Welcome to the Bariatric Learning Center. We publish independent, unbiased news about the bariatric weight-loss surgery.
This post has taken on a life of its own, and I couldn’t be happier. Originally, this was a short article about the various problems people had been reporting after their Lap Band surgeries. But then I started getting comments from people. A lot of comments. That was when I realized something good was happening. Former patients of bariatric surgery were sharing their Lap Band problems directly with me, and with other readers.
So I’ve decided to transform this article into a user-supported library of Lap Band problems. As you can see below, a lot of patients have been sharing their personal stories. This is invaluable for somebody who is considering this kind of surgery. It gives them an unbiased look into the potential problems they may face after having a Lap Band surgery.
Granted, not all patients have problems after these procedures. But a lot of them do — as evidenced by the number of comments and stories below. It’s important to understand the potential risks and complications of any surgical procedure, and Lap Band surgery is no different. But the doctors only give you one side of the story. Here, we have given you the other side of the story, in the words of the actual patients.
Have a Lap Band Problem to Share?
If you would like to share your Lap Band problems with others, please use the comment box below. It’s easy to begin your story. Just start it like this: “I have had problems after my Lap Band surgery. Here is my situation…”
Thanks for sharing!
Has anyone had any inflammation of the joints after having the lab band surgery? Six weeks after my surgery I had a sudden onset of joint pain in my hands, feet and knees.
My primary care doctor and a rheumatologist are a little stumped at my sudden onset with no family hx of arthritis.
Thanks
I had problem after surgery and had to have it removed after 2 months
i had surgery over a year ago. lost 80 pounds. but, i have trouble with sleeping at night. as soon as I lay down, within an hour or so, i start coughing, burping up fluid, and end up vomiting. it is exhausting. i don’t know if im eating too late at night or what. besides that, big adjustments in my entire life. haven’t had a fill in several months. currently at 5 l/2 ccs. anybody else have trouble with burping and coughing at night?
Diana I had surgery Sept 2007 and have lost 120 lbs. It sounds like you have acid reflux because your band is TOO TIGHT. Go to your Doctor immediately and get it checked out. The Reflux can lead to permanent scaring of of your esophagus. I had the same problem two times – the food went down OK but then a few hours later I had terrible reflux. It lead to loss of sleep because I was always choking. Getting the band loosened helped both times.
I had my 2nd fill 8/25/09. My Doc put in 0.05 cc. and it was to much, I had to go back and he removed the 0.05cc. Is that normal?
I ALSO have this problem. It’s awful. I am afraid to have any fluid removed . Won’t I go back to gaining weight ?? Anyone also get left sided pain when eating something that does not agree ?
I am also having terrible burping, belching after eating then finally throw-up. I’m so exhausted by this. I don’t know what I can eat anymore that won’t make me sick and maybe I’m eating too much, but have noticed a big decline in amount I can eat in the last couple of weeks without any adjustments.
Been sick all weekend, what is wrong with me, my ribs are so sore from throwing up so much.
I have had my band almost 3 yrs now and I have terrible reflux problems. I belched all the time and I have awful acid every morning. I went to the doctor and he took 2 cc out. Now I’ve gained seven lbs I’m so scared that I’m going back the won’t way! Don’t want to gained back at one time I’ve lost over 100 lbs
Get your band adjusted. Have your doctor remove some fluid. I had the same problem and as soon as fluid was removed, the acid reflux, pain beneath my chestbone, nausea, and throwing up stopped. I’ve lost 85 lbs, and this had just started recently. Don’t wait or put it off. Have your band adjusted.
Almost every time I eat, I get hiccups and throw up.
I came to this website in hopes of getting some of my questions answered. And like most of you I had my lap band surgery done in Dec of 2009, ever since then I can’t eat a meal without pain in my chest and then it usually turns to throw up! I have to tell all of you that we are in a very unusual group and we must stick togther and share what is working!
Thanks
if you are burbing that is normal, the band is tryin to tell you you have had enough food! and i will bet you keep eating and the throw up is again to muchfood
I had my lapband done in Feb. 2009, and lately I have had this constant and annoying burping and bleching thing going on. I can not sleep, eat or drink because it is so bad. I do not know what to do. I do not have any acid coming up just those deep burps that sometimes make me seem like I am going to stop breathing. I have tried everything, but nothing is working. I also notice a change in my bowel movements, do you think this has something to do with the burping and belching? Someone please help this is terrible.
Clytee! I am having the exact same issues, I go Nov 16th for an upper GI, hopefully will know something then. Your not alone, but I don’t know the answers yet!
Had my Crap-band implant in Sept.06 and by Dec. 07 I had to have emergence surgery to have it removed. It damaged my stomach so bad the doctor could only remove the Band and cut %80 of my stomach away ( gastric shelve). Between the placement and the removeal i had to make three emergence trips to the doctors hospital to have it adjusted. The hospital was 180 miles away in Fresno Ca. I would throw up about every half hour till the doctor could relive the fluid. I have waited as long as 8 hrs. in a Cloves ER till the doctor came in at 8:00 AM.
So when I say Crap Band it’s with good conviction.
If you are having excessive burping/belching and your bowel movements have changed and you can not eat anything then you need a EGD! Your pouch is getting too big and you are not getting enough food into your stomach. Some fluid needs to be removed! You will see instant results! Don’t let this go on for too long.
I had the lap band put in in November 2008. I have lost about 80 pounds. I have not gotten used to it and lately I get very uncomfortable and usually vomit after most meals. I can actually palpate the device. It feel hard and right in the surface of my stomach (almost visual). What can the problem be? Ideas appreciated.
I also have the burping and belching problem its usually after eating or drinking fluids, but it clear liquid what should i do because it at a point where i don’t even want to eat or drink because of the burping and it hurts. I also throw up but only when I eat too much. I only have the surgery 5 months ago. NEED SOME ADVICE , HELP PLEASE.
I had my surgery on Dec 2,2008. I lost 70 pounds now seems like I throw up alot , it is very miserable the pain before and even afterwards. I have only had two fills and got the belt loosen the last time which has been almost a year. sometimes I wish I had never had the surgery.
my daughter is in the hospital…after getting the lap band it was like it burned her inside. this happened immediately and she is not allergic to it..she currently has a catheriter and jp drains in her with no reactions. she did not get nicked in surgery…it is also not rejection…has anyone else had a problem similar to this. if so please email me …. she has been in the hospital Dec 11 – now..Jan 15… my email is mila-long@hotmail.com
I got my band in Nov ’07 and originally lost about 66lbs. I’ve gained about 18lbs back and am currently doing weight watchers. For the past year off and on I have had awful problems. I only have 1.5cc’s in my band and I’m still having issues. My boyfriend keeps saying I should have it removed and it’s getting to the point that I’m dreading most meals. I’m so sick of throwing up and burping. I’m scared to gain the weight back but this just doesn’t seem to be working.
I have had my band for 8 years now and I have had stomach problems from day one. I’m having mine removed this year. I sick of throwing up every time I eat.
banded jan 09 lost 100lbs, cant handle anything first thing in am, very little until 8 or 9 pm. milk is usually problem , girggle at night.. i know i if i have band loosened the weight will come back. heck if i could have eaten right in the first place i would not have needed the band. gonna stick it out for now.
