Can't eat!

[UnderDaSea 2]

Hi everyone! I'm new here! I had a lap band done about 5 years ago. At first everything was great! The band was working, and I never had any problems with it! I occasionally got stuck, but I was always able to move the blockage by walking and or drinking something.

Anyways, about 3 years ago I woke up very ill. I was vomiting pretty badly. Turns out my gallbladder had to go. I had the necessary surgical procedure and it was removed. Ever since then it has been terrible.

Since then I've had random stomach aches, acid reflux, and nausea. Through patience, ginger tea, tums, and crackers I was able to deal with it. Then everything got bad. The reflux was bad. I couldn't eat anything except snicker bars. (I know that's insane, but it's true!) I went to a gastroenterologist, and she prescribed me dexilant. I was skeptical, but desperate and it was like a miracle. My stomach aches, nausea and reflux were totally gone! I could eat anything I wanted. This blissful time went on for about 2 years.

Fast forward to about a month ago and things go bad again. I was regularly taking my dexilant but I was getting terrible reflux. I couldn't even digest BROTH! chicken BROTH!!! So I got fed up and went to my bariatric doctor. He said it was time for the band to go and I was not alone. I felt so much better hearing that from him! He said my symptoms would almost immediately go away! I was so ready to get this thing out of me!!!

So I had my band removed about a week ago. February 9, 2015 to be exact. The doctor said my body reacted negatively to having a foreign object in it and my stomach somehow made it like I had two lap bands?

I have been trying my hardest to take it easy but the reflux is nowhere near gone! It's the same as before the surgery. I called the nurse and she said to take the dexilant until my tummy heals and then wean myself off of it. I am devastated. I was hoping to see at least a little relief, but that hasn't happened yet. So I sit here praying that my dexilant kicks in soon so maybe I can get some relief and eat maybe some applesauce. I haven't had solid food in a month and it's starting to take a toll on my emotional health.

Does anyone have any advice for me? Is this normal? Will I have acid reflux for the rest of my life? Will I have to take dexilant for the rest of my days?

I'm only 23, and I look forward to having children in the next couple years, but currently there is no way that can happen in my current condition. I'm scared, hungry, nauseas and depressed.

[needtorecover 574]

First, I'm sorry this is happening to you - sounds really terrible.

If you just had the surgery a week ago, it's probably going to take some time for it to return to normal. This is just based off what I know of any major change in your body. Infections don't go away when you take the first antibiotic, you're not able to walk right after knee replacement surgery, a broken bone won't heal within days of being set in a cast, etc. I'd give it about a month. I know it sucks to feel like crap but if you think about it the band has been in your body for five years. That's a long time. It'll take a while for it to recover.

If after a month you don't feel any better I'd get a second opinion from a gastroenterologist. At that point it's probably beyond the scope of a bariatric surgeon since they don't focus on digestive disorders. I really doubt you'll be like this the rest of your life! Hang in there, it'll get better eventually.

[UnderDaSea 2]

Thank you so much for the encouragement. It does indeed suck! I'm really worried and so is my family! I love my weight loss, but at this moment I am sorely regretting having had the band.

[nikki_lesueur 2]

i can totally relate to you. are you able to get liquids and food down? I have been on liquids and mushies for 18 months and loosing my mind. ive done the scope balloon dialation twice with no success. dr called today and said it is scar tissue that is left around the stomach making it almost like I still have the lapband. its just crazy. they cant just go in and remove the scar tissue, they risk damaging the stomach. so i just deal. i know your pain and fears about having children, i fear this as well. i really want one more. ugh. and ive been lap band free for 4 months. I pray we both get answers. keep in touch

[nikki_lesueur 2]

ps all ican eat is snickers too

[nikki_lesueur 2]

when he said its like it made 2 lapbands im thinking because of all the scar tissue?

