Esophageal Spasm

[josnjos 1]

Hi LBT Friends,

Since I was banded in January 2008 I have suffered two of these "Esophageal Spasms". The second was much worse than the first, and I concerned they will keep happening.

It is a sharp stabbing pain in the chest, that radiates through to my back between my shoulder blades and across underneath my ribs. It starts as just a small pain (similar to wind pain) and just builds to this pain that is so unbearable I thought I was dying.

The first one I was able to drive myself to hospital and had an overnight stay. The second one last week was much more severe, I was rocking back and forth and just screaming in agony. It got to the point where I could not breathe and was hyperventilating, and I am sure I was just about to lose conciousness. Luckily the paramedics arrived just in time and administered oxygen.

The only thing that takes this pain away to the point that I am comfortable is morphine. I had dosages at home from the paramedics, in the ambulance on the way to hospital and then again twice in hospital. After 12 hours the pain just goes away and other than being tired I am back to normal.

I really don't want to scare people, I am interested in hearing from bandsters that have had this happen to them in a hope of having a better understanding of it all!

Thanks for taking the time to read my thread.

Joshie-Boo.

[Long2BFree 12]

I'm very sorry that you are having to deal with something so scary and painful. Can you share what your doctor is telling you about why this is happening and how to fix it?

I hope you get better soon.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Is it possible you are too tight? I know someone else that can't handle any fill at all or she has those spasms.

[lovegrapes 0]

I don't get banded until next week but I have esophogeal spasm too. It seems to happen two or three days in a row, then it doesn't happen again for months. I've never had to go to the emergency room for it, but it surely takes my breath away and hurts like hell! Are you on any medications for it? My doctor suggested taking Elavil and possibly Levsin, but my symptoms are so infrequet I decided not to take anything. Good luck.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

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I’m so very sorry to hear of your spasms. They sound pretty horrifying. I’ve not heard of this before and I’ve certainly never had them.<o:p></o:p>

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I just wanted to wish you the best. Also, if maybe you could share what you do find out so we can be more informed of what the issue may be that would be great too! Please let us know how it turns out and how you are doing!<o:p></o:p>

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Take Care!!<o:p></o:p>

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

lovegrapes, if you're already having esophageal spasms, the band might not be right for you. If I were you, I would look into the sleeve surgery.

All they do is make you a tiny stomach. You don't have to worry about fills and unfills. Everyone that I know that has those spasms are constantly being unfilled and getting fills.

[ocbreeze4u 0]

Did the paramedics mention how your oxygen level was (they would have called it blood ox) during your attack? Have you had your Upper GI done yet? I had simular symptoms for over a year on occasion and when I had my upper GI they discoverd not only a hiatal hernia but it was so severe that 1/3 of my stomach was above my diaphram and in my chest cavity.

I had it repaired during my lapband surgery with a few inches of mesh for reinforcement so it would not happen again and for the first time in over a year I no longer have heartburn and spasm pain.

[greyhoundmom 0]

hi there, i was just diagnosed with this condition today. i have had symptoms of small spasms for about 3 years but didn't know what it was (pain behind/beside my breast bone, fluttering behind my breast bone and pain thru to my back and up to my neck).

i had lap-band surgery on 6/10/2008 and was doing fine until a fill in october. have had 2 fills since and 2 unfills within 2 weeks of those fills! i had an upper gi and and upper endoscopy and the dr. says that it's esophageal spasms. maybe caused by acid reflux (had that for years but it's been under control and was hoping as i lose weight with the band - would get better) but maybe just for no known reason.

i had the 'band is stuck' feeling several times since surgery and that was ok - hurts but in one spot and not too badly and not for too long. but then i had 2 MAJOR 'pain events' that i thought was also the band but it felt like my rib cage was going to explode and i had to throw up but couldn't and my whole body was shaking! THAT was not normal band action!

my dr. does not recommend taking out the band. he said to eat small meals (well i already do that with the band) and if the protonix i already take (that he has just doubled the dose to 2 pills a day) doesn't do the trick then there is something he can prescribe to calm my esophagus.

i never heard of this before and never even thought to search this site for it! i'm afraid to have my band re-filled to where it was (had to have it emptied for the endoscopy procedure). but i don't want it there and empty either.

hope not many others are going thru this. it does seem to be a condition in general and not necessarily band initiated tho the band might make it worse? maybe?