I got the lap band back in 2006. I was so excited when I first got it. Turned out to work well the first few months. After that I was having so much trouble. Everything and anything was getting stuck including liquids. Everyone at the doctors office kept telling me it was me and I was not eating and drinking properly after who knows how long, they took an xray and seen everything was just sitting at the top and not passing through. I had two occasional where I became so stuck that I stopped breathing. The first time I was alone at home. I couldn’t move cause that made the pain in my chest unbearable, and I couldn’t call 911 cause my airway was closed. A year later I got done eating a few bites of something healthy with my boyfriend. After about 15 minutes we were getting ready to get in the car. On my walk I felt myself starting to get stuck. The pressure got tighter and tighter in my chest and finally I stopped breathing once again. We got in the car and my husband floored it, driving through stop signs and everything to get me to the hospital. Just before we got there, I started to breath again. This went on for 3 years. Finally I kept being persistent and asked the doctor to take it out of me. He wouldn’t so my only option was a bigger band or bypass. I went for the bigger band. I get stuck occasionally now but its from me this time and I’m thankful for that. I feel better and can actually eat. I am so scared to death though cause of what happened before that I am afraid to go and get my band tightened. Nobody understands me or what I’m going through. If you’ve been through similar situations, please contact me…I need someone to talk to and don’t know where to turn. I am 30 yrs old, 6ft tall, and am still at my heaviest weight of 340-345lbs because of my fear of the lap band. December of this year, my husband decided to get the lap band so we could lose weight together and he did it for me to help me. We figured I was a rare case with all the above since no one else seemed to understand. After surgery, he had a massive lump in his stomach. His cord was kinked and bunched up and was pushing his stomach out. His port was also placed to far into his muscle. SO he went back for surgery. A few days after surgery, he came down with a bad infection and this has been going on for awhile now. He is also scarred bad…his incision site caves in like a second deep belly button. They told him if the antibiotic doesn’t help, he will need two more surgery’s. One to remove the port because the infection is probably hiding out and using that as a breeding ground more or less. The second surgery would be to put a new port in. Please let me know if any of you experienced these things or know who I can talk to.
Thank you
I had my lapband in December 2009. Was very excited and started losing weight right away and was very happy with the results. Then In March 2010, I hit a plato. After a short period I started to lose again, but very slowly. Then I plato’d again! In August, I had problems eating anything, even soups. Would eat 3 or 4 bites and couldn’t eat, chest would hurt and then would be sick. One day it got really bad, couldn’t throw up and had sever pains, felt like I was having a heart attach. Finally, after 3 hours, I started throwing up, but bad part was then I couldn’t even sip water as it felt like marbles going down and hurt. Stayed on liquids next day and couldn’t get into Doctor until next. They took out 2cc’s as he figured my band slipped or something. I finally could eat, but was very careful. Then after a couple weeks the weight started to sneak on. When I went back, he asked if I was happy and I said not with the weight. Only a 25 pound loss in 9 months….. Now what is very discouraging is they put 1cc back in and I am not eating much, but have gained at least 12 pounds back. Not sure what to do…. I don’t drink pop, I don’t eat a lot, I know I need to exercise more, but am discouraged and working alot, so it is hard to do.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
I got my surgery back in Dec 2009. I don’t feel I have lost any significant weight with the band. Only about 15 lbs initially after surgery. At first it didn’t even seem to work. I went in for at least five adjustments. I haven’t been in for an adjustment in about 5 months and the band seems to feel tighter than before. I am throwing up everyday and I burp all the time. I have lost 23 pounds in the last 2 months but that was due to the fact that I am exercising everyday….not the band. Although the band has not really helped me to lose any real weight ….at least it is helping stage off the weight gain. It is allowing me to at least lose weight when combined with exercise.
Oh, someone made a comment about arthritis earlier. I did have minimal joint pain before the surgery. But since the surgery it has gotten much worse, especially my knees. I have considered it could be my exercise but even when I stopped working out for about 2 weeks, my knees still hurt like I have arthritis and worse than before surgery. I don’t know if that has anything to do with the surgery itself. You would think it might be aleviated since I have lost weight but it seems to be getting progressively worse. I have made an appointment to go in tomorrow and have some of the fluid taken out. Hopefully I will stop vomiting, having chest pain and burping so much.
I am saddened to hear so many people having major problems with the band. I think nothing is that easy and there will be some so called ” side effects” to contend with. I don’t believe the band has given me the best results possible. I hear of all these people losing large amounts of weight and I can’t even lose the typical 1-2 pounds per weeks as expected. I will deal with it for now because it is keeping me from gaining weight but as soon as I reach my weight goal through exercise….I want all the fluid taken out and or possible removal sometime in the future. I guess the band isn’t for everyone.
I went to see my doc today. I woke up choking last night. Food and water coming back up. This has happened a couple of times but not as bad as last night. The doc took some fluid out and I felt immediate relief. I was able to eat when I got home. They are going to do that scope procedure to check the position of the band and my stomach. If all is well they will try to re-adjusting the band slowly again. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that all goes well. Since he loosened the band I will have to watch my food intake and continue exercising until we can get this figured out. Don’t want to gain any weight back!
I belch all the time. I haed my surgery 3 years ago and I have lost about 50 pounds. I have really strange experiences. Sometimes I can eat. I go through periods where there are no problems. Lately I have been having trouble keeping liquids down. It stops in the miiddle of my throat. I don’t consider it throwing up because it is almost like it never goes down. It seems to stop before it gets to my stomach and I can feel the pressure in my chest. I am afraid to go out to dinner because lately nothing goes down. It all stops. I was going to keep a log to try to understand the patterns but I think I am just going to have some fluid removed. I really want to lose the weight but I can’t continue to do it this way. Hopefully the Doctor won’t remove to much.
I have to share this. After posting I decided to try eating some thin sliced ham and cheese. what was interesting was it went down. I did not belch or burb. I was able to drink water right after eating. After that I ate some more with no problems. Today I tryed it again when I got home because everything I tried to eat at work did not go down and I belched and burbed all day. I ate the ham and cheese and used chips as my bread. It was wonderful I ate without any issues. It was as if I had to prime my stomach because after eating the thin ham and cheese I ate a philly cheese sandwich(without the bread )with no issue and no belching.
It is very strange but tomorrow I am going to buy some more ham and cheese and I will eat some before I go out to dinner. I will watch what I eat but the discomfort and throwing up disappears after I eat the ham and c heese. Any doctors out there. Any reasons why this happens?
Oh my gosh! I am so happy to see others with the same problems. I felt so alone and like a failure. Had my lapband done in 9/09 and have wished I never had it done. Between the pain when food gets stuck, the embarassment of going out to eat and rushing to bathroom to vomit, I hate it! I have had the band fill reduced to nothing due to a constant irritation of the band. I feel like I have this alien inside me, I can see the port sticking out. I am so unhappy. Has anyone out there had any heart palpitations with the band? I have been trying to find out info on it.
Help!
I was banded Oct/09. I have not lost much weight since I had the band put in. I am having alot of trouble with the fills. I just had 1cc put in on Friday and haven’t been able to eat or drink anything without it coming right back up since. This is the second time I have had a fill put in and haven’t been able to tolerate it. I am wondering if there is something wrong. I am trying to stick it out and hoping that one day I will be able to eat, but don’t know how much longer I can go. The food part is bothering me because I am not hungry, but would like to be able to drink, I am so thirsty!! Also have alot of pain where my port is sometimes. Has anyone else had any problems like this?
Hi everyone , I am very disappointed to hear all the trouble everyone is having with the band. I am pleased with mine. I have had mine for 3 months now with no trouble what so ever and am down almost 70 lbs and have only had one adjustment to date. I have not been sick once nor have I had anything stuck. So there is hope. Good luck.
So i just had my surgery on 02/17/2011 and i have lost about 40 Lbs. After my first fill I am having trouble eating averything. today has been a really bad day- I was wondering if anyone could suggest things that i can eat without having to throw up or be miserable? I am thinking i may need to go back to protein shakes. Honestly i’d rather be bored with my diest than to throw up all the time.
