Not Acid Reflux

[Sherrirbgr 0]

I've had my band since 2005, and I've become the master of eating around it. :embarassed: Unfortunately, I have a hubby who loves to pamper me, and he keeps leaving me presents of things I shouldn't be eating, and of course, I EAT THEM. As we know, goodies such as crisp Cookies and crisp candies (like brittle) will flow right through. I've lost over 60 lbs since the surgery, and I keep gaining/losing the same 20 lbs for the past 18 months. I've had 4 fills, and 2 emergency unfill (too tight). My stomach seems to be very sensitive, and with the band being sensitive, it is like having two drama queens quarrelling with each other if one of them isn't "happy."

My last fill was the 1st week of October. While there, I told the nurse I was having coughing fits at night, and seemed to have liquids (not solids and not acids) backing up into my bronchial tubes at night, causing me to cough a lot and sometimes the coughing continues into the day. She said to cut out night time eating, take a decongestant (the backup was slimy), and to take Mylanta before bed. She gave me a small fill (.10). Did liquids for 2 days, mushies, etc., and everything seemed fine. Coughing at night was still there, but lessened.

I traveled out of town to Chicago in mid-November, and got a stomach virus while there. It is so miserable trying to throw up through a band! I babied my stomachs (I consider them two separate entities nowadays) for a few days, and then slowly went back to solids. Then I got sick again 2nd week of December, throwing up again!

Since then, there has been a feeling of blockage and I can't eat anything more substantial than liquids or I throw it up once it backs up past my bronchial tubes. I read through the boards, and will try pineapple juice, but since it has been going on for days now, I'm not thinking it is a blockage, but my stoma being swollen?

Has anyone else had the liquids backing up into their bronchial tubes at night? Not acid though -- liquid, like whatever I drank last plus whatever sinus secretions/saliva I have swallowed during the night. I have ruined some good pillow cases and now sleep with a towel!!!

Sherri in Fayetteville

282 / 232 / 140

[Sherrirbgr 0]

I sent a message to Dr. Bagnato's office regarding this, and they've replied with I need an x-ray and to call Monday to set up the appointment. We'll see.

[juliegeraci 7]

yes, you need a barium swollow to make sure everything is okay.

[mcassisa 0]

yes I have the same thing not acid reflux. mucus and whatever last drank makes me cough and if i lay on my side or stomach it comes out my nose like a Water fountain. Tried not eating or drinking after 6pm and it still happens. I don't know what to do my band is fine. I have to stay on sinus meds and antibiotics so i don't produce the mucus in my stomach.

[lindaa 1]

It's happened to me too. If I take Pepcid before bedtime and don't eat after 7 pm it doesn't happen as much. It happens sometimes during the day too, if I take a nap. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks to talk to my doctor about it.

[QTkidsmom 0]

This probably isn't what you want to hear but I have been having the same problems since September and after many tests and visits to the doctors for unfills and refills, I learned yesterday that I have a slip and need to go in for repositioning or replacement of the band.

What you are describing sounds identical to my journey but there was one thing missing from your story, maybe this is the difference. Let me explain....

I had my surgery in Nov 06 and first fill in January 07. I did very well, lost a lot of weight and did not feel like I needed another fill until August because all of the sudden I could eat much more than normal. It was a little weird, I started having a little reflux at night about the same time I felt I needed the fill. I went in for the fill in September and they only adjusted me .25cc. I went home and within a copy days felt that it was way too tight but...if this makes any sense...I could still eat more than I was used to. I could even eat bread and Pasta which I could not eat since the day of my surgery. I was refluxing terribly at night, even to the point it appeared that I had vomitted in the middle of the night without noticing. I called the doctor and she suggested that I not eat after 5pm and see if the reflux improved. They also ordered prilosec. Neither of these remedies worked for me.

I stopped eating after noon and was still refluxing liquid, not acid, throughout the night. The doctor brought me right in, I had an upper GI followed by a complete unfill. She said that she suspected a slip but felt that it we had irrated my stomach with the last fill. She had me wait a week and repeated the upper GI and all was normal. I even had an endoscopy that was totally normal so after 6 weeks of no Fluid, they refilled me. Within a week, reflux returned and so did the tests.

Another upper GI revealed at too much of my stomach is resting above the band. It takes a skilled radiologist that is familiar with the band to discover this. To be certain, my doctor order the films and viewed them herself. I got the call yesterday that she confirmed the slip and I have to see her tomorrow to schedule the repositioning/replacement.

I didn't realize that a slip meant that too much of the lower stomach is above the band, making the pouch larger. This meant for me that I could eat more but it took much longer for the food/liquids to move through the band and even not pass through at all, causing the reflux at night.

This was a long story but if yours matches mine, get checked. For the most part, I am told that a slip is not a medical emergency but they can develope into one.

I hope all is well with you and I wish you God's blessings throughout the New Year.

[ROHO617 0]

YES!! I thought I was the only one. My backup is so massive that it takes my breath and gets into my broncial tubes and I feel as though I am suffocating.. it is quite scary. If everything is the "ideal" conditions I am ok as long as I dont eat anything after 4pm and dont drink, even a sip after 6pm. However I must sleep elevated. I Not "Ideal" I will get sick several times and then the stoma is swollen for several days and the stomach acid tends to double or more and that makes the situation worse. it takes sometimes a couple of weeks to get back to normal. any changes to the ideal routine will start the whole mess again. traveling tends to upset my routine and i suffer greatly as a result.

