Upper left Abdominal Pain

[Loup_Nocturne 1]

Hi All,

I have had the lap band 7/8 yrs; regardless of all the vomiting and fighting to get yogurt or Water down I have endured this contraption like a sport. However, within the last two months I have developed some gnarly upper left quadrant abdominal pain it appears to get more gnarly when I eat heavy foods such as anything solid.

I had my band emptied about a year ago because I was tired of starving during the weeks I would visit my folks (they live at a higher altitude). I was doing fine as far as maintaining until the last 4 months when I suddenly started gaining weight and experiencing restriction and vomiting even with it empty.

I had an apt with my GP to pull blood and test for an infection (waiting on those results) and I have an apt with my LB doc on Tuesday. The thing is; I do not trust him. He has never listened to me and my constant issues of restriction (he never understood why I had an issue with yogurt) and on top of that a friend of mine (who was banded by him about a yr prior to my date) recently had hers removed because it almost killed her; she was in the hospital for 14 days because it eroded inside of her.

Needless to say it is a worry; I would like to know if anyone else has experienced pain in this area; if so what was it caused by and what was the end result.

Also, I know it is not gas, it is also not my gallbladder as that was confirmed dead and removed 3 yrs ago (to this day I wonder if I would have had an issue with it if I had not had this thing put in) so I am at a loss and just sincerely hoping I can have this stupid thing removed and paid for by insurance.

If I knew then what I have known the last number of years, I would have NEVER had this thing put in.
*Sigh*

Looking forward to hearing your replies, I just hope im not alone in this pain, it hurts so bad and I am just so worn out by it.

~Loup

[Loup_Nocturne 1]

I see a number of views but no replies; was my post to gnarly on the grr side?

I just would like to know what other folks with similar issues ended up having. I know a few past posts reported some similar things but the result kind of dropped off without a reply.

I'm just trying to hope for the best outcome honestly.

[Julie norton 2,850]

I see a number of views but no replies; was my post to gnarly on the grr side?

I just would like to know what other folks with similar issues ended up having. I know a few past posts reported some similar things but the result kind of dropped off without a reply.

I'm just trying to hope for the best outcome honestly.

sometimes I get a pain in my upper left. Like 2" or so below my boob. Walking and lightly rubbing it gives me some relief Or a heating pad helps. I think it is my actual band. But not totally sure

Want to read your outcome!

[Loup_Nocturne 1]

I went and saw my LB doc this week; we emptied my band out 100% and did the barium x-ray; though that goes through just fine and my band placement is just fine I am still vomiting solid foods. Not all just most.

We agreed that this is not working for me and going through my record not only have I gained all the weight back but plus some. We see that I have never really found that "sweet spot" and have always struggled with keeping food down throughout the last 7/8 years so he has agreed I am not a good candidate and we plan to have it removed.

We are waiting on insurance to confirm if they will cover the removal and he believes they will.

After doing more research my boyfriend and I are under the belief that my body is actually rejecting the band; the pains are still really sharp and a big pain and I am just really nervous but relieved to have this removed.

I had started panicking over the idea of not having the lap band but then I remembered the years of vomiting, fighting to keep food down, always having to stand up in order to eat; choking on liquid and eventually just trying to find anything that would not cause all of the above. My hope is that he gets in there, gets it out and does not find anything else wrong with me while he's poking around inside of my gut.

Regardless, he is pretty positive everything will go fine and I will leave the removal surgery with no stomach scaring and no more restriction. This I really am hoping for.

On top of that I am already writing out a new meal plan and a work out schedule that I can start as soon as my incisions are good to go. I plan on doing this the right and healthy way. I am so excited to be able to eat real whole foods without the chance of throwing them up. It will be slow, but as this entire process has shown me there is no fix without fixing yourself by yourself and without some foreign object being put into you.

With that said I hold no ill judgement on anyone else and their choice; I just know that this is the best route for me personally. On top of all this after telling all of this to my father (who had the band put in a few months before myself and struggles with getting food to go down just like I do) he sounds hopeful of having his removed as well.

A life without vomiting at almost every meal sounds so amazing!

As for the pain you mentioned that you have @@Julie norton I use to deal with a lot of gas pain (especially after my gallbladder was removed) and I helped resolve and settle that with an essential oil from doTERRA called Digestzen in some Water. A little goes a long way and it really has helped me with gas pains and some really gnarly abdominal bloating issues.

I would suggest checking in with your LB doc just to make sure everything is going okay on your end; and then you also don't have to worry about anything. Worry causes more harm then good.

With all of this said out of 5 people (one being myself) that I know of who has had the lap band only 1 is successful and that is mainly because they follow all the fad diets and has had plastic surgery to remove fat around the belly, legs arms and neck/face.

Anyway, time for bed!

Regards.
Loup

Edited February 19, 2016 by Loup_Nocturne

[kstein01 14]

I just joined the group and I saw your post. I too have been having left upper quadrant pain after I eat. Long story short, I have had the band since 2007. I the last 2 years I have been vomiting and couldn't keep a lot of food down. I was ok with that cause I was losing weight. Now, because of this I had to have my band completely drained, gained 35-40 pounds. Slowing increasing the volume in the band, but now when I eat I get pain and heartburn. My esophagus burns and hurts. I am in lala land waiting on my insurance to see if they will pay to have band removed and get GB or the sleeve. What have you done since this post? Just curious, are you going to have another wls again? I hope things are going better for you.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[Loup_Nocturne 1]

I am having my band removed Friday and no; I'm going to do it the old fashion way and I will never suggest anyone have wls again unless it is really a life or death situation.

Further to that I have to pay out of pocket. But I'm done with the nausea, vomiting and pain so it is 100% worth it. My father (who also had his put in 1 month before me in 08) is also looking into having bus removed.

I wish you the best of luck, I know the struggle is real!

????

[Loup_Nocturne 1]

I had my bad removed this morning and I can already tell the pain I had before is gone. I feel free and just need to heal from the incisions. ????

[yvonne74 73]

I left this board/site for a while and now back. I have pain that sounds like what you are describing. Mine comes out of no where, one minute I am fine and the next, I am doubled over in pain. My band is completely empty since I told my surgeon I was pg. I had a barium swallow done and no slipping. I can't eat solids, if I do, I vomit to back up either within minutes or hours. Hours after eating I still can not drink and I feel like I went on a feast (even though I know I didn't not over eat). I resorted to drinking my calories and eating sliders b/c it was easier to get down and less often the vomiting. (However, I still had it with liquids and junk but not as often). I've started watching my carbs and cut out the sodas, fraps, etc and only eating one meal a day (very light)..

Hope you are doing better and enjoying your new journey.