I am so fearful that i am going to be like this forever- honestly i will deal with it. Id rather be bored than fat.
Michelle,
What types of food are you eating?
Had my surgery Sept. 2009. I am down 65lbs. The first year was great. Then the trouble started. I have had my port break twice, and the second time it twisted. So they had to replace and reposition it. I have had a blood clot in my stomach once. And now i am having the same exact symptoms as before when i had the blood clot. I cannot eat 1 meal that doesn’t make me sick. No matter what i eat..it is coming back up. And the back pain that i am experiencing now is terrible. I really am starting to question if i need to have the band taken out. At this point fluids hurt going down and vicodin is becoming my best friend for pain….any one else had these problems.
Hi All,
I’ve had trouble with my band also, my surgery was in Dec 2010. First couple months everything seemed fine, but now Even water, protien shakes, smoothies sometimes are difficult to go down and take hrs to finish. Food in the moring?? forget it! I have to wait atleast till noon to be able to eat yogurt or oatmeal. The one and ONLY thing that hasnt EVER been a problem for me is alchohol. The first time I noticed this was when I was at dinner and & tried taking a sip of water and it bothered me. But when I orderd a glass of wine I had no problem. Then when my food came it seemed to help my food be able to go down easier. Although I was taking the smallest bites I could, (I normally do that anyway) I was able to have two glasses of wine and 3 stuffed mushrooms for dinner. I asked my Dr. about this and he said the alchohol would make no difference. But I’m speaking from experience that it has made a difference to me, and I’ve noticed now that everytime I have a cocktail or glass of wine it’s never a problem, AND it helps with eating. Has anyone else experienced something similar? I’ve seen my Dr. twice now to have fluid taken out because it was too tight. I’ve lost 38 lbs since my surg. in Dec 2010. I’m beggining to wonder if this is all worth the pain and worry. And is this something I’m going to have to live with as long as the band is in? I’m so afriad to eat anything anymore, that it seems easier to just not eat at all or if I do I’ll eat what little I can KNOWING that It’s going to come right back up, which is such an aweful feeling. I remember being told that after surgery I will be able to eat most anything other than anything with white flour, white rice, or ANYTHING carbonated, which I have stuck to exactly. But my question is why was none of this pain and suffering and aweful experiences EVER told to me or warned could happen??….I would have for sure thought twice about the prceedure and ALL the discomfort that comes with it!!
Any suggestions on how to get through or be able to live a more normal life after Lap Band surgery??
Hello everyone. I had my surgery on Feb.22, 2011 and have lost 50lbs. I have never been able to get a fill because every thing gets Stuck anyway. I have severe reflux and can’t eat or drink anything literally without throwing it up. My doc has a nonchalant attitude to the fact that I am severely malnourished and dehydrated. I feel dizzy and weak all of the time. I am thinking about switching surgeons. I did an xray and was told my band hasn’t slipped but my stomach pouch was still swollen. I don’t really know what will help my symptoms since there is no fluid in the band to take out. I think I lost so much weight from being malnourished, not from the band. Has anyone been through this who has not had a fill. I don’t want to get rid of the band, but it’s looking like I may have to. Can they give you something to make the swelling go down? PLEASE HELP!!!
Wow, I’m surprised at all the problems too! But let me try and offer advice where I can.
I’ve had my band for 2 years now, have lost 100+ lbs. (52 weeks in a year= I’m roughly losing a pound a week) and am still going! I just saw a number in the 170′s on my scale the other day – something I had not seen since HIGH SCHOOL. Not everyday is perfect but to be honest, when it isn’t, it’s 98% my fault.
I too, can’t eat a lot in the mornings – can’t say why exactly but it just doesn’t work. I drink a Boost, which can provide some calories, fat, and protein and even the little bottle can take a while to get through- but remember, its supposed to! I start drinking after I get out of the shower and am usually done when it’s time to leave. My docs made it very clear that most bites should be DIME sized. Seriously, take out a dime and think about that the next time you lift your fork. I know I break that rule and I PAY for it, lol.
I don’t eat or drink in the car anymore. For me, it causes gas and pain that can last and last but maybe that’s just me.
Don’t drink alcohol!!! That’s been stressed to me a zillion times. I can’t say I never do, but now it’s more like one cocktail every month. It’s not a good idea with the band and hey, I’d give up alcohol FOREVER to be my dream weight! But that’s just me.
Drinking with a meal is a mixed blessing/curse and my doc would kill me for saying this but life is messy sometimes, lol. Drinking with a meal will help food to go down into your larger stomach, freeing up room faster and easier BUT drinking with a meal can have unwelcome results: 1) It can overfill your pouch (combined with the food) and come right back up on you or 2) You can RUIN a perfect fill by tricking yourself into eating more that you should by drinking with every meal (ie- you ain’t gonna lose weight). So here’s my reality, I drink with meals when I’m dining out because I can eat more and faster and I don’t look so strange to others who don’t know about the band. The key is also to find your magic “drink”. For me, it’s tea, maybe it’s water or juice for you. Oh, and if you’re still drinking soda at meals – God help you cause you should have never gotten the band. And while I’m thinking about it…
SODA is the devil. Seriously. lol, nah I love it and always will. Whats not to love? It’s sweet and sugary and yummy but you have to give it up. First, the carbonation with make you so uncomfortable with the pouch and the calories, well come on everyone knows it’s bad for you. Pre-band I could consume a 12-pack of soda a day easy now, it’s a treat like ice cream, cake, whatever your poison is. Easiest way to drink it? Here ya go: First, it needs to be a little flat and a little warm. Now don’t freak out, I mean not ice cold and maybe sitting out for half an hour – still plenty tasty and less carbonation to make you sick. Second, it needs to be in a bottle (20 oz or 2 liter) but cans just hold in the cold and carbonation too much. Finally, the key is it needs to be hours between meals – remember, it’s a snack now – so make sure you indulge a few hours AFTER you last ate and a few hours BEFORE you plan on eating again. And don’t drink it anywhere close to bedtime or the acid-reflux monster will get you.
Acid reflux blows. But here’s some of my lessons learned when it comes to reflux and fills:
Ok, not to be blunt but what the hell are your doctors doing after fills? I hope you’re all made to sit in the office and drink water. If not, here’s what you should be doing. After the doc fills you (and keep in mind by now I’ve had more fills/loosenings that I can remember – 20? Maybe more?) you need to get a good amount of water and gulp some down (no sipping-it needs to be GULPS) wait a couple minutes or so and repeat and repeat and repeat and…well, you get it – for at least 15 minutes. The point is to see if you if the water comes back up, you can’t get it down, or you have acid reflux. If you have any of that, then some fluid needs to come out. And thats FINE! I’ve had that happen several times. You end up getting these teensy weensy fills and guess what? A few months later you get another fill and all this time you’re losing weight and life goes on; getting a miniscule fill is no biggie. Now let’s say later you start having reflux you can’t stand (some is bearable, some is not) then just call and have some fluid taken out, there’s no shame and no reason to feel defeated – you’ll still lose weight and still have more and more and more fills in your future.
But if you’re like me and you have some reflux (the bearable kind) what do you do? Well first figure out if it’s the crap you’re eating. If I just had Mexican food then I’m probably to blame and freaking out isn’t going to help – my blessing has been Lactose Free Chocolate Milk! Not a lot obviously, and I’m sipping it, but it always helps. And finally, if you’re having reflux at bedtime – I hate to break it to you but it’s probably your fault. And yes, I’m looking at myself. You’re eating way too close to bedtime. How close is too close? Everyone is different; for me, I need to stop putting things (liquid included, if possible) in my pie-hole at LEAST 2 hours before bed. 3-4 hours is even better.
