Lapband and ulcers?!?!

Just had an upper endoscopy which showed 2 ulcers, inflammation of esophagus and gastritis. I'm 4 years with my band. Will I need the band removed now???

It all depends, not sure which band you have but the 4cc older band were more prone to the issues that you are having now, I had mild gastritis and mild esophagitis and hiatal hernia with my old 4cc band and I got irritated last Labor day when I ate some salsa and the burning and back pain was awful, had several tests done. 

I've had that type of burning when I had pouch dilation in my first year of banding with my old band and my surgeon emptied my band, put me on Carafate and Protonix and that healed me and I lived with my old band for the next 6 years with no issues much as long as I took a PPi.

What I am trying to say is that your symptoms may can be treated without removing your band, it just depends on your case and how bad your gastritis and esophagitis is, I only had mild gastritis and esophagitis, but my issue was my hernia was the causing the gastritis, and esophagitis.

At 7 years post op, I did not try the carafate, I decided to either remove my old band and get my hiatal hernia repaired, my new surgeon ended up removing my old band, repairing my hiatal hernia and installing a new AP band all in one surgery. The older 4cc bands can't be unbuckled without destroying the lap band system.

I woke with no more pain and burning, my surgeon removed lots of adhesion too, so rebanding and reparing my hiatal hernia fixed my issue and I am 7 months post op with my new band and I have not taken any PPi's since rebanding and I feel great and losing weight again.

I would think either removing the band or replacing it and getting medical treatment may better options, you may be able to manage it by just getting on some type of medications for ulcers and a PPi.

Good luck

 

Thank you for your reply!

Avout 2 years ago I was diagnosed with peptic ulcers and severe esophagitis.

 

i had 'silent reflux' and by the time I had enough pain to get it checked out, it was pretty bad.

my band was diagnosed as properly placed, so I was treated with a course of Dexilant, and a modified diet.

after a month, I went back for another scope and the ulcers were gone and the esophagitis was greatly reduced.

i was switched to Omeprazole because my insurance wanted to stop paying for Dexilant.

I did not touch my band during that time ..no unfill, no removal.

Thanks for your response. I'm hoping I do as well as you

 

The one complication I don't see a lot of with bands is ulcers! Is your ulcer in the band region, or lower esophagus? Now the band is notorious for causing esophageal damage. As far as if your band needs to be removed now, well that would depend on who you ask. We have some members here that now have permanent esophageal damage from their bands, so I will say that esophageal issues are nothing to play with! My opinion is that once the complications start the band should be removed before it causes further damage. Research........and do what what you feel is right for you though. Good luck!

Thanks for your response. Esophageal problems are scary! I agree and will keep on top of this.

My endoscopy at one year showed  esophagealitis and gastritis too.  They unfilled me for 6 weeks to rest it.  At two years they had to unfill it again for 8 week and put me on Omeprazole.  At three years when the reflux got so bad I would wake up drowning in it they wanted me on it 2 times a day and at 3.5 year the band finally came out,  Sweet relief.

But no ulcers!

 

Thank you for your response. I go to the doctor next week so I'm hoping I get unfilled, chance to heal! I'm on the same medication, so far so good. Sorry to hear your band had to come back out. Did you have a revision? Gain weight? That is what I'm afraid of.

The band was out for 4.5 months.  I did OK the first couple months, than went on a 3 week cruise (free alcohol every day.) Came home to Christmas and New years.  I gained a total of 25 pounds, 20 on the cruise.  I thought I had gained 5-10 as I walked all day long and took the stairs.  On January 22nd I was sleeved.  I lost that 25 plus 25 more since I was sleeved.  I'm almost 25 lower  than I was ever able to get with the band, a 32 year low.