here is what happened to me today

SO for the past 10 days I have had this bad pain right in my breast area when I lay on my left side or on my back. It is right in the area where I feel food gets stuck. SO I go to the doctor on thurs and he puts me on protonics thinking it might be reflux so I call him this morning b/c I cant get solid food down anymore. He tells me to come in for an unfill. He was planning on taking 2 ccs out to see if it helps with the pain. When he took the fluid out he said " Oh I dont like this" the fluid was black. he told me to go right over to the hospitol for an endoscopy to rule out band erosion. They did it and The band had not slipped or eroded Thank God! bit he did say he is testing the fliud to rule out infection. So if the fluid is an infedction I have to have my band out! I am so sick over this  have lost 52 lbs since I got it in july. I want to lose another 50. Then I asked him if it is not an infection then what is this pain I have. He said that it may be the band is too tight. If that is the case then why did the pain start 10 days ago. my last fill was in november. Itdoes not make sense. SO I was just wondering if anyone out there has had any simmilair situaton or have heard of anyone with a similair situaton.I am paniking as to why this fluid was black. I am  staying positive and hoping it is nothing. We are going to find out tomorrow or thurs if it is infection. Sorry so long guys, thanks for listining
Amanda

I am not sure what is going on, I have never heard of such a thing happening with the lapband. I have searched and searched the Internet for an answer but I don't see one.

I know that the port can become infected, maybe its just the port and not the lapband part that is placed around your stomach. If it is just the port I would assume that they could replace that.

I'm sorry that you are going through this and I wish I had a definite answer for you. Hopefully one the the band experts (Jean or Bette) will be able to give you a better answer.

Jen

Oh no. I am so sorry. That sounds scary. I have never heard of anything like that either!

I hope it turns out to be nothing serious. Do you know how long until they will get the results back from the testing on the fluid?? 

((hugs))

I guess I am confused. How does an infection get in the fluid in your band?  That fluid is not part of your body so that makes no sense to me.

I'm so sorry. You must be worried sick!  I don't have any medical background, but I seem to remember hearing my surgeon say that sometimes the fluid added to the band is dyed. Not sure why this is done sometimes, but the fact that your doctor is concerned about is probably means he doesnt' put dyed fluid in. Hang in there and keep us posted.

take care,

Trixie

You know what it sounds like to me? It sounds like old blood.

Sometimes when they are digging for the port they hit a blood vessel and get a little blood in the syringe. Then when they find the port they inject blood into the port. That would certainly make it turn black over time.

If they are testing it they will look at it under a microscope and they will probably be able to see if it is old blood but certainly they will see if it is bacteria. But I'm betting on old blood.

Can't help about the colour and the pain. But just to say that it can happen that the band becomes very tight even when it is a long time since a fill. It happened to me at about 4 years out and i hadn't had a fill for two years! For me, an unfill sorted it out.

It seesm odd that there could be infected fluid in the band - it is supposedly sterile and a sealed unit.

My very best wishes, do let us know you you get on.  Kate

Thank you everyone I will let you know today or tomorrow what the verdict is.