And a little more on fills. If hours, days, whatever after a fill you can’t keep stuff down and you know (honor system here!) you’re eating/drinking right – then your fill is TOO TIGHT. No matter how many CC’s you got. Call the doc and have some taken out. This is a marathon, not a sprint. And no, I still like to imagine it’s a sprint
It’s no biggie, there are way more fills in your future and not getting enough nutrition or puking up everything is gonna have way worse repercussions.
Meals aren’t rocket science really but here’s some things to ponder. Are you eating small bites? Remember, DIME sized. Are you eating whatever portion is put in front of you at a restaurant? If yes, then no, no, go stand in the corner. Plan on taking at least half of what is put in front of you home. Remember, you’re a SLOW eater now and I mean slow. I used to gulp down a plate of food in 10 minutes or less and ask for dessert, now people tease me on how I never finish it all and I take FOREVER – I am ALWAYS the last to finish a meal with others and you should be too. But those people who tease me about my pace are also the same people who now ask ME how to lose weight. Drinking at meals can help (make sure you’re sipping-not gulping) but it shouldn’t become a regularity and has its pitfalls, but I already said that one. Chew, chew, chew. I still try to count how many times I chew something not because I actually care but because it helps and serves so many purposes – try to shoot for 40 times each bite. Finally, this is a trick I learned from a French lady, after you take a bite physically put down your fork, spoon, whatever, actually put it down and your reflex changes from automatically preparing that next bite. It’s really helped to slow me down.
Food getting stuck? Look above to remind yourself about CHEWING. Seriously, what we’re supposed to be swallowing should be the consistency of BABY FOOD. Hard to chew that much you say? Look above to remind about those dime sized bites. Still not cutting it and you’re following the rules? Go see an Ear, Nose, Throat doc and have them scope your throat. It doesn’t hurt. If they can’t find anything wrong and your band is working properly….
Vomiting. Please remember that among other things, vomiting can cause the band to slip which opens up a whole nuther can of worms you don’t want to deal with.
Kiss beef goodbye. I learned it the hard way or should I say the really really painful way. You just can’t chew beef enough to be comfortable going through the pouch. I still have chicken and the like, but beef is no longer our friend.
No straws. We all know that right? No straws ever, it gives you painful gas.
No pills (whenever possible). They’re hard on the pouch to absorb, cause it’s so little, and can make you sick/give you pain, etc. Ask the pharmacist for the liquid version of everything when you can – including Advil, etc.
Heart palps. Have had this discussion with my doc and with other banders. You are fine! We all had EKG’s before the surgery to check out the ticker, remember? If you want some comfort (I had my lungs xrayed to make me feel better after breathing trouble, lol) then go for it! The feeling of palpatations seem to be related to our poor nutrition and weight loss. Like maybe our nutrition isn’t what it should be and we have these weak feeling moments….remember, cake will fill you but your body isn’t going to be as healthy as if you’d chosen fish and a salad. My feeling of palps has steadily decreased over time and with my improved nutrition. On that thought, I also had SEVERE hair loss for a while – a side effect for a lot of patients. This year it has really grown back in and I also think it’s in part to be trying to eat HEALTHIER, not just LESS.
Excessive gas. Gas X strips can help but you need to be more active – it’ll break up the gas and get it, ahem, moving. Also, check out your diet, you might be doing it to yourself. Oh, and remember what I said about straws!
Folks, I PROMISE it’s ok to gain weight occassionally. I PROMISE! We all have our moments and we all plateau every now and again. I’ve plateaued twice now – once for 6 months before breaking through and losing again. Please don’t live in fear or pain (from too tight of a band) becuase you’re afraid to gain a pound or 5 back, you will LOSE it again and thensome! The band is something that (most) of us will have until the day we die, we will always wax and wane and I have had the same fears of reducing a fill and losing progress but I have always lost in the end and still am.
Example: I once had a fill that was too tight but I was really trying to stick it out because the weight loss was awesome! By the time I couldn’t stand it and went back I had lost 8 pounds in 6 days! Why did I go back? Becuase it hurt? HELL NO. I went back because I FAINTED at home – something I’ve never done. My nutritional content had become that of a STARVING PERSON. Did I gain the 8 pounds back and a couple more? Yep. Did I feel better? Yep. Have I lost a bunch of weight since? Yep. I promise, gaining weight isn’t defeat. Marathon, not a sprint.
@Misty – there’s something seriously wrong with your band and you need to research for the BEST gastric doc in your area and go to them ASAP or the 2nd best if you think you’ve got #1. If you’re in TX let me know and I’ll tell you where my doc is.
And here’s my last bit of (hopefully helpful) advice. Doctors are not gods. I don’t care who they are or what medicine they practice. If you’re having trouble, questions, pain, doubts, whatever, and it isn’t getting solved with your gastric doc – go find another and get a second, third, eighth opinion. Your health is WAY more important than their ego. I did a ton of research to pick my doc and when I got down to 2 I kept digging until I found one had a malpractice suit coming up. So alls I’m saying is do your homework and don’t be afraid to shop around.
I had my surg. back in 05. most on here have trouble with belching and pain most of the time your eating too much!!!! this surg. should stop acid reflux!! I see all these problems and wonder was it worth it ? yes it was I lost over one hundred pounds. do not be afraid to call your doctor or demand to know what the problem is . you paid a lot of money for this and treat it like you payed big bucks!!! Im not a doctor but Ive been dealing with this awhile. KEY eat slow !!!!! eat small amounts!!!! chew chew chew!!!!! if I can help email me Ill talk to you ,dont know if I can help but lean on me or a loved one thats what their for. Keep trying you will win!!!
Marie they dont tell you because you wouldnt do it . the alchohol relaxes you therefor food goes thru easier becareful of foods that dont desolve sometime thats a problem. if you noticed a small sip of fluid helps but becarful not too fast . I havent had a hot meal in years it starts out hot but never ends that way.all your doctor is worried about is weight loss .you will learn to deal with all issues.remember chew chew chew!!! go very slow. hell i can drink pop or beer now just slow!!!!! be careful and hang in there!!!
I am still having problems with my band. My surgery was dec 02,2008 I need to find a doctor to remove it. I throw up all the time. It is so painful you feel as you would rather be dead then have to be sick all the time.I wish I had never did it but I have tried different ways to deal with it. I try not to eat unless I can’t stand it any longer being hungry.It is too diffucult to cook and watch every eat knowing what pain it will cost me.
I hope every one of us that is having problems get some way for relief. If you having been through it before then you know . I am making appointment to get my lap band removed and pray I can do this and deal with my weight on my own at least I can eat something and not get sick and have to go to bed because once I am sick and causes me so much back pain stomach pain . my stomach gets so sore it feels as if I have been hit hard a lot of times right where my band is .
Janna, thank you very much for all that wonderful advice. It really has helped me to rethink my strategy and my expectations. Maybe some of my problems are fixable by me after all and I just have to be more patient and flexible in my approach. I have printed out your post and placed on my fridge. THANKS. Maree x
Had the surgery in 2002 – after a year of complaining and vomiting 16 times a day I finally convinced the doctor it was NOT me not chewing, NOT me eating too fast or the right thing – the band had slipped and my stomach had herniated thru the duedunum. Instead of taking it out, against my better judgement, he put in another one – same problems ever since. It is now ten years later – I haven’t been on a date – who can go to dinner, drink a coffee, wake up next to someone with vomit all over the bed – who wants to lie next to someone who coughs and chokes all night….really. My hair has fallen out, just paid $5,000 for a lot of dental work as all my teeth are rotting due to the vomiting – still need another $5000 done. My kids have grown up listening to me throwing up all night and now all day – and I really didnt lose any weight. I have now started walking, twice a day, eat 6 very small meals a day and have lost 19 pound in two months. I am waitlisted to finally have this wretched horrible thing out of me.
