Help please? liquid coming up at night

[tinaj 0]

I was banded two years ago and have not had any problems at all. I've only had two fills which were both within 6 months of my surgery. Over the last 4 months I have started experiencing what I believe to be reflux at night while I am sleeping. Initially, it seemed to worsen around the time of my period but now it has been the last 8 nights in a row. I wake up and feel like I am choking. My band has also become noisier at night and in the mornings when layihg down. I have varied what and when I eat and over the last week it has not make any improvement. I am fine while awake. Any soluteions?? please help. I am in Arizona and had my surgery in Mexico so I don't even know a Dr. but I need a good nights sleep. thanks for your help!!

[Cleo's Mom 257]

If you are having liquid coming up at night (reflux) it usually means you are too tight or perhaps your band has slipped. I'm not sure what you mean by your band being noisier. The band should not make noise. Or do you mean your stomach is making noise? You need to find a bariatric surgeon who will see you and run some tests, hopefully an upper GI to see what is going on. Look at the forums for lapband surgeons that is new here and see if you can find one in a city near you. Good luck.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I agree with Cleo's Mom. You need to see your doc.

[Jachut 487]

See your doc, I agree. Reflux at night is never OK.

As for noise, my stomach is incredible when I lay down. Its like all the gas rises to the top or something, I dont need to ah, let it out, its not like that, its just that the minute I lay down all the gurgling and stuff that goes on is incredibly loud. It actually keeps me awake!

[wishin4 0]

Hi Tinaj

I had my band surgery in March 2008. I had no problems until earlier this year when I had an episode of vomiting and it caused my esophagus to swell so fast and so badly that it felt as though I was being strangled. I was on vacation and in another state than my doctor. I communicated with his office until I came home and things got a little better but I had a barium swallow to see if my band had slipped. They decided it hadn't. I had my fill reduced to a comfortable level and stayed that way for almost 2 months. When I went back he refilled my band and I have been doing fine until the last 10 days or so. I am having the same problem as you. As soon as I lay down I have gurgling in my stomach and constant bubbling up into my mouth all night long. I don't eat or drink anything past 6pm and still I am coughing at:crying: night. I wake up feeling like I am aspirating. My lungs are congested from fluids backing up into them. I end up on the recliner so I can get some sleep. I am calling my surgeon tomorrow to find out what is going on. I don't think I am too tight. I am not as filled as I was the first 6 months before my episode of vomitting. I feel as though I have liquids in my pouch constantly. If I bend over I get a mouthful of whatever I ate sometimes hours before. It sounds like we both have the same problem. I will try to keep in touch with you when I find something out. I am terrified I will have to get the band removed or something. I take Prilosec every day and it just doesn't seem to be stopping anything except the acid that comes up in my mouth. It is still coming into my mouth but it isn't acidic.

Edited June 5, 2009 by wishin4
forgot to proof read

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Kathy; Things may have changed with your band and even though you don't think you are too tight because you are filled to where you were before - you have all the symptoms of being too tight. When was your last upper GI? Aspirating into your lungs at night is a very serious problem and can lead to pneumonia among other things. Discuss this with your doctor. You don't need to put up with this. Good luck.

[tinaj 0]

hi,

i acutally called the a woman who gave me one of the o nly two fills i have ever had. i explained to her about the increased noisiness over the last 6 months and before i even finished my sentence she said "and your having Fluid come up at night (reflux). she said this is fairly common after a few years and that I am probably a little tight. I was banded in 2006 in april so it has actually been 3 years ago. no problems until all of the noise started. didn't really bother me just annoying. it is the reflux that made me post. i am going tomorrow to get a little taken out and i will let you guys know if it makes it better. thank you for responding! tina

[laceysmom67 0]

Tina-you also need to see a dr as suggested. The same thing happened to me and went to my surgeon yest, sent me for upper gi, and discovered my stomach had herniated up above my band. Ony had 2 fills also but last one was 2 months ago. After 1st had bad cough for 6 weeks, found out that was also reflux, so had that taken out didn't get another for 8 months, then reflux again. I had no pain just the night reflux, so you really need to be checked to make sure it is not a slippage. If you don't know what herniated means, PA said it looks light my band was too tight and my body made a pouch above the band for the food to go, since it all couldn't get through. I am wait and see now have another barium next fri to see if it has shrunk, don't know what happens if it hasn't. They took all my Fluid out and the only dif I can tell is no reflux last night, so far haven't ate the house down, but am staying on mushies and fluids til next test. I don't mean to scare you with this, but reflux is a sympthom that something is wrong.