[UnderDaSea 2]

Yeah. @@nikki_lesueur! That's exactly it! But I cannot tolerate snickers any longer. That was before the band was removed. I can't tolerate anything that isn't liquid. I can't even eat mushies. I'm on an all liquid diet. I can't even have applesauce without reaching for the tums! I'm so terrified. And yes. The doctor said that the scar tissue around where the band was is the issue. They said they will consider dilation after I have yet another upper GI. What is the dilation? You've had it twice and it didn't help at all? This scares me. I hope we can get help!

[DDN 58]

Wow. I'm so sorry to hear about all of this. I can imagine it being painful and frustrating.

Question....did your surgeon prescribe any meds to help alleviate the problem post-op? I'm curious because I'm 10-days post-op, visited my surgeon yesterday and he took some preventive measures and prescribed "sucralfate" 4x daily for 30 days, knowing the possibilities of an ulcer or stricture forming as a result of the new pouch.

[UnderDaSea 2]

@@DDN before the surgery I was taking dexilant, and my nurse told me to keep taking it, but it's not helping at all. The reflux is so bad that I have trouble swallowing and keeping the pill down. The alternative is opening the capsule and sprinkling the contents on applesauce, but I cannot digest applesauce. I'm absolutely miserable. What is sucralfate? Is it helping any?

[DDN 58]

@"UnderDaSea" Yea that's bad and one of the reasons why I chose to have the Roux-en-y procedure because my GERD was bad for many years. My surgeon wormed me about the issues you're having but left the decision up to me on the type of procedure to have. I felt I had suffers with reflux long enough. The meds that I mentioned in my previous post is a preventive medication that should keep my body from forming major scat tissues, ulcers or strictures which can cause major problems after any gastric procedure.

[nikki_lesueur 2]

@@UnderDaSea oh i see. the dialation is where they send the balloon down to open up that area, that the scar tissue is in. my dr ordered a third one, he said they will be more agressive this time. and pray that it helps open the stomach back up (even a little bit) so I can eat. I am also on liquids (18 months) the opening to my stomach is only open 3 mm! i cant even believe it! i can barely drink liquids too. my dr said im the ONLY case hes ever seen. he said the last resort is, that they remove that part of the stomach (the upper part) where the scar tissue is, and re attach the stomach to the esophaegus. i am sorry we both are struggling. so, do you throw up if u try to eat anything at all? we need to stick together. please email me nikkidewitt1223@gmail.com and ill send you my number

[yvonne74 73]

Some of what you guys describe is what is happening to me! Since Nov. I have only been able to drink liquids and very few soft foods. I had a Barium swallow done and suppose to be good (no slippage). However, if I eat solids then I throw up. Some days, I can't even get Soup down before it comes back up. So I resorted to drinking my calories (Starbucks, sodas, etc) I have wanted to do a revision to the sleeve but wondering if I have scar tissue (from reading what you guys are experiencing). Good Luck and hope we all start feeling better!

[UnderDaSea 2]

I got mine taken out already, and finally started to eat a couple of months ago. The first step for you will probably involve having the band removed.

[A_new_sara 136]

On 2/18/2016 at 3:56 PM, nikki_lesueur said:

i can totally relate to you. are you able to get liquids and food down? I have been on liquids and mushies for 18 months and loosing my mind. ive done the scope balloon dialation twice with no success. dr called today and said it is scar tissue that is left around the stomach making it almost like I still have the lapband. its just crazy. they cant just go in and remove the scar tissue, they risk damaging the stomach. so i just deal. i know your pain and fears about having children, i fear this as well. i really want one more. ugh. and ive been lap band free for 4 months. I pray we both get answers. keep in touch

I'm going through this exact thing after my revision to a sleeve. The lapband caused so much scar tissue that it's created strictures that won't even allow the barium to pass through for the upper GI they attempted.. I'm being referred to a surgeon.. unsure of what they will want to do. I feel scared and worried

[A_new_sara 136]

On 7/9/2016 at 9:08 PM, UnderDaSea said:

I got mine taken out already, and finally started to eat a couple of months ago. The first step for you will probably involve having the band removed.

are you all better now?