2012

Hello, has anyone recently had their band removed due to erosion and decided not go get another surgery? Also, if your insurance did not cover the surgery to put the band in, did it cover to get it removed? I'm pretty depressed and upset by this, but I do not have a choice and I do not want a sleeve, which is what the doctor suggested after removal. Also, for anyone that had this done, did you start gaining the weight back or could keep on losing? I'm hoping I have learned my lesson and will continue to eat like I'm banded and just try to keep myself full with Protein and Water, but right now, I'm just at a loss, I just had the EGD done today and this happened unexpectedly. I had no pain and no symptoms and had a flouro to just check things out and resulted in this.

Thank you hiddn, I appreciate your insight! And yes I will call the doctor if I get a fever, lol .

Hello, I know this is an older post, but I was hoping someone would have some input. I had my band removed this past Monday due to erosion and my surgeon did not want to do another band and wanted me to wait 6 months to heal before even considering the sleeve. But the fact that I was self paid, I may never consider that. In any case, that was just some history , my question is for those who had it removed, did your right and left side hurt pretty bad? I'm taking the pain relievers every 4 hours, but the pain I'm having in both of my sides is pretty painful. I know I'm just in day 2 out of surgery, but this kind of sucks and I don't know if this is gas pains or something else. Also, did anyone not feel bloated and then feel bloated by day 2? I thought this was weird. I am not having any severe symptoms that merit a call to a surgeon so those of you that always chime in with "call your doctor", please don't bother. I'm just curious what others have encountered is all. Thank you!

Thanks Bandista, I appreciate it!

Nancy, I had and currently have no symptoms, no pain, no vomiting, nothing, actually I feel great. I am moving to the other side of the world in a couple of months and I had a flouro done just to check out how my band was doing and this is how it was found, just a checkup. And I can't answer the rest of your questions as I don't know myself. I just know it has to come out since I have a hole in my stomach with part of the band in my stomach. My doctor said that 2-3% of people's bodies reject the band and I'm one of them. I did not have problems with my band like you usually hear from people on here when they have them removed, so there was no warning I even had an issue, I'm just glad I found it while in the US and not while I was on the other side of the world. If you are concerned, just get a flouro done and they can tell if everything looks okay and if they are still unsure from the flouro, then they would probably do an EGD (camera down throat to see internally). I was all worried about the EGD and it was nothing, they knocked me out, woke me up, and then told me the bad news and showed me the pics of my insides, no pain and not even a sore throat like I thought I would have.

Thank you hiddn, I feel much better! It's nice to hear from someone who has had this done and continues to lose weight. I've heard a lot about primal eating and I might just give that a try, go back to the basics and it's usually cheaper to eat this way too, so that's another benefit .

Thank you MsKeeKee, I will keep that in mind and may revisit it after my healing period, which is about 6 months and only if insurance will cover it (I'm moving to another country and I think my insurance there will cover it, my current coverage in the US will not).

Hey Nikkidcas, I am moving to AU in a few months and one of the nurses suggested I get a flouro to make sure everything looked good before I was on the other side of the world. I had the same outcome as you, in the flouro the barium was going around the band, to me it looked like the Fluid went down and then to the right versus going straight down. I have absolutely no pain, reflux, and even have restrtiction, however I felt that I was in need of a fill. So I had the EGD done today and he was right, it's eroded and my doc told me I need to have it removed and he suggests revision to Sleeve, but you have to heal before this happens and he told me 6 months for healing. I am pretty pissed, I have had this band for only 1 1/2 years and don't even have the damn surgery paid off (self pay) or anywhere near paid off and have to have it removed. Insurance better cover this as an emergency and not deny me because it's bariatric, I don't have the money for this removal surgery. I don't plan on getting a sleeve, I did not get it initially because I don't want my body parts cut off or removed and will not do it now. Good luck, I hope they are wrong about your band being eroded.

Good luck. I like the chewable celebrate vitamins, so this might be another brand to add to you list. The cherry flavor are my favorite. I could probably take pills now, but I still take the chewable.

Are you taking them on an empty stomach? I can take any brand of vitamin on an empty stomach and get nauseaous. How about drinking a protein shake and then taking them?

