Shleb

I was banded on 8/13/07 and then re-banded on 8/17/07 due to slippage and herniation. I didn't have any complications after that except starting my fills later than most people do. Since about the end of this September (2008) I've been experiencing some vomiting after eating. This was attributed (by my dietitian and surgeon) to not chewing well enough and eating too fast. I took the advice to chew better and slow down. The vomiting was almost instant and the relief was as well. I'm sure that some of you know that feeling of relief when the food isn't stuck anymore. This past week, I had a BAD experience with lunch and was vomiting for almost an hour after only eating a couple of bites of my lunch. It hurt-I had pains in my stomach that I had never had before and I've never vomited more than once after eating a meal and this time it was 3 times. In between vomiting, I had these awful sharp pains that traveled from my stomach up my esophagus and then nothing happened, and I would get another one that started in my stomach and traveled up. I had never experienced this much pain from vomiting before. I was scared, because of my complications so early on-that I decided to contact my surgeon's office. They again said it was from not chewing well enough and/or eating too fast. (This was food that I had tolerated before and not had any problems before that day) They told me to do Clear liquids the rest of the day and if I couldn't keep anything else down or got the sharp pains in my stomach again, that I would need to go to the Emergency room of the hospital that she is in-which is 2 hours from where I live. Luckily, I was able to keep some Soup down for dinner and avoided exercising for the night, just to let my body settle down. The soup made me sick to my stomach, but I think my stomach was just sensitive from the vomiting earlier that day. So needless to say, I didn't have to make the 2 hour trip to the ER. Well, this past weekend, it happened again. I had dinner on Saturday night (leftovers from dinner on Friday night, that I had tolerated fine on Friday night) and this time I had the same thing happen- I felt sick for about 10 minutes before I finally threw it up, then still felt like I needed to vomit again. This time I vomited twice, and it hurt again. The pains in my stomach weren't nearly as bad as they had been during the week when I got sick, but I still felt like it hurt more than it should have. Now I am having pain/discomfort/pressure in my port area. Sometimes I experience discomfort just because it's there and sometimes it's when I'm exercising. I had a fill on 10/14/08 and now have 2.5ccs in a 4cc band. So I am a little over half full. I still don't feel like I am all that restricted, although I have lost quite a bit of weight since surgery (although I am discouraged by losing weight slowly and wish I could lose more) The prospect of needing an "unfill" has come up, but I feel like it's counterproductive to my weight loss. I have to drive 2 hours for everything and I don't want to drive up there again to get Fluid taken out of my band- it's discouraging to think that might be a possibility. Soooo, basically- I am kind of worried because I'm afraid that my band might slip again, or might be slipping, or eroding-or some other BAD thing. I don't think my surgeon would do another band on me, and the idea of having to have surgery again is UNTHINKABLE! I had such a hard time having it twice in one week, I don't think I could do it again. Has ANYONE out there experienced anything like this? To be vomiting at this stage in the game is frustrating because you think it's something would deal with in the beginning-not over a year out. And does anyone know if a band will slip suddenly, or can is slowly slip until it's completely slipped? I know what signs to look for-because I had a slip before and it was absolutely awful. It was right after surgery, so I thought the pain and stuff was normal, until I started to vomit blood-that's when I knew something was wrong. I haven't vomited blood this time, but I'm just paranoid about this. Does anyone have anything for me? Trying to be patient and positive about this...

I have never heard of that before-I don't think it will hurt to drink water. I was able to drink normally after surgery-I didn't need to take sips. Try it-if it's too much, the water might just come back up. I have had the hiccoughs before and not had any problems except that they are annoying.

My band slipped right after surgery, even before I was awake I would say. My port hurt really bad-so bad that it hurt to move and I was afraid to cough. I could get liquids down okay, but once I ate soemthing solid (scrambled eggs) I got really sick and vomited for hours before I finally start to vomit blood-that's when I knew something was wrong. I found out that my hand had slipped, the back side of my stomach had herniated up inside the band and caused an obstruction. I had emergency surgery to have that band taken out and a new one put in and I was fine after that.

