LifeLiver

My journy started in 2004 with a Lap Band. I had great success...well vomitng all the way...loosing 190 lbs over 5 years. During the last three years I had real issues of severe left internal pain- transvaginal US showed nothing. Constipation with ribbon stools...colonoscopy- just increase my fiber. Cardiac issues...I could go on and on...and always in the back of my mind I thought It was the band. Fast forward to June of 2013...slowly I was gaining weight, and my abdomen was distended and firm. I went to a new PCP who ordered an upper GI. My first ever. Well...my esophagus was completely occluded...and the doctors wondered how I was getting anything in. Emergently 3 ccs were removed from my band...and in 5 days I gained 30 lbs. The surgeon said my body was in starvation mode for so long, by liver was just shooting out fat cells like crazy. I waited for insurance approval for the sleeve, working out each day and keeping my calories around 1400. By the time surgery was scheduled Oct 22, I was up about 50lbs.

Surgery...lets say my abdomen was a war zone. Severe inflamation, and acute allergic response obviously by body rejecting the band. It took the surgeon 5 hours to clear the adhesions,and work around the inflammation. My spleen was nicked...no big deal. 12 hours after surgery I was crashing, and brought back to surgery. 2 liters of liquid blood and large clots were found in my abdomen. 5 hours and 4 surgeons in my case examined each area of my battlezone belly...and the bleed was discovered under my liver- about a 50 cent peice of liver was lacerated. Turned out the band had grew into my liver (remember the pain I was having 3 years prior...yup) and when removed took out part of my liver. I will spare you the rest of the recovery details..but glad to be alive.

I will be reporting my complications to the FDA. I cannot believe bands are still put in. I will also be publishing my case, eventually. I am down about 25 lbs, but have been at a stall for the last week...I hear this is common, and hoping each day it will pass. I am very happy with my sleeve. I am hungy, which I was hoping would go away. I have no difficulty eating anything, and as a risk vs. reward kind of girl..I have tested out bread, and yep no problem. I am so grateful to be alive, and my story will be told to stop the madness of the band. It is no way to live.