Has anyone had chest pain during an unfill?
I have done well with my lapband, but last week I got a pill stuck and had to have a partial unfill. When my doctor was drawing out the saline with a needle I began to experience INTENSE chest pain, all the way across my chest. It scared me to death! The doctor had me lie still and after a minute, the pain subsided, but I felt lightheaded. He had me rest until I fell better and then I went to sign out at the nurse's desk. Unfortunately, I could feel that I was on the verge of of fainting, so I made my way to the waiting room and sat down. Within a minute I passed out and scared the H#LL out of everyone! The nurses and doctor and other patients rallied around and helped me recover. The doctor advised that it was a vasal vaga episode brought on by the unfill. I am totally fine now, but I do not want to repeat the experience. I searched these forums for information to see if anyone else had experienced what I did, but I have had no luck. The chest pains frighten me more than the fainting, so anyone go through anything similar? Thanks!
Since experienced bariatric doctors will remove all fluid from your band at every fill, before adding more, nearly everyone has had an unfill, if they've had a fill...I haven't had that experience, but did feel the tubing move during the unfill part of my last fill and it was weird. The Vagus nerve is pretty sensitive and might be very near your tubing and probably was touched by the tubing as it responded to the withdrawl of fluid (think of a hose when you turn the water on and off and it becomes pressurized).
Thank you for your responses. My doctor has drawn out some fluid once before and I had a brief episode of chest pain, but nothing so intense as this last time. I have been searching on google on the bagus nerve, but really haven't found anything indicating the chest pain. Thank you again for your help!