My name is Missie Fisher and I have had the lapband for a year and a half. I have been suffering for the last week from severe stomach pain and mid-central back pain. I have spent 2500 bucks in the last week on internal EDG tests and exrays, etc etc etc. They can find nothing but minor irritation. I know its from the band b/c this pain worsens when eating or drinking. They say that it might be acid reflux....if anyone has had acid reflux due to the band please let me know how long after taking the medications did the pain subside. I have been crying all day and night and I dont know what to do...I almost want to have it taken out.:help:

Just banded on Monday, 7/10. They kept me 2 nights because I had a restriction. I have not slept at all because of the pain between my shoulder blades. I went straight to my bed and still no relief. Any suggestions? Thanks! Great site

Take lots of pain pills!!! haha...it's gunna hurt til your tummy chills out! You stomach is probably just swollen due to the fact they put the band in...some people's stomach's are more sensitive then others.

Just banded on Monday, 7/10. They kept me 2 nights because I had a restriction. I have not slept at all because of the pain between my shoulder blades. I went straight to my bed and still no relief. Any suggestions? Thanks! Great site

another suggestion...walk. walk walk walk. The shoulder blade pain sounds like gas pain...from the gas they put in your belly to blow you up for lap surgery. Give it some time, maybe chew some Gas-X, but walking it out is really the best remedy. Hang in there, it gets better! Make sure you sip small.

Dont they give you something to blow into to get the air out?? I still have mine it's a plastic contraption that you blow really hard into every hour and it measures how much you blew into it.

Dont they give you something to blow into to get the air out?? I still have mine it's a plastic contraption that you blow really hard into every hour and it measures how much you blew into it.

Yes, those are (pardon the ax job on the spelling since I really don't even know how to say it!) spirolactometers or something! LOL They help you fill your lungs with air all the way to the bottom. It helps your circulation and healing and prevents pneumonia, etc. Lots of people get those after surgery. I didn't have one after banding, but at home I was sure to regularly take really deep breaths. You'll feel how sore your diaphragm is, but it's a "hurts so good" kind of feeling. Breathing deep is a great idea, whether or not it helps with the C02 in your abdomen, I have no clue?

Anyone "Medical" want to jump in here?

Thanks for the responses. I have still not slept since 7/10. I saw the dr. yesterday and he said something may be going on with my asphagis. the pain inbetween my shoulder blades has gotten a little better but I still cant lie down flat because reflex comes up. He put me on a IV this afternoon. He wants to see if i still have reflex without any liquids. I am really diappointed. I had no idea this was going to happen,

Yes, those are (pardon the ax job on the spelling since I really don't even know how to say it!) spirolactometers or something! LOL They help you fill your lungs with air all the way to the bottom. It helps your circulation and healing and prevents pneumonia, etc. Lots of people get those after surgery. I didn't have one after banding, but at home I was sure to regularly take really deep breaths. You'll feel how sore your diaphragm is, but it's a "hurts so good" kind of feeling. Breathing deep is a great idea, whether or not it helps with the C02 in your abdomen, I have no clue?

Anyone "Medical" want to jump in here? :eek:

Lol (in a nice way!). It's called a spirometer and it keeps your lungs filled with air instead of the little pockets inside "collapsing" (called atelectasis). It keeps you from developing pneumonia. It however, doesn't get any air out of you, other than making you move the air already in your lungs.

Spironolactone is a diuretic! (Water pill)

The air in your belly really has no other way out of your body except for you to wait for it to be reabsorbed. You shouldn't pass it or belch it, there aren't any openings for that from the inside. You are like a doughnut- the hole from your mouth to your anus is entirely closed and basically is a long tube through your body.

Ha! Well done Liz! I need some medical help on that one! Great explanation. I like the doughnut/tube description. There are 2 kinds of gas you get with surgery. The CO2 they blow you up with that causes the shoulder blade pain, and the digestive tract gas that causes bloating, constipation, farts and burps or any combination of the above. 2 different gases, both surgery related.

Hey blades, that IV Fluid will really help in your recovery. You are super tight like I was after my surgery. Once I got the IV fluids, I started to mend well, and my tightness slowly got better. Sip some aloe vera juice, little bitty bits at a time, stay hydrated and sip small. I would put some liquid in my mouth and only swallow enough to coat my esophagus. It would take 3-4 swallows to swallow a sip. I am not kidding. Be patient and take good care of your self. Try not to be scared and you'll get through it. Slow down in every area of your life. Drinking, activity level, and expectations for your rate of recovery. Keep us posted, okay?

Thanks Kathy for your kind words. Is acid reflex common with the band? I didn't have it before. It only takes a couple of mins. of me lying down before it starts, and it lasts all night. I can hear it thru my mouth.

blades, reflux is very common when folks are too tight. Some folks won't unfill and put up with it for months before finally getting some saline taken out. Ouch! And bad for the esophogus. You can't get an unfill, so you need to hang in there. Be patient, and treat the reflux! I took Prilosec (crushed) twice a day and that helped alot. There's a sublingual Prevacid, I think, that your Doc may prescribe for you? At the very least, take an acid reducer but be sure NOT to swallow the pill. Crush it, or it will hurt! You need for the swelling to go down. Reduce the acid, sip small, stay hydrated and be patient. You can do this! Oh, and sleep on the recliner or propped up on the arm of the sofa...head up...and that should help, too.

Well, I made it thru the weekend. The I/V has helped, although I still have to sleep upright and still have reflex, although not as bad. I called the doc this morning like he asked me to and he prescribed prevacid and told me to chew tums as well. He also told me that he was going to keep me on the I/V until I see him this Friday. He also said to start drinking my protein very slowly. I sure hope this works.

My doctor really likes Malox Max instead of TUMS. He showed me that if you pour it over ice chips and sip it down icy cold it really, really helps. Seriously, talk to your doctor about it and give it a try, it made a world of difference for me.

Good luck.