starrgirrl

I highly recommend that you contact your doctor. It sounds as if you might be too tight. Only the doctor can properly diagnose what is going on. It is important that you take good care of the band so that you can keep it a long time. There's nothing to be scared of -- they will be able to ascertain what is going on and help you with it. Wishing you all the best!

This is a helpful discussion. Another interesting question would be -- how long were you banded before experiencing a slip? There is not a lot of information on people who are 3+ years out. I've had my band for over four years and have just been diagnosed with a slip. I actually just subscribed to the medical journal for bariatric surgery so that I could read up on long-term results. I'm not knowledgable enough to interpret what I've read for anyone else, so I won't be posting anything from the journal. However, it does appear that the risk for complications increases over time. When I say increases... the percentages are still on the small side. My experience with the band, is that over time I was able to eat a bit more and a bit more. It was not an act of rebellion, but rather an organic change. I attributed it to the change in my stomach that came with the weight loss. I also assumed that the band was looser now that there was less fat around my stomach. However, when I went for a check up, I was diagnosed with a dialated esophogas (this was 18 months ago). I was put on liquids for a few weeks and then told to resume "band" eating. What is hard to navigate, is that with dialation or slippage, we no longer experience the type of restriction that we had when first banded. Therefore, managing food intake becomes much more based in "will power" than intuitive eating. One of the reasons that I got banded was because it was going to allow me to be more intuitive with my eating patterns... I could listen to the "full" signal and then respond. The full signal comes much later now due to the slipped band. As a result I've gained back almost 30 pounds. It's interesting reading this board and others like it. A large percentage of posts are from people wanting the band and people who have been recently banded. There is tremendous enthusiasm and much of the information is centered around helping with the learning curve of living with the band. (... and this is as it should be! I benefited greatly from forums such as these when I was seeking more information and support on my banding journey). However, I welcome finding places to talk with more long-term bandsters. It seems as if we have slightly different challenges than the people one or two years out of surgery. As for symptoms, I am able to eat more than before (examples -- a 6" sub from Subway.... 4 to 6 pieces of sushi... a big salad.... one soft taco + Beans + rice... None of these are awful amounts of food, but it is adding up to much more than I was able to eat when first banded). I'm also experiencing acid reflux at night. I wake up coughing and gagging. It's painful and very unpleasant. I still believe in the band and am grateful for the gift it has been to me. It is very likely that mine is coming out. And that's OK, too. I've had four wonderful years of having the opportunity to heal issues related to food and body image and now I'm in a very different place. I'm not the same person who had the surgery four years ago. We'll see where this journey goes next... but I know that it will be a blessed path.

Hi Tracy- I had a leak in the tubing right at the port site. It was very difficult to diagnose. They had me go through xrays, nuclear medicine. Finally the doctor decided to go in surgically and check the port and tubing. That's when he found the problem. Assuming that the issue is only with the port and tubing, corrective surgery is much easier than the original banding. Mine was done in a surgical suite as an outpatient. I was home the same day and had minimal pain. I was back at work the next day. Actually, I had port revision surgery twice. (the first time was to reposition a flipped port, second time was to fix the leak). Both times were an easy recovery. Lots of prayers to you for graceful resolution!

Hi- At one point I was rather tight... it didn't last too long because I went for an unfill. Then I was at a good point for a while. However every once in awhile I would still PB. I began gaining weight and noticing that I could eat quite a bit more, so I thought I needed a fill. At the time, I had to go to a new doctor as our insurance company had changed. The new doctor first wanted to see my band under floro. That's when they saw the dilation. It had been over a year since I'd seen my prior doctor. A few weeks later I had a really bad episode with stuck food. It was awful and resulted in painful hiccups that caused me to feel intense pain at the band site. It really concerned me, but the doctor examined me and didn't find anything unusual. However he didn't look under floro. Instead we waited to see if the pain resolved. I now suspect that this is when the band might have begun slipping. My symptoms are being able to eat quite a bit more and acid reflux at night. The only way to really tell what is going on is to have it checked under floro. It's an easy test and reveals volumes about what is going on. Lots of light to you!

Hi- I'm new to this forum. I was banded in February 2004. For the longest time, the band was my miracle. I released sixty pounds and maintained my weight around 200 pounds. While this wasn't "skinny" it felt very healthy to me. In December 2006, I slowly began gaining weight. Over time, I've found that I can eat more and more. When I had a test under floro done last March, they said that the band was still tight, but my esophogas had stretched. I went on liquids for a few weeks. It's now almost eighteen months later and I've slowly found my way back to 229 pounds. I've found ways to eat around the band. This was not purposeful, it's just that now I'm noticing that I've become more of a grazer and the band is no longer my sentry or my signal to stop. I can eat sandwiches, burgers, an entire lean cuisine... none of these things are bad on their own, but the band used to help me with portion control. Now I'm able to eat more "normally" and on top of that, I'm eating things like chocolate and Cookies. It feels like all my old unsupportive habits are back in play again. This makes me so sad... In addition, I've started to experience acid reflux in the night while I'm sleeping... all of a sudden I wake up coughing with acid in my mouth. I'm going to see the doctor this week and have scheduled another floro. I suspect that I'm going to need to have the Fluid removed from my band so that I can "rest" everything for awhile and let the esophogus calm down so that I cannot eat so much at once. Truth is I'm rather sad about all of this. For a few years I experienced total freedom from compulsive eating. I lived with tremendous trust that my band and I were trusty partners and that I could release myself from having to worry and not have to monitor what I was eating all the time. But old habits are back now, and I'm able to eat in ways that aren't supporting maintaining a lower weight. My dream is to feel the exquisite freedom of not having to monitor my eating all the time. I would love to be in total sync with my body, my appetite and food. A long time ago when I was on Phen/Fen, I experienced what this was like. Within an hour of taking my first dose, I didn't care about food... and I craved things like carrots and apples. It was a miracle and I remember thinking, "so this is what it is like to experience food like a normal person." The band gave me that sense of freedom for a long time. But now I feel like I'm back and square one... Please send prayers and light that I gracefully find my way in healing this experience for the last time and that I begin eating in a way that honors and supports my vibrant radiant health! Thank you for listening... I just needed somewhere to share this morning. Starrgirrl

