desertmom

hi I have a cousin band (french) that takes 9cc of saline.There is a british board that Im on and a huge amount of the woman there are going to this dr for the band.I cannot find longterm patients of his but the longest is one year and she takes prevacid everyday to stop reflux and heartburn.Some say they get it only if a fill is to tight. I really dont know what the long term implications of this might be.The dr is so popular and is banding a huge number of people. My problem is I stay in the middle east and I am selfpay. Do I want to spend another 30000dhs at another dr now?I want this guy to fix whatever the problem is and at his cost.I payed for a service and as far as Im concerned if the issues are not resolved I didnt get the service I payed for. O,they say he creates a virtual pouch but not a real one.I am not even confused about this anymore just irritated by the lack of real information I can get.I understand that if food will sit in the esophagus it will dilate.It will aslo wear out the lower sphincter if it is placed to close to it. I would also never recommend someone to trust the medical care here.My opinion has changed all together over the past few months.I have had to take a very firm stance the past few weeks and insist on the barium and fluro and insist on being tested for H Pylori.I will know the results of that tomorrow and actually hope that it is positive just so that maybe when that is treated I might be fine after all. Anyhow,Im having a good day today and will not complain on my good days. Bad days however is a different thing. Anyhow,I am on a lot of medication now and some days it seems to work and some days not.I am losing weight however and will give this a chance to see if I dont just have a gastritis or something.

Hi (another hijack) Alexandra,I have really tried everything to get to the bottom of what is wrong.Am going for H Pylori urea breath test on Saturday.Had barium and fluro to see posistion and flow of the band.Radiologist said proximal displacement of the band, my dr says thats the way he places the band. It seems he doesnt creat a pouch,places band high and fixed to the esophagus,he has never had a slippage in 1200 patient but it seems that more people than just me take protronpump inhibitors so more people must have heartburn and reflux problems.It comes and goes and the dr really treated me like nothing was wrong and I have to just accept that. Thing is I was totally prepared for the band.Totally positive about it.Researched it for 2 years,exited about the fact that I will lose weight.I totally dont feel the band or "side effects" in the morning until round about 16:00 in the afternoon when all this starts.I never knew that heartburn can absolutely overshadow everything else in one's life.It is such an awfull feeling.Sometimes even my voice changes completely and I cannot swallow.I have to concentrate all the time to swallow. I started having these symptoms directly after the operation.It doesnt seem food related at all and everytime for the first few days after a fill I have no symptoms at all. Living in the middle east doesnt make this easy and I will go see a Dr in South Africa in December when I go on holiday to find out if he thinks something is wrong. I know this is not normal.I can see from everyone else's experience that this can be such a positive thing.The 39 pounds is just because I have decided to take advantage of this and lose as fast as possible.I need to benefit from having done this one way or the other. O, the dr actually told me that a very small persentage patients reject the band and I might be one.I had a temptrature the first week that well just was and then slowly went away.My own theory is that the band is placed to high and that the dr just dont want to reband me.My concern however is the long term damage to my esophagus but again dr says there will be none. Sorry for long "high jack".I have been so desperate and am now having to make peace with the fact that help isnt just around the corner and this might be as good as its gonna get until I remove this band.I live day by day and will see how long I can last like this.It seems the moment they took my money that was it.I was on my own. Anyhow,I surely cant find many people with same problems but the one's I can had the band removed which I dont want to do.Being self pay is of course a big concern and I dont want to spend all my savings on this. Ok,enough.I still believe that the band is a good idea.With the other surgeries the complications,when they happen, is too huge and sometimes untreatable (is there a word like that?)

hi I hate this band.I have had severe heartburn,reflux and spasms in my esophagus.I dont get any sign of being full and half an hour after eating even 4oz I want to explode....I have a very restricted feeling physically around my chest area.I get so thirsty that I cant speak sometimes....(I drink at least 2liters of Water every day) Have this changed my life? Yes and sometimes adjusting to this is so hard because I can only drink water and eat like 3oz of Protein at a time.2x a day mostly.....No social eating or drinking,going out and even walking through the mall causes pain in my stomach.Do we know what is wrong?No,the band is very high on my esophagus but the dr says rebanding wouldnt change anything.......so,Pariet helps a lot...(same as Prevacid)I cannot do any exercise that makes me "shake" or move to fast but I can walk. Would I do this again?I think so.I have lost 39 pounds in 2 months and I really have hope of getting thin.I am low carbing all the time which is tough but if I dont I dont lose weight. I am going to work with this band for 12 months and if my symptoms havent changed I will make a different plan. Most people say:"I love my band" and I dont understand that because I feel so bad at times but it seems that almost all are very happy with it.I get so jealous because I had high hopes of this improving my life (which it will if only I lose weight.)

hi EMLA is a cream that you can use to numb the skin area completely.We used it is SA for my child that had a skin implant every month and now here in Dubai I buy it at any pharmacy.It is a topicat anaesthetic. Ask your pharmasist about it maybe you need a script for it there.Here you can buy practically anything without prescription. For me it really works.Dont even need a skin local when doing fill...

hi I have a big band and it seems that there is more problems with the amount in them.I am on another board where most members get the big band and when you read there you can clearly see that there is issues with amounts. I live in the Middle East and the band surgeon comes form Belgium ( he does half of the British ladies that get bands in Belgium) It is very,very hot here in summer.Already 42 degrees Celsius and will climb to 50 soon.I wonder if that is why they are doing this.Mind you,I am seeing him again early next week and will ask what the stuff is that they use now and why they seem to think the bands lose some saline.

