Esophageal spasms with Lap-band
(deactivated member)
on 12/15/09 9:54 am - Bumfuknowhere, Canada
on 12/15/09 9:54 am - Bumfuknowhere, Canada
Has anyone that has had a lap-band long term end up with esophageal spasms? If so how were you treated? I have just been diagnosed with it and my surgeon put me on Buscopan but am not sure how long I can stay on it or if this is even the right course of action.
Thanks for any input anyone has.
Thanks for any input anyone has.
I am a former lapbander. I never had this issue but from what I have read the past 4-5- years here on OH this means you need to have the lapband removed.
Revision June 9, 2008
Lapband to RNY
117 lbs. lost as of 09-08-10
Dr. David B. Lautz~~~~~Simply the Best!
Brigham & Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
I get these spasms also, but it's not when I have food in the throat... in fact, it seeems to be when I am dehydrated, and drinking water seems to relieve them almost immediately. They seem to be increasing though and sometimes I get them in the middle of the night... I keep a glass of water by by bed.
I am NOT stuck with a food item... and I did get my heart checked because I thought I was having a heart attack.
the pain is so severe and radiates up to my face and jawbone.
I'm not on medication at all...
I'm a long term lapbander.
Ellen
On December 15, 2009 at 5:54 PM Pacific Time, Tracey 112205 wrote:
Has anyone that has had a lap-band long term end up with esophageal spasms? If so how were you treated? I have just been diagnosed with it and my surgeon put me on Buscopan but am not sure how long I can stay on it or if this is even the right course of action.Thanks for any input anyone has.
Oh yeah! I remember that vividly when I was banded. That was very painful. For me nothing worked and it was one of many reasons I revised to a sleeve. It hasn't happened once since I had the band removed.
You can take buscopan forever if need be.
(deactivated member)
on 12/15/09 10:01 pm - Bumfuknowhere, Canada
on 12/15/09 10:01 pm - Bumfuknowhere, Canada
MWG,
Did they put you on anything to see if it helped at all? And if so, did it work short term at all or just nothing worked for you? I've only been on Buscopan since the weekend and have had no spasms for 2 days now so I'm not sure if I just lucked out and it will start again or if this is going to last. Of course I don't want another surgery unless I really have to but if the band has to go due to ongoing pain then I will definitely revise to something. I refuse to gain back the 166 lbs that I lost.
Did they put you on anything to see if it helped at all? And if so, did it work short term at all or just nothing worked for you? I've only been on Buscopan since the weekend and have had no spasms for 2 days now so I'm not sure if I just lucked out and it will start again or if this is going to last. Of course I don't want another surgery unless I really have to but if the band has to go due to ongoing pain then I will definitely revise to something. I refuse to gain back the 166 lbs that I lost.
On December 16, 2009 at 6:01 AM Pacific Time, Tracey 112205 wrote:
MWG,Did they put you on anything to see if it helped at all? And if so, did it work short term at all or just nothing worked for you? I've only been on Buscopan since the weekend and have had no spasms for 2 days now so I'm not sure if I just lucked out and it will start again or if this is going to last. Of course I don't want another surgery unless I really have to but if the band has to go due to ongoing pain then I will definitely revise to something. I refuse to gain back the 166 lbs that I lost.
I tried everything and for me nothing worked. My doc is in Mexico so I had the opportunity to try drugs we don't have in the US and those didn't work either. Biofeedback is one option but I thought it was a waste so I never bothered with it.
I would go for weeks without them and suddenly they were back in full force. It was horrible, I'd be walking across a room and BAMMO! I was doubled over in pain. It felt like someone hit me in the chest with a big metal thing. ;o)
Good luck with it, but don't let it go on too long. I have permanent esophageal damage but I don't know if it was from the spasms or all the other band problems I had.
(deactivated member)
on 12/15/09 10:18 pm, edited 12/15/09 10:20 pm - Bumfuknowhere, Canada
on 12/15/09 10:18 pm, edited 12/15/09 10:20 pm - Bumfuknowhere, Canada
Thanks MWG. I definitely won't let it go on too long. I've been suffering in pain for over a month now and within a half hour of the first pill, the pain finally went away and really hasn't returned full force like it had been. This is the first complication I get and really hope the Buscopan can control it.
Yes... I have had two lapbands over 9 years and I did get esophageal spasms which are excrutiating and feels like a heart attack. They treated me ith niphendrine (a blood pressure pill which when relaxing the body relaxes the esophagus and it does calm the spasms). However because of the spasms and other band problems I finally had the 2nd band removed and converted to RNY bypass. Since then, all of my esophagus problems have been eliminated and i have lost more weight in the 3 months postop with RNY then 9 years with bands. Good luck to you. Maryjo