All I can say is – DONT let people tell you that it is YOUR FAULT – for eating too fast, too much, too big bites – in some cases that may be true – but most of the time, if your aware of it and know your not committing those little sins, then your band has slipped and you need it out. If you are vomiting – get it seen to and done wait like I did – you will damage your oesophagus permanently and end up with reflux for the rest of your life – like they tell me I will have as I waited too long. There is a reason why they are advising against this operation now – is dangerous and has only about a 20% success rate. Walk, get a trainer, join a fun dance group. eat an apple without choking and have fun living life – don’t suffer this miserable existence another day if you dont want to…
My husband had the lap band procedure on may 6th 2011 . Three weeks later 2 emergency room visits gollblader reomoval, vomitting, nausea no food whatsoever they removed the band and to date we are still in the hospital doctors have done numerouse tests they cant find the cause as to why he cant keep down anything. Hes lost 53 lbs since may 6th. He doesnt even have the band anymore but still cant eat. Has anyone heard or experienced any of this?
i was banded 4/27/2011 and have been fine up until saturday (6-11-2011) and i have the worse pain, everything i eat hurts after its swallowed, i have severe gas… being sent to have a esophagram done…….i am terrified that my band will have to be removed…
Janna you are a SAINT thank you for your post, it is a marathon. I was very apprehensive about getting my band loosened, I’ve gained weight back and have been eating like there’s no tomorrow but I’m guessing it’s because my body needed the nutrition?
I had my gastric band fitted 2 years lost a little weight at first because of pre op diet and post surgery soreness. I had it filled several times until I could not eat anything. then let out a bit. I found I could either eat nothing or normal amounts. ( I have never eaten large portions just had problems with snacking) I finally had the band totally emptyed but still have pain and discomfort whilst eating so many foods. burping and excessive wind. I regret ever having the band as I only have a BMI of 34 does anyone else still have problems eating after having their band totally let out?
i had the lapband in 2009 in dec and i felt good about the band now almost 2 years later i have alot of problems with it .. when i eat or drink my stomach hurts so bad .. it feels like my band is scrapping the outside of my stomach im having sharp pains where the band is located …just wondering ifanybody is having problems like this.
Hi
I had my lapband in Dec 2009 and up until now I have only lost around 9 kilos. I am now experiencing daily excess gas in my stomach, consistent nausea and sharp pains in my stomach all the time. I feel tired and am so scared of eating due to the pain afterwards. I hate my band and am seriously thinking life is too short and just remove it so I can have quality of life.
Congrats to all that have success with the band, unfortunately it is not working for me!
Banded in 12/2004. Lost 109 lbs. Did great. In 2006, got reflux. Operated on in 7/2007. No change. Operated on again 3/2009. No change. Now have gained all the weight back. Saw a new doc today. He said that some people have weak esophagus’ and should not have the band in the first place. He said they didn’t know all this when I was banded in the first place. Converting to a bypass.
By the way, Kymberly, I totally agree with you. They are now just learning the band is not for some people as we are predisposed to reflux.
I had gastric banding in 2001, I originally lost 50 kilograms in 12 months. I have not eaten beef, find it difficult to eat bread and vomit at least once a day. I continually feel uncomforable when I eat. Half an hour after I vomit I become sweet hungry and eat chocolate. I have now gained 35 Kilograms and I am worse off. I have oesophageal problems with burning, flatulance. I have always found eating a social occassion with friends or family, now I cook and they eat. I am depressed, cannot enjoy life, suffer pain, what for? vanity.
Ten years ago there was not the research, I would have liked to known the real facts.
Well i just had my surgery on Oct 7, n i actually wanted the bypass but had too mny complications n now that i c all this complications on ppl i wonder if i did the right choice on hv surgery at all!! Its been 5 days n im getting super hungry n i just dnt know wht to do since im still on clear liquids!!!
i had the band done in 2006 loss 80 lbs..then had a bout of diverticulitis and had to drain the lap band in 2010 and had a colon resection….now band is refilling and having awful reflux..now dr said they are havin problems with 4cc bands which i have…now going to take the band out causing to much pain around my esophagus and reflux acid is eating away at it…going back to gym and eating right…
My surgery was 12/31/2008- well it took the first year to drop 80 lbs which was great for me,i felt good but i guess that wasnt good enough my lap band was filled around Dec of 09 and come March o 2010 i had suffered the slippage of lap band, due to consistent vomiting on my part over eating and had to have it come up bad heartburn to kill you lasted 2 weeks like it for when i gone into to have it looked at yes the worst the slipped band,surgery next day well it has not been the same i had put on20 ilbs since then and the fills have not been tight enough to prevent the overeating. still had restrictions, but alcohol and ice cream the smooth things that go down easy,been back to have fills and been tryin to get back on track but it has not been easy, n now if something does not go down right it does not allow me to really vomit to have it come out a little will, so when the lap band was refitted it is not the same, and as of today something happened last nite that i had not felt before i was lying on my side like i always do to go to sleep and i had pain then when i went to lay on my back the pain was severe like my stomach had twisted or somethin i have a bad feeling of stomach pain now ( like a bad stomach ache) im really concerned if it doesn’t feel better in 24 hrs i willgo in and I pray it did not slip or something, I’m reading some pretty sad stories, I was fine with the band and happy to maintain a size 8 compared to 16-18, and I don’t know if this comes out will i be able to do or maintain trying to sill drop the weight, alot of the not loosing i know is me, no exercise, and eating and drinking properly. we all have to realize this is a tool to help us just like exercise and diet if we did not have this tool. I’m not sorry i had it done and I pray i will be fine cause now it had scared me to know what i truly need to do to stay on track to loose my weight. stick to goals.
Lap band research
Wow ladies I have to say I was hoping to find.a few people that I can relate to but there’s not just a few problems here there Is more then enough for a class action lawsuit !!! I didnt read much about anyone seeking compensation . I threw up blood regularly for 2 years nobody wanted to eat (well i drank) because lets face it, i was gross !!! I lived on protein shakes and creamy soups that would stay with me longer so I could delay my VERY PREDICTABLE PUKE SESSION if I dared to have a soda cracker !!! I honestly think that something should be done as a group we have more power . Just putting it out there, I’m going to do some more research on this. Feel free to discuss this and no I’m not a lawyer , This cost me a good 4 years of misery ! I don’t think that the percentage of complications was truthfully disclosed prior to the procedure but after THEN they sugar coat it some MORE !!! Ok, ok I’m done for now, thanks for listening I really needed to vent . *
Thanks for reading me
>. Bo .<
I have had my lap band for 3 years with minor adjustments all has been well , there are ongoing issues with food choice which is the whole idea of the lap band, to make you think about what yoir putting in your mouth.
I have lost 47kgs and vary up and down by 5kg, I recently tried to increase my weight loss by increasing my band tightness and all i got was acid reflux snd chocking at all hours of the night, so the solution is simple, i need to find the balance again with a limit to tge amount of sugars i eat and increase physical movement and exercise if i want my body to be tighter, I cant be lazy and expect the band to do everything for me.
So im back to the doctors to take the extra 2ml out and will have to watch it or i will put weight back on, which none of us want, ive managed to get my body to look the way I want it to now and the hardest part is getting my head around diet and exercise, the lap band is easy , its just tgat im pushing the boundary of what it can do , it wont give you a 6 pack but it will stop you getting a spare tire.
