babsintx3

Joe, Earlier this week, I was at my surgeons office since they were considering a new band for me post op year 3. The surgeon gave me a secured band and told me to tug on it until it unclipped. It took quite a bit of force to undo it with both hands tugging on it. Its one of the reasons that when a surgeon puts in a new band that they CUT the other one out because laparoscopically it is almost impossible to pull apart a band that is in someones body already and secured. I dont see how it is possible to have your band unlatch. If you ever get a chance to hold one that is clipped already, you would know what I mean. Something sounds really fishy here. I would definitely try to get more information about this. Babs in TX Banded a long time

Hi Bright, After having my own band scare and having a surgeon tell me I need a new band even though I didnt makes me concerned that you are worrying unnecesarily and an EGD (endoscopy) might give you the answers you are looking for about your band. If I did not have the endocopy that I had on Monday, I might be under the knife right now or worse be concerned that something is wrong that isnt. THe endocopy was a piece of cake. They knock you out completely. The camera is so small I cant see how it could do damage to your band since they are on the inside, not the outside and the esophagus even on a banded person is more than large enough to accomodate the scope. I would of course make sure that the person who is doing it knows bands and actually knows what they are looking at, but other than that, why not do it if it is a covered procedure? It turned out that my throat, pouch and stomach are all fine and I have the pics to prove it. Please consider this option. Babs in TX

Hi Everyone, Michele: I was surprised when he did this fill how much air was in my band that he took out before he put the new in. I am still able to guzzle Water, but the capacity to overeat solid Protein is definitely gone. I had 5 ounces of meat last night slowly chewed over 20 minutes, some broccoli and one tablespoon of rice. It all went down, but definitely required a lot more work than before. PAM RN: THere are lots of local docs that will do fills. Any reason why you feel the need to go to Mexico? I figure you were banded there, but if you are gaining weight and you need more restriction, having a local provider makes a big difference. There are docs that will do fills for local patient. I understand regain. I gained a lot since last year post PS due to lack of restriction and not weighing myself. I will no longer stick my head in the sand since thats what I feel I was doing. You seem to have done so well. The aches and pains that are plaguing you may not show up on flouro. Its just an Xray and I have had so many of them done in 3 years and they dont tell much. The endoscopy I had on monday is so much better tool to figure out what is going on inside the throat stomach and pouch. Maybe you can get one of those done/ the procedure code will be covered by insurance . Babs in TX

Hi Everyone, Well I am back! The surgeon seems stumped but the verdict is: I dont need a new band. Repositioning my present band might not get me a better result (weight and restriction). It is larger than it is supposed to be, but not so large or damaged that it requires another surgery. My throat is fine, although still slightly enlarged My pouch is slightly enlarged, but looking relatively healthy, no lesions, just a little crimping on one side of the pouch. THere is a small area of my throat that looks irritated, but the doc doesnt know why. You can see it very clearly at the base of my throat and I have the pics. My new surgeon feels that my band might have been too tight and although I didnt have symptoms of a too tight band, it probably contributed to the pouch enlargement from overeating. He gave me a fill in his office back up to 2:00 CC, which is .50 less than I had before. He wants me to go get a flouro locally and send it to him so I don't have to travel so far and then send it to him next month to see how things are looking. I kinda have mixed feelings about all this, since I really dont feel that I have answers to my questions. I am happy that I dont have an erosion, dont have any serious problems in my esophagus and stomach, but at the same time, why isnt my band working the way it should??? I have some restriction which I can feel this morning drinking my coffee. Lots of gurgles and burps which I think are a good sign. So I remain optimistic. Thanks for the support. IT is a appreciated. Babs in TX

Hi Alex, I really have always liked your laid back approach, since I am far too uptight about issues that don't have solid black or white answers. Now, back to the business of losing weight with my "desensitized" esophagus.! LOL I am now convinced that I will never really know the answers and I will just have to do the best I can with what I have. SIGH Babs in TX

Hi VC, Sorry for all your problems. What a way to start your journey! From now on, only good things will happen to you! (those were my happy thoughts) Babs in TX

Hi Everyone, I found a new doctor in Dallas and he met with me last wednesday about my slip/prolapse/ dilatation. What a difference from the way I was treated by the previous surgeon. I knew when I went in his waiting room that I was off to a good start. He had all kinds of coffee and teas available for his patients. He had Protein shakes and Protein Bars, comfy lounge chairs etc.. Nothing like my experience with the "other" barbaric surgeon I was with a couple of weeks ago. His nurse took all my data, weighed me and did a 15 minute BMR test on a machine and gave me a full report. The surgeon spent 1 hour and 30 minutes with me going over my banding history, looking at the most recent flouros from doc #1 and seemed interested in ME as a person. To confirm what he thinks is going on, he personally runs my flouros (XRAYS) over to the hospital and came back 15 minutes later. So this is the quasi verdict: My esophagus looks abnormal. It is wider than the band. My band position is not ideal leaving me with a super huge pouch which will not shrink back to size and appears to prolapse a little in one corner. Its possible I may also have a hernia. It would seem that if I want a working band, that I will need a new band. It is not clear whether my insurance will pay for a second band. They will pay for removal, but a new surgery takes a lot longer than the original surgery. They will not be able to salvage the original band unless I consider an open vs laparoscopic surgery. It is too hard to unclip the existing band laparoscopically and it is a lot easier to cut it out and then install a new one. I no longer qualify based on morbid obesity, although I have regained some weight. I am scheduled for an upper GI at 1:00 PM today to confirm whats going on in there. I do not have a properly working esophagus although the doc thinks that it will resume to its normal size at some stage unless theres something more going on in there. So although none of the news seems to be good, I am glad I found a compassionate doc to take care of me. He will be scoping me today and we will see what happens. Thanks for all the hand holding!!! Babs in TX

