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A little help and advice please

Posted , 3 users are following.

sim_1971
sim_1971

Hi friends

I had my band a few years ago and has no success because the port was not correctly set and turned. I was referred tohave it put right and after wait g over a year it was corrected nearly 2 years ago.

I lost a little weight but not much. Then I became seriously ill and admitted in n out of hospital lost my mobility and hardly ate so lost a bit then.

Unfortunately over the last few months I've done nothing but vomit and have constant heartburn. I realised it could be my band or my medication. So haven't taken my meds for 2 weeks.

The heartburn eased but has been replaced by a really heavy feeling on my chest all the time

IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHINGS PRESSING ON MY CHEST. FROM ABOVE RIBS TO BACK OF THROAT.

Constant belching like I'm full of gas and any burp Tec makes the chest hurt more. I can't even drink liquids juice or soup without it hurting or vomiting.

I have even thought about having the band removed.

I have a wayer contrast swallow test at the end of the month but I don't know whether i should wait that long.

THE BIG QUESTION IS WHETHER ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ANY TROUBLE AND HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GO TO A&E OR SUCH AND GET HELP OR RELIEF.

Thank you so much

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Bandid
    Bandid sim_1971

    Posted

    HI - sorry to hear of the probs you have experienced - firstly i would say, if you think your current prob is related to your meds it might be a good idea to return to whoever prescribed them (GP or hosp??) and ask if this might be a side effect and is there anything else you could take instead - presumably you have been prescribed the meds for another health prob and by not taking them you have helped the heartburn but this could make the other health prob worse so that is not a good situation - secondly it may or may not be related to a prob with your band however i do think it needs checking out and yes you can go to A&E if this conts cos you could be come dehydrated which is a bad situation to get into - the best A&E to go to would be one attached to a hops with a bariatric unit ie one that does wgt loss surgery - as there is more likely to be somebody there who can decide whether the prob is band related and also know how to best help you but if there is not such an A&E near to where you live then def dont let that put you off cos they would certainly be able to get the ball rolling and look into your prob - you are probs the best judge as to whether things are getting to an emergency situation and whether it is too long to wait a mnth so good luck with all of this and dont put your health in danger.    

    • sim_1971
      sim_1971 Bandid

      Posted

      Hi thanks for the advice.

      I went to my local a&e from 10am to 1.30am

      They did ECG n chest xray etc to rule out cardiac or other problems.

      The doctor I saw in the end did think it would be band related and tried to remove some fluid to relieve me. He couldn't and told me to go to the hospital that did it n gave me a letter to take to their a&e

      Luckily my go alreadu referred so I spoke to the bariatric to their and he said because I'd already been to a&e n been checked he would see me straightaway.

      He removed 5ml from the band and said it was way too over restricted but as he gave me some water u still vomited so he sent me for x-ray for soluble swallow test. It showed the band had slipped a bit but the liquid was still going down.

      So he advised 48 hours on liquids and reintroducing solids after that slowly like when band was first done.

      I was also advised to go back if not settled in 48hrs. Luckily seems to be getting there. Managing to keep liquids soup etc down .. Still a bit uncomfortable but no vomit.

      Have another soluble swallow test in a couple of weeks. Hopefully all will be well.

      Could you advise what and how much you eat to help you lose weight with the band.

  • Happycat
    Happycat sim_1971

    Posted

    Hi I had my band fitted last Feb and had to have it removed last month. I had bad pains in my chest so had all the fluid removed, my eating was terrible could only eat 'rubbish' crisps, crackers etc. My symptoms didn't improve so had to have a barium swallow and an endoscopy and it showed my band had slipped upwards. I had surgery to hopefully move the band back into position but it had to come out. At my post op the surgeon said that because I had a hernia repair at the same time as my band and it affected the placement and caused the slip.He said I'm lucky I haven't got any permanent damage but I'm devestated! I had my band for a reason and now it's been taken away after a year through no fault of my own. I didn't even know I had a hernia before surgery and was not given the option of wether to go ahead with the band or not. I'm trying to see if I can get my money back as I was self funding and am struggling to keep my weight off. I lost 4 1/2 stone last year and have put back on 1/2 stone in a month.sorry to waffle on but your pain sounds the same as mine did, when I first had my band fitted the surgeon left fluid in my band and the pain was unbearable until it was removed.I would get it checked out as soon as possible because if it has slipped it could eroded into your stomach. Best of luck x

    • sim_1971
      sim_1971 Happycat

      Posted

      Thank you so much.

      I'm sorry you had such a rough time but well done for losing 4 1/2 stone without it.

      Good luck with getting some if not all of your money back

    • sim_1971
      sim_1971

      Posted

      Sorry read your post wrong. You lost 4 1/2 stone with the band not without.

      Still well done. I hardly lost any😔

  • Happycat
    Happycat sim_1971

    Posted

    I lost 4 1/2 stone with it ! It's only been gone a month and I've put on half a stone. I'm so p....d off I'm now on antidepressants. 😥

    • sim_1971
      sim_1971 Happycat

      Posted

      Chin up my dear.

      I know how you feel though. I have an auto immune illness and swell up so much can't walk at times and get down. The band was supposed to support me in.losing the weight to get more mobile but I've had nothing but trouble with it. Wish I'd never had it

    • sim_1971
      sim_1971 Happycat

      Posted

      Hi thanks for the advice.

      I went to my local a&e from 10am to 1.30am

      They did ECG n chest xray etc to rule out cardiac or other problems.

      The doctor I saw in the end did think it would be band related and tried to remove some fluid to relieve me. He couldn't and told me to go to the hospital that did it n gave me a letter to take to their a&e

      Luckily my go alreadu referred so I spoke to the bariatric to their and he said because I'd already been to a&e n been checked he would see me straightaway.

      He removed 5ml from the band and said it was way too over restrictef

    • sim_1971
      sim_1971 Happycat

      Posted

      Hi thanks for the advice.

      I went to my local a&e from 10am to 1.30am

      They did ECG n chest xray etc to rule out cardiac or other problems.

      The doctor I saw in the end did think it would be band related and tried to remove some fluid to relieve me. He couldn't and told me to go to the hospital that did it n gave me a letter to take to their a&e

      Luckily my go alreadu referred so I spoke to the bariatric to their and he said because I'd already been to a&e n been checked he would see me straightaway.

      He removed 5ml from the band and said it was way too over restricted but as he gave me some water u still vomited so he sent me for x-ray for soluble swallow test. It showed the band had slipped a bit but the liquid was still going down.

      So he advised 48 hours on liquids and reintroducing solids after that slowly like when band was first done.

      I was also advised to go back if not settled in 48hrs. Luckily seems to be getting there. Managing to keep liquids soup etc down .. Still a bit uncomfortable but no vomit.

      Have another soluble swallow test in a couple of weeks. Hopefully all will be well.

      Could you advise what and how much you eat to help you lose weight with the band.

    • Bandid
      Bandid sim_1971

      Posted

      everyone is different with regards to what they can eat in order to lose wgt but a normal breaky for me would be one weetabix with milk or a sacht of oats so simple - lunch could be a variety of things but something like crackers and cheese or soup or yog, banana or, crispbreads and houmous, little pot of baked beans  would be normal and for my evening meal i might have a fishcake, then a yog, or perhaps some sheps pie, fish pie, chill, bolognese.  for quantities i would probs have about three quarters of a cup of say chilli or bolognese - hope this helps

       

  • Bandid
    Bandid sim_1971

    Posted

    ps glad to hear you got sorted at a&E and hopefully now on the rd to recovery

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