Chronic stomach pain...

[Aschaer07 2]

I had the band placed in 2008. About 3-6 months after, I started having horrible stomach pains...doubling over, feel like someone's ripping my entire stomach apart. The pain hurts the most when I stand up straight... Almost like its being stretched too far and it's just unbearable. It usually hurts right below the diaphragm or the center/left belly and radiates all over. The pain is intermittent and I cannot trigger one thing that makes it come along. I saw my band doctor when it first started and he said it wasn't related to the band. After I went to the ER a few times for it I had multiple tests to try to figure it out. I've had X-ray, fluoroscopy, MRI, colonoscopy, EGD, gallbladder removed, and nothing. I have not had anyone tell me what it could be.

Last year I had all the Fluid taken out of my band and it was empty an entire year. I didn't have nearly as many flare ups of this pain when it was empty. But I gained 40lbs so I went to my new band doctor (in a new state) and he filled me. I asked him about the pain and he said it's likely the port pulling on the muscle tissue. After having the fill, about a week later, im now in pain again.

Anyone else have any similar symptoms?

[NewLife'sGr8 241]

My port is stitched to the right-side abdominal muscle. Sometimes when I stretch upwards or twist a certain way I get a sharp pain. like you, I can't replicate or pinpoint the trigger. It's sharp, hurts but goes away after I relax it. I always figured it was the port because it's exactly where the port is installed.

Maybe you need a longer line from the port to the band? Sounds to me like when you have fill, it shortens the line making it pull on the muscle it's sewn onto.

I'd check out a different surgeon.

Sounds to me like yours is in denial about your pain being associated with the banding- like he's more concerned about preventing lawsuits, by denying causal relationship, than taking care of his patients' needs.

[Aschaer07 2]

I haven't seen the surgeon who installed it since 2012. I moved to Colorado then to Connecticut so I'm at a new surgeon now. He's the one who said he thinks it may be the port pulling on the muscle.

My pain isn't so much a sharp pain...it's a dull, but very intense pain that last hours/days...

[NewLife'sGr8 241]

It sounds different than what I'm feeling.

I hope you can figure it out and feel better soon!