I had a band(2009) over my gastric surgery(1999). I have only lost 12 lbs. I was admitted to the hospital with what I thought was a heart attack but, found out it was the band was too tight. I would love to have the band removed since I am now afraid to have it adjusted. I still have to be very careful when I eat, I throw up at least 10 times a week. I actually feel the food passing through just below my breast bone. I would like to know if anyone else has had this done and have you lost any weight. I have followed their procedures yet still no weight loss. I would love to have the gastric revised.
I had my crapband removed 11/3/2011 due to constant pain unable to get any solid food down and nausea and vomiting daily. The band had adhered to my liver….. nice huh! And still I am unable to get solid food down even after band removal. I did file a complaint with allergen today.
I had my surgery over a year ago and have I only lose 20 lbs. I also have only had three fills during this time. But my bigger problems is I have a lot of pain where the port is. Not to the touch but I can feel it inside. And it’s a burning feeling and it’s very painful. Has anyone had these problems
Yes, I did!!! My doctor has removed the “door” since 6/11, I’m felling all right now but sometimes I fell the band in my stomach burning…
I had my surgery 9/20/2011. I am down 20 lbs since then and I lost 30 prior to my surgery date. I just had my second fill. My first fill was 11/16/11 w/ 3mi and my second fill 11/30/11 w/ 2ml. The only think i notice after my fills is that I am coughing. Has any one else experienced this. I only had a hiatal hernia repair when I had my band placement. No other issues. Happy as a lark shopping with the 50 lb loss. I have 40 more to go!
HI
HAD MY LAP BAND ON OCT 8,2011
i LOST ABOUT 28 POUNDS
WENT BACK FOR MY 1ST FILL
AND i CAN EAT AND EAT AND NEVER GET FULL
IT’S LIKE i NEVER HAD SURGERY
IAM SEEING SURGEON ON DEC 29TH
I WONDER IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THIS PROBLEM
IM JUST SCARED THAT I WONT LOSE ANYMORE WEIGHT
i had my Lap Band done in 2009. It has not been an easy road for me. I have been suffering since having it done and now this band is affecting my health. Something that was suppose to make a healthier life for me….and believe me, I have followed my Lap Band procedure to a “T”, has only caused me an unhealthy life. I have been suffering with pain in my chest whenever I eat or drink anything of small amounts. Even sipping liquids causes pain my chest to the point where I need to throw up to relieve the pain. I throw up after anything I take in. It seems that it does not get past my chest area and to relieve the pain I need to throw it all back up. I have had a scan done where you swallow barium while they scan you and have been told that I have a dialated esophagus amongst other things. I am Anemic which has just surfaced and now I am on prescibed medication for that. I have been on acid reflux medicine since day one of my surgery and I take it regularly and just within the past week had to have the dosage increased due to the increased acid reflux that I have been expreriencing. I don’t get a good nights sleep due to this. It feels like I am having a heart attack with the pain that is going on in my chest. I can’t even take in a shake or smoothie at this point because it feels like it is stuck and the pain is just absolutley painful. My doctor who originally did my surgery has always just brushed off my concerns and has treated me like I was crazy or I didn’t know what i was feeling or going through. And now that I am in a different state, under a different insurance, I am unable to have any follow ups or further procedures done with this doctor. My insurance just wont cover it. And it is extremely expensive to see a doctor where I live. Just to have a consult done will cost me $500.00 and thats just for the consult. It’ll cost an additional $250.00 for them to remove fluid from my band. This really sucks. My PCP is requesting that I remove the band due to the health issues that I am having especially with the new stuff and I am so tired and fed up with the complications that I have had with the band that I am highly opting for removal but then the high possibility that the weight will come back on scares me and has stopped me from moving forward on removing the band. I guess at this point, I am asking if anyone has any guidance or information that they can share to help me make the decision that I need to make and make soon. My life is very important and if it means removing the band to save my life, then of course I will do it.
Hi I have had my band for over 3yrs and have had all the usual issues with being sick etc. It does not seem to make much sence to me, I can eat chicken one day but not the next . I had 6 cc in my band originally but last november for my wedding got that taken down to 2 so I could enjoy my honeymoon but I was still vomiting on the wedding day and the honeymoon, found it very difficult to eat anything- they say stress affects this not really sure though.
Anyway I have lost and gained depending on how well I can eat. I also have truned to eating icecream on occasions when nothing else has stayed down. Which I know is wrong but sometimes I just want to be able to eat like a normal person. I find social outings very difficult as I may need to be sick etc.
After my wedding I tried to get my band filled but just kept on being sick even on liquids so my band was reduced to 1cc, the lowest it can be at. I have had various issues throughout the last year but had managed to get into a routine, such as slmfast for breakfast ( as it has all the nutrients my body needs) small portions of mash/gravy for lunch and maybe a portion of sheperds pie in the evening. I struggled with this also and found chocolate usually goes down so ate that sometimes. I have lost with the band and although I am not happy with my shape, I am a size 14 and feel normal or okay about getting dressed in the morning. I have been a size 10 before but it was so false because I really could not eat at all. My problem is that for the last 4 weeks I have really struggled to eat anything , even liquids. everytime I eat anything solid I get a really bad pain in my back, I have to make myself sick by drinking water until everything is out. but this can take 3-4 hours. When I have this pain I burp and find it hard to get a deep breath.I then decide to stop eating all day but get a really burning sensation in my throat. I went to the docs who is referring me to the NHS ( cant afford to go private again) I am really fed up, my husband cant belive the way I suffer but at the same time likes my body. I feel I am still fat because of the excess skin and not being tall enough..I have started to keep a food diary to show the docs what is going on. I have been sick on slimfast today and mash and have not eaten anything else. I am worried about getting the band removed – another operation. Also bit worried that I wont be able to control my eating and the consequences, cant believe I got this op and not a gastric bypass because this was supposed to be adjustable but I cant get this adjusted any more, will just have to wait and see what the docs say. it is so stange sometimes I can eat a good evenign meal , solid food but it lies there all evening and I am sick in the morning – so strange
I had my lapband in 2008. I never lost any weight. 215 pounds. One year ago I began vomiting and have not been able to keep any food down at all. I have been tested and the band is now empty and in place. I weigh 98 pounds. Does anyone know about this???? I am starving to death. I look horrible, my children are upset and I do not have the funds to remove the band. Thanks Christi
And so it goes…I had my surgery 4 yrs ago this coming December 17, 2011. I hate it now. I like that fact that have lost weight but it wasnt easy and most of my weight loss has been because I simply could not eat. I just had all of my fluid removed 2 mos ago and have gained 20 lbs back. I NEEDED TO. I was dehydrated, vomiting constantly and coughing all nite long with horrible acid reflux. NOTHING, not even water would stay down. I was being treated for everything under the sun from sinus issues to an upper respitory infection (all the coughing) until I realized it was all because of the band. Went in and had all the fluid out and immediately felt like a new person. My weight got so low that my kids were horrified when they saw me. I am 50 yrs old and cant go thru this anymore.
I didnt learn any new eating habits what so ever. I just physically could not eat. Now, it feels so good to be able to eat, keep it down and enjoy myself and not have to constantly run to the bathroom and I became a social recluse because I didnt want to be sick in public all the time.
After the first of the year I am having it removed if my insurance will cover it. I have not called yet but do have records to prove all the complications I have had. I did lose 135 lbs at one point and now feel good at 170 lbs…I am hoping to stay at this weight or somewhat close to it…without this damn band. I really do hate it and do not reccommend it to anyone.
