Baba Wawa

Since the Vagus nerve is in close proximity to your stomach, band, AND regulates heart rhythm, it is common to have this feeling if you swallow to big a bite. You might need to cut food smaller or chew more completely.

As I said in my post, I'm under a doctors care. I've been checked for a slip and that's not the problem...believe it or not, many people suffer without a slip, erosion, etc while they are waiting for ins auth for removal. My situation is becoming the norm rather than the exception. I belong to a couple of online groups of people who overwhelmingly agree this is becoming the expected outcome of banding. However, I have lost 82+ lb and feel great other than my tummy issues. I'm hoping to revise to sleeve in early 2013, so I need to baby this thing in the mean time.

I too am suffering from severe regurgitative reflux. I have no fluid in my band, NEVER kept it tight...I had 2 fills total, 3cc and .5cc. My history with the band is that I've been compliant, chewed, cut my food into tiny bites, etc, etc. I've lost 15 lb since my unfill mid-June. I've been on Prilosec for a year, increasing doses to 60 mg per day. Since I'm still having issues with nighttime reflux, I'm trying some holistic remedies with my docs permission. I'm taking 2oz aloe vera juice first thing in the am, then again mid-afternoon. I'm also taking artichoke extract after meals twice per day and essential enzymes to help with digestion and stomach emptying. I'm suspicious that food is sitting in my stomach, fermenting and causing gas. This could be causing the reflux at night. I'm on day 2 of this regimine. PPIs can cause food to be "under processed" before entering the intestines and slow emptying of the stomach. I'm going to try to wean myself off the Prilosec, slowly...will let you know how it goes.

No, it's happens with all surgeries. The band itself is the problem. The stomach is a muscle and churns against the band, it's believed that this phenomenon causes scar tissue to form under the band around the stomach, which apparently is an unforeseen result. I'm getting tighter though I have no fill in my band.

I had a complete unfill in June. Scar tissue has formed around my stomach under the band causing me to be tight. The band is coming out, but have to go thru the process for insurance and that takes time. Just over it.

More than likely the problems WERE directly caused by the band. If the OP didn't have GERD pre op and had issues eating with an empty band, then the band has to be the cause! There is nothing you can ingest, other than large doses of NSAIDs, that can give you these symptoms and results. So many are having this exact type of complications, it cannot be coincidence. I've had my band empty 4 months and I'm still getting stuck, sometimes on liquids. My band has caused scar tissue to grow around the stomach and under the band. I have reflux too. I was completely compliant. I had only 3.5 cc in my 11 cc band. Telling someone that the only way complications can happen is through noncompliant eating is just wrong and blames the pt for the failure of the device.

The biggest risk with alcohol is that you might overdo it and get sick to your stomach. Early out, that is just asking for a complication, such as a slip, gastritis, etc. IF you drink, make it one or two and call it done. Don't risk another surgery for a 21st birthday celebration.

I got my band at age 60. Prior to deciding on banding I tried hypnosis, which helped me to lose a whopping 9 lb, which I regained. My all time high weight was 290. I'm now about 209, so have lost 81 lb with my band, but it has been slow going. The first year, I lost about 60 lb, maintained for a year and started losing again after having my band unfilled in June. One thing I can say is that I have a very different outlook on food and eating. It's about getting my protein in, avoiding troublesome foods and babying my stomach. I have developed scar tissue under the band, around my stomach, so am very restricted. I only had 3.5cc in my 11 cc band, so was not overly focused on fills...I had two. 3cc at 3 months post op and .5cc at 9 months post op. I'm currently having issues with reflux, so taking a PPI first thing in the morning and mid afternoon on an empty stomach, which is helping me. VSG is a great option for many over 60, since there's no bypass involved and no follow up. Should I revise, it will be to VSG. I'm grateful for the weight loss, but concerned that I might have to have another surgery. Good luck to you!

I had a GI virus last September, vomited my sock off for 24 hrs. Had an Esophogram a couple of weeks later and band was fine. Getting a Flu shot doesn't keep you from getting stomach "flu", it is for influenza which is an upper respiratory infection and doesn't cause vomiting, except in cases of very high fever. If you have school aged kids, they're bringing viruses home daily and you could catch a nasty GI bug. Talk to your doctor about this to be sure you have the correct info. Anti emetics won't help unless given by suppository or IV since most who have this type of illness can't keep anything down. The best defense is sanitizing phones, remotes, door knobs, etc as well as practicing good food prep safety. Most "stomach flu" is actually food born illness from cross contamination (veggies, fruits that won't be cooked coming into contact with raw meats or surfaces where raw meat has been prepared without proper cleaning and sanitizing). I'm very careful about eating out too. Having owned a restaurant (12 years of perfect health inspections) and managed 5 different Starbucks stores (also 100% perfect health inspections) I give any food establishment a good look before ordering.

Even if you DON'T overeat, you can stretch your esophagus and pouch. The pouch is designed to hold a couple of ounces of food, about 1/4 cup. The reason we are told to eat slowly is to allow food to pass through the stoma into the lower part of the stomach, making room in the pouch for the rest of your meal, 1/2 to 1 cup. If the food can't pass through the stoma, even if it's chewed properly, it will stretch the pouch and back up into the esophagus causing it to dilate, even when eating per the "band rules" and not overeating. This is what I experienced, and after a complete unfill, I have lost 8 lbs because I can eat healthy foods, rather tan depending on sliders due to a too tight band. BTW, I only had 3.5 cc in my 11 cc band.

First off, the Beans are fine, but some of us have problems with the skins...it's a great recipe and you can make it up and purée it for that stage, post op. I do use Soups, after having a stuck episode or just in the days when that sounds good. I eat the broth first, the the solids...that way I'm still following "the rules". I love soup...being banded doesn't mean giving up all the foods you enjoy, just enjoying them in a different way. I would sub pastina or stelline for the macaroni, since they are smaller and more band friendly. Adding some Protein is a great idea, chopped chicken, beef, etc works....good luck with your surgery, I'm sure you'll do fine.

Yes, it's fluid from the IVs you had at the hospital, 6 lb is just about right. They want to make sure you're well hydrated prior to discharge, just in case you should have difficulty getting in all your fluids the first few days home...don't weigh yourself for at least a week.

What's the difference between a second surgery to put in a new band and a second surgery to revise to VSG? That is a perfect example of the medical system's complete lack of common sense!

Getting stuck and sliming is not something that should happen frequently. It could mean you're too tight (need a bit of fill removed), not cutting food small enough, eating too fast, or as in my case, your stomach has developed scar tissue under the band creating tightness even without a fill. If you're having frequent episodes you should see your band doctor.

You gave me a good laugh..thank you !

You need medical attention and quick. Any pain that suddenly occurs and lasts longer than 10-15 min, when you are in the post-op recovery needs to be investigated. It could be anything and not necessarily related to your band. Let us know how it turns out.

I had mine fixed when I was banded. The surgery was longer, 3.5 hours, the recovery was a bit longer. I had some bruised lungs, even coughed up bloody mucus for a few days and it hurt to breathe. My reflux has returned due to my band tightening on its own, had 3.5cc in 11cc band, now completely unfilled while my esophagus and stomach recover.

The reason behind your doctors policy of not filling patients who smoke is that smokers are more prone to peptic ulcers than non-smokers and ulcers can lead to erosion.

Pan infection in or around your port is one of the signs of band erosion. The band perforated the stomach wall, an infection ensues and travels along the port tubing to near the surface where your port is located. This is most likely to resolve only by having the band removed. It's very serious and should not be ignored. A person can go septic in very little time. Don't want to scare anybody, but a port infection is usually much, much more.