Hi Shelly, I am glad I have insurance to cover most of the cost associated with my band. My total financial commitment over the last 3 years has been around 2500 bucks in deductables co pays etc.. That will sooon end for my family when we run out of health care in November if my hubby does not find work by then. We will see. I got a call today from a surgeon that I was scheduled to see in October. His office moved my appointment up til tomorrow, so thats good news. It will mean I should be able to have my upper GI real soon to see whats going on in there. Babs in TX who is presently living on liquids for two meals a day and eating a small dinner. the pounds are flying off!!!

Hi Derbygirl, I wouldnt think so. One of the reasons why you need the surgery is because you are diabetic. Weight loss usually will help put the problem in remission if you lose enough. I was diagnosed with hyperinsulinemia which is prediabetes. I am insulin resistant and the problems associated have disappeared since i have lost the weight. Don't worry Diabetes is controllable and it is a comorbidity associated with obesity. Many of us here have the operation to help us resolve the need for meds. Babs in TX

HI Everyone, Thanks for the support. I found someone in Dallas who can help me and I am working on this right now. I may not need another surgery. As confirmed by another surgeon who looked at my photos, an EGD would give more information since I am asymptomatic for a slippage. I am going to explore this option first and then consider surgery. The really bad news is that I finally saw my true weight. I gained significantly more than I thought and I am sticking to liquids for two meals a day (since myband is empty anyway) and eating one meal only. I need to drop some pounds. I keep you all updated. Babs in TX

Hi Again, Tired old man: I am curious why you think I need to find an attorney? The new surgeon is not obliged to help me in any way. Shelly: I am doing liquids for two meals a day now and dinner eating very light, not because I have to , but because I want to continue to lose weight and help my band at the same time. I am finding that its really not hard and its keeping me focused as well. Thanks for the hugs. Geezer: I definitely would get rebanded. They are saying its a slip, so I dont see any reason to have a different WLS. The doc I went to see yesterday that I am NO longer seeing said that he would just cut my existing band in half and put in a new one. He says repositioning is kinda waste of time and its easier just to put a new one in. I have not had any indication that I am not a good candidate for another band. I am talking to two surgeons now and hope that one of the two will be the right one for me. They are in my plan and willing to reband . I have the flouroscopy scans showing my band one month ago and today as an email attachment so I am able to send them for a second opinion. You are right. The most important thing is to have a strategy and stop feeling sorry for myself. Thats what I am doing. Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Hi Carlene, A prolapse is when your stomach is actually hanging over the band. A small portion of my stomach has done this due to the pouch being so large and the band slipping. No one knows which one came first. Probably the pouch dilation and then the prolapse and then the slip is what I am guessing. But who knows?? Its like the chicken and the egg. A slip can happen for no apparent reason, a prolapse will happen sometimes with a slip and a pouch dilation can occur from eating too much and pouch packing which is the common cause. Babs in TX

Hi Everyone, I kinda have my answer ( a partial one)! When I went to my lapband surgeon yesterday, he noted I have a prolapse and slip. THe prolapse means I have food sitting in the upper pouch that is kinda trapped which could account for the stomach and intestinal distress. I still think a lot has to do with the amount of coffee and tea I am drinking so I am gonna cut back on this. Thanks for all the answers. I probably have lactose intolerance as well. Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Hi Anniemay, She sounds like a winner!!! Good luck with your banding and fills!!! Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Hi Olive, I dont really have an issue with the phentermine itself. I already have a prescription, didnt like them because they make me shaky and roughed it out on my own for 21 days on liquids. The problem is the doc not wanting to acknowledge or support me after suggesting I go on another 30 days of liquids. He didnt really think that it would work anyway. He just doesnt support taking any kind of suppressant. So that's over. Leatha: No, he didnt address the esophagus issues cause he only was looking at my band. He said that he thinks its a slip with a pouch dilatation which means I was probably overeating and my band was too tight. Neither of these things make sense since if I knew I was overeating (pouch packing) I would have stopped doing that, but I wasnt getting the full signal. THe problem with pouch dilatation for me has been chronic. I looked at my records as early as a year out from banding, I was already having this problem. I have printed up Veningas info. He is in my plan and I am going to call him today. Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Hi Clovermeg, I thought of that, but I didnt have a lot of stomach fat in the first place. What I did think was maybe some intestine and stuff were moved around in there and now that the stomach cavity is smaller and stuff is more gurgly and noisy. That might be some of the problem, but still something I am putting in there has to be causing all the distress.... Babs in TX

