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Chronic Diarrhea after LapBand



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I had the surgery for my lapband Sept 2011. I lost 20lbs pretty quick and then it came to a crawl. They kept adding more and more Fluid to my band. From the 1st day I was able to eat soft food the Diarrhea started. I could be half way through a container of yogurt and I had to run to the bathroom. I called the nurse and they said, cant be from the band, that doesn't happen to banded patients only gastric bypass patients. ok so I thought its just my stomach getting used to the band. Two months go past and I have the same issue with solid foods. Again I tell my doctor and she insisted it was NOT the band. So now its been 4 years of not going anywhere because what if i have to find a bathroom and dont make it. If i had somewhere to be I wouldn't eat before I left. If i went to lunch with a friend or family I made sure that if i had other things to do when I was out that I did them first because after I eat I have to get home quick! Imodium helped somewhat. I would take 2 tablets BEFORE I ate.

When I say everything gives me Diarrhea I mean everything. Dairy, Sugars, Fresh fruits and vegetables. I love salad but couldn't eat it because it went thought me in a matter of minutes!

Last week I went to have some Fluid removed. The last fill had been a year ago and since that time EVERYTHING was getting stuck, even water! I saw one of the nurse practitioners this time. I told him all the problems I had. He walked me down stairs to imaging and asked them to do am upper GI test to make sure that everything was ok. HE said everything looked good but he did take out the last fill which was only 0.02cc's of Water. I told him about the chronic Diarrhea and he said that he didn't think the band was causing it but when you mess with the stomach anything can happen. he asked me about my symptoms and when it would happen and I told him. He said he felt that it was IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Suggested I see a gastroenterologist or discuss it with my family doctor. I opted for my family doctor, because trying to get an appointment with gastro was nearly impossible. He said he felt so bad for me that i wouldn't leave my house! Said he would help me get my life back!

Since the fluid was removed I actually have been eating less! Im guessing food was sitting on top of the band and not going into my stomach which kept me from feeling full. My doctor called in a prescription for Dicyclomine. It has worked wonders! I feel like a completely different person! I have had dairy and had no problems. Today I had a salad from subway. Ate it on an empty stomach and I feel great!

If you are having the same issue, talk to your doctor about trying something for IBS! My life was a nightmare for the last 4 years and today... Dicyclomine has given me my life back!!

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Sorry you've had 4 yrs of hell, but glad that things are somewhat back to normal bathroom wise. My only thought was that I wouldnt of waited 4 years to get the problem looked at again , no matter who said what. Doctors dont know everything, if I didnt get the answers im looking for , I can always get a 2nd opinion, or 3rd if necessary. Taking care of you is #1 ! Hope all continues to go well ! Good luck !

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I went to so many doctors who would say talk to the bariatric center who would tell me to talk to my family doctor. back and forth. And when I told then it didn't happen every time they would tell me to just take probiotic or Imodium. I only lucked out when I had someone who actually listened to me. Just glad to have my life back.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

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