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Well since I first wrote this I have had the band removed. Even though I mentioned to the doctors about possible gallbladder, they did not look to see if it was the gallbladder. It ended up not being the band, because I was still having pain after the band was removed, it was my gall bladder. I have also now had my gall bladder removed and the stones that were stuck in the ducts. Unfortunately once a band is removed you can not get it put back in, or have bypass surgery because of scar tissue. So now I am back to trying to diet, etc. One thing though after the band was removed I still had a pouch, just not as much restriction down below, the pouch will probably stretch out eventually. Good Luck to everyone.

Thanks to everyone for your support. To HeatherO: The pain started after banding, after GI's, ultrasounds, CT's, going back in and looking, the only explanation had to be my IBS or Fibromyalgia causing it somehow. I am going to do my best, keep the eating habits I had with the band, I have gotten so used to eating low fat, etc... that everything else tastes bad. Again, thanks for the support and well wishes, and good luck to all who have been banded and good journey.

I have been having sharp pains in the sternum area for about a year and a half now. I finally had repositioning 8 weeks ago. The pain came back. So now I am having it removed on Monday. The doctor and I have agreed that either my IBS or my Fibromyalgia are what is causing this. I am very sad to loose my band, but I cannot continue with the severe pain that I get. I just have to be strong and use my head to keep on track to loose the last 40 lbs. I lost 70 total with the band.:lovechoc:

I am thinking of you and wish you well. I am having an exploratory on July 15th, and may have the band removed. I cried all the way home from the Doctor. I have had the band since Dec 2006. I have been having intermittent pain in the sternum area that has been getting more frequent. We have decided that if it can be fixed the band stays in, if she cannot see anything the band comes out, because my fibromyalgia or IBS is responsible. Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

I wondered about both possibilities, hernia or gallbladder. But I don't have any nausea or other symptoms. Just the pain. What about spasms of the stomach, has anyone had anything like that?

I had my surgery over a year and a half ago. About 8 months ago I had a severe chest pain right at my sternum. The first one lasted about 3 hours. It is like someone takes a clamp and just squeezes, I take a vicodin (doesn't help). Emergency room the first time said a stomach spasm, not a Gastro doctor. Since then I have had many episodes like this, lasting from 1/2 to 2 hours long. I can feel it come on about 1 minute before it starts and know it is going to happen and when it's over it is almost instant. Sometimes it happens after I eat about 15 minutes later, sometimes a couple of hours after I eat. Sometimes after I drink something cold. I have Fibromyalgia and IBS. I have had several upper GI's. Dr. thinks could by Hyatial Hernia, but nothing conclusive. I don't have any other symptoms, only the severe pain. Has anyone else out there had a similar experience. May have to have an exploratory in July, to see what is going on.

Not really sore, but you are aware of it. Sometimes tight pants will push on it, depending on where it is at and can be a little uncomfortable. Mine just happens to be right at my waist, I have a high waist. Everyone is different, I could start feeling it more as I dropped the weight. Just every once in a while I lay on it wrong and it twinges and I have to move to accomodate it. Hey, but a little twinge is nothing, compared to what we can acheive with this tool. Good Luck!

I hope you are OK. If the pain continues I would check with your Doctor to make sure you didn't tear the stitches holding it in place. You will discover as you go along that you are always aware of the port. I have had it for over a year on my right side and sometimes it is uncomfortable to lay on that side. It also moves to different positions as you loose the weight. Good luck and always have a pillow handy.

I am still getting better little by little, the heartburn isn't really heartburn, there is no burning sensation. It is whatever I ate just basically sitting there and going down soooooooo slooooooow. If I take a long time to eat then it is better. I have been losing about 2 lbs a week without a lot of exercise. Are you having heartburn or is it like mine, the food sitting there and you burp it up for awhile after eating. It usually take about 1-2 hours before everything goes down for me completely. Does anyone else do this?

I was worried about the Protein thing too. But each day it gets a little bit better, doesn't hurt as much. I have ordered unjury, it is very tolerable. I am picky about taste, I hate most of the whey drinks out there, but the unjury wasn't too bad. I mix it with NF Milk instead of Water. I was worried about the pain, but it is definitely easing up some each day. I am glad I am waiting, because this is what I want, I don't want to feel hungry. I can handle being uncomfortable (not intense pain) after I eat for awhile, if it means I am only eating a little bit, and finally feel full after about 2 bites. Good luck to you, I hope yours eases up like mine has started to do. Hang in.

I am 3 weeks past the last fill, and it really tightened me up. I had the same problem. I found that if I heated the protein drink (like hot chocolate) it went down easier, I still have trouble even drinking, I cannot gulp, I have to sip and chew everything extremely well. It is just now starting to let up and it has been 3 weeks!!!! I ate mushies for about 2 1/2 weeks. I am back to regular food but such a tiny amount and I have to chew a very long time and it still hurts to go down, but is getting better. I can take a little bit bigger sips also. Not everyone is the same, and you cannot generalize anything it seems like. We are all such individuals! Hang in there, I did and things are slowly improving.

I had my last fill (#4) 3 week ago today. It was a 1.5cc fill (my others were all .5 or 1cc), I noticed right away the difference, I could feel the restriction and Water just bubbled and trickled down, I also get phelegm in the back of my throat a lot after I eat (very strange). I stayed on a liquid diet for a week, because everything just seemed to sit up top and bubble and went down after a long period, it hurt to take more than a sip. I very slowly started to tolerate mushy foods. I still bubble and fizz, but it all goes down. It still is not comfortable to eat, but I can tolerate it. I think it is great even though it doesn't feel perfect, because for the first time in the year since I have had the band I feel like this fill has done the trick, I have lost 10 lbs. in the past 3 weeks. I make sure I get my Protein in drinks and eat very slowly and chew, chew, chew. I was wondering if the bubbling and feeling like everything is just sitting there may stop, it has been 3 weeks and has very slowly improved, but has not gone away completely. Has anyone had a similar experince after a fill?:glare:

My Dietitian told me I could drink Sugar Free Instant Breakfast w/Skim Milk. It doesn't taste as bad as the other protein drinks. 5g Protien 150 cal. for 8 oz.