[lawanda jessica 0]

This happens to me also especially since my second fill.

I have asthma and it has been acting up lately

[sweetviolet 0]

you all are not the only one to have a problem!! my band was removed and i had gastric bypass on Nov 27....had reflux and got pnuemomia several times...cannot begin to tell you how much better i feel!! do whatever it takes to correct the problem--the influx of your food into the lungs caused pnuemonia that is neither bacterial or viral and hard to treat--causes much distress!!!! I am on the mend--and while I have not lost any weight I am feeling 100 percent better--guess my body did not like a foreign object--for it also caused MUCH scar tissue that had to be removed!! I am only 30 lbs from goal and feeling happy with my 133# loss so far....I know that I will make it!! ...and happy even if I never lose another pound!! wishing you all an easy journey,a good year and above all health and happiness!!

[Sherrirbgr 0]

This probably isn't what you want to hear but I have been having the same problems since September and after many tests and visits to the doctors for unfills and refills, I learned yesterday that I have a slip and need to go in for repositioning or replacement of the band.

What you are describing sounds identical to my journey but there was one thing missing from your story, maybe this is the difference. Let me explain....

I had my surgery in Nov 06 and first fill in January 07. I did very well, lost a lot of weight and did not feel like I needed another fill until August because all of the sudden I could eat much more than normal. It was a little weird, I started having a little reflux at night about the same time I felt I needed the fill. I went in for the fill in September and they only adjusted me .25cc. I went home and within a copy days felt that it was way too tight but...if this makes any sense...I could still eat more than I was used to. I could even eat bread and Pasta which I could not eat since the day of my surgery. I was refluxing terribly at night, even to the point it appeared that I had vomitted in the middle of the night without noticing. I called the doctor and she suggested that I not eat after 5pm and see if the reflux improved. They also ordered prilosec. Neither of these remedies worked for me.

I stopped eating after noon and was still refluxing liquid, not acid, throughout the night. The doctor brought me right in, I had an upper GI followed by a complete unfill. She said that she suspected a slip but felt that it we had irrated my stomach with the last fill. She had me wait a week and repeated the upper GI and all was normal. I even had an endoscopy that was totally normal so after 6 weeks of no Fluid, they refilled me. Within a week, reflux returned and so did the tests.

Another upper GI revealed at too much of my stomach is resting above the band. It takes a skilled radiologist that is familiar with the band to discover this. To be certain, my doctor order the films and viewed them herself. I got the call yesterday that she confirmed the slip and I have to see her tomorrow to schedule the repositioning/replacement.

I didn't realize that a slip meant that too much of the lower stomach is above the band, making the pouch larger. This meant for me that I could eat more but it took much longer for the food/liquids to move through the band and even not pass through at all, causing the reflux at night.

This was a long story but if yours matches mine, get checked. For the most part, I am told that a slip is not a medical emergency but they can develope into one.

I hope all is well with you and I wish you God's blessings throughout the New Year.

Hi QTMom -- it does sound just like my case; I'm starting to wonder if I've become allergic or something to the band. I am trying to go through the insurance now to find out whether the insurance will cover the removal/replacement. Funny thing is, for some reason, I keep remembering something the surgeon told me on my post-op visit. He said that the 4 cc band was a "tight fit," but it did fit. Now I wonder if it was too tight and there was an erosion or something... I guess I will find out in the coming weeks.

How are you doing?

[Sherrirbgr 0]

Hi QTMom -- it does sound just like my case; I'm starting to wonder if I've become allergic or something to the band. I am trying to go through the insurance now to find out whether the insurance will cover the removal/replacement. Funny thing is, for some reason, I keep remembering something the surgeon told me on my post-op visit. He said that the 4 cc band was a "tight fit," but it did fit. Now I wonder if it was too tight and there was an erosion or something... I guess I will find out in the coming weeks.

How are you doing?

The other thing is, I noticed while they were doing the barium swallow that my esophagus was "accordianed" above the stomach. Literally, I had like a double S curve. The curve was so pronounced that they had to give me a thinner barium solution, because the thick stuff wasn't going through. I thought I was going to throw up, that thick stuff was backing up my throat, and they wanted me to drink the thin stuff! YUCK!!!

[Marimaru 7]

I've been having the non-acid reflux this week too. I'm having an unfill tomorrow. I'm quite surprised with myself, because even though I haven't seen the doctor yet, I've kind of decided that it's a slip, and I'm really calm about it. If I need surgery to get it fixed, I'll be glad to get a newer band. If they tell me it has to be removed without replacement, well, I'll freak out when they tell me that and decide what to do then.. heh

[Boricua4U 0]

I had the same exact problem....(I was too tight).....the solution...... an unfill, rested for one week and fill up again with less amount....=-)

[jenniferann 0]

Oh my goodness, I've had the exact same thing happen to me. Doesn't happen every night but happens a few nights a week. being single, it can be REALLY AWKWARD if I have a guest lol!!

Well the mystery is solved, I had been wondering what the hell that was. Now I know, It's my band.

[michelle1934 0]

Did you ever find out what this is? I seem to be having similar issues and am ruining sheets and pajamas! I am backing up at night, sometimes with acid and sometimes without. Definitely coughing and choking in my sleep. I cannot even sleep one solid hour.