[TQUAD64 9]

Wow! Who cares what we have to say, what does your doctor say?

This is very scary and I am sure your doctor would have seem feedback.

[greyhoundmom 0]

hi, my lap-band surgeon doesn't seem to care much in that i haven't seen her since the day of surgery! i see her phyician assistants for fills and have been telling them what is happening and they just say 'no fill' until this stops. so i called the gastroenterologist who diagnosed GERD for me a while back and he did the testing.

going by how i feel, the protonix 2 times a day helps. i'm going to do 6 small (100-200) calorie meals a day with dinner being a little bigger (not much) because i eat that meal with my husband. i'm going to keep track of what i feel and when so i can try to analyze what sets this off.

both times, i did stop eating because the band felt a little stuck. then, all heck broke lose behind my breastbone! so i need to work harder to avoid getting the band stuck at all (chew chew chew, eat slowly, etc.).

i've been holding at 40 lbs off for 3 months now. while that is very good - to have lost 40 lbs! - i'd like to get the scale moving downwards again! i've lost some restriction with these unfills and i find i'm eating crackers to sooth my stomach which really doesn't help with weight loss but i understand it - an empty stomach with excess acid for whatever reason is not good.

i believe it's not my heart - tho the syptoms seem like a woman having a heart attack. my heart thankfully is in very good shape and the dr. agrees my heart is fine. phew.

[TQUAD64 9]

I am so sorry you are going through this.

[greyhoundmom 0]

thank you Tquad64! it sounds awful i'm sure but for me it doesn't happen every day - few times a week in a minor way - only 2 times really bad. i'm hopeful this will clear up once i get on the right medication. i really want the band to start working for me again so i'll do whatever i have to do to get past this roadblock! thanks for your concern and support!

[jillrenee15 0]

I had this happen to me recently also. I got a too tight fill, and an unfill before I left the office, then had to return the next day for more unfill. All in all, it was about 3 days before they were finally gone, and I haven't had it again. They are VERY painful and scary. To me it feels like a gall bladder attack, if any of you have had those before. Like in the center of your chest your band is too tight, and there is a steel band tightening all the way around you. I'm hoping to not have another episode when I get my fill back where I had it. I don't know if having on episode makes you prone to more or if it was a one time thing for me. Anyone else have any insights?

[greyhoundmom 0]

hi jillrenee15 - i have been reading up on this and it seems the cause is officially 'unknown'.

tho just like you, i had a fill in october that was too tight and i had more acid reflux than usual so i had it taken out. then i had another one in november and same thing - had to go back and take it out.

i've had 2 'spasms' in december and january (if i remember the dates right!) and the first one was absolutely the worst one. i remember it took my sight away for about a second or too and my whole body was shaking afterwards. i remember thinking this band must be too tight and yet i was saying to myself that was VERY different than anything i've had before.

i've read very hot or very cold foods can trigger then and the first one - i had lobster salad and it felt a little stuck so i was sipping on ice Water to try to help it down. the 2nd time, i didn't chew a piece of chicken enough and i felt that stuck feeling and most likely - i did the same thing - sipped something to help it down and wham!

i drink iced tea all day long. i'm thinking of not using ice cubes and see how that goes.

i take anti anxiety medicine at night to help me sleep and i had stopped it in december to see how things went. and bam, got the spasms. i would never have thought that was related but my dr. told me the anti-anxiety medicine is a muscle relaxer so possibly it has been preventing these spasms for me and when i stopped they cropped up.

just like you - i'm in a 'wait and see' mode to see if it happens again. maybe it will, maybe it won't. but know at least i know what it is. that helps a little.

take care! i saw this pic of the esophagus this morning and that is exactly where my ongoing chronic 'low grade' pain is daily - all the way up to my ear. do you have that? a dull ache that is just there? not to the point of spasm?

(click on the little pic to see the full pic once you click on this link)

Esophageal spasms: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com

i am afraid to get my band refill tomorrow but i'm doing it to see what happens. i got this band for a reason and i won't leave it empty!

i am wondering if this is a complication of the band that is just not well documented. and i really hope it is NOT!

[aubrie 6]

I had these for two days after band surgery and haven't had any others since. I was on morphine at the time anyway, so they weren't very severe. After reading the above, I pray I never do!!! How frightening....