Hi Tracy- I had a similar problem. When I was first banded, my port was in an funny position and it made fills very difficult. I had to have it repositioned. Then my band wouldn't hold a fill. It turned out that there was a tiny hole in the tubing right near the port -- it must have gotten nicked during one of the difficult fill attempts. So they had to go back in and replace the port and tubing. It was a pretty easy procedure and it only involved the port and tubing, not the band around the stomach. Hopefully your situation can be resolved just as simply!

Hi Everyone- Thank you for the loving support. I'm still processing all that is coming forward for me. My food addiction is still quite present and I'm aware that these next six weeks provide a wonderful opportunity to explore ways to heal my relationship with food regardless of my band status. Whether it stays or goes, I really want to have a more balanced relationship with food. My husband is totally supportive of me... we're talking about starting to exercise together and bring healthier foods into the house. I'm grateful for your love and support! Starrgirrl

Please continue working with your doctor. They are still assembling data on the long term effects of the band. From what I understand what you are experiencing is not uncommon. I was diagnosed the an esophagus dialation... now I have a slipped band. We have an implanted device inside our bodies and it is important that we take good care of ourselves. Each of our bodies reacts differently to the band. I don't believe you did anything wrong. I'm sorry you are having a difficult time. I can appreicate the feelings of disapointment that are coming forward. I can relate. I'm realizing now that I have to come up with Plan B and I have no idea what that is at this time. Lots of Light and Prayers to you! Starrgirrl

Hi- I was banded in February 2004. It was awesome and I lost 60 pounds. But at the beginning of 2007, I began gaining weight and I could eat more. In March 2007 I was diagnosed with a stretched esophogas and was put on a liquid diet for a while. Things seemed to be OK. But I continued gaining weight. This week I was diagnosed with a slipped band. This means that there's quite a big pouch above the band. Once I saw it under flouro I thought, "No wonder I'm gaining weight..." My symptoms include acid reflux and ability to eat quite a bit more than before. In July they're going to do surgery to either reposition the band or remove it. They'll decide how to proceed once they're able to view the band during surgery. From what I understand there are more complications long-term than originally thought. The reality is that the band is relatively new here in the U.S. There aren't that many of us who are four and five years out. I know the band has been used in other countries for a longer period of time. If any long time bandsters are experiencing symptoms, please get yourself checked out. The consequences of having a slipped band are potentially significant. I'm grateful to have had mine diagnosed and take comfort in knowing that it will soon be resolved. Starrgirrl

Hi Everyone- I thought I would write a follow up to my original post. Yesterday I was diagnosed with a slipped band. The doctor showed us the flouro and compared it to a "normal" banded patient. As a result of the slip, I have a rather large pouch above the band. This explains why I've been able to eat so much. Over the last 18 months, I've gained almost 30 pounds. I now understand why... the band hasn't been working properly. In March of 2007, I had flouro done with a different doctor. He said my esophogas was dilated. I now wonder if it was actually slipped at that time. They're going to do surgery in late July. The doctor says he'll reposition it if he can, but otherwise it will have to be removed. I'm preparing myself emotionally for the likelihood of it being removed (that's my intuitive hit of what will have to happen). So I'm going to spend the next month preparing myself mentally, emotionally and physically for this big shift. I've purchased the book Optimal Wellness that Oprah's been talking about and I'm going to clear my diet of the foods that are triggering my addictive behaviors. There are some big changes underway... It would seem as if the rate of complications on long-time bandsters is higher than originally thought. I'm so grateful to have been banded and I hope that they can still make mine work in a way that will allow me to experience health and wellness. I enourage anyone else who is experiencing the same symptoms as me to get checked. Lots of Love, Starrgirrl

Hi Kathy- Lots of love to you, too! I'm feeling much better already... logging in and sharing the truth of my experience has helped me take a deep breath and look at what is happening from a loving and neutral place. Hi Hastings - I can appreciate the intention that you are sharing. I guess what I'm referring to is freedom from the constant urge to indulge and comfort myself with food. When I speak of "normal" I think of my friends for whom food is not an emotional trigger. They eat when they are hungry... sometimes indulge in treats... but food does not sing to them the way it does for me. For example, I don't drink alchohol. It's never been my thing. It's very easy for me not to drink. I can pass by a bar and not have a longing and not need to "control" myself from drinking. It's just not my trigger. However, for someone who has an imbalanced relationship with alcohol, it will take tremendous will power not to have that drink. I desire a healthy neutral relationship with food. One where I do not have to use a lot of will power to monitor my intake. Instead, I'd love for it to be organic and gracefilled. I don't actually believe that all "normal" people monitor their weight and intake. It is very natural for them and they don't have to work at it. I'm not saying that some people who are thinner don't work at it. But I do know people who have healthy bodies and weight and food is not their issue. All that being said, food is my issue. And no amount of "I wish it were different" can change that. So, I'm looking at adopting a healthier eating pattern that hopefully will help break the cycle of addictive food patterns. Wish me luck! Starrgirrl