7 year band anniversary in 4 days and Endoscopy yesterday and...

NanaB .
on 9/25/12 5:52 pm, edited 9/25/12 10:57 pm

My throat is so sore and feels like I am swallowing glass

. This is the first time I've been "scoped" since I've had my lap band so this is new to me.

I've had GERD prior to my band and I've had two endoscopy's in the past about 12 years ago, and boy have the GI docs advanced in technology, when they put me out it was immediately, no nausea or putting me in a daze like before, they knocked me out quick, I met with the anesthesiologist and he told me that they were giving me Propofol to put me to sleep, the same drug that killed Michael Jackson.

....

I gave the anesthesiologist that look and he just laughed and said....this is a very safe drug and he was right, the only thing I remembered is waking up coughing like crazy.

My GI doc came in and talked to me and gave me wonderful colorful pictures of my insides, of my little hiatal hernia and esophagus and stomach. Every since labor day when all this burning started, I've had xrays, Upper GI, CT scan, two ER visits and they could not find nothing wrong.

But my endoscopy discovered that I had a hiatal hernia, mild gastritis and mild esophagitis, he says that every thing looks good, but just a little inflamed, but he took biopsies anyway to be on the safe side.

Regarding my lap band suzie, she is doing great, no signs of erosion or slippage, I've had esophagitis about 12-13 years ago, so my lap band did not cause this problem, this is caused by the hiatal hernia that I NEVER knew I had, my previous lap band surgeon DID NOT check for this prior to surgery, NOR did he fix it when I got my lap band placed 7 years ago

.

This explains why I could NEVER get tight restriction without reflux (hiatal hernia in the way), instead of my previous surgeon getting to the root of the problem, he would just unfill the band when I complained of reflux and he did nothing but order an Upper GI and never an endoscopy.

Now the haital hernia is causing excessive burning, which has inflamed my esophagus which has caused these other issues, but thank god it's not too serious so far. This IS interfering with my lap band because I can't get it adjusted tight until all these other problems are healed and resolved. Now I have to be on Protonix and Carafate to heal my gastritis and esophagus and the name brand IS working, it is stopping all the burning.

My new lap band surgeon suspected a hiatal hernia when I asked for saline to be removed 2 weeks ago after all the burning started and referred me to a GI specialist, and the GI specialist found the problem. But since I have this inflammation I can't eat much anyway so I am losing weight just by having these issues and keeping a bland diet.

My lap band surgeon told me that if I have a haital hernia it would need to be repaired in order to tighten my band without the reflux and burning, he said he could do this without interfering or repositioning my original band.

So....I guess another surgery may be in my near future.....to get the haiatal hernia repaired, not only to tighten my band, but to stop the reflux and GERD issues I've had over the years.

Glad I found out the root of my problem, but sad it took all these tests and 7 years AFTER my band to find out and I am very happy that my lap band has stood the test of time 7 years throughout all this ordeal of a hiatal hernia and has not slipped.

Original Lap Band * 9/30/2005 * 4cc 10cm band*, lost 130 pounds. 7 Great years!

Revision surgery to AP small lap band *11/13/2012*, due to large hiatal hernia. I am hopeful about continuing my band journey uneventful and successful. I loved what my old band did for me and I am looking forward for my new band to Keep my weight down

Jean M.
on 9/25/12 10:01 pm

Revision on 08/16/12

Thanks for posting this, Naomi. I too have a small hiatal hernia - knew about it before my band surgery, my original surgeon was supposed to fix it when he placed my band but didn't - and I've often wondered if my hernia was contributing to symptoms that seemed to be band-related. I've asked my current surgeon about fixing the hernia and both times she said it wasn't necessary. So I'll be very interested to see if your hernia repair relieves your GERD.

Jean McMillan c.2009-2013 - Always a bandster at heart
author of Bandwagon (TM), Strategies for Success with the Adjustable Gastric Band & Bandwagon Cookery. Bandwagon for Kindle now available on Amazon. Read my blog at: jean-onthebandwagon.blogspot.com

NanaB .
on 9/25/12 10:23 pm, edited 9/25/12 10:28 pm

Hi Jean - hope you are doing well, but you may be right, if this hernia was causing reflux and burning, it sure CAN cause problems with your esophagus and I am thinking if your band had been under "high pressure" for long periods of time, the hernia probably caused damage to your esophagus, and there can be 'silent reflux' where you don't know damage is being done.

I just spoke with my surgeons office this morning and they mentioned that I "may not" need to have the hernia repaired. The surgeon will look at it and determine if it's large enough to interfere with my fills, if it's too large they will repair it, but if it's small they will leave it alone.

But the weird thing is over the years with my band, sometimes I can tolerate tight restriction but only for a certain length of time and I would end up getting reflux and always ended up getting some saline removed. It's like sometimes when I let the pressure off for quite awhile and then go back to fill the band I can withstand tight restriction for a little while, no longer than about 6-8 months and then I always have to get saline removed due to reflux type issues, it almost like the tighter the band is the more it rubs up against the hernia causing reflux and constant reflux will cause the esophagus to inflame and get irritated, and hernia's also cause gastritis and other issues if not treated and controlled with medication.

I can easily see hiatal hernia's causing issues that many people may confuse with lap band issues, and they can interfere with the effectiveness of the band, they can also cause problems with the esophagus which can get inflamed from all the acid reflux caused by the hernia, and probably cause slippage in many people if they get too large, and most obese people have haital hernia's.

Original Lap Band * 9/30/2005 * 4cc 10cm band*, lost 130 pounds. 7 Great years!

