My mamas story, aspiration and ARDS

[bayli1 0]

My mom was 72 years old this past January. She had Lap band surgery about 2 years ago and had lost about 50 pounds. Throughout the time that she had the band, she experienced vomiting and numerous reflux episodes. She was in fairly good health with just minimal high blood pressure and mild COPD. In March of this year, she went shopping one weekend, worked in her yard and all her normal activites. She ate a light dinner and snack before bedtime. She lay down that night and experienced a reflux episode in the wee hours of the morning. She arose and my brother, who lived with her, found her up using a nebulizer because she was having trouble breathing. The next morning she called the ambulance because she couldnt catch her breath. She called me that afternoon from the hospital saying she would be home the next morning, that she had aspiration pneumonia from the reflux and they were giving her IV antibiotics. The next day a nurse called and she was being admitted to the ICU. I quickly sped over and she was on a CPAP machine because she was struggling to breathe. The situation worsened and the very next day she developed ARDS(Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and was place on a ventilator. Over the next few days she remained heavily sedated and ventilated in order to try to allow her lungs time to heal. Her white blood cell count started to spike and her heart began to become irregular. My beautiful mama died of ARDS caused by the aspiration pneumonia from this lap band. She was my very best friend. Please if you have or choose to have this procedure, be careful of the reflux and the potential complications. I, myself, have lost over 140 pounds through diet and exercise alone and will be glad to help anyone else to achieve this. If you do instead decide on the LAP band, please be educated about the risks. Dont overeat, be aware of overfills. Best of luck to you all. If I can help anyone please let me know. Email me

Cindy

[Nechama L 4]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[screeden 21]

I am so sorry to hear about your mom! I am a respiratory therapist and know all to well about people who have COPD and being on a vent or cpap machine. Aspiration Pneumonia is horrible in itself and can happen to anyone, with or without a band. Thank you for sharing your story and I wish you the best. Again, sorry for your loss!

[bonnie51 4]

I am so sorry for your loss. Life can end so quickly and it is so hard to assimilate. I hope you can get some relief from your grief. Perhaps go to a grief support group and get some support. I don't blame you for being angry at the lapband, that would seem normal. I appreciate your taking the time to tell this story and caution banders to be aware of reflux and being too tight. You have done us all a service, and I thank you. I was thinking of getting a tiny fill, and not really sure I should. This made up my mind.

Bonnie

[elcee 3,343]

Why do I get the feeling that this story may not be what it at first seems?

[blair2828 0]

Great information, I have had horrible reflux and throwing up at night for 7 weeks... Aspiration and breathing issues as a result, I went today and had .5 cc's removed. I'm very sorry for your loss.

[losethemess 14]

God Bless you and your mother and thank you for posting this. What touching words "My mom was my best friend." Your post was very informative. I've had mild reflux for a few months. I'll definitely talk to my doctor more about the night time reflux. I'm concerned that it could damage my esphogus.

[toqu 0]

So sorry for your loss. I had aspiration pneumonia also due to reflux from the band and spent a week in the hospital. It was so scary because at first they couldn't figure out what caused the pneumonia. They sent a gasteroentologist to run tests and found out what was happening. My pulmonologist told me to loosen the band because if I continued to aspirate I could end up with lung disease . I decided to unfill it completely. My BMI was low to begin with but the co-morbidities were enough for me to have surgery and the band had to be too tight to work for me. I plan on a revision to the RNY as soon as possible.