New Side Effect of My Band

Wow!  So sorry you are experiencing this scary problem.  I had a complete cardiac work up prior to having a complete unfill in June 2012.  I'd been having palpitations for several months, but began experiencing "skipped beats" which my pcp was very alarmed by.  I had a treadmill stress test with echocardiogram which showed a healthy heart.  

I developed "end stage achalasia" Dx by esophageal manometry.  It's a condition where the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus doesn't open in response to swallowing.  This caused severe esophageal dilation, as I was retaining food and even water in the esophagus.  My digestive system basically shut down and I was miserable.  I would attempt to eat and my heart would pound visibly!  These palpitations are very much like what I experienced for 17 months pre band removal.  After band removal, I could sip water and lie down without it coming back up.  The symptoms are confusing for our doctors because they mimic non-band related conditions.  The vagus nerve controls heart rate, our digestion and other vital functions.  The esophagus is directly adjacent to the heart.  Anything retained in the E, irritates the heart.  E spasms affect the heart as well and are often called cardiospasms.  

The SVTs cause blood to pool in the upper chambers of the heart, causing an elevated risk of clots, stroke, heart attack and sudden death.  

It's scary for me at 64, can't imagine being 26 and dealing with it!

Just wanted to let you know that I had SVT, unrelated to the band (according to my cardiologist.) After two trips to the ER with heart rates between 170 and 230, I had cardiac ablation to fix it and its been about 99.9% resolved since 2007.

Good to know, thanks!

Just as a follow-up: ablation was really a nothing procedure. My only complaint was that when I woke up, I had to pee so bad they had to run and get me a bed pan. And my surgeon was cool enough to give me an xray of the middle of the procedure.

Hi, I'm just wondering....after you had your band removed did you have sever left stomach pain or the whole left side of your mid-section hurt.  Did it feel like you were used as a punching bag on the left side, and if so, how long did this pain last?  I had my band in for a total of 17 days, (Dec. 9-26, 2013) and then had it removed.  I am still experiencing some sever pain in my mid-section on the left side. If it doesn't get better by February 1st, so that I know that I have given it sufficient time to heal,  I'm going to go to my primary doctor to be sure that there isn't anything else going on from surgery.

I was in SO much pain beginning on the 4th day, had a sever rash covering my body, sever chest pain, leg cramps, sever headaches, shortness of breath, numbness, and couldn't keep anything down at all.  The doctor just blew it off as "it's all in your head!"  After my second trip to the ER, I told them I wanted it out.  I was NOT told of the sever complications that the band could cause.  The things I have learned about it now have all been on my own research.  I agree with one of the people who posted to you, it should be of the Market.  I realize I should have done WAY more research before I had it done, but I'm thankful I had it removed. (Lost 25lbs in 17 days)

I agree with you, I hope that the for future band patients, there is a full disclosure of the risks.

Hope you get better soon and that all goes well for you!

I experienced a lot of discomfort beginning about 15 months post op.  The first year was trouble free...I was determined to go easy on fills, follow the rules and keep my band the rest of my life.  The pain I had started in the area just below the sternum, radiated to my back, neck and left arm. It would come on when I was sleeping.  The pain was esophageal spasms.  Eventually my digestive tract just stopped working.  I lost  26 lbs in the last 3 months I was banded because I could not swallow foods...it would get stuck in my esophagus.

I wore a 24 hour monitor this week and it showed a lot of PVC activity, no SVT activity.  I saw the electrophysiology specialist on Wednesday and he suggested catheterization and possible ablation, until he read my history with Lapband and esophageal issues.  He's concerned that the irritation is coming from the vagus nerve and esophageal damage and is going to speak to the doctor I saw before removal to get his perspective and experience before moving forward.  Since I'm having as many as 10 PVCs/minute for hours at a time, he's concerned about weakening of the heart muscle with this continuing unchecked.  With the new medication being somewhat effective in calming things down, he's increased it.  

The one morbidity factor obesity didn't cause in me was cardiovascular disease.  Now I have a heart that is not functioning correctly and apparently more diagnostics to come.  I'm just over it.  

So sorry to hear you are having even more Issues Steph.  The best of luck to you.  You deserve a break.