Reflux at Night

I'v been having problems sleeping the last 3 weeks due to reflux and it seems to be getting worse. Just when I start falling asleep I start having fits of coughing and end up sliming to the point where it even comes out my nose. The whole thing makes no sense to me. Why would the band get tighter? I thought it was supposed to loosen up as you lost weight? On the other hand, I've had no issues during the day and can eat and drink pretty much as much as I want of everything. Well, I do take Pepcid regularly, which I never had to do before surgery. I don't get physically hungry, but I do get that hot, burning sensation when my stomach is empty. Since I had surgery in Mexico, finding a doctor to provide care here is expensive, which is a whole other topic for Rants and Raves.

Have you called your band doc ? How do you get fills ?
If you go to someone in the US for fills I would call them .
It sounds like you are either too tight or you have acide reflux going on .
When was your last fill ? Either way you need to call your doc any doc
Mindy

I had the same symptoms for 3 months.....had an EGD but they found nothing amiss....so the decision was my band was too tight.....they drained it and the reflux and problems went away immediately.

Reflux is definitley a sign of being too tight. I would start with a slight unfill. Good luck finding a surgeon.

7/7/06 - band installed

My first year with the band went pretty smooth. Now I'm on a band fill/unfill roller coster. My fills are usually no more than .1cc fills. Nothing great. In the past 6 months everytime I get a fill, 3 or 4 weeks later I need an unfill. $ are adding up. My last fill was less than .1 cc on 5/4/08. Last night a dinner I ate one bite too many and threw up for the first time in a long time. I had reflux/regurg (R&R) all night, couldn't sleep and will have it again tonight I'm sure. I've been on liquids all day today. I just keep thinking that if this is going to be a way of life for me I need to figure out how to reduce the swelling caused by the irratation of the reflux and/or throwing up process. Has anyone figured out how to get theselves back to that Lap Band comfortable feeling without unfills? Please don't say I should monitor my bites better or anything on that order. Has anyone ever tried to wait it out? Did it work? I don't usually get past loosing a couple of nights sleep and I go get an unfill from utter exhaustion.
I appreciate any sincere replies. I can do without the rude & unhelpful ones.

This Is My First Time On This Or Any Lap Band Site. I Had My Band 01/05, It Was Great Lost 70#. It Is Now 3 Years Later Have't Seen My Dr In Over A Year And Have Gained 38# Back. I Have Reflux So Bad At Night Just As Your Described. I Have Taken Nexium For Years But It Had Gotten So Much Better Now I Am Taking 2 Aday And The Reflux Is Awful. I Am Considering Having The Band Taken Out, I Can't Eat Food That Is Good For Me It Just Wont Stay Down, But I Sure Can Get The "good" Stuff, Anyone Have Any Suggestions Other Than Going Back To The Surgeon, He Is Awful, So Rude And Really Tries To Humiliate You.

After researching this procedure since it began in Europe I thought I knew everything about it and was totally on board. I believe where I went wrong was in thinking after the band had reached the "perfect" amount of fill that would be that and I would settle in, loose all my weight, and have the band refilled to the amount to keep me at that size. I have lost all but my last 13 lbs and I'm afraid that if I don't find a way to live with it I'm going to be in trouble. I did do a lot better than I thought I would last night. I was surprised when I my eyes flew open this moring and it was 5 a.m. I had slept for 5 hrs in bed without waking up- without reflux. This is what I did. I had nothing but water and tea from 5pm on. I ate crushed ice, drank a mixture of baking soda & water. Maybe 3 oz.(zantac, pepsid don't work anymore). I went to the freezer and got a gel ice pack. Sitting up I placed it on my abdomen below my sternum for 10-15 minutes. Then I moved it to my back low between my sholder blades. I kept alternating it back and front for I don't know how long. 1 - 2 hrs I guess. Then I fell asleep in my recliner around 10 pm. I woke up around midnight and thought gosh I didn't have reflux at all and decided to go to bed. Got up at 5 a.m. feeling good, went back to sleep until 7:45. I don't know if it will work again, but I just got back from Wally World with protein drinks and I'm doing it again tonight. I know for a fact cold reduces swelling and that's what I went with.
My surgeon copped an attitude with me as well and called me "hard headed". I thought that's a strange way to treat someone that gives him $100 for 10 minutes work!! It is the medical profession that bills this procedure as next to effortless- not me.
Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate all of my unknown buddies out there. We may loose our separate battles, but it is together we will win this war. Happy Memorial Day. I'll probably find a way to dilute the bar-b-sauce and drink it. :(

I started having night time reflux all of the sudden, and it was every night. I tried sleeping sitting up, but I always ended up sliding down and waking up coughing. Finally, I propped the head of my bed up about 9 inches, and I slept all through the night. I got a complete unfill and the reflux went away immediately. I've since gotten a fill of about half what I had before, and I'm going to just try to work with this for a while.

I do notice that stress will tighten my band, so if I feel extra tight, I try to consider what's going on around me.

I think you are correct about the stress. For the past 6 weeks I've been dealing with my precious little dog and kidney problems. I bet that had a lot to do with it since I read your post.

Thank you!