Lyse8432

Hi Everyone, I am brand new to this site. I decided to join in hopes of getting some information and support. Here's my story: I got banded in January 2008 in San Diego by Dr. Sunil Bhoyrul. I paid out of pocket since my insurance wouldn't cover it. I have been over weight my entire life and I thought the lap-band would be the answer to my prayers. (I was over 200 pounds). I literally had problems with my band from day 1! I had to drive from Temecula to San Diego just hours after my operation because I could not keep Water down. I was vomiting after every sip which caused intense pain since I had just had my surgery! My Dr. took everything out of my band that evening. (I didn't even know that they started you with Fluid inside your band). Initially, I lost weight, but not without struggles. I would suffer from this constant pain in my left shoulder. It hurt every single day! I would throw up my food almost daily. I went from being such a huge lover of breads and meat to now being a vegetarian and I rarely have bread. The lowest weight I ever hit was 162, which lasted for maybe a month and then I've never seen that number since. I'm currently dead stuck in the 180's. About two years ago, I got sick with a common cold. I took alka seltzer and began to vomit, and vomit, and vomit. When I tried to drink water it felt as if I was swallowing glass! The pain was unbearable. Then I would vomit again and it would look like blood. I had to visit the ER twice in one weekend. The first time, they basically just sent me away. The second time, they performed an upper GI and it showed major restriction on my stomach. Imagine the band around your stomach and then your stomach flopped over the band. The doctor that was helping me that day had never performed a fill before but she knew I was in so much pain that she did it anyways with my help. I had to explain to her exactly what to do. I was in such a state of unbearable pain that I could care less that she had never done it before. Since then, I have never had fluid put back into my band! I thought that I would just go on living with my unfilled band and it would be as if I didn't have one at all. That wasn't true either. Now, every time I get sick and I vomit, it irritates my band so much that I start dealing with painful acid reflux, I cant eat, and I fight to keep liquids down. Which is where I am right now. Friday night, 4 days ago, I got sick and threw up. Ever since I have been in bed. This is and has taken so much from my life. I hurt so much from the constant absence from my husband and kids I must go through every time I get a common cold or stomach bug. I think it is safe to say that my band was a failure. I only lost 15-20 pounds and I have had endless complications. I am now on the hunt to find a surgeon who will take my band out. However, I would like to to hear from the people who have similar stories and had their bands taken out. What was the recovery process like post op? Can you eat without vomiting? Do you have any kind of pain anymore? Thank you for reading my story...I can't wait to hear back from you -Lyse8432

IMPORTANT UPDATE!!! I just wanted to let everyone here know that I went to see my doctor yesterday. Good thing I did.... I had to have an emergency operation done last night around 11:30pm. You were all right, I had a very severe slip! It slipped half way down my stomach and it was completely shut tight. Nothing was able to pass through my stomach in either direction. The reason for the urgency was that my doctor was afraid that the top part of my stomach might die due to no blood circulation. I sincerely want to thank each of you who replied to my post because it was you all telling me that it had to be a slip that pushed me to make the call! So thank you, thank you, thank you! I am already home and I am doing fantastic! I feel ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!! In the future I'll try to give you updates on life after a band removal Sincerely, Lyse8432

Lollicat- I haven't seen him in a long time since I moved further away from him. Now, I'm about two hours away :/ Jachut- I really wish I had been able to have that type of relationship with my surgeon and his staff, but I never did I am curious though as to why you think my band has slipped. Not that you are wrong...You could be completely right! I just have such little information about that sort of thing. So, what are the symptoms? How long can you go on with it being like that? Any other info would be Greatly appreciated!!! Thank you so much -Lyse8432

I would have to agree with you JerseyGirl, I definitely was not well educated going into this. I never went to any prep classes because my doctor didn't require them and he didn't stress the importance of going to them. I genuinely think my life would be better without the band as I live a very different lifestyle then I did four years ago. I love working out and I have fallen in love with running. I count my calories and never eat junk food or go to fast food places. The only thing that doesn't add up is how I still do not lose weight. I didn't lose with the lap band, I didn't lose on Lindora, I didn't lose on Weight Watchers, and even though I count my calories and do not pass 1300, I STILL do not lose weight. I am starting to think that I may have a thyroid problem. However, I can't even deal with that problem until I get rid of the band :/ Thank you for writing back and for your concern. I hope all is well with you -Lyse8432