Hi -

I had lapband surgery in Sept 2009. Last night I ate chicken which sometimes gets stuck. I tried to eat it slowly but probably ate too much. I had the familar feeling of food being stuck. An hour or so later, it still hadn't gone down so I tried throwing it up. Some food came up, but in the process, I started to get lots of pain/tightening in the center of my chest. During the next 4-5 hours, I got up and would throw and the pain remained. I didn't throw particularly violently - it was normal "lapband" type of throwing.

The pain is milder now but still there. It hurts more when I twist my shoulders. Does this sound muscular? or could the band have slipped? I'm not having pain down my arm or in back so I don't think it's my heart.

Thanks in advance for your response!

I'm not a doctor or anything, but it sounds like you might have a rib out of place. The act of vomiting could do that. A chiropractor can determine if that's the case and can put it back in. Don't know if you're into chiropractors at all, but I swear by them. A rib being out of place can hurt like hell until it calms down. You might want to check that out first to alleviate any concerns.

Hi -

I had lapband surgery in Sept 2009. Last night I ate chicken which sometimes gets stuck. I tried to eat it slowly but probably ate too much. I had the familar feeling of food being stuck. An hour or so later, it still hadn't gone down so I tried throwing it up. Some food came up, but in the process, I started to get lots of pain/tightening in the center of my chest. During the next 4-5 hours, I got up and would throw and the pain remained. I didn't throw particularly violently - it was normal "lapband" type of throwing.

The pain is milder now but still there. It hurts more when I twist my shoulders. Does this sound muscular? or could the band have slipped? I'm not having pain down my arm or in back so I don't think it's my heart.

Thanks in advance for your response!

If you are having ANY unexplained chest pain, go to the E.R. Don't take the chance that it's something serious.

<edited>

Women have very different symptoms of heart attacks than the classic ones that men have - and that we always see on TV shows. Better safe than sorry.

You may want to go see your surgeon and do a barium swallow. I am having a revision from the band to the bypass because of complications with the band that started out as chest pains. First, they were mild, then they began hurting between my shoulder blades and eventually got to where I couldn't breathe. I thought it was my gallbladder, but wanted to start with my lapband dr first just to rule out anything with the band. Sure enough, when I did the barium swallow, it backed up into my pouch and didnt go down. Sometimes your esophogus can swell. Alot of people can get unfilled and do liquids for a few weeks and then get refilled and everything is fine. Unfortunately, that wasn't my case. Good luck!