My friend had her op end Feb and she just phoned me from Saudi a few days ago.She had to cut her hair short.She was losing a lot and it thinned a lot.It does seem to be around 4 months that people lose more hair.I know for a fact that my friend is not eating enough protein...she likes carbs a lot and eats rice, bread (battle but eating it..) and poridge a lot....

Hi I was also very scared the first time.It was actually a good experience.I do put EMLA on the portsite half an hour to one hour before I go to dr.That way he doesnt even give me numbing injection.Emla numbs the skin area and I dont even feel the needle.All I feel is when he feels for the port but I must say he has been spot on everytime. Dont worry it will be ok..

hi I went for my second fill today and the dr told me that they are not going to use saline anymore and he removed all the saline.He then proceeded to put in something that he says have a higher density molecular structure than saline and will not evaporate.He took out a full 2cc that he put in the band 2 weeks ago so no leak there.....I am so sorry I didnt ask the name of it.He did say that the saline tends to dissapear "little little" from the band.So I have 4cc of something else in the band.......

I started feeling ready for water an hour after food.Then I would eat a 15 calorie sugar free ice lolly (10 minutes...)then I would start sipping water until next mealtime.Yes, I get hungry fast but try to stick to water until mealtimes.....(sometimes its tough though)

Me,me ....and my restriction disapeared with TOM and never returned.Had another fill today will see next month what happens.....

Hi I have lost 36 pounds since op but 60 something since Feb. One of my friends have told me just yesterday that our other friends talk about it behind my back everytime they've seen me.They say nothing to my face however...... I think people might not know how to react to the fact that one's had WLS.I know that I have lost my best friend since the operation.She's just made strange comments about me having to eat that little,then started say I dont want to do the things we did before....eating..I want but cant.....and then she just started staying away more and more.... Hey that's life.....obviously one must be able to see the difference in you what with shrinking so many sizes already...maybe they just dont know what to say..... What are you doing to lose that fast anyway??????????Great going.....

hi Ive been banded for 2 months today and I can physically feel the band mostly in the afternoon.If I sit down,I have to sit up straight or I get a feeling high between my breasts.Must say,as far as I have been able to research, it is just not the norm to feel the band.People actually say they sometimes forget they have the band until they eat to fast. I am having other physical difficulties with the band as well so that might be related to me "feeling" the band.I've had one fill but lost all restriction when I started TOM and it never did return the way it was before....Am seeing the surgeon tomorrow.....

hi I just want to know a few things.Do any of you suffer from reflux or heartburn? Do you still have discomfort in stomach area or can you "feel" the band?Any esophageal spasms? Anything????? Im not doing as well as I thought I should at almost 8 weeks out and cant get reaction from my dr. I am losing weight so I'm greatful but I want to know what is normal at this stage? Thanks for your help!!

O, by the way. I lost all my restriction while TOM.I could eat anything without a problem.I did fall of the wagon a little.Today my restriction is back and the pressured feeling around my ribcage that was missing for the past 2 days is back...I now figure I actually have a physical sensation of being restricted.How and why that is I dont know.It might have to do with the pressure on the esophagus in general...we'll see what the dr's say. Just thought I would mention that I love having the thing that stops me from overeating.It feels so normal to me to stop when I actually FEEL FULL.I love it and would like this feeling to be with me forever.

Hi I keep wanting to answer but keep forgetting.I cannot get prilosec or prevacid here in this country.I am on a presumably good protronpump inhibitor.I have tried the pharmacy for both products but to no avail. I am going for a "gastrograph" tomorrow to see if the band is in the right position and to check the motility of my esophagus.My dr says that you just sometimes get people that have a ultra sensitive esophagus and it is very difficult dealing with that.I have actually stopped taking all meds since yesterday and I dont feel better or worse for it. When I know that the band is 1. in normal position (havent slipped or been placed to low..) or that it will not cause erosion because of the reflux from day one...I will start taking the meds to relax the esophagus and to stop reflux and I will start taking pain medication more regularly to help me. I will then work to lose this weight as fast as posible because you dont know what can happen in the future. I must say.As I am sitting here it is 22:00 and I still have pain in my chest with the spasms.I know when I actually lie down (any time of day and night) all the symptoms disapear as if they never existed and that is not normal.Reflux is usually worse at night but not this. So,if I have to live like this I can do it for a period of time.If I keep my mind focused and know that it is not forever. I will get thin with this band.This was my last resort. Kathy,what does the Aloe Vera do? I actually saw it in a health shop over here so I can get that.... Thanks for your interest in this.

