Hi Guys. I need your help. Lately I have been able to eat more, and can actually feel the food pass through my stoma. Well, I figured it was time for a fill (last one was Aug 30), so I will be seeing my doc next Tuesday. Anyway, for the past four nights, as soon as I fall asleep, I wake up coughing/choking with a mouth full of acid. I have never ever tasted acid since my banding, and now am very worried that my band may have slipped, or worse, eroded. Has anyone else had this? Needless to say, I am up all night, even tried sleeping almost upright. I even tried not eating anything past 6pm, but I still "throw up" in my sleep. I am so worried !!!! Thanks in advance for any advice. Am I just being crazy???

Have you changed your diet in away? More spicy foods by any chance - more caffeine lately? Its so easy to say don't worry - But really there is nothing to worry about until you have a few test done. Than when they see you just fine - you can say now why was I so dang worried that whole time?? LOL LOL

I hope you'll be ok - I would go to the doctors & ask for a couple test. Best of luck.

I would think that the best thing to do would be CALL YOUR DR. and ask him!!!

Good luck, let us know what they say.

hi there.i had the same problem without the acid.my food was being eaten too quickly and wasnt chewed enough and just came back up in a coughing fit as u described.my doc says its normal but wants me to have my fill asap.hope this is helpful.cheers shrinkpachyderm

Of course you are not being crazy. You know how you feel. Acid Reflux is a common side effect after LBS. Today is Friday you should call and inform your doctor, just in case he needs to take some of the fill out come Monday or he can prescribe something. Did you do liquids for a day or 2 after the fill and soft and mushies after that?

Thanks guys for your replies. I am sure it is just acid reflux (but every night after I fall asleep?). I just get so worked up that I have a slip or erosion. Does anyone know what those symptoms are????

As always, you guys are the best !!!

How long do you eat before you go to bed? Until you see your doctor, maybe some over the counter antacid prevention medicine would help you with it.

I wouldn't get too worried about slippage if reflux is your only symptom -- it's known that many folks get it after banding. But definitely get checked out by your band doc or whoever is doing your followup, just in case. Because it can be one sign of slippage (but you'd have other symptoms too, like pain, throwing up, and trouble eating).

Don't worry hun, I'm sure you're fine!! Your doc will help you get this under control. (( hugs ))

I started having reflux symptoms about 3 weeks after my last fill. The only thing that has worked is not eating 3 hours prior to bedtime. Also, you may want to flush your pouch out about 1 1/2 hours before bed. This "washes" the pouch so no food particles remain, thus causing reflux.

Reflux is pure hell! Definately -DO NOT- by NO means, get your next fill.

Also, I would call my surgeon so he (your chart) has this on your record... just better to be safe then sorry!

definitely see your doc, your fill may be too tight, or you could have slippage. either way you do not want the damage to the esophagus that this reflux can do, not to mention aspiration pneumonia that waking up choking/throwing up can cause.

Ive suffered acid reflux off and on for years and it is very common to have problems with it when in a prone position. I have never been told that aspiration pneumonia was something to worry about as a result of it, but it IS painful, interupts sleep, and it can irritate the esophogus. It can cause actual damage to the esophogus over long term episodes. Ask your doc if you can take acid blockers. I ended up having great results with OTC prilosec. Since you havent had a recent fill its very doubtful that you are too tight, it's probably related to diet or caffiene as previous poster mentioned. Check with doctor at next appt to rule out any band related cause and see what he recommends to help keep that acid production down (and in your stomach where it belongs!) .

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. I will not eat 3 hours before bed: I will try the recommendation from Paula of drinking 1 1/2 glasses of water to flush out my pouch; I think I have some prilosec OTC in my medicine cabinet. And I will def tell my surgeon (BTW-She is a she!) when I see her on Tuesday. I can't imagine I am too tight-I havent had a fill in 2 months and lately I have been eating more than I should be able too !! Oh I hope I can get another fill and this doesn't persuade her NOt to do it.

Anyway, you have all been so great to take the time and answer me. I feel relieved..ahhhh

aaamom, my last bout with reflux happened several months after a fill, and there was no real reason for it starting that I could determine. It got worse and worse--even with my attempts at controlling it through behavior and OTC meds--and finally I had to have an unfill (which resolved the issue completely and immediately).A fluoro showed that there was never anything wrong with my band, even though I was pretty worried and my doc even said my symptoms were not good.

I've now had another fill and had no problems at all since then. My suggestions are: 1) talk to your doctor, especially about which medicines you might want to try, and 2) if you and your doctor both think your adjustment level is good, try to stick to an all-liquid or soft-food regimen for at least a week.

See, I think my symptoms got worse because I continued to try to eat normally during the day, when I had no problems. For a while, not eating late and flushing my pouch helped, as did the Rolaids and Prilosec at night. Until the day it stopped helping, and then there was nothing I could do. I think I just kept irritating the tissues daily, by eating, and at night when I lay down material just kept coming up on me.

If it were to happen to me again, I'd try to soothe the tissues for a prolonged period without another unfill. Of course, an unfill may be indicated and for sure it will help. But you may be able to heal yourself if you baby your system enough.

Good luck!!

Ok, so I am not crazy! I guess this can happen despite not getting a recent fill. I really haven't changed any behaviors/food choices, and just have to chalk it up to "it's just one of those things". I did decide today that I will revert back to mushies/soft foods. I never ever want to take my band for granted, and maybe someday have to have it removed.

So am I then to assume I probably won't be getting another fill????

My problem is that I have been doing so well for so long, that it stinks to realize things DO happen.