Would Appreciate Some Advice

[LapbandKAB 22]

Hi all. I'm 3 years in with the lapband. I've lost about 70 pounds. I wasted about 1.5 years during the process as Kaiser suddenly stopped letting me see the surgeon for any more follow-ups (Kaiser approved my lapband surgery and follow-on visits for about a year but once they got a bariatric Dr, they no longer allowed me to see my original surgeon outside Kaiser). The Kaiser Dr was never there and I always saw a physician assistant who was terrible in doing fills. Anyway, after months of no progress losing, I got fed up and decided to go back to the original surgeon and self-pay and, since then, I'm back in losing mode. I went for a fill in July but felt as though I couldn't swallow saliva and with a plane trip and vacation in the next few days, I sort of went into panic mode that something bad would happen while I was on the trip. So, I went back to the Dr the day after the fill to have a slight unfill. The Dr thought that had I not had a trip coming up, things might settle down in a day or two but seeing as I was going on a trip, he did remove a bit and told me to come back when I returned if I felt I needed more added. That's exactly what I did. So, two months later now and I feel as though I could use a slight fill. So, last Friday I went in and got some Fluid added. I weighed exactly the same as I had two months prior. No loss, no gain. Since Friday, I'm getting some fluids down and was able to eat some yogurt yesterday. On occasion this past weekend, I have had to to bring up some fluid (nice way of saying I made myself vomit) because it felt like it was sitting in the pouch and not going down. Saturday I only did fluids, to include Water, Protein Shake, Tomato Soup. Sunday I added yogurt. I hesitate to run back to get an unfill. But something has started happening that ever hasn't happened before. I go to sleep just fine but find myself waking up a few times a night sort of doing like a belch or something where I can taste something acidic. I go to bed feeling as though nothing is stuck yet it seems overnight, something is going on. Could my own saliva be collecting in the pouch? I have not ever had issues with this band other than trying to get to the right fill level. No issues at all. No heartburn or anything else. Just this nighttime thing is making me concerned. Hopefully, it dies down in the next several days. I want to stick this out and not run back where surely too much would be removed and I'd be in the same boat again. I know this is a rambling post so sorry about that. But, does this weird night thing happen to any of you while you're sleeping? The first night, I did get up and made myself bring it up and it was the Tomato Soup I'd had earlier that I thought had gone down just fine. It didn't happen Saturday night but last night, same thing happened. I woke myself up with a sort of belch type of thing and had an acidic taste in my mouth. I made myself vomit but there wasn't much of anything that came up. I've just never had an issue while sleeping. Do any of you know what I'm talking about?

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,444]

You're describing reflux or GERD, nothing that you want. Acids aren't supposed to back up and, if left unchecked, may conceivably do some damage over time.

You're also describing what sounds like a too-tight band in general. If it were I, I'd make an appointment to have a little saline taken out. I've never felt as though food or liquid was stuck in the pouch, but I know the discomfort of being stuck in the esophagus. Again, nothing you want and nothing that's good.

In a perfect world you're able to eat and drink comfortably and get a signal when you've reached satiety. It's well short of feeling stuffed or even full.

If you no longer have the band manufacturer's "owner's manual" that you should have been given around surgery time, ask for it at your practice. Reread to reacquaint yourself with what it means for a band to be a good, working partner.

Edited September 19, 2016 by WLSResources/ClothingExch

[LapbandKAB 22]

Thanks for the reply. I never thought of GERD/reflux. Also, I'm thinking when I said I felt as though something was stuck in the pouch, it probably was my esophagus. It's hard to tell exactly where it is stuck. It's just so hard to get the right amount of saline down. I know if I go back, probably too much will be removed. Eventually, I'll get back in the right zone. I'm going to see if the same thing happens tonight and if so, I'll head back in tomorrow for the slight unfill. Thanks for taking the time.

