wishin4

Hi Maddybrat I was aspirating too. The doctor wanted me to take Prilosec twice a day and after hearing how it can cause your body not to absorb Calcium I only took one a day. I make sure I eat dinner by 6pm and don't eat or drink anything after that time. Also I prop pillows behind me in bed and basically sleep sitting up. That seems to have done the trick. Before I started sleeping this way I would wake myself up coughing at night and the next day I would feel the Fluid in my lungs and I felt terrible. Since I've been sleeping propped up I sleep better and only have an occasional fluid come into my mouth (like a burp) so I keep a cup on my nightstand to spit it into. Sounds gross doesn't it? But it works for me. If I mention it to the doctor he will want to take some of the saline out of my band. I haven't had a fill in 7 months and I would like a tiny fill to be where I was originally but I am afraid I will regret it so I don't ask for a fill. Good luck to you, I hope things get better for you. Kathy

Hi Wow, Thanks for your comment. I am still suffering from reflux. I had the same problem as you did the beginning of last year. They removed all my fill and I stayed that way for months until they could fit me in for a scope test. The test showed nothing so the doctor slowly refilled me. I am not as full as originally and I don't really have the right restriction but once I got to this point I had to start taking Prilosec again. I lost a little weight but over the last few months I've gained back 5 pounds. I admit I am eating larger portions and snacking between meals. I am so angry at myself for this. Once I reached my 2 year anniversary with the band they pretty much sent me on my way. I guess I could go back and get a fill again but I already have heartburn during the day and I am constantly popping Tums to alleviate the pain. I love the band but I don't understand why some of us have this problem. Also, I now have to sleep with 3 pillows behind me so I am on an incline. My husband hates this but what can I do?

Hi Wow, Thanks for your comment. I am still suffering from reflux. I had the same problem as you did the beginning of last year. They removed all my fill and I stayed that way for months until they could fit me in for a scope test. The test showed nothing so the doctor slowly refilled me. I am not as full as originally and I don't really have the right restriction but once I got to this point I had to start taking Prilosec again. I lost a little weight but over the last few months I've gained back 5 pounds. I admit I am eating larger portions and snacking between meals. I am so angry at myself for this. Once I reached my 2 year anniversary with the band they pretty much sent me on my way. I guess I could go back and get a fill again but I already have heartburn during the day and I am constantly popping Tums to alleviate the pain. I love the band but I don't understand why some of us have this problem.

If you have a small amount of fluid removed you may find relief. I had to have all my fluid removed and an upper GI done to make sure I didn't have any ulcers in my esophagus and when it was shown that all was okay my Dr started to slowly refill the band. I started to get heartburn after just a small fill and when he put in my last fill I started the fluid coming up again at night. But I've learned how to control it. I take Prilosec twice a day (just until I reach my goal) and I don't eat or drink anything after 7pm (the earlier I eat dinner the better) I've also found that if I limit the size of my portions I do better also. I keep a cup on my nightstand in case I feel the fluid coming up I can spit it into the cup. It's a hassle but the last few weeks I have had many nights where I had slept thru with no incidents since I've started watching portion sizes. Good luck to you, I hope this helps.

Wisegirl, I also had the cup at my bedside for a while until the doctor unfilled me. I have not had heartburn or reflux since the gall bladder surgery and I am not taking any meds for it. I am thinking that was the cause of the reflux all along and now I am doing well without meds. No acid during the night. I am so happy.

I thought I would post an update on my progress. I now have 1.5cc in my 4cc band. I went back for another fill last week and my new surgeon (he is great and a lapband patient himself) said he didn't want to give me any more fill right now since I was taking the Prilosec again. He told to wait a few weeks so I don't have a problem during the holidays. I made an appt for January 21st. On Friday, Christmas day I was getting ready to go to our friend's house for dinner and started getting a pain in my stomach. I had gotten the same pain twice in the last week. It got progressively worse, but I went to our friend's house anyway. After I was there about 45 minutes, I just couldn't take it anymore and apologized and went home. My husband hadn't gone with me because he was sick with a bad cold and didn't want to pass it on to anyone. He said I should go to the emergency hospital and we did. They did a CAT scan and saw my gall bladder was huge. Then they did an ultrasound of it and it was loaded with stones. They admitted me and I had surgery on the 26th. The surgeon told me yesterday as they were releasing me that there is a good chance that the gall bladder was the cause of my reflux all along. I sure hope so. I am have my tea this morning and I am not taking my Prilosec. I will see if I start to get heartburn. Say a little prayer for me please.

Drasan-not drinking with meals is something we all have to come to terms with. I'm thinking you've probably had your surgery by now and are pretty adept at not drinking with meals. The main reason of course is to slow down the emptying of the pouch so we don't feel hungry too soon. Also, I have found when I eat too much and get overfilled water or another liquid doesn't help. I was never told to drain liquid from soup before eating it. Sometimes I live on soup when my band is being finicky and tight. One spoonful at a time kind of helps and at least I get some nourishment with it. Let us know how you are doing and if you've mastered the not drinking thing. OK?

Yes, I think first you should let your doctor know. You may be too tight. Also, you should be taking something for the acid. I had a terrible problem with reflux and was taking Prilosec in the morning and at night for a while. Right now I am off the Prilosec completely and only take a Zantac before bedtime to lessen the acid a bit and so far that has worked. I agree with Cleo's Mom it could be a dangerous thing to just let go. If you haven't already notified your doctor I recommend doing so immediately. Good luck and let us know how things go for you........

