Reflux after removal of band?

goodbyebandhellosleeve wrote:

Hi there. I've just had all of the fill removed from band (banded 2009) after 6 months of severe reflux and regurgitating/coughing in my sleep at night. I have also not had any weight loss for 2 years despite numerous adjustments. After having a barrium swallow earlier this week, my surgeon wants to "discuss the results". I am guessing there is a problem, either  blockage or a slip if not anything else. I had my fill out yesterday and have had 5 major oesophageal spasms since midnight last night. PAIN!!!! I really hope they stop. When I go to see the surgeon next week, I am going to request its removal and for revision surgery to have the gastric sleeve done. My concern is that I have read that reflux can be worse after the sleeve? Not sure if I have GORD either. I would like to hear your thoughts on this? Thanks.

It could be Helicobacter pylori (this is a link to my previous experience with it http://www.gastricsleevesupport.com/t15036-severe-reflux-and-nausea) but you haven't mentioned any problems with eating/drinking so probably not.  Another thing that can be causing the pain is Gallstones.  The pain always seems to hit at night time for a weird reason.  Crawling out of bed in pain and unfortunately, it doesn't get better - only worse until you have your Gallbladder removed, so best to order some tests for that too.


Whatever you do, do not put up and shut up with pain.  The longer your leave it, the worse it can get and it CAN lead to death - both of them.  The Gallbladder can turn septic and you will need an emergency removal usually done at a public hospital.  The the Helicobacter Pylori my surgeon said if I had gotten a cold or another type of illness, I wouldn't of survived it, so please don't think you are being a sook and suck it up.  You have had major surgery and must take extra care of yourself.

Hi all,
Ive had a band (2009), had it removed May this year. Then was experiencing terrible terrible reflux, it was intense. When I went back for my follow up appointment the surgeon put me on somac. These tablets were such a relief, a little miracle pill, but I dont want to be on them forever. I had really bad hunger pains & was hungry all the time. I was eating what I wanted, when I wanted, because I could FINALLY! I was making up for lost time. Of course because of this I stacked on the weight.
Then decided I wanted to have the sleeve. Whet to see the surgeon & he ordered a heap of tests to check out why I was getting reflux. Having a sleeve will potentially make the reflux much worse. Had a barrium swallow & a gastroscopy, all came back normal.
So I proceeded with having a sleeve done. Im now post op day 5. But, unfortunately once the surgeon was inside, he discovered I had a huge hiatus hernia, most likely from my previous band, & needed to fix this problem first. So all up the surgery took 3 hours! I really did suffer after from the prolonged anaesthetic time. I am still talking somac every day but am hoping once I start to lose some weight the problem of reflux will be gone.
Hope this helps.

Hi there. I've just had all of the fill removed from band (banded 2009) after 6 months of severe reflux and regurgitating/coughing in my sleep at night. I have also not had any weight loss for 2 years despite numerous adjustments. After having a barrium swallow earlier this week, my surgeon wants to "discuss the results". I am guessing there is a problem, either  blockage or a slip if not anything else. I had my fill out yesterday and have had 5 major oesophageal spasms since midnight last night. PAIN!!!! I really hope they stop. When I go to see the surgeon next week, I am going to request its removal and for revision surgery to have the gastric sleeve done. My concern is that I have read that reflux can be worse after the sleeve? Not sure if I have GORD either. I would like to hear your thoughts on this? Thanks.

I was the complete opposite to you guys, I didn't eat for about 5 days after removal, only liquids then progressed to soft food. I did have a history of swelling after surgery so this could be why I wasn't hungry at all.

But I'm a month on and don't get hungry like I use to with the band. I did have a few issues with my band and often I couldn't eat things so I was always hungry, even an hour after I ate. Now I feel satisfied most the time. I do find my "mind hunger" kicking in with you can eat that now, eat all of it! So I need to serve myself smaller portions.

My reflux has been on and off. I was really sick with it the other day after exercising and most nights after I eat. I called my surgeons office and they said to talk to my GP, so I made an appointment to see my GP next week, but since then it's gone. I wont cancel the appointment until closer just in case.

I hear you! I was really hungry for the first few days too. I didn't think i'd feel hungry at all but i was. Its calmed down now though. I too really worry about being band free for the next three months and wonder if i will fit through the door too. lol I just hope i can keep control of things and not get too caught up in out of control hunger or just eating for eatings sake. I agree too that the body has a way of getting back at you...i just wonder what it'll do when the sleeve is done, how will it try and outwit me. I'm hoping i can outwit it. Fingers crossed hey girls :)

I think that the body has some pretty mysterious mechanisms - and a really nasty way of getting revenge as well!

It's like you've been depriving it all this time, so it's going to get you back by making up for it by creating incredible urges to eat. I really think that Mother Nature is a bitch! No wonder many of us feel like there's no way to win the battle. The night I got my band out, I was starving because I'd not had anything to eat for more than 24 hours. They were supposed to give me a light meal, but there was a stuff up and I only got clear soup and jelly (again). No wonder I had a raging headache all night - the pain in the head was much worse than any of the incisions. They were going to give me the same for breakfast too, but fortunately, my surgeon came by and put them right. Weet bix has never tasted so good.

I have to admit that, even though I had very little restriction with the band, my appetite has really come back with a vengeance in the last few weeks. It's a good thing that I don't have too long to wait, or they'd have trouble getting me through the door. So try to be careful, you guys - it's too easy to let it all go, thinking that the solution is just around the corner.

