I am having occasional acid reflux with my lap band, I was banded about 14 months ago and have had good results so far. What should I do? :help:

I have had my band since Dec. 06 and have lost 40 lbs. Unfortunately, in the last month, I have had a lot of nausea and upper esophagus discomfort. My band doctor sent me for a barium esophagram and we discovered I have a "Schatzy's Ring". It is a tight band that forms in you upper esophagus making it hard to swallow. I also have severe GERD which seems to be making everything worse. I will be having a procedure to stretch the ring performed when I have an endoscopy later this week. This has been really tough. Has anyone else had this issue and do you know if it can be band-related?

I am just like the one person said...I had horrible acid reflux before the band. I was taking 2 150mg Zantac a day. Now I have only had it one day and I believe my meds did it to me. I have never had it again. I love the band just for taking the acid reflux away. It was a great benefit along w/ losing the weight.

I have reflux but it seems to occur mostly when I would eat late and go to bed shortly after eating, or when I drank wine. I was eating Tums by the handfuls, I finally talked to my new PCP she didn't seem to know a lot about the lapband, but she did give me Nexium, it's been wonderful. But you all have me worried about a "slipped band" now. What are the symptoms besides reflux?

I have GERD's and I take Protonix every morning. I can not go one day with out it, for I will get acid reflux very bad, as I can barely breathe.

Is it known, if the Lap Band tends to make GERD's worse. I've been told, if I lose some weight, I wouldn't have the GERD's at all.

Hi Patty, The idea is that weight loss does help with GERD, but I don't believe it will get rid of it all together. I have a patient right now, she's 90 and she's had GERD for many years, she's on all kinds of medication for it, and she is not overweight and never was. Sorry.

I was banded in Mexico but do not know who to go to in my area and whether a regular doctor would see me for this. My doctor in Mexico recently was killed so I can't go see him.

Who do you know that may be in NC area and does anyone know any doctors in SE USA that would remove the band if necessary.

Hi Bonnie:

I was Banded in Mexico, and there was a doctor north of Atlanta, named Dr. Ponce, who was always willing to see Mexican patients. I'm sure there are a lot more these days, as that was 2001 back when the Band was first approved.

I don't think where you were Banded should be an issue in terms of removal. It doesn't even seem to be an issue for fills much these days (at least in my experience.) Most surgeons just want your op report (if available), and any recent fluoroscopies, etc.

You can always go to Allergan's doc locator for a list near you. I think if you explain that your surgeon *died*, they might be more willing to take you.

Good luck