LoisinStA

I am 64 years old and had to have my lap band removed 6 months ago. Needless to say I put on almost all the weight I had lost with the band and can't stand it. I am planning to go back to Mexico in the next month or so for the sleeve. I have just started to hear of issues with older patients like myself running into situations where they need their appendixies removed sometime after the sleeve surgery and then needing hernia surgery. It is. supposed to be a more current problem. Anyone out there experience this or even heard of this happening? Thanks in advance for your help

Thanks for your response,,,you are telling me what i was hoping to hear. As well as I did with the band I expect to do that well with the sleeve. I had the band removed here in St augustine and couldn't afford to have the sleeve done here. I don't have any health insurance. It is much cheaper in Mexico and the care I got was wonderful. It sounds like you had no adverse affects which is very encouraging to me...I appreciate your taking the time to respond. Good luck!!

I developed aspiration pneumonia from the lap band...I was very successful with it...lost almost 80 pounds and kept it off for 6 years, I was put into the hospital and as a side to the pneumonia I was told I had to have my band removed, That was April 20 and I have gained upwards of 40 pounds with no end in sight, I am very seriously considering having the surgery for the gastric sleeve. I have sent many folks to Mexico where I had my surgery and they all got the sleeve and are doing very well. One person I know is not doing well....,after she got home she had appendicitis, after that surgery she had to have a hernia removed and is not losing weight. She is trying to talk me out of it saying that it is different if it is revision as opposed to being the first bariatric surgery one has, She also has terrible GERD but had that prior to the sleeve surgery, I am hoping I can find someone(s) who have had the sleeve as a revision and find out how it went so that I can be an informed patient. I am 5 months out from the removal of the band,,,do not have gerd, never had it, I am 64 years old and finally in good health...a few minor issues but nothing to prevent my having the surgery. Thanks in advance to your help. Lois

Thanks for your replies. I have many friends who have the sleeve surgery, not the revision, and they are going well, If I pay attention to stop eating or drinking before bed, I am hoping to avoid GERD, I never had the problem with the band.

I had my band removed 5 months ago due to aspiration pneumonia and lots of bacteria in my lungs from throwing up. I had the band put in April 2008 and did very well until the last 6 months when i started throwing up. I want to have the sleeve surgery but I have heard that is it very common to develop GERD and someone I know also developed a hernia and she is not losing weight. She had both surgeries done at the same time? Can that create the issues she had post-surgery? Thanks in advance for any advice, or experiences that you have had Forgot to mention that I now weigh 162 pounds and going up each week, I feel I need to have a surgical procedure to get me back to optimal weight and keep me there,

I was banded in Mexico in April of 2008 and have lost a total of 75 pounds. I have not had a fill in a long time and I think I am at a good spot with the band...Sometimes I don't chew enough or eat something that I shouldn't and throw up but it is tolerable. My biggest problem is drinking after I eat...I get thirsty and there is just no where for the liquid to go so it comes back up. I had lost about 60 pounds and wasn't excercising...then I got a job at a retail store and within 6 weeks had lost an additional 15 pounds and my weight has stayed within 1 pound up or down for the past 11 months...I am walking about 1100 steps a day. I have no regrets about having the surgery..I am off of blood pressure medicine and my diabetes drugs have dropped my blood sugar to a very good range. I have loose skin primarily because of my age...I am 61 and my skin does not have the elasictitiy that it had when I was younger...oh well...not that big a deal. If I win the lottery I might consider surgery.. Just thought I would throw my two cents in...good luck all...and hang in there...it does get easier.

I never had heartburn before my band...after a too tight fill I developed it and have been stuck with it ever since even though I have had the band loosened...I have had it tightened again and it is back in force...will probably have another little unfill. I cough and gag all night long and at some point late into the night or early in the morning I throw up...not sure if it is acid or bile. I tired taking prilosec and I guess it helped but then I stopped taking the pills and it has started up again...I am going to try to remember to take at least one a day to see if it will stop it.... It is so strange for me to have heartburn...I have had to stop coffee, spicy foods..things that I never had a problem with before my surgery...but I would not trade in my band for anything....BTW...I had my surgery with Dr. Zapata also....

Since my band, I have developed indigestion problems which has made me quit drinking coffee. I have a hard time feeling awake and almost drove off the road the other day going to work..starting investigating energy drinks when a nurse friend of mine talked me out of them. He suggested I try the energy drink put out by Mona Vie. I ordered them and they arrived today.,.in looking at the can it said it was "lightly carbonated" which I didn't know when I ordered it. Has anyone used this beverage and will the light carbonation be a problem for me...I have given up all carbonation...recovered from my Diet Coke addiction..don't want to stretch the band. If anyone has used these drinks...please let me know if it will be an OK solution for me.

There is finally a solution for a local fill in Jacksonville if you were banded in Mexico. Fill Centers USA has contracted with a local surgical group to do fills for us...contact Fill Centers USA for appointment...I went today and got a fill...so glad I don't have to drive to St. Pete or even Deland.

Thank you so much for your response. I will call the doctor's office on Monday. I will not mess around with this...I did buy some generic prilosec which I will take but will definitely go for an unfill. It's amazing to me that I can eat as much as I do and still be too tight. However,,your story was most compelling. I have to travel 1 1/2 hours for a fill but it will be worth it to get rid of this problem. Thanks again for your help....

I have a similar problem...started to notice I was putting on a few pounds so I got a little fill. Since then I have acid reflux...never had it in my life before. I am not too tight because I can still eat - probably more than I should. Starting taking Zantac but it doesn't seem to help. Read somewhere that I need to stop eating 3 hours before bedtime and drink fluid to clear out the pouch before bed. I am going to try that.