Regugitation

Help ! -- Anyone got any ideas to stop nighttime regurgitation.  I restrict my solids after 7pm,  but still wake up coughing and sputtering as liquid runs into my lungs.  I feel like I am drowing !!   I've had my lap band for 3 years and never experienced this problem until about a week ago.

I'd suggest making an appointment with you're surgeon ASAP.

i had similar issues with my band which I kept being told was sitting fine but when I went in to have it removed they said it had slipped and that there were several sets of scar tissue from it slipping.

good luck, I hope you get this sorted soon.

 

Do contact your doc ASAP.  It may be time for your next surgery.

Next surgery ? -- I thought these things lasted forever !!!

Did your surgeon tell you that? Shame on them if they did. Allergans own information says they may only last ten years, but I have yet to meet an actual person who has been able to keep theirs that long.

Studies on the band are not encouraging. About six out of every 10 people who undergo gastric Lap-Band surgery may experience complications that require additional surgery and nearly half may have to have the banding removed. The further out from surgery you get, the stats get worse.

Get rid of your Band.

I'm 5.5 years out and recently had the same problem. I saw my doc and we tried tweaking the band with slight unfill and refills and now I am completely empty waiting for approval for a revision.

I have this problem from time to time.  First off, call your bariatric surgeon so you can get your band checked out.  Some questions:

Are you on a PPI, such as Prilosec, nexium, etc?  

If so, are you taking it on a completely empty stomach and waiting at least an hour before eating anything?

Are you having any other digestive issues, constipation, feeling stuck, bringing up food from hours or days before?

Are you able to eat most "band friendly" foods?

I was very tight despite having only 3.5 cc in my 11 cc band and had all the fluid removed in June.  I had a slightly dilated pouch which resolved with removing the fluid.  I still couldn't eat most foods for about 8 weeks, got better for a while and the problems started again in September.  I had an endoscopy (EGD) last month and my band is open about 3/4 in diameter stoma, but I have IBSc and was going up to 10 days between BMs.  My gastroenterologist says I have a GI motility problem, since I still cannot tolerate fibrous foods, which my band being tight, caused.  I'm on a low fiber diet, medication to help with motility, an antispasmodic for esophageal, stomach and bowel spasms and thing are better.  But when I get stopped up, I regurgitate my food and have reflux at night.

the good news, I've lost 15 lb since my unfill and still have "restriction", but may yet have to revise or just remove to improve my GI health.

Great to hear from you -- Not taking any PPI . No problems up to now.  But now that you mentioned it -- I ate a mandarin orange segment and two days later brought it up.  Maybe I am partially occluded.  Any ideas how to give it a "Flush" ?

What about the other questions? If your constipated you will have problems eating. As my GI doc said, there's only two openings, if its not going out, you're not going to get anything in. Try Prilosec to get you thru till your doctor appt, if you're comfortable with it.