My port didnt buldge but I am very overweight and the dr put it deep.It is still tender to the touch after 2 months but I seem to think that is to be expected. If you get temptrature or the area goes hot and or red.....see the dr. that means infection.If you dont have a 100+ to lose then it is possibly just the way it is in thinner bandsters...I dont know...

hi Keep it up Kellie. I think you are doing well.From 118 to 105 is great. I also lost a few after my fill (only had one and 1,5ml.dont know if he put any in when he banded me..) and then it stalls for a while. Youll get there.Hope this fill does it for you..

HI Im so thinking of you.Shout at people around you if you must,they must understand. Suck a ginger root,or a clove...disgusting I know but reduce cravings.....stick it out...it is so worth it.....out of the blue one day you'll realize your not trying to put something in your mouth all the time.....we also miss the ritual of smoking a lot...keep something in your hand that you can stick in your mouth if you need to.I played with prayer beads all the time and that really helped a huge amount (a kiddies plastic necklace will also do..)A medium size carrot to hold and suck on also help.Sounds rediculess but it works.... Go girl,in a year you will not believe that you ever smoked and you will be to scared to touch one for fear of starting again and having to suffer again....

Hi How often do you take painkillers?I mean anything like panadol,Tylenol or any such thing for any pain? thanks

Chronic included,of course.

hi Thanks for answering.I am actually talking pain meds in general.For aches and pains.Ports that are sore,headache,backache,joints any thing that would get one to take pain meds. Once a day,once a week, twice a week,...... I am trying to see if post-op pill taking is less than pre-op.Most overweight people tend to self medicate a lot more than what they actually think.(Pre-op that is...)

When you do a search under a spesific member's name only 500 is available to read.Why is that? Thank you

hi I am getting increasingly paranoid about stuff like is the band positioned correctly? The fact that I have this tight feeling on the outside of my stomach is driving me insane.I am aware of pressure in my abdominal area almost 24/7.At night I can sometimes forget that I had this done because I dont have this feeling when Im lying down and even sometimes when I wake up and just lie in bed....no sensation of anything different....As the day progress I increasingly get this tightning feeling and by late afternoon I have a very "hot" esophagus and a very pressured feeling around my abdomen......and then I start worrying about long term erosion and stuff like that while sitting on my chair without my bra and nothing touching my abdomen........ The dr have never done an upper GI or Barium swallow ever.I have had the same symptoms from around 3 days after the operation.It is not changing.Is is the same every day. I certainly dont physically feel the same than before the operation.I am aware of this thing all the time because I feel like I have a SIZE 8 CORSET ON A SIZE 26 body and I cannot get out of it......Nobody told me that this was what it feels like.Nobody tells me that now for that matter.How can I just accept this as normal?It is changing my life,ok, but not positively..... I hate the way this is turning out.I did research on this operation for 2 years.I never for one minute considered that I could have "phantom" symptoms that no one seems to recognize as real that would change my life like this.. In those 2 years I tried my best to lose the weight by myself.well, I was very positive about this operation and now I feel kind of lost and not knowing how to make the dr see that this is real. I have been fat for many years but I have always been healthy and happy.I see myself as a well adjusted person without "hypochondria" and I hate the idea that this is how the way I feel might be seen by my dr or anyone else for that matter. Every morning I get up feeling good and every day I believe that this will be the day that will change my life back to normal....and every day I am dissapointed again.... Im sorry if this sounds like a whine but sometimes this gets to much for me now.It is summer holidays and somehow holiday seems so out of the question when I feel like this. Hope you all have a good "losing" day....

I am learning to think completely differently about weight and weightloss and myself in all this.I have been a very successful yo-yo dieter.My weight have never stood at any number for longer than,well the plateau I had before my first fill...... I am either gaining or losing but never just at one weight.When I hit a plateau,while being on 1000calories,I got very depressed and because I have problems that havent been sorted out yet I thought I'd made a huge mistake getting this band. This week I am at my lowest weight in 3 years and I have hope again..... I know what I should do to lose weight.....to get your own will to work with what you know is sometimes so hard..but possible...

hi Was banded 30 April.I have lost 33 pounds to date.I still have a lot of problems with the band and will be tested for H Pylori this week.I defenately have a gastritis and have severe reflux for which I now take a Pantoloc. I am now low carbing and only eating 100grams of Protein twice a day or sometimes 3 times a day with a scoop of low carb ice cream at night.I have cut the vegetables almost completely because I get a huge amount of gas and discomfort from most of it... When problems are sorted out I will start exercising again....