Pain, pain!!!! Help please!

[Guest Lisa - UK]

Hi All

I was just wondering if any of you had or are experiencing the pain that I am now.

I was banded in Brussels at the end of June and had no saline in my band at that time as the surgeon said it was a 'comfy' fit. I gradually started to eat solid food and had no problems at all eating anything! So 6 weeks after banding I went to London for my first 'in-fill'. I had 2.5cc pu tin and angain had no prolems with any kind of foods. 6 Weeks after this, I went again for 'in-fill' and this time had another 2.5cc put in to tak emy band to 5cc and this is where the problems have started. I managed OK for about a week and then started to get terrible pain across my back and in my stomach (please note, thi sis not the kind of band pain you get from eating too much or too fast). The pain is intense and the only way I can get some relief from it is to make myself vomit. I am back on tiny amounts of liquid Soup and this does not help. I was admitted to hospital last week as I couldn;t keep any fluids down at all, even when I just sipped Water it felt like I had a great load of food going down blocked in my throat. Then the trapped wind started along with acid-reflux (I have been put on medication for the acid, which has helped), but I am still struggling to get 'burps' up to help eleviate this back pain.

I cannot get to see my surgeon until next week as he only comes to the UK every 2 weeks. I must say at this point he has been very helpful and supportive.

So for this reason, I was wondering if any of you have suffered these symptoms at all.

I would be so greatful for any advice or help!

Thank you,

Lisa

[La_madam 20]

Yes I did , it was gastritis and was detected through an endoscopy, however my symptoms did not star until Iwas unfilled after I found out I had gastritis, a couple of symptoms of gastritis is always having to burp and a full feeling in the upper abdomen and back, vomiting, Gatritis , I was told was common amongst us bandsters but many never know they even have it. I was one of them. Definately let your Dr. know of all of this.

Symptoms of Gastritis

The most common symptoms are abdominal upset or pain. Other symptoms are belching, abdominal bloating, nausea, and vomiting or a feeling of fullness or of burning in the upper abdomen.

There are many sites with info on gastritis.

[Guest Lisa - UK]

Thank you so much for your quick repsonse, when I was in hospital last week I thought I'd have every test under the sun, but I didn't have an endoscopy! They tried everything else though as none of the doctors had even heard of lap band surgery (it's not very common in the UK).

Is there a cure for gastritis? Will I get better, or will I need treatment?

Thank you! Lisa

[ickytazz 0]

Have You Gallbladder Checked!

[La_madam 20]

I had my band unfilled for 2 months and took prilosec and it got better, but it can come back..I am having another endoscopy on Oct 31 to make sure everything is OK. Maybe you can ask your Dr to do an endoscopy since it is the only way it is detected. I remember all too well how throwing up used to make me feel so much better.

Here is more info on it

Symptoms of gastritis do not always correspond to the extent of physical changes in the lining of the stomach.

* The stomach lining can be examined with an endoscope, a thin probe with a tiny camera on the end that can be inserted into the stomach.

* Severe gastritis may be present when the stomach is viewed without symptoms being present.

* Severe gastritis symptoms may be present despite only minor changes in the stomach lining.

* Elderly people in particular have a much higher likelihood of developing painless stomach damage. They may have no symptoms at all (no nausea, vomiting, pain) until they are suddenly taken ill with internal bleeding.

In people who have gastritis symptoms, pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen is the most common.

* The pain is usually in the upper central portion of the abdomen (the "pit" of the stomach).

* Gastritis pain occurs in the left upper portion of the abdomen and in the back. The pain seems to "go right straight through" a person as it travels from the belly to the back.

* People often use the terms burning, aching, gnawing, or sore to describe the pain. Usually, a vague sense of discomfort is present, but the pain may be sharp, stabbing, or cutting.

Other symptoms of gastritis include the following:

* Belching: Belching usually either does not relieve the pain or relieves it only briefly.

* Nausea and vomiting: The vomit may be clear, green or yellow, blood-streaked, or completely bloody, depending on the severity of the stomach inflammation.

* Bloating

* Feeling of fullness or burning in the upper part of the belly

In more severe gastritis, bleeding may occur inside the stomach. Any of the following symptoms can be seen as well as those already mentioned.

* Pallor, sweating, and rapid (or "racing") heart beat.

* Feeling faint or short of breath

* Chest pain or severe stomach pain

* Vomiting large amounts of blood

* Bloody bowel movements or dark, sticky, very foul-smelling bowel movements

Any or all of these symptoms can occur suddenly.

[Guest Lisa - UK]

Thank you again for your advice, I have been back to hospital today and they have changed my medication.

I'm still being sick and feel that even if I drink a small amount of Water it is coming up in to my throat like a golf ball.