HI Annie May, I have no idea who your surgeon or fill doc is. Bryan is near Houston isn't it? I am in the DFW area and now have my fills at the Surgery Center which is an AIGB center of excellence. A nurse practitioner does the fill with flouroscopy and a barium swallow.Before that, I used to have them done at the Medical Center of Arlington TX by the radiology department. All of them seem to know what they are doing. Make sure whoever does your fills knows what they are doing and only pokes you once to get the needle into the port. Anything more than 3x is too much and you need to walk away if this happens. OK? Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Happy Tuesday morning! FYI: For anyone who thought I was serious.........:heh: Geezer: I am still gunning for ya! Holiday is OVER! :clap2: LOL Hi Vinesqueen, Elizabethsew, Carlene! You guys rock for being nice, but ya know I was joking. Its always nice when people pay attention to you and acknowledge your existence..... A little more niceness on this board would really go a long way for everyone. Today is a new week. Hopefully everyone will PLAY nice!!!!:welldoneclap: Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Hi Guys, My appointment is tomorrow with my banding doc. I am having low grade gastritis, but I think it might be the fact that I am drinking a lot of coffee and tea and need to cut it out. I have an empty band and the hunger is definitely coming back with a rage, so I dont think I have a slip, but rather a pouch dilation like indicated. Shelly: I too had the pooling in my throat and for the better part of three weeks it was also the same unfilled, but now that is going away too and I dont feel anymore pooling. Drinks are dropping through. Alex: You are right. I am also going to try to be a really good girl When allergies come rolling along, I will try to take claritin or something else. 68% is a great result, although if you were my mother in law, she not only claims I am bigger than her size 20 (I am a 14/16) but she also doesnt remember me being 340 pounds and a size 28 either! LOL So according to her, I am still the same. I had to go in my closet and get a size 28 out for her to see the difference! I'll give you guys an update tomorrow!! Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Cashely, You can do whatever you want . Be rude. But you are still wrong. As I mentioned, I was NOT aware my band was too tight. I felt that I did not have enough restriction. Inamed recommends that our portion size should be 4 oz. So just because you can eat 10 ounces doesnt mean you should. Even when I did have proper restriction with no problems, I still could always eat more than 6 oz of food. So come back in a few years and lets see if you still think you know what you are talking about. Babs in TX 334/180 ish -154 ish

Hi Cashley, FYI: The secret to the band is NOT only good restriction. If that were the case, I wouldnt be here 3 years out with an empty band due to pouch dilatation or possible slippage which was due to the fact that my band was too tight, my esophagus not working properly etc.. FYI: I did not have any signs to indicated that I was pouch packing and causing dilatation. My band was too tight , my esophagus does not work properly and I was not geting the full signal and started to eat more and more and more. So restriction was not the problem. I had proper restriction. Probably too much although I was not aware I had a problem. I did not throw up, nor did I have a problem with solid protein etc or any foods for that matter. Which means that MAYBE I should have been more conscious of my decisions to eat more and more???Just because I could eat a 10 ounce sirloin I shouldnt have??? I was hungry so I ate because I could, but at some point I must use my brain instead. Thats what Gayle was saying. You do not have a right to be rude because you are not correct. Babs in TX 334/180 ish -154 ish So in my case, just because you can doesnt mean you should did apply to some extent.

Hey wait geezer! Its the diet pills that are talking. I popped a Phentermine this morning. I take one every 3 days and they keep me from overeating while on liquids. Figured I might as well lose weight at the same time I am doing my liquids only thing. Technically, I am done with this, but I figured what the hell, I might as well keep going since I am not hungry. I'll be nice. I am so sad about your lack of weight loss this month on your 4000 calorie a day plan. Maybe you should cut it back to 3500? LOL babs in TX

Hi Geezer, No, I dont feel even a little bad about your lack of weight loss. I am gunning for everyone now that I know I can in the Rant and Rave section! Hey, Whats an SB?? Is that like Super Bitch or super bandster?? babs in TX

Hi Geezer, Ditto that statement! I have a pouch dilatation or possible slippage and didnt have a clue. Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Cashley, That line "Just because you can, doesnt mean you should" was quoted by Jessie Ahroni who is a bandster and published author, diabetes specialist, Phd nurse practitioner who is located in Washington and works for a well known bariatric practice. It was used out of context here, but holds very true for many bandsters who say they can eat a whole pizza pie and then complain they aren;t losing weight. Now in this case, it really didn't apply because the person was asking a legitimate question about having first bite syndrome followed by a bottomless pit scenario where they were still able to eat a portion which they felt was too large for a person with proper restriction. I guess what I am saying is you have a point, but you were rude in making it Gayle made some good points and you were extremely disrespectful. Babs in TX 334/180 ish -154 ish