Slippage??

 Hi gang! I'm 8 years post op and at my goal (close to 100 pounds lost). Over the last few months I've been having these pains right between my breasts directly under my rib cage. It feels like someone is squeezing me as hard as they can from the inside. My belly fills up with gas so I look several months pregnant. It used to only happen right after I ate but now it's happening several times a day. The episodes last from 5 minutes to several hours and the only relief I get is if I lay down on my side for a while. The symptoms are very similar to a gall bladder attack but that's not the problem. I had an ultrasound this afternoon and everything came out normal. The dr suggested I see a GI specialist but I'm wondering if this is a band issue not a stomach issue. What are the symptoms of slippage and/or erosion? The pain is so bad that I've had to miss work.

I'd also be interested in locating a new bariatric dr. I had my surgery performed in Mexico and traveling back there is not financially feasible since I live in PA, just outside of Phila. I'm worried that another surgeon won't even look at me. I'm even more worried that they're going to tell me they have to remove the band.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your support.

Kerrie A

Please get to a gastroenterologist and have an endoscopy.

Sounds like you could have ulcers tht are treatable

You should not remain on pain or undiagnosed

 I looked up symptoms of ulcers and I do fit a bunch of them. That's the most frustrating part of this ordeal....I fit a LOT of diagnoses. The weirdest thing is that the pain is not consistent. It picks random times and cir****tances to appear. So strange!



I do have an appointment to see a GI dr on Wednesday. I was just hoping to get educated before I go by my fellow bandians. I appreciate your kind words and suggestions. :)

 
When it comes to abdominal pain you'll fit just about every diagnosis in the book.  You can have lower left pain and it's really your gallbladder in your upper right.  This time it isn't going to do any good to do internet searches, you need to go to an actual doctor and get some diagnostics done.

 I have been very happy with Penn and my surgeon (& his team).  If you are near Philly you may want to check them out.   I hope that you can get this resolved and get some relief soon. 

 I'm assuming you mean Pennsylvania Hospital. Who is your surgeon? I'm open to suggestions :)

 I guess I should have said HUP.  I go to the Pearlman center.  My surgeon is on my avatar.   Looks like your's is from Temple, not Mexico. 

 I was initially going go have Gastric Bypass with Dr. Meilahn but then decided to go with the AGB instead. At the time my insurance didn't cover it so I went to Mexico and Dr. Jaime Ponce de Leon performed the surgery. Unfortunately my profile won't allow me to change surgeons to update my info. I didn't intentionally mislead you. :(

I didn't think you were, just thought you had found a doc at Temple but were not sure about sticking with them.   :)  I hope you find the doc that is right for you so that you can get some relief. 

I would be pursueing both options at this point. It could be either. If it's the band, I would think maybe something to do with the Vegus nerve?