Do you think this could be that I need some saline taking out of my band? When I do drink I get 'glugging' sounds coming up in to my throat (like 'burps' inside my throat). That's the only way I can describe it. But I'm sure some of you may have had the same symptoms!

Thanks again for putting my mind at rest and for helping!

Lisa

[Road Queen 0]

Yes, I think it sounds like you need to get your saline reduced. When I was too tight it was like listening when you put a bottle of soda pop upside down and it is trying to go down the tube.

[Guest Lisa - UK]

Goodness, yes that is exactly the noise!!!!! Spot-on!!!! It is hard trying to explain all these symptoms!!!!

I have been looking on this site for quite some time, but never registered! and have found it most interesting and how you all keep each other going, its really great!

Also, many of you have put all the 'activity' your band has had since been put in. I wonder if there are many different types of bands as many of you seem to have not very much saline inside your bands and I have mine 'half full' to capacity with 5cc in it!!!! I definately want half of that taking out! Practically everything I eat (when I can) causes me band pain when it goes down through it - awful.

Thanx again for any posts anyone leaves me.

L

[Road Queen 0]

Lisa, talk with your dr about how much to unfill. I have a 4 cc band. At 1.5 it was too much - he took out .25 and it was too little. The next fill he brought it up to 1.4 and that seems to be pretty good.

The thing I found when too full was that Water was terrible and painful. Milk and Protein shakes went down better. I think it might be due to the viscosity or something. Good luck and keep us updated.

[La_madam 20]

I agree if Water is not goinmg down you may need a small unfill..when I had 2.5 cc's in my band was when my gastritis started..the tighter you are the more higher the chances of reflux and gastritis. You can have as little as .2 ccs removed and you will be amazed at the difference but still have restriction but water and liquids will go down fine.

[HotLikeHer 0]

OK, I was banded 8/30 No fill yet, was to maybe get one this Thursday,,,

Since the band I have had major I mean Major flatulence... I have pretty much just been on liquids..

For the past 2 weeks or a little bit longer I have had increasing times of almost a burp but not a real burp burp thing all the time and full feeling upper tummy and chest and then this not quite hiccup thing. IT Hurt and then increasing pain in the mid shoulder area that sometimes seemed to go right through from center of chest to the back and Hurts really really bad,,,, Today I finally went to regular Dr she listened, and is familiar with the band etc, as her husband is also a general surgeon. She said it is acid reflux, I then said but I have not had anything come up into my throat, she said I dont have to it is stopping in the chest and causing all of the pain and the gas etc... Seems to be worse after "eating" drinking my meals or Water, but even when I am empty.

All along I thought it was from my back from my accident but I havent had much relief from the treatments for that..

She gave me Aciphex to try so I hope to be on my way to feeling good here soon...

Hope this may help you as it may be the same thing..

[katerzz 4]

so many of the symptoms above are much like gallstones/gallbladder issues.. which happens with about 1 in 10 weight loss surgery patients

when it doubt.. check it out!

[desertmom 297]

hi

Little unfill in order, it seems.I have a 9cc band and maybe just a .5 or 1 ml unfill will do wonders for you....all the symptoms you describe seems like to tight fill.My dr is De Bruyne and when I am to tight I have the same symptoms....

["Nita 0]

My husband (who is not banded or overweight) has trouble with gastritis and these are the kinda pains he gets. The first time he had a flair up, he was in so much pain through his back, shoulder and down his arm, we thought it was his heart. After a trip to the emergengency room, they thought it was his gallbladder (which evidentally has a similar radiating pain pattern) and admitted him and scheduled surgury for his gallbladder. Before the surgury (luckily) they did an endoscopy to check his stomach for ulcers and found he had corrosive gastritis. They said the lining to his stomach was corroded and pitted and this was causing the pain. He took a couple stomach meds and treated it as you would ulcers basically. It still occasionally flairs up if he is mistreating his stomach.

[Guest Lisa - UK]

Sorry for the delay getting back, but I've been in Hospital for the last four days. Two of these were waiting to be transferred to another hospital where there was a Lapband specialist who could see me.

On meeting the specialist, he immediately knew my symptoms and completely emptied my band of the 5ccs in it, as my problems were due to my band being over-full. Upon my band being emptied I felt almost immediate relief of the pain and acid I'd been experiencing.

I had to stay in hospital to have a barium swallow the next day, which showed that my band had slipped a lot! They took me down to theatre the same night, they had told me they would have to take out the band (and port) altogether. But when I woke up after the operation the surgeon told me that he had left it in, but completely slackened it as my stomach was EXTREMELY swollen. I have to go back in four weeks to see my new surgeon in the UK, and he'll then decide when he's going to operate again to put the band in properly.

I thought I would be in tremedous pain after the operation, as I had when this after I had the band put in, but I feel great and am now at home.

I just want to say thank you to all of you that bothered to reply to me and I will definitely keep in touch through this forum!

Lisa X