Looking great and I can't believe that is a new belly button! Will you share who your surgeon is?

Yep, Northern Kentucky, about 15 minutes from Cincinnati. What part are you in?

I added all of you, I'm 2012ALM on MFP.

See if this takes you to it: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/forum/138-single-bandsters/. Good luck and I agree with your other post, I wish there was a WLS specific dating type site. Ahem, Alex, hint, hint .

Hi Michele, what part of Oz are you in? I'm supposed to be moving there in about 4 months.

You can do it Kim! If it makes you feel any better, I killed a whole box of vanilla wafers this past weekend. I hate my sweet tooth and wish I could just kill it somehow, so I totally relate to the sweet cravings. I'm getting a slight unfill tomorrow, I keep getting stuck every day and I'm tired of it, I love where I'm at satiety wise, but hate getting stuck. I'm still within my 2 years of fills, so I can always go back for more if need be if this unfill ends up not being good. I hope all is well with everyone and we've got this and can do this! Oh and Kim, you are a neighbor to me, I'm in Kentucky, Northern Kentucky, close to Cincinnati. I went to Dr. Curry for surgery.

Thanks Hazel! You've done a great job and you deserve this!

Hey Linda, do you track your calories and food, that really helps? I bounce around with 5 lbs, but have it under control and know when to expect the scale to go up (ie. ice cream cake for my birthday ) and how to get it back down. Just a thought, I really like My Fitness Pal and there are a lot of bandsters over there, I'm 2012ALM if you join and want to be friends. It's a pain in the butt to get in the habit, but once you get started, it's not so bad.

Hazel, how are you feeling pain wise? And did you have any skin fold rashes before the surgery, are those going away? I don't have a major overhang, but I do have overhang, I want to lose another 30 before I ever look into surgery, but the pain scares me.

When I exercise after work, it really helps to curb the hunger. I also like sugar free popsicles, they help.

I'm really glad you got that unfill and things are better for you! It's my birthday today and I got myself an ice cream cake and that is going down way too easy, I'll put on at least a couple of pounds from this as I'm eating pretty much all of it by myself (still have the binging problem creep in occasionally, but no where near like I was before the band), but I made myself throw the rest away so no more of that for today. Ugh, I really hate that I do this, but the damage is done and I shall move on. And my fill from this week seems to have helped as long as I eat solid, good foods, not ice cream . Hope everyone has a great Sunday! BTW, has anyone gotten there metabolism tested since losing a good amount of weight? I partially think I'm not losing anymore because my calories are off and I was thinking about doing this.

I'm really sorry that the both of you are having a rough time. Kim, I hope the liquids get you back to normal, be patient. I just tried to eat too early (should be doing mushy today) and had an issue, so that was dumb on my part, so I'm back to liquids now. May all of us be better by next week, if not by this weekend!

I agree and that's why I chose to get a fill today . I think part of my slacking is because I'm getting hungry too. I have been strength training a little (only like 2-3 times a week) so I don't know if that has helped, but I just wish something would budge, it's discouraging to be on a plateau for so long and not see the consistent weight loss like before. I know I'm lucky with the amount I've lost, but still. I hope your band stops acting up for you soon Kim, but you may just be a bit too tight, but I would definitely give it a week. I don't even get the effect of the band until about a week out, odd, but that's happened every time. Good luck, gotta leave for my fill appointment Oh and another thing, this cooler weather does not help, I don't know what it is, but it's like a trigger in my head to eat comfort foods. But I agree, we have left the honeymoon phase.

I love MFP, I've been slacking the last week, but have been on it for some time and it really does help. Feel free to add me 2012ALM.

Hi all, so does anyone on here been doing the low carb lifestyle to lose the weight? I have been on a plateau since April and the NUT put me on basically a Medifast diet, which did not help, but I'll admit I have not stuck to it too well. I too have put on a few lbs recently but I know I did it to myself with beer and eating the wrong foods and my birthday is this weekend, so more crap on the way. For those falling off of the eating good, do you think it's just gotten old since we've all be at it for over a year?