So last night I was sitting working and suddenly felt this really tight dull pain in the center of my chest. I figured maybe it was temporary, so I walked around (sitting wasn't comfortable), then I tried to lay down, squat, bend over, any and every position and everything hurt (and I'm sure entertained my neighbors). Then I realized I wasn't breathing well. The pain was right behind the bottom of my sternum, prime area for all sorts of issues.

After 30 minutes it was getting worse, even after a GasX and two tums just in case it was indigestion (even though I hadn't eaten in 5 hours). When that didn't help I went to the ER. Heart attacks present differently in women and I wasn't going to take the risk.

So I got to the ER, said that I had chest pain, shortness of breath, and that I had a lapband. I got an EKG immediately, got registered about 10 minutes later, and the pain started to dissipate about 10 minutes after that.

Several nurses were interested that I had the lapband and wanted to know how well it was working for me, it was nice to get positive questions.

They inserted a large IV (big enough for contrast), took six vials of blood, then I went to the room and waited on the Dr. I was hooked up to a heart monitor, O2, etc. so I was fully monitored.

The Dr. came in, checked my heart, all was well, the EKG was fine (and was compared to my pre-surgery EKG). He asked for me to get a couple of meds to counteract the reaction I would have to the contrast and got me signed up for a CT.

When the Dr. and I talked about the band he said that the band sits right at that point so it was a concern that I had that pain and that it suddenly stopped. It could signify all sorts of things.

They called my Dr. (who works at the same hospital) and he agreed to have them check it to make sure it was positioned okay, so in I went for a CT with contrast. After that, they said everything was sitting fine, the lapband looked good, it hadn't moved, and there was no reason they could figure for the pain.

However, the doctor made a very big point to say that it was good I came in and didn't just assume it was nothing.

He has seen women come in too late after a heart attack, when they get there they talk about how it was so subtle, by that point their heart is almost totally dead. Same for the band, my Surgeon was concerned because you just never know what a foreign object is going to do.

So though I was fine, the ER was completely receptive to my situation, my concerns, and did not look down on me for having the lapband or for going in with chest pain that then went away shortly after I arrived. They still gave me exceptional care and were very open about the band and how it could be affecting my situation.

I made a point to tell them when I had it done, that there were no complications, how much of a fill I had, when I had my last fill, my ability to eat and drink, and with all of that they had no reason to do an unfill or exploration. They understand that you know your body and how it reacts.

If you have a band, be 100% honest with the ER, the doctors, the nurses, everyone. You never know who is going to treat you or how they will treat you and the more you tell, the more they know, and the better care you'll get. And if you have any chest pain, back pain, or abdominal pain that doesn't go away after 30 minutes - and begins to affect your breathing - go to the ER. Don't risk your life because you're embarrassed or think it's nothing.

peacequeen

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Thank you. I normally try to respond to everyone, I figure it's only polite.

kshallow

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If I had eaten just before I probably would have waited a little longer before going to the ER. Fortunately I hadn't eaten in many hours so I knew something was wrong and it wasn't band related.

Jack

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Thank you.

rottie69

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Thank you. We're trained not to inconvenience people over 'little things' but you just never know if that little thing is actually something very serious. Though I'll have several hundred dollars in bills to pay, my family would have had $7,000-10,000 to pay for travel and a funeral if I hadn't gone and it was something serious.