[tinaj 0]

wow, that is a little scary. i hope you are alright. how long did you have the reflux? was it every night. I typically it have it the night before i start my period and then it is gone. i posted because this month it seemed to go on for about 6 or 7 nights. not horrible but enough to wake me up (and think i can't do this forever!). i started my period and last night slept like a baby. my insurance is gone so for now i may have to just wait but please keep me posted and let me know what you find out!! thanks and good luck

[laceysmom67 0]

I had reflux for about the last month, first maybe once a night, got progressively worse, night before went to dr, woke me up 7 times. I had gone to my reg phys and she wanted me to have a scope of my esophegus, because she said there had to be something wrong since I had been on Nexium since the last episode. Upped my nexium to 2 a day. I called my bariatric surgeon same day and made appt for next week, even with 2 nexium a day it got worse. Slept in recliner for about 2 weeks, which did at first seem to help, but night I had 7, was in recliner. Hopefully yours is some kind of hormone thing attached to your period. I have read alot of people say they have reflux, and everything was ok, but then this happened and I think everybody should have it checked especially if it progresses rapidly.

Leaving on vac after my test next week, if everything is ok, so will post what they say 2 weeks, unless I don't get to go.

[wishin4 0]

Thanks Cleo- I didn't get a chance to call the doctors office today so now I have to wait until Monday. I think I had better call and make that appt. I am really worried about it and I am really scared they will take my band out. I fear getting so big again. Good luck to you too Tina. Lacey'smom keep us posted as to how you do please.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I was banded two years ago and have not had any problems at all. I've only had two fills which were both within 6 months of my surgery. Over the last 4 months I have started experiencing what I believe to be reflux at night while I am sleeping. Initially, it seemed to worsen around the time of my period but now it has been the last 8 nights in a row. I wake up and feel like I am choking. My band has also become noisier at night and in the mornings when layihg down. I have varied what and when I eat and over the last week it has not make any improvement. I am fine while awake. Any soluteions?? please help. I am in Arizona and had my surgery in Mexico so I don't even know a Dr. but I need a good nights sleep. thanks for your help!!

This is not a good sign at all.

You have a few choices in doctors, you can see Berger in Flag, Aceves in Mexicali, or you can go to your original surgeon in TJ. Do not let this go on!

Sometimes people are too tight, sometimes it's a slip, sometimes it's the beginning of band intolerance.

[wifemomteacher 0]

I have been having the same problems. They have been trying to figure out the problem for several months now. Just had a chest xray and upper GI today. Everything was okay, except I have reflux and an esophagus that doesn't move food as it should because it is weak. My surgeon thought it was not the band. My internist is now treating me for severe reflux. Nexium, reglan, and another med that starts with C I have to take four times a day. YUCK! I would be soooo happy to just have a real night's sleep. We'll see how this works...

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I have been having the same problems. They have been trying to figure out the problem for several months now. Just had a chest xray and upper GI today. Everything was okay, except I have reflux and an esophagus that doesn't move food as it should because it is weak. My surgeon thought it was not the band. My internist is now treating me for severe reflux. Nexium, reglan, and another med that starts with C I have to take four times a day. YUCK! I would be soooo happy to just have a real night's sleep. We'll see how this works...

Studies are showing more and more (as well as posters posting right here) that after about 2 years banded folks start experiencing reflux. It's the positioning of the band. I had it too. :smile2:(

[laceysmom67 0]

I posted last week and told you I would post again after my 2nd upper GI. Able to get it today, so I would know if had to cancel vac, but dr said it was ok to go, just keep their card and call if I had any ab pain or reflux. 1 full week with none, no symptoms at all, but stomach still looks same in test, so we are waiting 3-4 weeks, then he is going to refill some under floriscope and see what it does. If I have any symptoms before then, he bandied about the s word(surgery)and said they may have to go in and look to see what is happening. Hopefully, I can keep my meals small enough that I don't gain, but I don't get the hungry all the time feeling I used to, and actually lost 1 pd this week.

The dr who did my upper GI said it looked sort of like a hiatal hernia, but sorta doesn't mean is, and I think if it is, they have to do a revision or try to move band.

Tina did you get to your dr yet?

Wife mom did they take the Fluid out of your band?