Question for veterans with band or anyone who can help?

I am posting for a friend without acces...

She had lap band done in July.  Recieved her final fill (?) I suppose about two weeks ago.

Ever since recieving that last fill, she has had constant coughing all night, every night.  Not just a couple nights.....every night!  She coughs for a while until she finally somewhat throws up? usually just mucus or gagging.  Has no problem during the day.....food is going down fine liquids fine...it doesn't seem like the fill was too much.......but once she lays down at night.......the drama begins!  She will start to cough every few minutes, until she throws up?

Talked to the surgeon, his first response...she was eating to late at night...I have no idea how that is connected but ok if he says so......so she stops eating around 5pm now  still happens.
Talked to PCP he said she did have a little wheezing and offered antibiotics and cough syrup......shes still coughing....
She has an appointment to see the surgeon tommorrow, I was just curios to hear if anyone else ever had this problem?  You have no idea how irritating this is for her to be awake every night for two weeks.....

Thanks for any info in advance!!  And thank you for letting an RNYer raid your board for a quickie question!
D

 She is too tight. She needs a slight unfill. Her surgeon should know that. She is refluxing at night time, one of the main symptoms of being too tight.

She is over-filled and needs an unfill ASAP.  I had my band done in late May and have had ONE fill of 3cc and have good restriction.  Some of these "band-mills" are over-agressive with fills and can do a lot of harm. 

Her surgeon should know better.  She needs a very small unfill.  She's too tight.  She could get aspiration pneumonia and that can be serious. 

So what you guys are saying is she is having an acid reflux type of thing happening when she lays down at night which stirs the cough?

And if he were to go back and remove that last .5 or whatever it was...it was a small amount actually her 3rd or 4th round.....that she should be ok?  And we all actually get some rest???  LOL   That sounds mean, I know she has to be miserable....I just feel so bad that we haven't been able to do anything and that genius Doc said  "oh you are eating supper to late"  come on now!
I knew I shoulda come to you guys first!!  This place is the best for both of us....RNY and LAP Band

Still love to hear what you all have to say if theres any other opinions:-)

Whatcha waiting for?  *GRIN* You're not gonna hear any better answer. The girl needs some saline taken out ASAP.  Even a fraction of the last amount put in would help. The longer she waits, the more damage thats permanent is likely.

I've read where some ask their surgeon for a small amount of fluid to be removed in the amount as small as 0.1 ml.  They said that made all the difference. 

My surgeon has told me to let them know right away if I have any reflux or night time coughing and that a small unfill would help.  I have never had to deal with that, but I sure would right away.  Sleep is important and not getting pneumonia.  Also vomiting is not a good thing with the band.

Good luck!

Yup these ladies are all correct...shes needs a small unfill. Maybe not a complete reduction of her last fill but at least 0.1 cc removed can make a huge difference. I want to also point out that staying to filled for too long can not just cause heart burn and coughing but also a higher risk of slipping the band. Has she expressed that she would like to have a slight unfill to her Dr? He should know better. Hope she feels better soon.

~Jen

Agree with everyone! As little as 0.1 ml can make all the difference.

But her surgeon was also qutie right! If the only issue is night time reflux, then it is sensible to eliminate the common causes first - eating too late, too much caffeine or spicy foods. If it has gone on for two weeks, the other common causes of getting temporarily too tight (TOM, allergy, stress) are probably not involved.

Yep - I'd say a tiny unfill!

Kate

Kate you are so right! Yes I notice that If I eat close to bed than I will cough at night have a lot of mucus. I know that a lot of us flush out our pouches before bedtime (water and papaya tablets) and that helps me if I eat too close to bedtime.

To the OP have your friend try the pouch flush at night till she can get a slight unfill maybe that would give her some relief in the meantime.

~Jen