Lap Band Complication - Very Long

virginiann · March 19, 2008

My name is Virginia and I had the LapBand Surgery on May 21st 2007. From that date until somewhere in August all was well, I was losing weight and feeling pretty good, except for one major issue. I began having gas. Not the 'oops excuse me' gas but full blown explosions that resulted in much embarrassment and stomach bloating. My husband and I work together and car pool to work or it would have been a much worst experience than it already was, because on the ride home at night I had gas so bad I felt I was in labor.

I began doing research on the LapBand and gas and could not find much on it. I started to eliminate different foods from my diet like milk, Beans, etc... I made sure I didn't drink from a straw, I made sure I didn't eat too late at night, the list of what I tried went on and on. So during one of my fills in September I told my surgeon that the gas was getting to be too much for me to deal with and I didn't know what to do about it. He said that no way was it the band that was causing this gas, that it had to be my food.

Well as the days pass and my gas gets more and more uncomfortable something interesting happened in October. I got a fill that was too tight. Needless to say I had to go in for an unfill and that unfill was still too tight so I went in for another unfill and this time my doctor took out 1.5cc and I was left with absolutely no restriction. I decided that since I had a terrible Thanksgiving I would just leave things alone for awhile and get back to it after the New Year.

Now here is the interesting part, during the time I had no restriction my gas all but went away. I ate anything I wanted, dairy, Beans, veggies and even stuff I should have never eaten but since I was in a loving life to the fullest mood I ate sweets, fast food and my wonderful ice cream. I gained 17 pounds during this time and I have no regrets. I was gas free and comfortable for the first time in months.

But of course all good things must come to an end. On January 12th I made an appointment for a fill and while my doctor was doing the fill I told him that if I got my gas back that I would be coming in with a request to have the band removed.

I felt as though he didn't take me seriously all those months and the minute I said I wanted the band out all of a sudden he was all concerned. No one believed me that I KNEW the band was the cause for my discomfort.

Needless to say the gas came back full force.

Two weeks later, with a ton of research in hand and food logs I went back to him and told him that I wanted the band removed and I wanted him to do the RNY on me. I had been researching it for months and I was not willing to just have the band removed and go it alone, I wanted something to take its place and I choose the RNY. He read over what I had brought to him and when he was finished he said okay.

His biggest concern was, he stuck to the fact that he has done 'a thousand' LapBand procedures and I was the first to complain about gas this far out. Well I guess there always has to be a first.

I agreed to another endoscopy and colonoscopy. As soon as all that came back clear my surgery date was given and believe it or now Yesterday March 17th marked three weeks post-op.

What I would like to add is my Surgeon(s) Dr. Michael Orris and Dr. John DeBarros via the Weight Loss Institute of Arizona. When I first had my LapBand surgery last May, both these surgeons took my insurance. Somewhere along the line, Dr. DeBarros decided to drop Aetna and therefore I was only able to see Dr. Orris for all my fills. That was okay because it really didn't matter. However, when it came time to do my revision, since both these doctors work hand in hand I was forced to pay out of pocket for Dr. DeBarros. I don't think this was right but I paid what they asked anyway.

One of my biggest complaints that I have had since I walked though their door is you can expect a good two hour wait to get into see either doctor. By the time I went in for my last few visits all I could think about was how grateful I was going to be when I didn't have to go there any longer. There were times when so many people were complaining about the wait time that several just walked out.

I don't feel I was taken seriously when I complained about my gas and I know I wasn't treated with respect when it came to my appointments. Some times it was as long as 4 hours in that office. Now that I have had the RNY I will not have to go back for three months.

Anyway, this is my story, I wanted to share it with you. If you are having any kind of issues with your Band and you feel you have done everything you can to make it work, make sure you yell, kick and scream if you have to, to be heard. Now I am on a different road and it has been a long slow recovery, I am still not back to work. The area where the port was is still very sore due to the cutting of the muscle that the port was attached to. My surgery took 4 hours because of scar tissue. I can't tell you all if it was worth it or not at this point in time, but I will try and pop in from time to time and give you updates. Please feel free to ask me anything, I would love to help. virginiann@cox.net

Jachut · March 19, 2008

Sometimes, always after we've been out for dinner and sat round at a table talking, I have had such bad gas pains that it did indeed feel like labor. To be blunt, they dont result in farting, lol, just agonising pain. Really really horrid, in tears type pain. I have never been able to figure out what causes it and at times have sat at a table and barely eaten in an effort to prevent it, but it doesnt work, it seems to be something to do with just sitting, like you do when you go out, yacking on and I suspect alcohol as a culprit for me. Peppermint tablets started BEFORE I go out minimises it.

