Something bad's going on

[YankeesFan 2]

Hi all --

I've been banded for just over a year and recently hit my sweet spot -- or so I thought. I do PB about 2 times a week (usually because I didn't chew well enough or ate several bites too quickly in succession). But over the past couple of weeks, I've had a horrible burning sensation when I eat anything in the evenings -- I've had reflux since before the banding and hadn't had any issues with that until this past month. The frustrating part is ANYTHING can trigger it -- Water, tea, my normal medicine. The worst part is the vomiting, which seems to happen weekly. And not just pbing -- its the full-on wretching kind (sorry to be so graphic). Sometimes I can eat items (usually in the afternoon), but these days I'm scared to eat anything -- even the liquids. I have an upper GI scheduled for Tuesday (my annual appt.). I know only my doctor can really ascertain what's going on, but do y'all have any ideas? I'd hate to lose my band, but I really can't continue this way.

Thanks!

[Road Queen 0]

YankeesFan - hope everything comes out okay. Maybe your stomach is just sensitive right now and needs a break. I have had lots of issues the last week and am also worried. Unfortunately, I have to apply for medical evacuation to see a dr so I need to see if I can handle it on my own. Let me know if your dr suggests anything that might be helpful for me. Celeste

[eppinettea 0]

Hello to all! Let me tell you of my horror recently. On May 12th I went to bed with nothing to eat or drink before as usual. During the night I woke up choking on stomach acid. It scared me to death! Long story short, I had two unfills, little at a time. Visit my internal medicine doc and my gastro doc. Both said I was to tight. With the reflux, vomitting, etc., my esophgus became very inflammed. For three weeks I could not eat and then drinking became impossible. I suffered from severe burning in my left rib cage, pain in my chest very much like a hear attack. The longer I went taking Protonix, Nexium, Prevacid, Prolesec, Carafate, you name it, I was taking it trying to find relief. After the third week and 17 pounds less, I was able to sum up my feeling. I felt as if I had a virus that was stalled at my waist. Did I fail to mention no bowel movements during that time? Anyway, I began vomitting a black liquid, high fever, etc. FINALLY, they discovered the bottom of my stomach had pertruded up into the band causing a blockage. YES a blockage. I was at the point of death. Had emergency surgery to put all back into place and have been doing great since.

I am not trying to scare anyone but the best advice I can give you to NOT to play around. Go immediately and get under the flourascope and have your band checked and do a complete unfill until the reflux is totally gone. It has been two weeks since my surgery and unfill and I have NOT gained any weight thank God! In my mind, I feel as if I can eat what ever I want and for the most part, I have.

The lesson that I learned the hard way was instead of being a fill freak, if you pb all of the time, you better take heed and get loosened.

[YankeesFan 2]

I went to the Dr today and did the upper GI/barium swallow. Everything looks normal, but the reflux/vomitting continues. My Dr. removed .5 cc from my band to give my stomach a rest. And things seemed ok (drinking liquids, ate a few crackers -- missing crunchy things). Anyhow, I took my antidepressants, and almost immediately the intense reflux started. Weird. Anybody else have this situation?

Thanks!

[txbbwstrwbry 0]

Hate to hear that a lot of people are having problems like this. I don't believe all these complications were apparent several years ago when the whole "lap band" thing started. The upper GI isn't really going to show anything other than if the band has slipped to be honest.

I have recently experienced what you are currently going through. I managed to last 5 yrs with my band and then within the last 6 weeks things became so bad that I ended up in the hospital for 10 days. The end result was having the lap band removed and new scars. Go figure.

But, anyway just pay attention to what is going on with yourself is all I can tell you at this point. I had been on every medication under the sun for the past 5 yrs for acid reflux and tons of medical tests only for them to say nothing was wrong. It was only until my recent battle with this whole thing that I finally got someone to listen.

After all, vomiting day and night is a horrible way to live.

Txbbwstrwbry

[Qvrfullmidwife 0]

"I took my antidepressants, and almost immediately the intense reflux started."

My dh has experienced acute heartburn with soem antidepressants. It is *possible* that this problem is not band related but medication related. You might want to discuss it with your doc and consider transitioning to a new med if nothing shows up to be band related.

[sizewize 0]

I'm having an unfill next week just because I can't keep any solids down no matter what time of day...and worse even than the vomiting which is daily, I haven't lost any weight in the past year even though all I am able to eat is slush and mush...watery mashed potatoes, Soup, Protein shakes...and I exercise regularly. I even gained 20 lbs...the less I eat, the more I gain. I was recently diagnosed with PCOS and am taking meds for that condition but still my stomach hangs to my knees...all the weight and fat are in my stomach...that's a condition of this PCOS. If anyone else has been diagnosed with PCOS, please write and try to help me. Thank you.

