Anyone Have Chronic Diarrhea Long After Lap Band Surgery?

[elcee 3,343]

That is very sad and I feel for you. However the fact that you still have it even though your band has been removed would seem to indicate that the band was not the cause. The fact it started once you were banded is probably coincidental.

What tests have they done to try and ascertain the cause?

[Cyrene 1]

I have had the same problem since being banded on 10/10/11. The first two weeks I was fine' date=' but when I started more solid foods it started. I am scared to go out to lunch or dinner with anyone because I don't know how I will react. Its worse with dairy, salads and fresh fruits. I have talked to my doctor and they said its not normal and that it has nothing to do with the band. I tend to not buy that because I never had this problem before![/quote']

Wow, this sounds like me! Its horrible....the cramping alone just about kills me. It's hard when I have to go anywhere that a bathroom won't be easily accessible. I don't eat at all in those instances. I'd rather be hungry than to take a chance.

[brannewmee 103]

I see a lot of people on the boards discussing drinking Protein shakes and cutting out food food groups to get in 70-80g of Protein a day and still stay in the 1000-1200 calorie range. I feel lucky that the guidelines I received were to get 30-40g and to eat a variety of foods as long as they're good foods. I'm not very far into my journey' date=' but I have already learned that I don't want my band so tight that I can't get down fruits and veggies. I do have to use will power sometimes because not having my band really tight means I sometimes get a little hungry between meals. Sometimes I can stave off the hunger with hot tea, but sometimes I have a few almonds. However, it's not a hunger so powerful that I want to eat a bag of chips or something! I can totally manage it, but I know that this is not the case for everyone.

I'm eating a good variety of foods and my loss has been steady so far. I don't think I want the kind of restriction that would eliminate certain good foods from my diet because I think that would just cause other issues- I think mariedebbie is a great example to learn from![/quote']

Glad to hear this. I started a thread called. When should I get a fill because it doesn't make sense to me for my doc to tell me I need one if I'm feeling satisfied n am still loosing weight. Yes at times I feel a little hungry but usually I didn't eat enough protein n am scared to get too tight.

[mariedebbie 2]

I am sad to say that I had to have my band removed. I could somewhat manage my symptoms for a while but it was short lived. I had it removed in January. I felt worse initally and then I started recieving NAET treatment for the band and for some foods from a chiropractor and it has improved significantly. I still have to avoid Gluten and have to take a lactace suppliment when I eat cheese or Yougart (milk is out of the question I get too sick). I am sad that it came to this and upset that the medical community will not acknowledge this to be a problem.

[JACKIEO85 308]

It's Truly SAD PERIOD.. Because Unfortunately the ONLY complications that the majority believe to be connected to the Lap Band are the ones that "The official studies" state. The vast majority of problems that occur are seldom reported to the manufacturer or FDA, by the doctors because they too believe "that doesn't happen with the Lap Band" Well In fact it's a foreign body place into our bodies and Anything can happen,and does happen, IT'S ALL CONNECTED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.

[balbuquerque 85]

Yes Jackie it's all connected and there should be more awareness about it. I haven't felt myself since I got mine and its sad that people make it so difficult to talk about.

[Baba Wawa 543]

...like achalasia...it sucks. It feels like you are stuck, but you're not, at least not stuck at the band. The food is stuck in the esophagus, but feels very similar. When only 1/100,000 people without bands get it, and you see posts constantly of banded people getting stuck on Water, yogurt, having "fickle" bands, tight for no reason, it cannot be ignored. Bands are not fickle, and while hot weather, TOM, other external factors can cause TEMPORARY problems, symptoms like these that persist, despite modifying diet, hydration, etc are a huge red flag that things aren't right. I'm still undergoing expensive, uncomfortable and time-consuming tests to determine the best course of action for my situation. I know removal is inevitable, but there may be several more Sx in my future due to this band. I've kept down 2 meals in the last 7 days, losing about 3 lb per week...

[Baba Wawa 543]

This does not sound like a band related issue. If anything the band tends to slow the digestive process down not speed it up. I would be going to the Dr and getting them to do some thourough testing and not let them BLAME THE BAND.

Since the band is in direct contact with the vagus nerve, which is responsible for managing the entire GI tract, it can be the cause of these types of problems. Nerve damage from abdominal surgery can cause a multitude of problems directly related to the vagus nerve. It regulates other essential functions, like heart rhythm, too.

[Lou Ann 4]

I had lapband in 2011. Instantly i had IBSD. I couldn't eat anything that had sugar or dairy. Also no fresh fruit or vegetables. I would not leave my house unless i absolutely had to. And if I knew I had some where to go I would make sure I didnt eat. I also found that no matter how much I would chew my food it always felt like it got stuck. Some days were better then others. Some days I could eat a steak with no trouble and other days ice cream and Water could just sit there. Suddenly I was starting to have water go down the wrong way and I nearly suffocated. Long story short, my issue has been solved, thanks to my ENT doctor. I was suffering from silent acid reflux. As soon as I would eat it was pushing the food back up. Food goes down now and stays down. I also no longer suffer from IBSD. I want to urge anyone who has had lapband and developed severe diarrhea to ask your doctor to schedule an upper GI with a barium swallow. It has given me my life back after suffering for 7 years!!! Please let me know if this helps anyone!! good151@live.com