry for the long post.

[Lila 0]

Good luck batgirl. Hope you get it all figured out.

[susy.a 0]

Did your dr.s check you for a localized staph infection? actually not even "localized", I had what is termed m.r.s.a (a stubborn form of staph) which took them a week to get the blood tests results. but I have heard of people getting staph on an implanted device, and it is very very painful, and can be hard to detect, don't know how they would check without removing it. sorry your having so much pain, I hope you feel better soon, please update.

[toqu 0]

I am having pain in the lower left side too. I was thinking some kind of bladder infection because of the catheder they used during surgery. Only thing my port is on the right. First I thought it was my ovary too so I have an appt. on Wed. coming up but I may have to go in before that if this pain persists just to see if there is any reason that there would be pain there.

[Batgirl23 0]

Please let me know how that goes. You can PM me or post back here. Anymore insight would be great.

[Batgirl23 0]

Did your dr.s check you for a localized staph infection? actually not even "localized", I had what is termed m.r.s.a (a stubborn form of staph) which took them a week to get the blood tests results. but I have heard of people getting staph on an implanted device, and it is very very painful, and can be hard to detect, don't know how they would check without removing it. sorry your having so much pain, I hope you feel better soon, please update.

My Docs checked my white cell blood count for an infection. It came back negative. Would this test dectect what you're talking about?

[susy.a 0]

Well I would think that it would, but I would definetly have them re-check if it doesn't clear up. It really does sound like MRSA to me, ask your doc about it. I was in the hosp. for 6 hr.s receiving IV antibiotics, the doc. didn't know for sure if that's what it was, but luckily he guessed right, I remember that the testing that they did in the E.R ,the results took 3 day's to come in. So if they didn't test you specifically FOR that...I don't know , maybe it takes a certain amt. of time before it affects your white blood count, I know the symptoms came on with amazing swiftness, severe pain, fever , swelling etc. And all those symptoms came on before the test showed what I had. Good luck. BTW I was on 2 differen't antibiotics for 10 day's AFTER the initial stuff I was given at the E.R . if this happens to you, ask them for the oral version of a yeast infection med. You WILL NEED it!!

[oelkesm 0]

For those of you experiencing pain, did you ever discover the source? I also have a mild pain in my lower left abdomen. It feels lower than the port though. I'd love to hear from y'all!

Sarah

[Batgirl23 0]

The pain I was experiencing was caused by the port. Apparently, the port was never stitched to my muscle properly and was free floating in my abdomen. The severe pain was caused by the port pressing against some of my organs.

This problem didn't show up on any of th tests though. Fortunately, I found a doctor who believed me and knew what she was doing. She did a quick revision of sewing the port properly to the muscle like it was supposed to be in the first place. I went home from the hospital a couple of hours after the surgery and have been doing well since. Now I don't even know the port is there!

Previously, I always felt the port moving around even right after being banded, but I was told by my original surgeons that "You'll just have to get used to it."

I hope you feel better.

[oelkesm 0]

Wow! So you had pain in your lower left abdomen, but it was caused by your port? Was your port down low in that area? I ask since mine is set in my mid-upper abdomen, right below where your bra would set.

[Batgirl23 0]

Well, My port was always parallel to my belly button on my left side. I don't know why my original docs put it there.

[Lorna 0]

>I looked at this thread because I am in a lot of pain this morning. I am only one week post-op, and it seems like I have felt the port tear away from my muscle. I can't feel the edges of the port, and never have, but this morning when I rolled over in bed I felt a sudden very sharp pain just to the left and above my navel, under the skin. It has been about 4 hours and I have called the doc, who says its "unlikely" that I have torn it and he will see me for my regular 2 week follow up on Monday...to use Aleve and a heating pad until then. I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong, and after reading Batgirl's story I wonder if the port tearing is a semi-common occurence? Anybody got any stats? I am worried. I thought I was recovering really well until this morning.