Bluedevil11

Wow.. after reading this post, alot of the symptoms were the same ones I had.. the "alllergies" etc.. I would take 2 bites of food and start sneezing with nose running like crazy. My lapband was removed on Mar 15 and I have to say i saw an immediate change. The problem was found with mine after I complained about pain in my esophagus right below my throat and excuse me for tmi maybe but basically I was coughing up mucus in my sleep or waking up to do it.. not a good feeling either way . I had a barium swallow.. went back to dr in 2 days and he said it has to come out. I had never had any fills but the band appeared to be only allowing flow as if it was full.. completely full. I was scheduled for 1st thing in morning at 7:30 and the dr said it would only take about 30 min to remove it... however I was in the OR over 1 hour. When he went to remove it.. the stomach under it was completely inflamed and he had to put a drain in since he was worried about erosion. He saw no infection luckily but put in the drain as a precaution. Even now when I eat a week or so later.. I still feel some discomfort when it hits the "banded" area.. he said it should slowly stretch back to normal and if not within a few weeks to come back in and they would have to check again to maybe remove or stretch the scar tissue around the stomach. Overall .. I do feel better.. the pain of eating is not too bad.. I will not get another lapband as he said he would NOT recommend that as it appears my body rejected it.. (one of the few) I did lose from 340 at the start of the total WLS down to 225 so I am happy with that and I have good exercise habits now and can actually move better with the weight gone..

I am not really upset it is out.. from the time I started I was 340 and now I am 225 which was what I was in high school I am in shape now and eating right and exercising alot more than before. I am eating smaller portions that I should have been doing so I think I am on the right track for the long term I don't think my esophagus was dilated.. he never mentioned that just that it was irritated badly and actually closing up due to reflux but when they did the barium swallow test he noticed how small an amount was going thru a never filled band. He said it was so swollen it never needed the fills but was not noticed until the barium. Since the band was removed.. I have no reflux or esophagus problems now.. the coughing at night etc was gone the day after surgery.. almost like a dam had burst when the band was removed

Here is an update.. I had the surgery to remove the lapband last thursday the 15th. Surgeon said it was very inflamed around the lapband and that I was one of the few whose body rejected the band. He was suprised I wasn't feeling extreme pain from it and he did put a drain in for a couple of days. He also said it had built up scar tissue around it (the stomach where the band was) and it would take awhile to stretch out and return to normal so it is still kinda like I have the band there He did say I could eat solid foods after I saw him on tuesday of last week.. and it does hurt and there is some discomfort when eating and it hits the old banded area.. but it does seem to be inproving. So.. now I go back to the workouts.. and smaller portions..after a healing period of course One good thing so far.. my vagus nerve in my stomach must still be damaged some cause I am never hungry so maybe that will help me keep it off

Found out yesterday that my lapband has to be taken out. I am having problems with my esophagus where it is swollen and I am having problems eating. I have not had any fills so they cannot empty it to correct or try to correct that way which some people have done. And no.. I never "abused" the band.. I ate small portions at the right speed etc. It appears that the food etc irritated the esophagus enough along with GERD developing that caused it. I have lost almost 100 lbs since the band was put in the end of Oct 2011, so all in all I am satisifed with it.. but know that I will have to do it withouth the band to maintain the weight as I will prob loose down to what i wanted to go to by the time it is removed next week or the week after ( just waiting for insurance approval now to remove) The surgeon said I was one of the few that this happens to .. and I should be ok.. I just have to use what I have learned with the band and transfer it to without I started with the band with a weigh in weight of 318 lbs.. I now weight 230 and prob in a week or 2 will be down to 220 which for my bone structure is a good weight for me. The best part of it all .. I was never hungry so was able to change some bad habits.. like grazing lol Good luck to everyone else in their journey and who knows.. I may end up getting a sleeve.. Surgeon said he couldn't recommend another band

I was banded on 10/27/11 and have lost 55 pounds. I have had no fills yet but never feel hungry

Well, least it doesn't hurt to swallow now.. but I will still stay on liquids and really soft foods today anyway It is really nice not to be hungry though.. it would be tough otherwise

Thanks for the reply, Lol well I am not that young really, just turned 53 and really needed to lose weight because of sleep apnea, High blood pressure and knees going bad. The good part is that i am losing so quick and not hungry at all.. the bad part seems to be that if eat just a tiny tiny bit over I do have pretty bad pain, and start sliming and sometimes the only thing that helps is throwing up I am on liquids now but swallowing hurts.. at least after it goes to the pouch .. but I think that is just from throwing up least I hope so. )

Hi everyone.. I am new to here. I had my lapband put in 10/27/2011. I weighed 318 the day of surgery and i am down to about 287 now 1 month later. I am doing alot of walking, golfing etc. But the main thing is I am not hungry at all and have not had a fill yet. I went to the Dr last wed ( day before thanksgiving) when I was supposed to get a fill but since I was still not hungry yet and losing weight etc. he decided not to do a fill yet. I still have to be really careful with what I eat and with how much I have had a couple of sliming episodes and worshiping the toilet for awhile friday I went back to liquid diet again.. Protein shakes.. broth etc I have noticed that after I swallow I feel pain now even with that about where the lapband is.. not major pain.. but some pain prob due to swelling? I did call the dr and he said to stay on liquids until it stopped hurting and if it hurt more than a couple of days to let them know and come in Overall I happy with the surgery.. and the results so far. I sometimes wonder if it is "normal" that I am losing this much without a fill but then again.. I guess in a way I would just eat way too much before lol But again.. Hi everyone