Seeking LapBand Advice

Hi everyone,

 

I’m looking for some advice from the veteran lap band people.
In order to tell you my current issues let me give you a little history.

I had my lapband procedure in 11/2008. At first I lost 75 lbs

very quickly and was able to maintain my weight lose
for 2 years. I was hooked on exercise and spinning class so it was easy to maintain. While in a kickboxing class I developed chest pain that resulted

in the findings of Dilated Cardiomyopathy and a pacemaker/defib

implant. Afraid to exercise I have gained the weight back over the last

few years and have minimal restriction when I do eat.

My current issue is that I’ve had the most annoying cough since
October of last year. Some nights I am awake all night coughing.
My PCP has yet to find anything wrong and had me on steroids and

2 rounds of antibiotics. My cardiologist change my Ace inhibitor and beta blocker and I still have the cough. I’ve been thinking lately that I’ve been looking in the wrong place and perhaps my lapband slipped up pressing into my trachea. Does anyone know if this happens?

I’m desecrate to find relief from the cough.

Any comments or suggestions?

I appreciate the time you taking to read this…

Persistent cough with the lap band ....MEANS it IS lap band related and you need to see your surgeon ASAP for unfill, not just a small one, but one that is signficant enough to stop the coughing. Persistent coughing with the lap band means you have REFLUX, (REFLUX can cause coughing and shortness of breath with the lap band) and this can cause aspiration of food into the lungs IF YOU DO NOT GET A UNFILL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Please do not be another lap band statistic and ignore this, this can be treated with simply unfiilling the band and let things rest...persistent coughing indicates that you have either eaten too much food, vomited recently on a very tight band and have caused irritation, if this is not treated it can lead to band slippage or aspiration of the lungs...BOTH easily treated with a unfill and rest period.

Good luck

Thank you so much for your reply. I will call my surgeon in the am

Hi there,

Here is is just something I have learned from my PCP about steriods and extensive use.
I was told as bandsters we are not allowed to be on steriods for any length of time, and
if you were to get a shot of steriods it can only be up to a certain dosage,  I just posted
something about my too, was told it was placed too high and was probably too tight and
was definitely not happy with my EGD results.

Take care,

Audrey

Definately can be band related, see your surgeon ASAP and at least get a total unfill until he can determine the cause. I wish I had known before banding that it was a bad idea for people on steroids because with a lung disease I have to take them periodically. It may be time to look at a revision if you are continuing to have problems.

Although the cough could be from the cardiac condition, I know someone posted something recently about the band causing coughing and pulmonary problems. There is a link below for the failed band group. I think there's some onfo on there about it.

Hi JustMe,

I've known several people who have had this same thing. I have diaphragmatic damage from the band and it causes a kind of cough (as well as hiccuping and chronic sneezing.) 

The band is probably affecting your diaphragm, like it does so many people. The diaphragm affects breathing amongst other things. The Vagus (Phrenic) nerve system also gets involved. To me, it sounds like the band might be causing reflux and /or diaphragmatic issues.

If your band has any saline in it, you might want to consider removing it. It seems that a lot of folks have trouble at around the 2 year mark, so you're not alone.

You could possibly have a hiatal hernia, too. It can cause the esophagus to feel like there's a "lump" in it. I have this and it causes me to cough after I eat. Especially if I overeat.

Hope you can get this taken care of and feel better soon. Take care!

My husband doesn't have lap band but had that cough for a year.  Finally a gastroenterologist gave him a medication that he takes every day

 

its called amplitriptalean.  It worked. Just wanted to tell u