I posted a thread a week or so ago about getting worried about the symptoms I was having. I was finally able to get into to see my surgeon and she did an "unfill." Here's the basics...I have a 4cc band and on October 14, 2008, I had my 5th fill, putting me at 2.5ccs. Since then, I have been really sick with vomiting (not that often, but more often than before) stomach pain (like a stabbing pain), nausea, heartburn/acid reflux and port pain. My "unfill" brought me down to 2.25ccs and my surgeon told me that if I wasn't feeling better by Friday, then I needed to come back and get more out (this was yesterday). I've never had an "unfill" before and I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this and HOW SOON was the relief after you had the unfill? I am still feeling sick, still with port pain, stomach pains (the sharp ones) and some what feels like heartburn/some chest pain. My PCP physician gave me Protonix last Friday to help with what was going on and it did help, but it doesn't quite last all day either. And I'm not sure if it's masking some of the symptoms I would be having if I wasn't taking it. Anyone, have anything?

Well, the .25cc unfill didn't work and I went back a couple of days later and my surgeon did a complete unfill. I have no Fluid in my band right now. This happened on Friday (11/14) She told me if I wasn't better by Monday, then I would have to come back again. So I have an appointment tomorrow at 11 to see her again. I am still having port pain, nausea (it gets a lot worse after I eat anything!) reflux/heartburn (that causes pain in my stomach and my chest) and sharp pains in my stomach. Does anyone have ANY idea what might be wrong? I have no fluid in my band-but I'm still sick!

I was directing that to the person who posted the thread...but it sounds like your band might be too tight. Maybe you should see about getting some fluid taken out, sometimes a small amount can make all the difference.

My program says absolutely no NSAIDS after surgery-forever. No Aspirin, Ibuprofen or anything like that. I would check with your surgeon just to make sure it's okay that you take it.

I usually have a lot of discomfort in my port after a fill, usually for a day or two. Are you feeling discomfort where your port is? Or in your stomach? Your band might be too tight...

I also have a 4cc band. I was banded in August 07, had a slip and had another band put in that same week. My surgeon waited until I was 3 months out before we started doing fills. By August 08, I had had 4 fills and was at 2ccs in my 4cc band. I honestly feel like sometimes I have no restriction, depending on what I eat. October 14th I had my 5th fill, which brought me up to 2.5ccs in my 4cc band and guess what? It's TOO TIGHT! I was really sick and had to have an "unfill" yesterday and so now I have 2.25ccs in a 4cc band and I still don't have any relief from the heartburn/stomach pain and port pain that I was having when they decided my band was too tight. It's frustrating to find out your band is too tight, and yet you still feel like you don't have enough restriction at all.

Is anyone else having the problem is dealing with the "head" hunger and/or eating when bored? I know these were both problems for me before I had surgery, but I feel like they are worse now. Does anyone have any strategies for not eating when you're bored or trying to beat out the "head" hunger? I think that consuming these extra calories when I don't need them has something to do with not being able to lose the weight that I want to.

Where are you going to have your band done and do you have a surgeon yet?

My complications were very soon after the operation was over. I came around with severe pain in the port area, but attributed it to the general pain I would experience from being cut open. I went home on liquids even though I was allowed to eat soft high protein food. 2 days after coming home I ate some scrambled egg (and by some, I mean maybe two or 3 small fork fulls) and instantly felt sick and had pressure in my chest. After I had thrown all the egg up, I continuted to be sick until I vomited bloood and then new that something wasn't right and had to make the 2 hour trip the ER at the hospital where my surgeon is and had emergency surgery first thing the next morning. ( I got to the ER at 4AM) The complications weren't anyones fault and once they were corrected, everything was fine. Although I am fearful of complications in the future (as I have written about in another post on here) I still find that I have problems with getting bored at work (which is easy since I am still in training, can essentially do nothing but read and have no one to "officially" train me) and also with the head hunger. I'm having a hard time fighting off the head hunger, which happens a lot when I'm bored. I am also experiencing some pain/discomfort in my port area, that has gotten worse in the past couple of days. I'm not sure what's causing it, but it makes me nervous. I think that preparing as much as you can before surgery is the best thing to do. Practice chewing a lot and eating slowly. And sipping water. Make sure you stock up with the things you can eat right after surgery as well. You might not feel like being up and around for a couple of weeks after surgery. The more you can do before surgery, the easier the adjustment will be after surgery.