I had my band 10/2009. The first year was great. My second year has beenmiserable. I had to have my gall bladder removed 8 months after due to the weight loss. I had lost a total of 74 lbs but have then this year in March I started developing pains right above my belly button along with throwing up almost daily and the constant pain in my chest and throat area and two trips to ER went back to see my BMI doc. After seeing my BMI doctor he checked and said wasnt my my band and sent me to gastric specialist to see what else could be. Had upper GI and colonoscopy. Found I had a hiatal hernia again, and inflammation in my esophogus. Gastro specialist prescribed Protonix to help clear that up. Also sent me for a capsule endoscopy ( which is horrible to get down with the band). That turned up nothing either. He suggested a gluten free diet which is pretty much what I was already doing already. I am beginning to think it has to do with my port because sitting at my desk or driving for long periods of time such as 3-5 hours at a time is when I begin to flare up. The meds dont help. The only thing that seems to alleviate the pain is muscle relaxers. I should also mention since my lap band I have had 2 other laproscopic procedures. One to remove the gall bladder, and a hysterectomy which I had 3 months prior to the pain starting. I am concerned that the laproscopic surgeries have cause lesions on the muscles or the tubing connecting my port or have damaged it in some way. Has anyone else had these kind of problems. I am wishing now I just went with the complete bypass instead of having this foreign object in my gut.
I had my surgery 1-5-2010 and have lost 75 lbs. But starting about 6 months ago i have started getting this pain in my port area. It is like a balled up muscle that wont release. The doctors have been no help.
I had the lap band surgery back in June of 2011. When I awakened I couldn’t breathe due to a collapsed caused by the surgery. I was scared nearly to death, thought I was dying. I have had problems ever since. I vomit every day, can’t hold down much of anything. Everthing I eat feels like it just lays there in the top of my throat. It hurts like heck. It is so uncomfortable that I have to throw it up. I have lost a lot of weight, but haven’t weighed myself for a while. My acid reflux is worse than it has ever been. I feel better in the way that I do get around better and can do more, but again, most of the time, I am so weak from not being able to eat and not getting enough nutrition and my hair is thinning out. It would be nice to be able to sit down and eat one good meal without having to get up and go the bathroom and throw it up. I have developed a lupoma tumor on my right arm as well where fatty cells gather together and grow, not mellignent though, they told me, but causes lots of pain in my arm.
So I had the surgery almost Nov 08. Lost a little shy of 100lbs. I really love how this tool has helped me but I have had 2 babies in the last 19 months. It is taking more food for me to feel full so I went to NEW MD to be checked. He told me I don’t have a pouche so I am wondering if this is why I am able to eat more? The MD talked as if it was not that big of a deal although he said it would be more difficult for me to lose weight. Does this mean the band slipped? Does this mean I need a revision? I don’t have much trouble except when I try to eat bread or am eating to fast then I either get painful feeling or vomit.
Anyone have this happened?
I’ve had my band 4 years.
Been to hell and back with similar to comments above.
I started throwing blood up – consultant finally removed it dec (few weeks ago).
All I can say now is – I’m free
I will not put on weight, and I’m looking forward to 2012 pain free
This lady really helped me. She isn’t up and running yet but I contacted her and she kindly replied. I cannot recommend her highly enough.
inspiringfootprints.co.uk
had my lapband in 2007, i read everything,, did everything correctly and three weeks ago
had it removed after serious complications…..I can not believe that the FDA allows this thing when it has
caused so many so many health problems, and millions are still being installed, the public needs to have
more education given to them, instead of being glossed over like i was….I am an intell mom in the health field….. I had no idea that it could do this to me.. has any one heard of class actions againist anyone or advise on litigation ….. thank you
I got banded 11/4/11so only about 2 months now. I lost 50 lbs even before my first fill now it’s been two weeks after my fill and I have only lost 10 lbs. I eating every 4 hrs the 1/2 cup of food and working out cardio and core training for 30 min a day and still am not losing much weight? Does anyone have any suggestions? Also my surgon wants me to eat 1200 calories a day and I can only get it about 500-600 that’s with out burning 200-300 from my work out. Other than this I have been doing good I am pleased with my band just a little frustrated. Wish I was able to lose a little fast like I have been. Please anyone who can help…….
I had my lap band surgery dec 02,2008 just had it removed on Nov 22,2011. Due to severe slippage and had to have emergency surgery could not stop throwing up was so miserable, tired all the time felt like I would have rather been dead then always sick in bed. and regretted it from the beginning and knew I had made a terrible mistake but still gave it a chance to work three years .lol Had gall bladder out they said I needed it. I feel like a new woman like I got my life back to start over. I feel for all you people that have thse awful problems and happy for the ones it works for. It had my bowels messed up and made me feeling like I was having a heart attack.every time I would ask to get it removed they said I couldn’t. we know when our body has something wrong so don’t act brave and let that damn band ruin your life it is still you that is in control even with the band.I was on more medicine with the band then with out it at least I can enjoy my grand children and family now Thank you Lord Jesus for all your help and I did learn a lot .Never will I do some thing so stupid to my body and life as long as I live.good luck to you all Please do not let the band take your life from you . You only live once !!!!
Please research it all on the band before getting surgery .more people having problems then not .
Well where do I start? I had lap band surgery about 1,1/2 years ago.well ever since about 3 months ago, I have been having major problems! I’ve been vomiting at least once a day. I get a terrible acid tast after I eat or drink anything. Also somedays its nothing but black stuff!! Gross!! And I have trouble sleeping due to this acid. Somedays I can’t even keep my saliva down, it’s that bad! But other days I feel like I can eat like a horse. I’m so confused?? And to top things off my doctor told me that I wasn’t filled with anything! Hmmm… I’m starting to wonder what kind of problem I have. I’ve lost a total 100 lbs since 2010, and I was filled with 5.2 cc before I had all of these complications. Now this may sound crazy but i haven’t been to his office in 5 months, because all they would do is lie to me. What a terrible doctor! So can someone help and possible diagnose what’s going on without me having to see him. I would like some info before I go visit his office! It sounds to me that the band is too tight! So please help!! Thanks
Hi! So I was banded 15 months ago. I was doing really well in the beginning, lost 20 lbs pre-surgery and another 40 post surgery. I have a bigger band that can fill up to 14 cc and mine is currently filled at 10 cc. My surgery was in July following my gallbladder removal (which was horrible because for pain meds they only gave me Tylenol) and I was set to study in Ireland in February. Well, that never happened because I had to go in for surgery to repair my band. Turns out my port moved from its original location and was completely upside down. The doctor discovered this when he couldn’t get the needle in for a fill. I was doing really great at that point, started walking 5 miles a day, I was a former athlete but things went downhill after I was diagnosed with a rare thyroid disorder amongst other things. The doctor said the exercise could’ve caused the port to move, which broke my heart because I finally started doing things right with my weight and this is the result I get. Since the 2nd lap band surgery, I’ve gained back almost 30 lbs and gave been in a rut ever since. I was told no physical activity for a month after surgery so trying to fall back into the same exercise routine was hard because I was just so discouraged. I’ve had some serious issues with my lap band but I still manage to see the positive in it. It saved my life, I was on a spiraling path that I know a lot of us have experienced. I am glad it stopped me from gaining weight and it has been such a struggle. Some days I can’t even hold down water. But I have noticed that the vomiting and the little burps all the time drive me SO crazy that I don’t even think it’s worth it to eat sometimes. I get sick very easily and since being banded I gave a very serious mucus problem, which if anyone else has some tips on how to deal with that PLEASE let me know! I’m writing this after a long night of vomiting, the cause of it who knows because I haven’t eaten the past two days, so I understand what everyone here is going through. I just hope it gets better for everyone! I began to have such a hard time after my revision and I was just in a depressed state my doctor gave me Prozac. At first I wasn’t thrilled because it was ANOTHER pill to take but it really has helped me power through everything. I hope someone has some tips on the mucus and burping, and if I can help someone just let me know! We all know what each other is going through and can relate, that’s one thong our doctor can’t do because they haven’t gone through it.
