Ask Dr. Curry

Hiccups 5 days post band are pretty common, usually it's just from irritation of the diaphragm.

Dr. Curry......     I am desperate for some help.  I was banded in aug. 2005 with a very picky band.  I actually went for my 2nd fill at the beginning of apri 2008 and got .2cc.  Since then I have had a great deal of heartburn issues, but have been taking prilosec to help.      In the past week I have had a great deal of left chest pain which goes under the arm and down the left arm.  I did have an ekg and it is not my heart, but the doctor said the pain could be caused by the heart burn?  Have you ever heard of such a thing?     He just gave me protonix for the heart burn which has not been bad the last week or so, but I still take medication daily for it.     My 2 problems....I had my band placed in Mexico and since my sugeon has passed away due to being tragically murdered.  So I don't have anyone to do follow up the docs around here are not keen on taking on a mexico banded patient.     Can you tell me in your experience can heart burn cause left sided chest pain that goes under the arm and down the left arm?      I have some other medical problems so I just want to make sure I should not seek another docs opinion on this pain.  It is very bad at times and advil or tylenol will not take the pain away?

Thanks so much for your help to all the banded patients.....you have helped me a great deal in my last 2 1/2 years of being banded with advice you give others

jan

Jan, You probably need a scope to evaluate the position of your band and make sure you don't have an erosion.  Your problems could be band-related but it's difficult to tell from your symptoms alone.

Thank you Dr. Curry....     I did have a Fluro done in the beginning of April and my band looked fine....that is when I had .2cc put in for a fill.......I am going to my PCP tomorrow and I am sure he can order a scope, the only thing is I am not sure if they will know what is normal looking and what is not!  It is my hope that they will know something...I just don't want to have any issues with my band after all these years and all the success I have had!

Thanks again, Jan

Jan - FYI - I lived with severe pain in my left shoulder/arm area (on the edge of my chesk, right under the shoulder bone, in the front) for 16 months.  My doctor finally put me on omeprazole, and 90% of the pain went away.  We're still working on adjusting the dose (I'm up to two doses/day and still not quite there), but life is SO much better now.  I wasn't having the reflux part, so no one thought of acid until I talked to the doc about my family history of acid-related problems....  Good luck! 

Dr. Curry, I had lapband surgery on March 4, 2008. I have a 10 cc band. Today I went for my second fill. I now have 6 ccs in my band. I did fine in the office right after the fill but about 2 hours later I started throwing up. I haven't been able to keep much of anything down since. My doctor is about 2 hours away and I hate making the trip if this is something that just takes time to settle down. How long should I wait? I don't want to get dehydrated.

If you are not keeping liquids down, you need to head back for an unfill.  If you are keeping liquids and soft solids down, sometimes waiting it out will work.

I got my lapband on 3/26, and had my first fill last Tuesday.  Since my fill, I have been feeling pressure on my throat.  I also have hashimodo's thryroid disease that I do not think is under control at this point.  I know I get this feeling in my throat (almost like someone pushing on my windpipe) when my thyroid levels are not right.  But this happened right after my first fill, so I am wondering if maybe it has something to do with that.  Food, water- all going down without issues, no being "stuck".  I have no idea if it is the band or thyroid.  I am wondering- who should I call about this?  Should it be my lapband surgeon or should I see my regular PCP, who has always taken care of my thyroid issues in the past?  I am also my PCP's first lapband patient, so if it is due to the band, not sure if he would recognize it. So confused as to who to turn to- please help

Dr. Curry, Should a person expect to have the lap band replaced after "X" amount of years? How long is the material it is made of expected to last in the body?

I think for the majority of patients the band will outlast the patient.  It would be unlikely to degrade.