Lap Band - Constant Indegistestion/IBS Symptoms

I'm 15 months post op and succesful with weight loss. I am grateful for my band but for the first 6 months, I had a gassy pain that roared around my stomach. It was hard to sleep on my stomach. I did cat scans, saw a the gastro doc, took prevacid, was prescribed mixed drinks, allergy tests, bloodwork, upper gi, colonoscopy - my insurance must hate me! Anyway, my surgeon was stumped, and I slowly started noticing it less.

Now, a year after all those tests, it came back one morning with a vengence four days ago. I called my surgeon in tears, saying, "I just can't do this to myself again, thank you for all you've done trying to figure this out, I think I just need it out."

Has ANYONE heard of anything like this? It honestly just feels like I have a giant bubble of gas right above my belly button, to the left or the right, that kinda moves. When it acts up, my tummy roars and bubbles, and this feeling began the second I woke up from surgery.

I have an appointment this week to talk about removal, and I'm heartbroken. Any ideas guys? Thank you for your kind ideas.

If your band has slipped, it might look like this. You'd need an upper GI or scope to find it.

If you search, you can find a doc who will remove your band but replace with a bypass, perhaps?

 I've had two cat scans showing the band was in place, when this feeling was happening last spring, so I'm pretty sure it was ruled out as that. I've been unfilled twice as well. :( 

I wasn't aware that you can make a revision to a bypass if you're BMI wasn't still above 40! Is that still possible? Thank you

You said you had a colonoscopy, did you have an upper endoscopy?  It is possible that you have an Ulcer.  It often presents as rumbling in the stomach.  I would go back to the GI doctor and ask for an Endoscopy before you have the band removed.

My advice? Get that lapband taken out as soon as possible!!!! 

I had the lapband in 2003 and had constant, chronic pain, indigestion, reflux, left shoulder pain and twisted stomach. I waited 2 years to have it removed, even though I was dying.

5 years after removal, I STILL have pain in my left shoulder on occasion (from diaphragmatic damage) and reflux.  Save yourself from future problems and pain and have it removed, seriously. Some bodies are simply not able to have a restrictive device like the lapband and the longer you leave it, the more damage it will cause.

I do feel for you, believe me, I do. I went through immense pain and suffering all in the name of weight loss. I resisted having the band removed for fear of weight regain, but there ARE worse things than being fat. Chronic, unending pain is one thing that is MUCH, MUCH worse.

Best of luck to you.

I agree, get that thing out! Bands are nothing but a horror.

If you did well with weight loss having restriction only why would you want bypass? You could get a sleeve instead. Safest surgery type long term. FAR safer than a stupid band! I've been banded, I feel for you.

"Horror" is the perfect word.
Another "fun" little side effect from the amazing amount of nerve damage I sustained from my screwed up band is this:  every so often, I will turn over in bed and feel something 'twist'... and I spend the rest of the day sneezing, gasping for air and hiccuping. Today was one of those days. It gets so bad that I simply want to go to sleep and not wake up. It's horrible. I sneezed so hard and for such an extended period once that I passed out and chipped my tooth.

Just another 'wonderful' side effect from an ********urgeon who didn't know what he was doing when he placed the band on my guts!

I'm so happy to be rid of that thing! 

Bands suck the life right out of you.  The constant problems and assorted ways of puking your guts out (sliming, foaming like a rabid dog, etc.) I don't miss that thing.

Honestly, I wish they'd take it off the market.  Most get it removed because it sucks the life out of them just like us.

The surgeon *****moved my band used to do only lapbands. He was from Argentina and I believe one of the "pioneers" of the surgery. When he took the band out, he said to me, "If you regain after you heal up, maybe someday you'll be OK to have the Sleeve."  THAT told me that even HE thought the band was complete crap! 

I used to have a similar issue on occasion, although I felt it more on the left side, closer to my rib cage. Turned out, it actually WAS gas. I tried reglan, which helped the gas move along, and it fixed it. Might be worth a shot before deciding to have another surgery.