Hi there I was wondering if people could tell me if I have cause for concern or not....:help:

I was banded in Dec 03 and have since lost 55kg! YAY:) . A year later the first band slipped and I had a new one put in.

My problem is that since I had the first one put in (and it has continued in the second one) I vomit blood - often about 3-4 times a week. It usually only happens at night and can be old blood (dark red) or new blood (less often). I think it is related to vomiting up dinner or some prior irritation but I have noticed this is not always the case.

I wake and have to be sick and sure enough it is very very often very bloody. I don't think it can be because the band is too tight as I am now eating quite a lot during the day (compared to what I had been eating. Also I don't think its slippage as I know what that felt like). It doesn't bother me in the sense that there is no pain but surely it can't be good for me..

The doctor just says its nothing to worry about that my two sides of the stomach in the band are rubbing against each other and causing bleeding into the stomach - but could this lead to nasty complications down the track? I am unsure as to what to do leave it (as I can live with it now the super shock value is nil when it happens and it doesn't hurt) but don't want to be foolish either and do nothing ... Does anyone else continually have this experience? Does anyone have any advice? Many thanks

I don't have any other advice other than to say I would get a second opinion myself, vomiting blood regardless of what causes it should be cause for concern; And nothing against your doctor but I wouldn't buy the 'nothing to worry about' diagnosis from your doc.

Wow, get another opinion and get an endoscopy quickly.

I'll tell you what my doctor told me, "You must get a total unfill until it heals, which is about three weeks." He told me that rarely does it heal on its own without getting an unfill. If you are bleeding regularly and throwing it up, you ARE too tight. Otherwise it would go down instead of up. By this time, you might also be anemic.

After doing this for so long, I think you should have it scoped as well!!! This is a serious matter!! Don't let your doctor make light of it. Be pro-active!

Bleeding is also a sign of a slip.

Old blood or new blood, blood is blood and if it is short term then there is probably no problem. This is not short term and your doctor is wrong in telling you not to worry. Even if it is the two sides rubbing together it can turn into much more of a problem and you are lucky that as long as it has been going on that you haven't had more problems. Doctors aren't always right. I know, I am an RN.

I would definately get a second opinion.

I would request some test to be done for my own "piece of mind" if nothing else. I now have to deal with reflux, which I will say I have never experienced in my life....due to being filled too tight the first time and my doctor pretty much refusing to take any of it out; basically was told "there's nothing wrong with your fill, quit being such a baby and deal with it." I am now having to deal with all the problems that come with reflux and it was totally unnecessary.

Take care.

Bette

Doesn't sound good to me...have you been scoped?

Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio

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DISCLAIMER: If am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Hi there I was wondering if people could tell me if I have cause for concern or not....:help:

I was banded in Dec 03 and have since lost 55kg! YAY:) . A year later the first band slipped and I had a new one put in.

My problem is that since I had the first one put in (and it has continued in the second one) I vomit blood - often about 3-4 times a week. It usually only happens at night and can be old blood (dark red) or new blood (less often). I think it is related to vomiting up dinner or some prior irritation but I have noticed this is not always the case.

I wake and have to be sick and sure enough it is very very often very bloody. I don't think it can be because the band is too tight as I am now eating quite a lot during the day (compared to what I had been eating. Also I don't think its slippage as I know what that felt like). It doesn't bother me in the sense that there is no pain but surely it can't be good for me..

The doctor just says its nothing to worry about that my two sides of the stomach in the band are rubbing against each other and causing bleeding into the stomach - but could this lead to nasty complications down the track? I am unsure as to what to do leave it (as I can live with it now the super shock value is nil when it happens and it doesn't hurt) but don't want to be foolish either and do nothing ... Does anyone else continually have this experience? Does anyone have any advice? Many thanks

Hi there - thanks for all the help. Dr C - no haven't been scoped - I might insist on it next time. Do you think if I don't get this looked into I could cause myself serious damage?

I smell a lawsuit!

I smell a lawsuit!

Why is that such a knee jerk reaction in the US?

Hey, BubbleButt,

I've never sued anyone. I just pray that no one has been negligent here. (Because it sounds like someone has!) We are blessed in the U.S. to have recourse if we have been mistreated. If there is a legitimate case, a patient has every right to make demands.

Yes, if there has been a huge error the patient does have recourse. But we tend to be very sue happy in this country and it is expensive for everyone else.

I'm just always amazed at how when one side of a story is told the first comment out of the mouths of some (or typing fingers) has something to do with a lawsuit.

Have you looked into getting some tests run yet?

I hope you are getting the help you need!

(BB: If you look back about 8 posts, you'll see they weren't the first words.)