I havent been more prone since banding, but when I lie down at night, my abdomen is hilarious, the noises, growling, gurgles, its all gas, and its not my stomach, its in my intestines. This is ONLY since banding. It doesnt hurt, what it does feel like is a baby kicking, there's plenty of gas in there.

Not that my story is any help, but I agree with you, banding increases gasiness!

josephine · March 19, 2008

I am about to die with this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol: My gas is sooooo bad it just feels damn good to let it explode! I only hope that when it does, no one is around because I can blow them across the room. :Dancing_biggrin: I though on the other hand had my surgery in Nov. of 2005. I have been maintaing my loss for a year and a half now but I still get gas. I have learned what not to eat anymore for a painful stomach ache but the gas still remains. I have never had a fill.........My band is empty so I believe every individual is different.

I wish you well with the bypass and thanks again for the laugh that I needed.

Josephine

Stay Healthy and Safe with the bypass

brandyII · March 27, 2008

I wish I had never had the lap band done because it's only ended in failure, I've gained back the weight I lost prior to the surgery and would rather have the gastric bypass but don't think insurance would cover both procedures, feel your pain!

brandyII · April 1, 2008

I'm starting to think that I over reacted with that comment, I'm not sorry I had the lap band and am still trying to get it to work, brandyII.

MC Cindy · April 1, 2008

I do understand your gas problem. Ever since I have been banded I burp like a freak. When I eat, when I drink. Every bite or sip results in emmbarrasing belching, not just one but constant and it lasts for 10 minutes. If I am not burping I am passing wind. AHHHHH But the pounds are dropping and I eat or drink only around people who know my gassy issues lol

SanDiegoSusan · May 22, 2008

I'm bringing up this topic after several weeks because I also had this problem - however I am not yet branded. I'm on a four week diet to prove I can change my habits and lose some weight before they will consider me for banding. I've done well - given up all junk and fast foods, lots of raw fruits and veggies and nuts, high quality, wholesome food, no processed or fake sugars except Stevia which is neither. (I gave up soda several weeks before due to sleep problems and haven't missed it a bit.) So I'm doing great and eating well. Had some problems with all the roughage at the beginning due to shocking the system (from fast food two to three times a day to all health food - bit of a shock) but it was manageable. Except for one thing. Raw broccoli is trying to kill me. I mean bent over in pain, praying for death and resolving to hit Burger King for a "cure." :lol: I simply cannot tolerate it. But it doesn't hit immediately, it takes a few hours before my stomach is swollen with gas (and hard as a rock) and I am in agony.

I now know that raw or even undercooked broccoli is simply a food I cannot eat. No big deal - spinach is high in nutrients too. If I had eaten broccoli everyday instead of taking a couple weeks between doses, I might not have realized the source of the agony it caused me. Check your diet carefully - is there anything new that you may be having a bad reaction to? A new supplement, suger substitution, fruit or vegetable, or favorite convenience food that is now made with different ingredients because prices on the old ingredients have gone up so much?

I couldn't believe the pain I was in but I am very grateful that it happened before banding so I will recognize it after banding. Good luck and I hope you figure your trigger out and that's it not the band because that would be such a bummer! It you feel the way I did, and it sounds like you do, that is not a way you can go through life. :rolleyes2:

May 22, 2008

I'm sorry you had such bad gas and issues with your stomach/intestines. I'm a newer banded (4/10), but can say my digestive system is so much better now that it was before I was banded. I cannot handle fried foods, buffets - I have a very irritable digestive track. I would get EXPLOSIVE diarrhea every time we would go out to eat. 1. I'd over-eat 2. I'd eat the wrong foods 3. I'd drink way too much with my meal. Since surgery I haven't had one explosive B.M. It has been so nice. I do have gas and burp a lot (depending on what I eat), but to me it is so much more tolerable than the alternative.