Gastric obstruction anyone?

Startingover! · March 20, 2009

I was banded in June 08 and was just released from the hospital today with a gastric obstruction. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this after being banded?

marie715 · March 21, 2009

What does 'gastric obstruction' mean?

Startingover! · March 21, 2009

That's a good question! I'm still a bit confused. My lap band surgeon was out of town, but the ER doctor called him and the lap band doc requested that I was admitted. It all started when I had a fill and began vomiting a lot (approx 2 weeks ago), went back to Lap band doc twice and he finally removed all the Fluid out of the band. I was still vomiting so the surgeons office sent me to the ER. They did a upper GI series and nothing was going thru the upper portion of my stomach (not even making it to the band). The band has not slipped though. The ER doc said that my stomach was so inflamed and swollen from vomiting so much that it was closed so nothing was getting thru it. They wouldn't release me until Water was able to go thru today. So I went home today on a strict liquid diet and follow up with my surgeon on Wednesday when he comes back in town. But I am still very confused.

Has this happened to anyone else or has anyone heard of anything like this?

kgloverii · March 21, 2009

Startingover,

I have not been diagnosed with a gastric obstruction before, but I will tell you that my band got super tight on me, stomach inflamed, barely ANYTHING going through my band EXCEPT hot water/liquids. An upper GI revealed severe inflammation, a VERY tight band. An unfill fixed the problem. It was a VERY scary thing, and I was convinced that my band had slipped. HeatherO advised me of a small 'trick' with your doc's blessing. If you ever get that inflamed again, or to a SUPER tight place because of inflammation, I took a dose of liquid motrin for a child (12 year old) every six hours for 2 days. That relieved the inflammation in a MAJOR way, and even though an unfill was still needed, it relieved a VERY emergent situation. Hope you feel ALL BETTER soon!

Cleo's Mom · March 22, 2009

How do you know your have inflammation? Does it go hand in hand with being tight and having problems eating?

kgloverii · March 22, 2009

My inflammation was diagnosed via Upper GI. However, if I have an episode of PBing and am tight afterwards and it does not resolve within a few hours, I know I am inflamed. However, I only do the Motrin trick if that inflammation is not resolved for more than a day... with me doing liquids during that healing time.

Startingover! · March 22, 2009

Thank you so much Katy. That is very useful information that I intend to try! I'm still on liquids, per the ER doctors orders. Still confused about the whole situation also. Can't wait to talk to my doctor to get some more information about what has happened.

Thanks again.

Boysaway · March 23, 2009

Hi StartingOver,

I am five days post op from having my band removed due to intractable problems just like you have described. My obstruction was total just like yours so I had surgery 3 weeks ago to remove adhesions and scar tissue that the surgeon thought was causing the problem. Sadly it made no difference and nothing would go through, even though the band was well positioned.

As my problems have escalated over several months and I was at a very low ebb by then we decided it was best to take the band out. So far so good as I have been slowly increasing fluids and am now on to Soups and milk which have all gone down. Just as well as I was without any calories or nutrition at all for 2 weeks during which I lost about 20 pounds, by starvation, and often dehydrated to the point of needing IV fluids.

I have lost about 90 pounds plus in total but would have liked to lose another 20 pounds. Now my challenge will be not to increase my weight again, but I simply could not have gone on any longer as I was.

Like you I had frequent PBs which must have significantly contributed to the problem. My advice to you is to avoid PBs at all costs even if it means staying on fluids for longer.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

Startingover! · March 23, 2009

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm worried that they might not be able to put the band back in. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I wish you the best also. You did amazing to have lost 90lbs!! I'm sure you can lose the additional 20lbs. Good luck to you also.