RUNNY NOSE WHEN EATING!!

I just want to share something I learned this week:  I have heard MANY, MANY BANDED people say that when eating, they get a runny nose.  They begin to consider this their "soft stop" to cue them that they are full.  During a conversation with a Speech Therapist about a resident, she happened to tell me to look for a runny nose during meals as a possible issue & need for a swallow study.  Remembering the numerous bandsters who have said this, I asked her why.  She told me is was a sign of SILENT ASPIRATION.  If you are experiencing this... please talk to your doctor!  I think we all know how dangerous aspiration can be!!  

http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcbcs/bds/nurses/documents/dysphagiaaspiration.pdf

O/T  Thanks Steph, I think my older husband has this problem in the last year or so.

Stephanie - are you the person that had severe complications after your removal?  How are you? 

Tonya, I had severe complications pre-removal and saw your post about this on another group we belong to.  I've always thought that the "no drinking" rule and the runny nose weren't accurate.

HI there
I just had a band on the 21st.  What kind of complications did you have post op...were they long after or right after surgery?  How long did you have it in?
I am struggling with recovery and wondering if I made the wrong decision to have WLS :(

May 2010 Realize Band implanted, hiatal hernia repair, uneventful recovery

Aug 2010 fill 3 cc March 2011 fill .5 cc

Summer 2011 began to have epigastric pain at night.

Sept 2011 stomach virus

Sept 2011 pain upper right quadrant, duration 2-5 hours increasing, then subside quickly

Oct 2011 barium swallow, band fine, slow esophageal emptying Oct 2011 upper abdominal ultrasound positive for gallstones

Oct 2011 gallbladder removal

Feb-May 2012 increasing GERD symptoms, nighttime epigastric pain radiating to shoulder, neck, jaw, back. Palpitations gradually increasing in frequency

May 2012 had cardiac work up, stress test, echocardiogram, negative for heart disease. BP was elevated, so new drug Rx, resolved palpitations/hypertension. Epigastric pain persisted.

June 2012 upper GI with barium shows stoma at band is nearly closed. Barium drips through, but no stream. Barium is backed up into esophagus. PA removes all saline (3.5 cc confirmed, clear, no sign of infection). Under flouro, barium is still in esophagus, emptying slowly. PA and Radiologist are concerned, but decide after I drink 8 oz water to schedule me for follow up 5 @ weeks.

July 2012 follow up, lost 4 lb. still having problems eating anything fibrous, but able to eat, at least. Barium swallow shows smaller than expected stream thru band, but also shows slow esophogeal motility, but not so slow as to require follow up. PA states that since I'm tolerating food, losing and have a bit of a motility issue, she won't fill me, but cautions me to stay on the band diet and if I'm able to eat everything and quantity increases over 1 cup, to come in for another evaluation.

Oct-Dec 2012 In early October, became very intolerant to most foods and started having nighttime pain again, GERD symptoms. Symptoms subsided for two weeks, then returned. Taking PPIs for GERD, probiotics and experiencing extreme constipation. BMs only every 8-10 days. Bloated miserable, having pain, feeling like food is stuck. November, saw GI doctor and he ordered EGD, soft low fiber diet. December EGD negative for Hpylori, celiac, erosion, Barrett's. Prescribed Amitiza for constipation. Antispasmodic for GI spasms. Symptoms improved. Feb symptoms (intolerance of meals, feeling stuck, etc) returned. Consult with GI doc, schedules GES. Results normal gastric emptying times, but abnormal esophageal retention. GI doctor follow up in 2 weeks.

March 2013: barium swallow:Dx achalasia, severe esophageal dilation due to LES failure to open in response to swallowing. Discussed options for removal/revision and further testing.

April 2013: scheduled for esophogeal manometry test. More than likely my band will need to be removed.

June 2013-Band removed found to be on the esophagus, not the stomach. Since bands don't move higher (slips always involve stomach tissue migrating up thru the band or the bans slipping down on the stomach) the band apparently was placed there and I was doomed to failure from the start.

High weight 290 lb Surgery weight 281.5 Band emptying weight 225 Current weight 202 Goal weight 170 At all times my PCP, Gastroenterologist, Cardiologist and Bariatric Surgeon were in communication. Procedures, records and test findings were shared between all care providers.

Preexisting IBSd. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, sleep apnea, GERD. Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction/Spinal Stenosis Left knee osteoarthritis-replacement recommended

Still taking all medications I was taking pre-band + two new cardiac meds for arrhythmias.

sorry this is long, but it's the shortest version.

Hi, I just came across this thread and saw your post.  I am not for one second saying all the problems described here are not possible and you need to be aware and watch out for symptoms. But as you are just banded, I wanted to say, don't start panicking!

Problems are not inevitable. They can and do happen. But there are many people who have no or few problems. If you look back on this board you will see a recent thread about me reaching my eighth band anniversary. If you look there, I talk about the people I know who are happy with their bands. 

Treat your band with respect to minmise risk, monitor your body, be aware of what signs can mean, seek help if you are worried. But don't assume you are inevitably going to have major damage. Not saying Stephanie etc are saying you are! They are just telling you what happened to them, and you need to be aware.

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Thanks Bug that's good to know! You are looking quite svelte these days. You don't even look like the same person!

Hi LADY!!!

Thanks so much!  Life is so much better without the band. I wish I had never had to have surgery - but his is certainly the better option!  Have 40-50 more to lose and I am really struggling with that!