[txbbwstrwbry 0]

sizewise,

I actually have this as well and I've had surgery 2 times in the past 10 yrs to have cysts removed so, I completely understand where you are coming from.

Even with the banding that I had done, I only managed to lose 65lbs until recently when I couldn't hold anything down and then I lost another 25lbs in less than 3 weeks. I had the band in for 5 yrs and was just removed on 06/14/07 due to complications.

With PCOS, it seems to make it more difficult to lose weight than the doctors imagine I believe. My lap band doctor was constantly on me about losing more weight. I was sticking to the program that his office suggested and exercised my butt off but to no avail would the pounds come off.

I also believe that until you can really get a handle on the PCOS it makes it more difficult to lose weight. Now, so far my OB/GYN only gives me the options of birth control to slow the cyst growth or to get pregnant. Apparently this is to reverse the hormones the way they are naturally supposed to be and stop PCOS.

Now, I currently don't do either one of these therapies that are recommended for PCOS. I actually read in the New England Medical Journal years ago that the help of glucophage has had tremendous success with the battle of PCOS. I am trying to find a doctor that will listen about trying this out as PCOS is actually insuline resistant and this is the cause of the weight gain from what I've read thus far and with my medical background.

Glucophage is actually used to treat Type II diabetes in most people but, OBGYN's are starting to come around to the new therapy that is a possible solution to getting the body back on track.

Right now, those are the only 3 treatments that I know of. I'm sure there are herbs and such to use as well, but consult a doctor before trying those out because sometimes they tend to make the problem worse before getting better. You know? :guess

Sincerely,

Txbbwstrwbry

[AngieM 0]

I had the same problem. The doc took out .25 of a fill and I did liqids for 4 days. Now things are fine.

[kaboom 13 0]

I am having the same problem!!! It seems like the last two months have been a nightmare to me. I throw up 2-3 times a day because I can't hold anything down anymore. I'm trying to figure out what to do to let me poor esophagus rest. I take xantac 150mg daily but my chest feels so tight. Please advise....someone???

Banded <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="12" Day="20" Year="2007">12/20/07</st1:date><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Dr. Huacuz<o:p></o:p>

Pre-opt weight 196<o:p></o:p>

Current weight 145<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

1<SUP>st</SUP> fill <st1:date Month="2" Day="10" Year="2007">02/10/07</st1:date> .5cc<o:p></o:p>

2<SUP>nd</SUP> fill <st1:date Month="4" Day="14" Year="2007">04/14/07</st1:date> .5cc<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

[nursinggal 1]

good advice .......... thanks for the info!

pray all is better for ya now!

[HarleyNana 10]

My mom who is also banded remained too tight for over a month, couldn't even keep Water down. She finally relented to having some fill removed and not only is enjoying life more, she's even lost a little more weight. If you even think you're too tight, get a little taken out, it's an inconvenience and in many cases an added expense, but for the sake of your health and your band, consider having some fill removed.

[YankeesFan 2]

Hi --

So I went to multiple doctors, got .5 taken out of my band, lowered my Zoloft intake (which seemed to be connected) and made sure I took the pills w/yogurt, and now am taking Xifaxan, an antibiotic, for a couple of weeks. My gastroenterologist thinks I may have excessive bacteria growth in my stomach owing to the band tightening and in combination with the Zoloft, it was causing extreme reflux and vomiting everytime I took the Zoloft. So far, so good. The doctors all seem flummoxed. Again, anyone else that takes an antidepressant (specifically Zoloft) have these problems? I think there's a connection here worthy of investigation, but I'd need to show my doctors that I'm not the only one experiencing it.

[dawnie1856 0]

I was banded 3-21-07. no problems what soever.. had 1st fill 5/18/2007.. 1 cc in a 4cc band.. not alot of restriction.. lost only 4 lbs. 6/19/2007 had another 1 cc for a total of 2 ccs. (ost 5 lbs since 2nd fill) pbed next am because the pill i took was to large. been keeping everything down ok until last night.. think i drank my milk to fast.. I pbed a lil. I do feel a slight tightness in my chest from time to time.. nothing major.. is this normal? do you think I am too tight? I am comfortable with the resriction though.dont want to get anymore fills at this point.. ..any suggestions/comments would greatly be appreciated... thanks everyone!!:help:

[ontheway 1]

I read somewhere on this forum that someone else was having problems with a generic form of Zoloft but could take Zoloft fine. Something to do with the inactive ingredients causing them problems. something to check into. I take generic zoloft and haven't had any problems yet, but then again, no fill yet either. Hmmm...will be watching to make sure I don't have a problem.

Good luck getting it figured out!