Well I had the band removed 4+ weeks ago and I'm still having problems. I think it's gastroparesis or delayed stomach emptying that is the problem. I remember Dr. Kuri mentioned this possibility once in passing as an explanation for all the pain and bloating I was having. Since the removal I can at least belch, so the build up of gas is not as bad or as painful, but have noticed that food just seems to sit there and feel very uncomfortable. In me this "knot in the stomach" seems to trigger severe anxiety, so I spend a lot of time arguing with my body that I'm not really anxious just overly full, I generally lose this argument around 3 in the morning when "anxiety" wakes me up. I seem to have a lot of the symptoms of gastroparesis (bloating, nausea, lead ball in stomach feeling), and what is supposed to help (liquid diet, gum chewing, ativan) helps and what is supposed to hurt (progesterone, fibrous foods) hurts. I am going to go on a liquid diet for a couple of more weeks and see if the condition improves before I ask for a gastroenterologist referral and a gastric emptying test. I'm beginning to think I should look into a malpractice suit against the surgeon and/or Inamed. I don't think vagus nerve damage was ever mentioned as a possibility, and this is SERIOUSLY unpleasant and perhaps irreversible, though I sure hope not. Anyone else have vagus nerve damage or gastroparesis?

It sounds possibly like Esophageal Dismotility. 'Geezer Sue' developed this severely and had a revision surgery from the Band to the DS. Basically the esophagus doesn't push things through the way it is supposed to so things just kind of sit there for a while until they feel like moving.

Sarah,

I wonder, is this something that is common with the band? Do you know? I've never heard of it before.....

What exactly is vargus nerve damage and how does the nerve get damaged?

This is some info I found last year regarding the vagus nerve.

Sounds pretty important, and scary to mess with according to these sites?!?! lol

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddise...gastroparesis/

http://www.answers.com/topic/vagus-nerve

http://www.bartleby.com/107/205.html

It would be interesting to know if/how often the vagus nerve is a complication of banding or unbanding.

Anyone suffer from this? Anyone know anymore??

(I answered Amanda in an email, but I hadn't read this.) Amanda, I was given the drug Reglan, which I took about a half-hour before meals. It causes stomach contractions and moves the food along. I don't seem to need it any longer. I'm pretty sure it helped when I used it. I didn't have vagus nerve damage...just the dysmotility and that caused the food to pack into the esophagus, so I had some dilatation, as well. It seems:::she says, knocking on wood:::that it's all healed, as of about two and a half months after having the band out.

Sue

Sue

Gastroparesis can also be seen in diabetics. Do you have diabetes?

Thanks Sue. It's good to know this CAN heal. I'm still bruised on the outside, so quite possibly things are still not really normal on the inside either. I felt much better yesterday on mainly liquids, so I plan to do that for a while longer. So much for my boyfriend's prime rib birthday dinner this friday. I'll be the one with a bowl of soup. Ron, I don't have diabetes, and did not have digestive problems before the surgery, in fact could swallow a handful of vitamins at a time. Now I have to pulverize any medications (thyroid and estrogen) I'm on, and wouldn't dare try to swallow a capsule.

Another curious question -

Is the nerve on the back of the stomach? I'm sure I read that part of banding's success was due to the fact that it pressed on the nerve, helping to reduce hunger.

What happens when the band erodes? Does it cut the nerve through? Do erosions tend to happen from one side more than another? I.E. more often from behind the stomach, or in front of it, or on a side?

Perhaps the nerve is not encircled by the band, and the pressure is from laying against the band rather than the band putting pressure on it as it does the stomach?

Never thought of this before.... :welldone2:

Donali, I'd be very interested to know how your removal surgeon would answer your questions. I do wonder why we still "feel" the band. Phantom sensations are a function of damaged or severed nerves in the case of phantom limb pain. The nerve keeps on sending signals. In the case of missing limbs, the feedback loop is interrupted because the muscles are no longer there to respond. Since our stomachs ARE still there (thank God) eventually I would think the nerves would calm down and/or repair themselves.

Amanda -

Good question. I'll doubt I'll ever know. :welldone2:

Interesting stuff about nerve damage. Hmmmm.... :scared:

I went to one of the links here...and have many of the symptoms of gastroparesis (but don't have diabetes). But, I've had barium swallows and an endoscopy and nothing was ever noted. I'm still on track for band removal surgery...with a caution from my doctor that it may not fix what's wrong. I think it will.

Another curious question -

Is the nerve on the back of the stomach? I'm sure I read that part of banding's success was due to the fact that it pressed on the nerve, helping to reduce hunger.

What happens when the band erodes? Does it cut the nerve through? Do erosions tend to happen from one side more than another? I.E. more often from behind the stomach, or in front of it, or on a side?

This is an excellent question and one I'd like an answer to. I would think if a band eroded, it damages the nerve too.

Can someone ask their doctor about this?

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to reply to Amanda's question of if anyone else has gastroparesis. My doctor seems to think that I may have it, I am going for a stomach emptying study on Monday. I am diabetic, so I am not sure if this may have been caused by the band or not. I was banded on 7/7/03 so I don't understand why this cropped up all of sudden. Apparently gastroparesis is caused by lack of blood sugar control in diabetics, but my blood sugar has improved after having the surgery, so I don't understand. I had an endoscopy done and the GI doctor said that he thought my band was placed too high. I wonder if that is causing it to rest on the part of the vagus nerve that controls the stomach emptying? The other thing I'm not sure about is why this has happened now after all this time? I'm thinking that maybe after having fills, the band finally damaged the nerve enough to cause problems, but it is all speculation at this point. Anyone else have any insight?

Gastroparesis is more common in diabetics than many people realize and is usually treated with Reglan or antibiotics. GI docs use the antibiotics (like erythromycin) to try to increase the peristalsis and move food along. For anyone who suspects they might have a problem with gastroparesis, you really need to see a GI specialists ASAP. Testing is what will give you answers and an appropriate treatment plan. Waiting is useless.

If I am remembering my anatomy right the Vagus nerve has a right and left branch that wrap around the stomach. I believe the right branch covers the back and bottom of your stomach and the left branch covers the front and top of your stomach. I see no way this surgery could avoid crossing paths with the vagus nerve somewhere. I also know that when people have a gastric bypass the vagus nerve is cut and is one reason many of those folks have no hunger for a long time after surgery. It doesnt seem to cause gastroparesis in EVERYONE who has the nerve cut or damaged. If you feel that this is your problem you should at least see your PCP.. as mentioned earlier there are meds available to treat it and helps with the symptoms.

Kathy