Disappointed

It will be 2 yrs, this August since I have had my band. I have very little fluid in it at all. I am still throwing up almost everyday. It doesn't matter how much I chew. It is the protein that I have the most problems with. My Dr. said my band hasn't slipped, but not sure how he knows since I have not had any xrays. Discouraged and really don't know what to do!

Please someone help me with this! I hate throwing up everyday.

 Go to your doctor...demand that you get the standard of care for your symptoms.  If that doc won't treat you appropriately, find one who will.  Your very life could be at stake.  I'm having some issues too, it's scary to think there could be major problems, but problems need to be addressed head on.
Good luck!  Keep us posted.
Steph

PS don't let the turkeys who tell you it's your fault, get you down.

No one should have to throw up every day! If your doc isn't taking this seriously maybe you need to get tougher with him or find another doc. Insist he do dome testing to see what is going on. I know myself at around 2 years my band started tightening by itself for no reason what so ever so I finally had it completely emptied since small unfills weren't helping. I'm doing better empty than I ever did with a fill. Please either push your current doc or find a new one who will listen because daily vomitting is NOT normal. Good luck to you!

Thanks, for your reply. I will press harder at my next visit. I can't eat any of the foods that I am suppose to eat. It is like my body has failed me. I am afraid it may have done some damage to my stomach.

Ok--- so throwing up is NOT normal behavior.

If your current doctor doesn't understand this-- or does not believe you enough to do something about this, then you need find another doctor.

Insurance or no insurance, in town or out of town -- whatever it takes, -- you are probably doing some real harm to your body by not addressing this.
Your esophagus is being exposed to stomach acid, your teeth are being exposed to stomach acid, you are risking a band slippage and erosion.

You may need fluid removed -- at a minimum I would think that you need an endoscopy to evaluate your esophagus and stomach lining.

You need to take charge here -- -call your surgeon's office and tell then that you are vomitting EVERY day -- and you want a referral to a gastroenterologist so you can have a scope to see what is going on in there.

I see a GI guy every year now --- and then I go and see my band surgeon (when I call to schedule the Band doctor appointment, I make sure that they have gotten the report from the GI guy so we can talk about it).

Your doctor should not be blowing you off, but it is YOUR responsibility to get the care you need.
That might mean changing doctors.

Hugs! Contrary to what some on this forum would like to believe, there are TONS of bandsters out there with complications like yours...........and many others! :-(

My advice is to find another Dr. I also suggest you join one of the failed band groups so you can get the support you need!!!

Call your doctor and ask him to order a swallow study and check the band placement if he does not do something find another doctor. You may need to have a complete un fill for a while and let things calm down . Try going on liquids for a couple of days aslo. Please keep us posted on how you are doing

Hi Rita,

My band caused my stomach to twist into a Figure 8 of sorts. It made it so it was impossible to eat anything solid at all. If I tried, I would gag and throw up, sometimes for hours. Then the referred left shoulder pain would get worse. The "tests" showed nothing wrong, according to my surgeon. When it got so bad, I found a better doctor... who immediately did emergency surgery and saved my life.

If you've told your doctor that you're throwing up daily and he hasn't taken steps toward helping you discern what the reason is, I'd highly recommend a second opinion. Leaving things the way they are now is a recipe for disaster. You don't want permanent esophageal damage. And it's no way to live. It can be very depressing to have low quality of life... and there's no reason to continue.

Have you JUST started throwing up recently? Or is this a new thing? If it's recent, your band could very well have slipped. There needs to be Xrays done, for sure. Advocate for your health, if your doctor isn't. Sometimes you're the one who has to get things done. (I found this out the hard way!)

BEST OF LUCK to you. I hope you'll be OK.

~Nic

Rita, you need to have someone look at your band and what is happening.  If you need to, go to an emergency room and get examined and xrayed.  This isn't normal and can't be good for you.