Keep in mind that for some of us (well, for me anyway) there's a constant battle with food and no way of telling when you're actually full. Please, please, let the sleeve be the final solution to that problem!

Thinking of you all - let's keep each other informed.

I had my band out 7 days ago and have had no reflux BUT
I have had overwhelming hunger for the first 2-3 days.
The night of my surgery I was DESPERATE to eat...I ad a sandwich and a salad but I was actually hugely hungry.
I never felt like that with the band.
I think my stomach had some kind of strange backlash and all the hunger hormones went silly.
It was VERY acute...
Thank Goodness it has gone.in fact I have little hunger at the moment one week post band out....but I am scared of having NO help..

I had my band out about five days ago and its been a bit of a struggle for me too. I don't think i have reflux, i'm not feeling any burning pain or anything, and i'm not really hungry as such, but i'm feeling this need to eat constantly...like an almost uncontrolable urge to have that feeling of chewing and swallowing something. I'll have to get a handel on it too as i won't be sleeved for at least three months, maybe longer by the time appointments are made etc...

Not really so much into cakes - but I think too much bread might be the culprit, btgirl. I'm glad it seems to have settled down though. I'm apprehensive about the sleeve, but I don't think I've got any other options right now. It's got to be something drastic, or my health will be on a sudden downhill slide - I think I'd rather take the risk.

I guess my biggest fear is that there might be a leak, and that I'll have to have a feeding tube or something. After those tests, I'm really hoping that I don't have to go through something like that ever again.

But I keep telling myself that the chances of this happening are slim, and that with a bit of luck, I will soon be too (slim, that is).

Will post about my progress - and good luck to you, too, Helga. Look forward to reports from you.

Freddo1 wrote:

Hi Helga:

My reflux seems to have settled somewhat, but my surgeon was concerned enough to have me go through some very uncomfortable tests to make sure that I'm OK for the sleeve. These involved feeding some tubes down my throat into my stomach, one of which had to stay there for 24 hours. I've never been so happy to have something out as I was when it was extracted! I haven't heard back, so I'm assuming that the tests went OK. He did say that the sleeve can make reflux worse, and that this can make your life really unpleasant if it doesn't settle.

I have some Nexium, which I was taking, but don't need so much any more. I had really bad reflux when I had too much fill in the band. I used to sleep on a wedge pillow when it was bad. It's a good idea to cut back your food too - I've been doing really badly since I had the band out - I just seem to be hungry all the time again - like I was pre-band.

I'm on the count down now - just over 4 weeks to go. I'm booked in for Feb 8th. It can't come too soon. When are you being done?

Freddo

Oh that test sounds horrible, now I'm scared to say anything to the doctor! lol For me I am finding it only late at night, but in saying that my diet has been on a bit of a down hill slope for the past week.

My sleeve is being done on the 27th March. I'm really pumped about it but I know 2 weeks before I will get so nervous.

When I had my band I was always hungry, but now since they removed it I am satisfied most the time. It feels so good not to always be hungry and thinking about food, but I have notices in the last week I am eating more and more because I can. I'm trying to stop myself.

4 weeks for you is great, time will fly! I can't wait to hear how you go!

btgirl wrote:

Are you eating any breads or cakes now you have your band removed. I find they are both great reflux makers.
Btgirl

I have found soft drink to be my worst enemy for the reflux, the nights I don't drink it I feel much better and don't have it. I am testing my theory out and cutting it for after 5pm. I have found the bread to be ok, but I really don't eat much of that.

Are you eating any breads or cakes now you have your band removed. I find they are both great reflux makers.
Btgirl

Hi Helga:

My reflux seems to have settled somewhat, but my surgeon was concerned enough to have me go through some very uncomfortable tests to make sure that I'm OK for the sleeve. These involved feeding some tubes down my throat into my stomach, one of which had to stay there for 24 hours. I've never been so happy to have something out as I was when it was extracted! I haven't heard back, so I'm assuming that the tests went OK. He did say that the sleeve can make reflux worse, and that this can make your life really unpleasant if it doesn't settle.

I have some Nexium, which I was taking, but don't need so much any more. I had really bad reflux when I had too much fill in the band. I used to sleep on a wedge pillow when it was bad. It's a good idea to cut back your food too - I've been doing really badly since I had the band out - I just seem to be hungry all the time again - like I was pre-band.

I'm on the count down now - just over 4 weeks to go. I'm booked in for Feb 8th. It can't come too soon. When are you being done?

Freddo

I have had my band out for 17 days now and I am starting to have the same thing, but after doing lots of reading I think it's from me eating too much food now I have no restriction.

I had it really bad last night, so today I have started cutting my meal sizes down. I need to form good habits before I have the sleeve.

How has it been going for you with the reflux Freddo1??

Hi all - just a quick question to those of you who are ex bandits. Had my band removed a few weeks ago, and I've been getting some reflux, which the surgeon says could be a problem if I go ahead with the sleeve. I've been taking Nexium, which helps, but I'm not thrilled about the idea of taking it for the rest of my life. I'm sort of hoping that it will settle down after a while, but Im worried it won't. I suspect that the sphincter into the stomach has become stretched as a result of the band.

Did any of you have this problem post band and pre sleeve? If so, how did it all turn out for you?