Revision surgery to AP small lap band *11/13/2012*, due to large hiatal hernia. I am hopeful about continuing my band journey uneventful and successful. I loved what my old band did for me and I am looking forward for my new band to Keep my weight down

(deactivated member)
on 9/25/12 11:32 pm - Wiesbaden, Germany

DS on 10/08/13

I also had a hiatal hernia, which was a contributary factor towards my band going south, also uncovered by an endoscopy. The gastroenterologist referred me to "his" choice of bariatric surgeons for an immediate unfill. She chose to put me through a buttload of medical tests and procedures before unfilling me a month later. I should have known then that she was the wrong surgeon for me. It took me several more months (eight, to be exact) before I decided to switch to a different surgeon. I wouldn't refer my worst enemy to her or her staff: they are HORRIBLE.

My subsequent surgeon and his staff worked what they could through my insurance (including asking for pre-authorization for the CORRECT procedure) and offered me very discounted pricing for the portion that my insurance was giving us hell about. The final word back from my insurance was to do it in two steps and ask for the pre-authorization for the sleeve three to six months after removal of the band. I chose to do it in one fell swoop, about three months after I first saw Dr. K.

Having been unfilled for over nine months allowed quite a respite on my hiatal hernia, it didn't seem to need any fix during my revision and I haven't had any issues with GERD, reflux or burning.

I hope you are feeling better, especially after you get the hernia repaired.

NanaB .
on 9/26/12 3:44 am

Wow, I did not know you had revised to the Sleeve already! That sounded horrible having to rely on others to determine when you got your band unfilled! That can be a nightmare especially if you are having problems. I usually go directly to my surgeon if I am having issues and not "middle men" and if my band surgeon determines that I need to see a GI specialist or another doc I will do so at that time. I don't let my PCP handle my lap band issues at all, they can just handle my physicals, blood work and other issues not related to my GI tract..lol.

Congrats on your revision to the Sleeve, I wish you much success with it.

Original Lap Band * 9/30/2005 * 4cc 10cm band*, lost 130 pounds. 7 Great years!

Revision surgery to AP small lap band *11/13/2012*, due to large hiatal hernia. I am hopeful about continuing my band journey uneventful and successful. I loved what my old band did for me and I am looking forward for my new band to Keep my weight down

Karen R.
on 9/26/12 4:22 am - Peoria, AZ

Lap Band on 10/03/08

I have the exact same thing. I'm having an EDG at the end of Oct and may be facing surgery myself.

Wendybrum
on 9/26/12 10:36 am - Oceanside, NY

whats the symptoms of a hernia?

NanaB .
on 9/27/12 3:48 am

Hiatal hernias occur when the stomach bulges above the diaphragm. Small hiatal hernias usually cause no symptoms, but large hiatal hernias may cause heartburn, nausea and chest pain, which can interfere with the lap band and cause other problems, like persistent heartburn can cause inflammation in the esophagus and the stomach (gastritis).

If the hernia is too big it will interfere with the effectiveness of the lap band causing regurgitative reflux and heartburn. Some people develop hernias after band surgery and most surgeons will fix them during lap band surgery if they are too big.

Original Lap Band * 9/30/2005 * 4cc 10cm band*, lost 130 pounds. 7 Great years!

Revision surgery to AP small lap band *11/13/2012*, due to large hiatal hernia. I am hopeful about continuing my band journey uneventful and successful. I loved what my old band did for me and I am looking forward for my new band to Keep my weight down

pineview01
on 9/27/12 9:42 am, edited 9/27/12 9:45 am - Davison, MI

Lap Band on 02/25/09

I had all the same symptoms. The GI said everything was OK. Then they did the scope and found esophagitis and gastrities. I was told letting this go can lead to haital hernia from the constant throwing up and swelling.

Are you saying you and the band surgeon knew you had a haital hernia when they banded you and he just didn't fix it? That stinks.

BAND REMOVED 9-4-12-fought insurance to get sleeve and won! Sleeved 1/22/13! Five years out and trying to get that last 15 pounds back off.

NanaB .
on 9/27/12 10:49 am, edited 9/27/12 11:23 am

I never threw up when I had my symptoms or had reflux, it was just burning, chest pain, and shortness of breath, these symptoms were not from my lap band. These were from the esophagitis and gastritis, also my band had not been tight in about 8 months, so there was no pressure there to cause these problems from my lap band. I've had the SAME issues about 12 years ago before I got my band placed, but having these issues while having the band makes it a bit worse since the band is around the stomach tissues.

My lap band surgeon and the GI specialist confirmed my lap band is ok, no slippage or erosion, just mild inflammation that needs to be treated with medication, once the inflammation is gone, I can resume tightening my band.

These problems was being caused by eating the wrong foods "spicy", stress and the haital hernia exacerbating my symptoms. I'd just gotten my band tighten after about 8 months when all this happened and I was still not tight enough, so this was not caused by my lap band period. Trust me I've been a whole lot tighter in the past without those symptoms, I was just burning from the inflammation unrelated to the band.

I am not sure if my previous band surgeon found my hernia or not during my band installment, but I am sure it was there, it may not have been big enough to fix, but I am sure I had it, the reason for my years of GERD.

Original Lap Band * 9/30/2005 * 4cc 10cm band*, lost 130 pounds. 7 Great years!

Revision surgery to AP small lap band *11/13/2012*, due to large hiatal hernia. I am hopeful about continuing my band journey uneventful and successful. I loved what my old band did for me and I am looking forward for my new band to Keep my weight down

7 year band anniversary in 4 days and Endoscopy yesterday and...

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7 year band anniversary in 4 days and Endoscopy yesterday and...