Generally things have gone about the same, no ups, no downs, no improvements, no deterioration. So I figured why bother with an entry. Also there's that old addage: If you don't have anything good to say, why say it?

Well, I'm blowing that all to hell with this post. So a warning for those who want to read something good and fluffy about the band.

Yes, I'm still a proponent of the band. Yes, I would recommend it to anyone. But I would not recommend Drs. Duckett and Oweis. Although I have no proof, I think they either placed my band incorrectly or I have had a slipped band for over a year.

When I had the EGD with Dr. Curry, he said my band was "higher than he usually sees it" or maybe he said "higher than he usually placed it" gimme a break, I was coming out of a drug-induced stupor. Anyway, it was higher than where it probably should be is what I've come out of this with. I didn't start having some of the symptoms I most hate until I started vomiting related to the gall bladder. So..............despite the fact that Drs. Duckett and Oweis kept telling me that I don't have a slip, is it possible that I have slipped up? Because I had some pretty violent vomiting when I went through 6 months of gall bladder attacks that they told me were "esophageal spasms".

ONE NOTE: I mentioned all of that vomiting with the gall bladder. Yes, it was violent, yes it was painful-I thought I wanted to die-but most of it was mucous. Also, I have NEVER had a PB. I swear! I have never eaten something and brought it back up. I have vomited due to the gall bladder attacks and about 2 months ago, I a morning that I thought I had the stomach flu. I vomited twice-I hadn't eaten anything so that wasn't a PB either. How can that be? I will freely admit that I have, on occasion, over eaten. I do my best to stop when I feel full, but I'm sure I have eaten more than I should have. I know it's not uncommon for people to not have any food sensitivities, but I'm tellin' ya I don't have any food that I absolutely cannot eat. The worst that happens to me is that I have a little tummy ache until it passes.

Anyway, the purpose of my post today is to spell out all the complaints that I have and to detail all the symptoms that I have. Since I've been living with the understanding that most bandsters live with the band with no symptoms, basically not feeling anything or hardly knowing it's there I figure something is wrong with this picture. It's to clarify it in my own mind, not necessarily to ellicit anyone's opinion of what the hell's wrong with me. I plan to contact Dr. Curry after the first of the year (I figure there's no hurry since I've been living with this so f-ing long).

#1-I have not been able to lay comfortably on my back since the summer of 2005. During that time I was having the gall bladder attacks and when I told Dr's Duckett (fuckett) and Oweis, they filled me, unfilled me, filled me, unfilled me and kept telling me that I was having esophageal spasms. Once I got the gall bladder out, I hoped this would go away but it didn't. What happens is that after a while (I couldn't say how long because I'm usually asleep) a pressure builds up in the epigastric area and wakes me up. I don't cough. I don't choke. I don't sputter. It's an aching pressure in my epigastric area that is painful enough that it wakes me and keeps me awake for a while after I've turned on my side to relieve the pressure. Hell, this even affects me if I want to have missionary-style sex. Let's not even get into the fact that sometimes I feel the port during this position. (Again, thanks to Drs Duckett/Oweis my port is at my waistline and is occasionally bumped.) I feel pressure in the epigastric area when I lay flat, this makes missionary-style sex kind of difficult because I'm at the very least, distracted.

#2-I AM SICK TO DEATH OF SLEEPING WITH MY HEAD (upper body) ELEVATED ON A BLANKET AND 4 PILLOWS! I have been doing this since July! I would give anything to sleep flat. If I do, after a couple of nights, I wake up with sore throats and dreaming I'm choking although I cannot honestly say I have choked.

#3-I am tired of having a sore nostril. I've had this off and on since July or August. Quite often, after I've eaten (or had a very fast drink) I will get a sore nostril. At first, I tried to blame this on my seasonal allergies but I have come to the conclusion that this is directly related to eating and possibly my band-that it's some sort of weird form of reflux.

#4-Sore throats. I don't have them all the time like before Dr. Curry did the slight unfill, but I have them a lot and although I'm sure it's because of reflux and I'm probably still too tight, I'm SICK of having them.

#5-Pain in my left upper quadrant of my abdomen (that's where the stomach is, for those who don't know). Occasionally I get intense physical pain in this area. It has nothing to do with eating, it has more to do with NOT eating. When it's at it's worst, I haven't eaten in something like 4 or 5 hours (which shouldn't be uncommon) but when you have pain like that you're afraid to eat, which causes the pain to intensify. This particular symptom I have also had since the summer of 2005!

#6-I feel obsessed with food and I'm not even losing weight. When do I eat? What do I eat? How do I coordinate my eating with my drinking? When was the last time I ate? (because I want something to drink)

O.K., O.K. I can see that I probably need an unfill. I'm planning on asking Dr. Curry for one after the first of the year (I've got to send him some medical records first and get my finances in order). I knew that before. However, the #1 complaint (being unable to lay on my back) happens whether I'm completely unfilled or filled. I'd like to think I'm pretty knowledgeable about the band and how it's supposed to act. But why is it that I always have symptoms that don't seem to fit the norm? Then, when I go to my doctor, they want to blame it on my psychological state rather than investigate into what may really be causing it?

Plan: contact Dr. Ducket/Oweis's office to get my appropriate medical records forwarded to Dr. Curry first thing Monday (12/18). Once I know Dr. Curry has the records, I'll contact his office with my symptoms and make arrangements to get insurance pre-approval for an adjustment (unfill, slight or entire-whichever will relieve these symptoms).

Just ranting. Bear with me.

sounds like your not having fun at all. Have they done the scope on you? I would demand one if they haven't so you can see exactly whats going on. You deserve to feel good, not miserable. Hang in there, the first of the year is around the corner.

I hope everything gets better for you.