I am finding that I have problems with getting bored at work (which is easy since I am still in training, can essentially do nothing but read and have no one to "officially" train me) and also with the head hunger. I'm having a hard time fighting off the head hunger, which happens a lot when I'm bored.

Hi everyone. My name is Shelbie and I live in Machias. I was banded in August 07 by Dr Toder at Eastern Maine Medical Center. So far I've lost 52 pounds, which is great, but discouraging as well because I was hoping for more in the first year after surgery.

Hi all I am almost 3 months post-op and I have recently started experiencing dizzy spells. I go back to see the dietitian next week and I can talk to her about it then. But I was wondering if anyone here has experienced the same thing and what was causing your dizzy spells. I haven't passed out or anything, but I have felt like I was going to.

No. I am not on meds for anything actually.

Hi there. I am in Machias, which is wayyyy downeast in Maine. I am 2 hours from Bangor and that's where I had my LapBand done. They have an excellent Surgical Weight Loss Program there and the staff is awesome. I had Dr Michelle Toder of Northeast Surgery and she is excellent. I am not really sure how far you are from Bangor, but I do the 2 hour drive for all my stuff and it's not too bad.

Heather- I am also in Maine. I am 22 and I was bordering on hypertension before I had the LapBand done. Where are you located in Maine?

Dr Pleatman- My original band slipped and my surgeon went in and replaced it with a new band and re-positioned it on my stomach and I am doing much better this time around.

I too gained a lot of weight from the shot and I decided to stop doing it before I had my surgery. It was also giving me migraines which I couldn't handle. However, there is an increased risk of blood clots when you use any sort of birth control, but if you don't smoke and you remain active after your surgery, like getting up to walk frequently, you should be ok.

2bhealthy- i sent you a message on here, but i guess that you didn't get it. yes I had dr toder and I was banded on August 13th. Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have.

Hi there. I was banded on August 13th in Bangor by Dr Toder. She is a wonderful surgeon and she really knows her stuff. I have also heard good things about the surgeons in Portland as well. Bangor was really my only option and I live 2 hours from there. Traveling to Portland is about 4-4 1/2 hours for me, so it seemed as though Bangor was the right choice. I hope for the best for you if you choose to go with the Band.

Hi there. I am also 22 and I just had it done 10 days ago. I'm in that stage right now where I am wondering if I should have done it or not, just because these first few days have been really rough. Everyone deals differently. I'm a senior in college, but I am also a volunteer FF and EMT-Basic with my local ambulance service. Needless to say, with not being able to be on call and school hasn't started yet, I'm pretty bored and that's the hardest thing about being stuck at home. But I think that if you decide to do this, you will be very thankful in the end and I wish you the best of luck. I hope that you find a surgeon that is as skilled and as down to earth as mine is!!!!!!!!!! Shleb

My band slipped because the back side of my stomach herniated up inside where the band was place. The re-banding went much better than the first one, pain wise. I was hardly in any pain at all while I was in the hospital and I haven't had to take much for pain meds since I've been home either. I'm just a little weary that it could happen again, since it has already happened once.

I was wondering if someone could give me some information on the band slipping. If anyone has had anything like this happen, you may be able to explain. Here's what I would like to know: What causes a band to slip? Is it something that just happens, or is it something that the person does? LIke vomiting too much or eating too much? How often do people experience this? I know this is specific to each surgeon, but for people who have had a slip, does your surgeon take it off and immediately replace it with a new one, or do they just say that's it? What kinds of things will you experience if your band has slipped? I have already had one band slip due to stomach herniation and that was immediately after I had the band placed on there.:think My surgeon took me in for emergency surgery and replaced the band with a new one. I don't think right now that my band has slipped, but the fact that it can happen scares me. I just want to be prepared in case it should happen and I feel that if I know these things, I may be more prepared. :help: Thanks everyone!!:faint: