Does anyone have ANY info on the connection of the vagus nerve and lap band surgeries????

I used to do medical transcription and had a vague recollection of something to do with the vagus nerves and fainting, so I went looking in my Merck manual's. This is what I found:

"Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Fainting may occur if the vagus nerve, which supplies the neck, chest, and intestine, is stimulated. When stimulated, the vagus nerve slows the heart. Such stimulation also causes nausea and cool, clammy skin. This type of fainting is called vasovagal (vasomotor) syncope."

I don't know enough to know whether the band can cause this but...here you go.

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Thanks Elfie. She said, "we don't go anywhere near the vagus nerve." Which I know to be a load of bunk. She asked if I got the idea online. Perhaps she was having a bad day. She isn't normally so dismissive. I truly believe the "spells" of mine to be band related, but will probably never be able to prove it. I do know the last time it happened the nurse at work came up and took my pressure, it was 85/50. I felt pretty darned bad. Now I get nervous when standing around chatting or waiting in line for something!

Does anyone have ANY info on the connection of the vagus nerve and lap band surgeries????

I found this video by a bariatric doctor who explains grehlin, the vagus nerve and lapband and RNY surgery. He says that often hunger is increased after lapband due to an increase in grehlin and he also talks about the role of the vagus nerve. What he says is exactly my experience with getting obese and with the lapband (hasn't worked as promoted).

I know the band works for many and I know people love their band and defend it all the time on here, but this is another side to the story and it absolutely my story.

The vagas nerve doesn't start in the brain. It, like all other nerves in the body, starts in the spine. For this particular nerve, it originates from just below the base of the brain and, as its name implies, branches throughout the body. It's one of the few nerves that controls an extraordinary amount of seemingly unrelated things. It extends along the jugular lines (down the side of your neck) then passes by the carotid artery, goes down into the neck, chest, then abdomen. Its purpose is to send information back to the nervous system about the state of the body's internal organs. It controls your heart rate, the action of your intestines as they 'pulse' to move product, sweating, muscle movements in your mouth, speech, keeping the larynx open so you can breath, parts of the outer ear, and parts of your throat related to coughing. It's because of the compression of the Vagas nerve that your stomach produces less acid and you're unable to get enough B12 from meat (which is why anyone who has had restrictive band surgery should take B12 for life). Compressing the nerve also causes your heart rate to lower, your blood pressure to drop, and all sorts of other fun things, which is why it is avoided as much as possible. There were several studies done with severing part of the Vagas nerve in obese patients and it having the effect of slowing digestion and causing the patients to lose around 15% of their excess weight. When combined with a restrictive band, that percentage increased to 43%. However, severing the nerve is no longer considered an acceptable medical procedure because of the other complications. So ... depending on how your band is placed and if your vagas nerve happens to be compressed, you may get some extra help (and potentially extra problems). However, not everyone will as the nerve may fall in such a spot where it isn't compressed or compromised.

The vagas nerve doesn't start in the brain. It, like all other nerves in the body, starts in the spine. For this particular nerve, it originates from just below the base of the brain and, as its name implies, branches throughout the body. It's one of the few nerves that controls an extraordinary amount of seemingly unrelated things. It extends along the jugular lines (down the side of your neck) then passes by the carotid artery, goes down into the neck, chest, then abdomen. Its purpose is to send information back to the nervous system about the state of the body's internal organs. It controls your heart rate, the action of your intestines as they 'pulse' to move product, sweating, muscle movements in your mouth, speech, keeping the larynx open so you can breath, parts of the outer ear, and parts of your throat related to coughing. It's because of the compression of the Vagas nerve that your stomach produces less acid and you're unable to get enough B12 from meat (which is why anyone who has had restrictive band surgery should take B12 for life). Compressing the nerve also causes your heart rate to lower, your blood pressure to drop, and all sorts of other fun things, which is why it is avoided as much as possible. There were several studies done with severing part of the Vagas nerve in obese patients and it having the effect of slowing digestion and causing the patients to lose around 15% of their excess weight. When combined with a restrictive band, that percentage increased to 43%. However, severing the nerve is no longer considered an acceptable medical procedure because of the other complications. So ... depending on how your band is placed and if your vagas nerve happens to be compressed, you may get some extra help (and potentially extra problems). However, not everyone will as the nerve may fall in such a spot where it isn't compressed or compromised.

Thank you for this very informative and comprehensive description of the vagus nerve. I suspect that mine isn't being compressed and if compression can cause problems then in a way I am glad. I don't need any additional health problems.

However, I never heard that you need to take B12 for life after the lapband. I think I heard that about the RNY, though.

I don't take B12 and I haven't read any posts where they do either.

Thanks again for explaining in more depth this issue. It's not as simple as some have portrayed.

You're welcome.

B12 can only be absorbed from animal muscle. If you don't or can't eat enough animal muscle then you can't get enough B12, and even if you can eat 6-8 oz on a regular basis your body chemistry may change just enough (from the band pressure, etc.) to slow your natural abilities to pull B12 from food.

Most doctors will test your vitamin/mineral levels at least once a year and should catch any deficiencies, but to be safe take a sublingual B12 or get B12 shots or take a B complex with B12. The repercussions from a B12 deficiency are not pretty.

The vagas nerve doesn't start in the brain. It, like all other nerves in the body, starts in the spine. For this particular nerve, it originates from just below the base of the brain and, as its name implies, branches throughout the body. It's one of the few nerves that controls an extraordinary amount of seemingly unrelated things. It extends along the jugular lines (down the side of your neck) then passes by the carotid artery, goes down into the neck, chest, then abdomen. Its purpose is to send information back to the nervous system about the state of the body's internal organs. It controls your heart rate, the action of your intestines as they 'pulse' to move product, sweating, muscle movements in your mouth, speech, keeping the larynx open so you can breath, parts of the outer ear, and parts of your throat related to coughing. It's because of the compression of the Vagas nerve that your stomach produces less acid and you're unable to get enough B12 from meat (which is why anyone who has had restrictive band surgery should take B12 for life). Compressing the nerve also causes your heart rate to lower, your blood pressure to drop, and all sorts of other fun things, which is why it is avoided as much as possible. There were several studies done with severing part of the Vagas nerve in obese patients and it having the effect of slowing digestion and causing the patients to lose around 15% of their excess weight. When combined with a restrictive band, that percentage increased to 43%. However, severing the nerve is no longer considered an acceptable medical procedure because of the other complications. So ... depending on how your band is placed and if your vagas nerve happens to be compressed, you may get some extra help (and potentially extra problems). However, not everyone will as the nerve may fall in such a spot where it isn't compressed or compromised.

Thank yo for the info, im thinking that when i had my first fill yesterday, that my vegas nerve was stimulated, i ahd all the symptons, =(

Does anyone have ANY info on the connection of the vagus nerve and lap band surgeries????

I too would like to know if a lap band procedure could cause damage to the vagus nerve

i am 2 years out of lap band surgery had bypass 8 years ago now im getting pain that last about 5 minutes in chest are a i have been getting pain like this for over a year it does not happen that often but latley i passed out last to times all test for heart normal and gi endo could it be my nerve

I had a different nerve damaged during my lap band surgery. my stomach feels like its on fire and when I lay down it feels like im being stabbed to the point of tears. I was banded 3/21/13 worried