Cleo's Mom I agree with what you said about your other bariatric surgeon. My surgeon was also a general surgeon who switched to bariatric surgery and I don't think he really knew the ins and outs of LapBand surgery. When he filled me he said he thought that the sooner he got me to my sweet spot the better but I think he actually had me too full and that is where my trouble started. When I went to him and explained the trouble I was having he said maybe I wasn't compatible with the LapBand. And that not everyone was compatible with it. I think he just didn't know what else to say. I don't know if he is still doing bariatric surgery or is back to general surgery. But I am grateful to have an experienced surgeon now, and one who even has the LapBand himself so he really can identify with any problems his patients have. So far I am doing well and I hope it goes well in the future. Thanks for your input.

I am writing regarding Dr MacColl. He is now in Eugene, Oregon and he is now my doctor. Our surgeon moved on to another location. I saw Dr MacColl on Monday and was very impressed with him. I had a slight fill after having had my fill removed in August due to having reflux. He wants to go slowly so I don't face the same problems I had before. I just wanted you to know where he is and that he is already well liked.

Hi OregonDaisy and everyone else who is interested. I went back to the doctor in August and a substitute doc removed the whole fill. She said I needed a scope test to see if I had an ulcer or something else causing my reflux. It took until October for the test and I went back last week for the results. Nothing showed. Everything looked good and they only saw the indentation from the band in my esophagus. I saw the new surgeon Monday and he said he would fill me very slowly so as not to cause more reflux. He commented on the fact that I have a 4cc band which is an older band. Since it was put in last year I couldn't understand why they didn't use the newest bands on the market. I said outloud "maybe they were trying to use up the old stuff before using the new" He nodded as though he agreed. Anyway, he only put in 1cc. I felt heartburn during the night and a couple of times during the day but no reflux yet. It's funny, several of you have mentioned the gastric sleeve and he did too. He said in his opinion the sleeve is the future of bariatric surgery. Fewer problems and more successful. I don't know if my insurance company would consider paying for my conversion to a sleeve. I guess if I start with reflux again I may have to call them and inquire.

I have an update on my situation. I had a gastro upper gi scope last week. The doctor who performed it said everything looked normal. I have been waiting for the test since early August and the doctor removed my fill at that time. Now I have a follow up appt with the Gastroenteroloist on the 27th and then I made an appt with my new Lapband doctor (mine moved away) on November 2. I am hoping all will be fine and they can fill me again. I am struggling to maintain my weight loss since June when the dr took some of the saline out and without any fill I feel hunger and can eat quite a bit. I have been exercising 5 times a week at the gym and that has helped. While waiting for the test to be performed I suddenly stopped having reflux. I get heartburn during the night at times but I only need to take a mild acid reducer. I have stopped taking the Prilosec completely. I was taking it twice a day. I will follow up when I know more.

Hi OregonDaisy, I am interested in the gastric sleeve. I don't know if my doctor has performed that surgery or if my insurance would even consider letting me have it. I am back on the couch tonight after waking up choking and coughing. It's been about 5 weeks since the doctor removed some of my fill and I am hungry and I know I am eating larger portions. I am also eating bigger bites because I can. Last night for dinner I ate half a hamburger and a little bit of salad. I also had made some oven roasted potatoes and ate maybe 2 of them. I was so stuffed I couldn't believe it. I didn't think I had eaten a huge amount but felt as though nothing was going beyond the band. When I went to bed I was still feeling that bloated feeling. I knew it wouldn't go well and it didn't. At 4am I woke up coughing and unable to breathe. I got up so I didn't disturb my husband's sleep. I now feel better but am wondering why I was feeling this way. All I had eaten yesterday was a scrambled egg in the morning and a small salad with a little chicken in it for lunch. Then my hamburger for dinner which I cut in half and only ate the one half. I have felt the tightening feeling in the band over the last week and yet I am getting hunger pangs again which stopped after my band was put in. My doctor is leaving the practice in another month and I don't know who will replace him. There will be a substitute doctor coming in from her own practice in another city once a week. This worries me that I will never be able to get an appointment if I need one. I sure wish I had a support group here in my city. I haven't attended any of the support groups because it's at 6pm once a month and it's 75 miles away from my home. I feel like you all are my lifeline to share with and learn from.

hi everyone, well the last couple of nights I've started to feel the reflux again. Not as badly as before but I am coughing and feeling congestion in my throat and chest. I don't know whether I am tightening or what. I haven't had as much restriction as I've had the last year and as a result I have gained a couple of pounds and can't seem to lose. I work out at the gym 5 days a week so I don't think it's inactivity. I am so worried, if I get a fill to help me lose I will be back in the same boat again. When I saw my surgeon he acted as though he'd never experienced a patient having this problem. I know I am eating larger portions and am consciously trying to cut back but I am now feeling hunger again. So frustrating.

Okay, I just had my first night of no reflux or coughing in almost 3 weeks. I feel so rested. I don't know why I was suddenly so tight after having been okay for the last 6 weeks. Anyway, I am so relieved that I don't have to go for another upper GI and won't have to see a specialist. I hope you are feeling better Road Queen and I hope anyone else having this problem considers having a slight unfill. My doctor was worried it would cause me to feel less control over my eating. I am eating the same and don't feel hungry so it has worked out wonderfully for me.