With regards to anita’s comment I am 30 years old and have had the band fitted,
It was fitted in September 2011 I to stuck to all the guide lines and rules I admit over Christmas
I have been a little naughty and have found out I can take in too much food, I am having another
band fill this Tuesday and I to have terrible trouble holding down bread and eating to fast and to bigger
mouth fulls I think this is quite a common problem when first adapting to our new way of eating habits especially I am just getting pains in the right of my chest so I need to find out what thats all about
Best thing is not to panic and just seek some good advice from a doctor I hope everyone gets problems
Stored out I would like to stick it out you do get your problems but try to be patient .
I had band over bypass during Aug of 2010. I havent had a fill for at least 6 months and Im at about 11cc’s. Lately (more often than not) I have severe issues. Usually when I eat, no matter what or the consistancy, I end up having a very forceful vomit. But heres the catch…usually when I vomit, it is thick n snotty and the food I have ate usually stays down…just the snotty substance comes up! I am also having horrid heartburn, usually on a daily basis. I am worried about the vomiting because I know this cant be good for my esophogus. And also, usually once I throw up the snotty-like substance, I am able to return to eating and it goes down fine. This is really beginning to scare me as im not sure what to do next!! Someone please help!!
Not sure what you guys are doing but I’ve never had a single issue with my band. I was banded May 2005, lost 52kg (sorry am in Australia with the metric system and all) and the only issues I’ve ever had have been self induced- ie eating too much and throwing up. Yes, occasionally I get heart burn but that too is usually my fault for eating the wrong things or eating too late. Oh and I get the stomach gurgling occasionally, but that doesn’t hurt.
My advice to all of you is to take it back to first principles. Are you eating tiny portions, are you avoiding bread and pasta? Are you drinking when you are eating? Are you exercising? Are you eating things you shouldn’t? Are you eating take away foods and unhealthy fatty foods like McDonalds?
I don’t claim to know how any of you feel, but I can’t imagine there would be this many problems with lap banding without some sort of formal government investigation, so I can only assume you aren’t doing the right thing.
Maybe you think you can lose weight just by having the band? If you do, then you are deluded. It is not a cure, it is a security guard. You have to be the motivator of your own weight loss.
I had the lap band done June 2010. At first I wasn’t loosing that much. But just about 6 months ago it started to fall off and have lost 85 total so far. I only need to loose about 10 more lbs. Now I’m having issues with keeping food down. And I’m constantly drained and feel like taking a nap only I can’t because I work full time. I’m sure it’s because I can’t find any protein that I can keep down long enough. Not even protein shakes stay down. I also have that thick white stuff come up at time and food stays down. But lately it’s been the food and water coming up. I also have this issue where after I eat or drink a little I’ll get a sorta of burp in my throat/chest, now that’s embarrassing especially when I’m eatting out with friends because everyone can hear it. It’s not something I can control. My husband says it does it in my sleep also. I’m thinking I’m too tight but I don’t have insurance anymore and can’t afford going back to see my dr out of pocket. Hoping I can figure something out. Good luck to you all and God bless.
I had lap band on May 09 and I lost about 75 pounds and I am at a point were I not loosing any more my port is on the right side and it hurts me everyday..I went to the doctor today because I was having some pain around my port..when the doctor went to take out my fluid I had really bad pain in my left side.. has anyone ever had this to happen to them…it is still hurting and its been about 4 hours now…
i was banded 4 yrs ago..i have not had the problems that i am reading here..i have almost 7cc in my band and can eat anything..just in moderation..i have lost 105 pounds and have maintained..my dr is very happy..people who throw up are probably eating to big of a portion or to fast and not chewing it up..the only thing i have an issue with is sausage hot dogs things like that. so avoid eating things…that thick saliva is your body tring to make stuff go down..slow down on eating..you have to follow the plan..i know some who have had it and still have not lost any weight..they eat big quaintitys of food..i have no problem sleeping..i have tons of energy..my knees don’t hurt like they used to…so all you who throw up slow down or get it losened..
Hi everyone! I found out yesterday that my surgeon got my bloodwork. And they are very concerned! Apparantly they think that maybe my band has slipped! OK..that alone scared the crap outta me. I just dont need this in my life right now! I have been reading up on band slippage and it includes alot of my problems but it says that more times than not, the person has stopped loosing weight with the band slipping. I can still eat stuff, mostly soft and I am loosing weight. I dunno what the heck to do! if it has slipped and I need surgery (again) then i guess I have no choice. I go tomorrow to get a CT scan of my abdomin, then off to see the dr., specialist, surgeon..I ask you all to pray for me so that this all turns out right! i will follow up after Tuesday! *and PS..if ANYONE has gone thru having their band slipped, PLEASE send me a message with your story!!
Hi had lapband going on three years. Have only lost 30 pounds. I have some problems: Can’t keep chicken down white or dark meat nor some seafood. I can feel the port on my stomach. Sometimes get sharp pain in stomach for days and weeks. Get stressed out when I do right thing but still gain weight. If I eat once every three hours in a day I have no problem keeping down food. If I only eat when I am hungry which is every six or seven hours I throw up almost everything I eat. I chew slow, don’t drink while I am eating and can only eat about one teaspoon of anything at a sitting. When I can eat beef is my only friend. This just started last year with the chicken. I eat a lot of fruit, vegetables and nuts which is not good to do because of the nature sugar. I hate having my husband think that everytime I go to the bath room I am throwing up. Everyone around me think my problems are my own fault and that I am doing something or everything wrong. I have had a knee replaced and need the other replaced also due to an accident at work, so I am sometimes limited on alot of exercise. We do have a support group here but I have not attended. Sometime i feel like I want band out but not sure I will stop eating when full. If anyone has problem with chicken let me know. Sometimes I feel crazy not being able to eat chicken or fish. Please don’t say stop eating beef I get the leanest and wash out all the grease I can.
Hi again…So i just got a call from my primary dr with the results of my CT scan and I have a moderate hiatal hernia! Please tell me that someone else has got this issue after the band surgery has been put into place!?! I go and see my Bariatric dr tomorrow and will know what he is going to suggert or want to do…remove the band all together, repair the hernia, or whatever is best! Im not going to lie…I am scared to death at this point! I dont want another surgery but I NEED this fixed, and I have lost over 60lbs and I am scared that if he has to remove the band entirely, I will gain it all back! Any advice or help appreciated!!
Hi I had my surgery 12/06. My first fill was mild by April I had my second fill and noticed the weight started to come off. I have lost over 100 pounds but not without pain. A year and a half after surgery I started having a lot of tightness in my chest and it felt as though the food would get stuck after my 2nd or 3rd bight. It is now over 5 years since surgery and I decided to go to a new doctor for a second opinion. My original doctor claimed that every patient experiences different things. Come to find out my band is up around my esophogus. (however it is spelled) Anyhow, now I have to go in 2 weeks to either have it repositioned properly or removed. I am scared to death simply because it has been a little over two weeks since they took out half of the fluid and I have gained almost 16 pounds. The crazy part about all of this is that I was told they only slip down never up. What gives and has anyone had this happen to them??? It is so frustrating and I pray they do not remove my band so long as there is not a lot of scar tissue it can stay. For the record I would do it again just maybe research doctor a little more thoroughly.