[BayougirlMrsS 3,939]

@@LapbandKAB I had my band done Nov 2009 and the last few week i have been having the same thing... but it got much worse so today.... i went see dr... (who is also a close friend thank God) He took out 8cc.... Of course he fussed the hell out of me for waiting.... but i don't have insurance (he didn't charge me a dime) and hated to ask him to do that..... but he took it out and said when i feel better to go back and he would put some in for me....

i lost another 15lbs in the past few months and thought if anything the band would get loser.... but nope. he said this happens a lot.

So my advice.... take care of it now... don't wait like i did and make your self miserable

[LapbandKAB 22]

Thanks. I'm also a self-pay and I called the office today to see if I could get in but my Dr was in surgery. I asked if any other Dr could do it and they said they like to stick with the same Dr for their patients. She asked if I could go to an ER. I reminded her I'm a self-pay and that a visit to the ER would likely cost me thousands instead of the $100 my Dr charges me for adjustments. The first I could get in is Wednesday afternoon. I went to buy some Pepcid 75 I believe it's called and I hope that gets me through to Wed. I'm also hoping maybe things will settle down by then and I'll be fine. It's so crazy to take some out and then there's not enough in there. In hindsight, I wish I'd have gone with the sleeve but I'm going to keep this going as best I can! Glad you're feeling better.

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,444]

Too bad that you're self-pay, because it occurs to me that you may be due for an esophagram. I hope i's not the case and that your doctor thinks it isn't necessary right now.

[hypband 1]

I'm 2.5 years post surgery maintaining a 75 lb loss. I have 20 more to go but was having terrible reflux. After the esophogram showed the band in the right place but very little of the barium was trickling through, he totally emptied the band. I still can eat very little solid food and have reflux. What comes next?

[Pepper28 82]

Every since being filled a month ago to 7.5cc's in my 10cc Allergan I've lost 13lbs but the night coughs progressed as the weeks went on

I went in today (bc I just cldnt take puking my lunch out at 3am in the morning anymore) & had .7 removed he explained that the shallow breathing while sleeping & lying flat allows the contents in your stomach to rise back up thru your esophagus, & into your mouth & cld even come out your nose

Even if I had not eaten a single thing that day I'd cough up a brown/black Fluid

I just want a descent meal now & a good solid 8hrs sleep!

Is that too much to ask?!?!?

[B-52 7,113]

I have experienced the reflux during sleeping...it is not very pleasant.

I have learned not to eat anything near bedtime.

In my own rules, I'm done eating for the day by 7:00pm.

Decent meal???

That is very subjective.

The band has forced me to change what I eat, When I eat, and How Much I eat.

It has changed my life(style)...my old lifestyle was the cause of me being Obese and slowly killing me.

This new lifestyle has made me slim and fit, with near perfect health.

My Decent meals are nowhere's near what other's may call Decent.

Occasionally everyone from my office will go out for dinner and drinks.

I'm fine just having an appetizer, maybe along with a cup of Soup.

Everyone else will question this, but I am in better shape and health than any of them, and I am twice the age of many of them.

[Pepper28 82]

@@B-52

I'd get 6oz of my favorite vegetable Soup down successfully around 1pm (lunch) nothing after that and in the middle of the night the heavy coughing would bring it back up. This went on for a month straight

I probably could've dealt with it longer but I was scaring the kiddo and freaking out the dog w/the gagging & vomiting

All meats were getting stuck and coming back up right away

So a slight unfill was the only answer

I didn't cough last night since the .7 was taken out yday. I'll test today on mash potatoes or oatmeal today to see if it still feels like swallowing a bag of nickels

[Pepper28 82]

@@hypband

With your empty band you still can not tolerate solid food? ?

The opening where your food passes sounds irritated & swollen shut this has happened to me during a cold or I've passed a heavy meal thru my band like dry chicken breast or forced a hamburger or French fry down on such a small opening

Has this swelling/irritation subsided by now? I see that your post was over a month ago, back on Oct8th