Fibrous Stricture Around Band - Does Anyone Have Experience Of This Please?

In May 2007 I had my Mid-Band fitted. The first 2 years were taken up with trying to find the ideal band fill. I have never 'needed' much and the highest fill was only 2.25ml. I have yo-yoed up and down and for the last 12 months have been at 1.5ml.

For the last 4 years I have suffered from what I thought was indigestion and it has become progressively worse. I started taking gaviscon but no help. The indigestion can be when I am late for a meal, before eating, whilst I am eating and after and also at totally random times - especially annoying through the wee small hours! I was taking omeprozole but that didn't really seem to work all the time. I am now lugging liquid gaviscon - and getting through 500ml (1pint) every 5 days.... and it never goes away.

Over the last few years my consultant did not seem to take this particularly seriously and was always micro managing my diet when I had appointments. Perhaps I did not kick up enough fuss, but that is not my way, I would rather try and explain the negative impact this was having on my general health as well as weight loss. Two years agoI had second opinion and a barium xray and the band was appeared to be in position and working well. I do not have a hiatus hernia.

Today I was back with my surgeon to explain I cannot cope with this any more ad that I want the band emptied. Again he tried to steer the conversation to diet but I managed to stand my ground. He does not believe it is 'indigestion' that is acid reflux coming up from the stomach, he said it could be a fungal infection in the oesophagus ( !?!) or a reaction from my body to the band creating a FIBROUS STRICTURE between the silicone of the band and the stomach wall. The band is empty but when I drank the obligatory glass of Water afterwards to see how the flow felt I could still feel some constriction :-(

I will need to have a barium x-ray and probably an endoscopy if it has not settled down in the next two weeks. He said there is always a risk of this scenario ( affecting 0.05% of all band patients) and he has had 3 patients who have suffered this. Two sufferers have had their band removed and one managed to carry on after some surgical adjustment to it.

If there is anyone out there who recognises some of my story, or who has experienced FIBROUS STRICTURE I would welcome your comments please?

Thanks