blackcherry2002

Well I made an appointment with a new dr. My initial doctor and the other doctor that did the port revision are both now gone from that hospital. And I'm mainly just looking for similar experiences from people. Not a diagnosis.

Ok so, I have been totally fine with my band. Never had any huge issues. Last year I went in and had a port revision and tummy tuck. Now about 10-11 months later I go to the gastroenterologist for different problems. But they do an Upper GI Xray and they said the barium won't go down. Well that's weird because I really haven't had any problems. If I eat super fatty food I get a little acid. But prilosec takes care of it. And say if I eat really tough meat or Pasta (which gives us all problems anyway)...then I may get burpy or like I'm stuck. But I have been getting increased burping (really gross ones too, sorry TMI)...that's probably my only symptom. The xray tech and gastro have NO clue about lapbands but after looking online and finding pictures of what a band slippage looks like...mine looked awfully like it. Plus they said that my band looked as though it was placed almost opposite the direction that it usually is placed. Which is something my initial doctor could have done anyway but...the full baggy pouch above the band...make me think slippage. Any opinions? Did any of you have almost no symptoms when your band slipped?

I'm in the process of making a new appointment with a different doctor. When I called in though they said the head nurse will have to approve it and that usually they don't let patients switch doctors. Which I thought was the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Also, if I do have a pain it's usually on my left side or low almost near my hips/pelvis. I very rarely get it on the right hand side. So I'm a little leery about the gall bladder idea. I did keep track of what I was eating the last month and a half (but didn't quit for fear that I'd be tested and it wouldn't show up...since that's how that works)....it did seem that days I was heavier in gluten I felt worse and ones that were less I felt a little bit better. I did try to go gluten free for a few days but it was over a business trip and it made it impossible to do it more than a few days in a row. I think I successfully did 3 days or maybe 4. I did notice that I suddenly became regular. But I don't know if that was a coincidence. For now I'm continuing it until I can see a doctor that will properly test me.

I'm thinking of finding a new doctor. There were issues when I was telling him my problems in the initial visit too. He doesn't speak English very well. I feel bad for wanting a different doctor but communication is a big deal. I don't think it's a gallbladder issue... though that's frequent on my mom's side of the family. I get pain and cramping depending on where...I'm most blocked up :s...but that's a majority of it. Otherwise I just hear lots of gurgling and don't go for a week and a half...or more. And then there's bloating and gas/burps. But I've had these issues for many many years now. I would think my gallbladder would have exploded in me by now haha But from what I've said that doesn't sound like a band issue does it? Or am I just crazy? Despite small periods where rice or popcorn would give me problems I can pretty much eat whatever I want with the band. I just had steak last night and corn and things digested well.

Ok all, it's been a long time since I've been on here. The lapband was very successful for me and it'll be 5 years next month. I need some 'banded' opinions. I went to the gastroenterologist. See, my whole life I've had problems. I've had constipation for over a decade, I started getting horrible acid about a year before I was banded, vomiting my whole life (never had a fever, would just feel sick and then after I'd feel back to normal). Anyway, I had been trying to keep track of food I had eaten and I was really starting to suspect Celiac disease. I also have Hashimoto's so...I have a history with Autoimmune problems. So I go in after years of pain and I see a dr. He scheduled me for a whole bunch of tests: colonoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, an xray. Haven't done the others but the xray...well I had a weird reaction to the barium. It kind of tingled and burned a little going down and made me really sick. I didn't find the taste gross at all so it wasn't that (and yeah, I know I'm weird). It was about 5-10 minutes after drinking I started having a full body reaction. I got clammy and almost passed out....then threw up the barium and I felt almost completely normal again. I then guzzled a big glass of Water no problem. However, (though they didn't wait long for the barium to move down), they said the barium wasn't going past my band. Which is silly because I have absolutely no problems with eating or drinking and I was opened wide up for a port revision under my muscle less than a year ago. They said my band was placed correctly except it's kind of the opposite direction that most are placed however I got the big band and I'm a very tiny woman and my doctor had also initially placed my port a little funny too. I think he had reasons for it and I don't question it because he had done many surgeries and was an award winning doc. To make a note of things, the acid only happens when I have super fatty food-just like it did BEFORE the band. Otherwise all of my problems are in my intestines-I love my band and it's never caused my problems before. I rarely PB anymore. And I only throw up with certain foods (thus why I suspected Celiac). But now my Gastro has canceled the colonoscopy and basically just wants to make this about my lapband. 1. My actual problems don't seem to be getting addressed. 2. I'm afraid this is just going to be a costly side trek and it'll just end with them saying they probably want my band out.

Totally agree, though it's nice to get a generalized idea. But let alone between different people, you'll probably feel differently about 4cc(or whatever you're at) at different weights. At 250 = Sweet spot. At 150 = I can go crazy at the buffet. Haha.

Ha, I'm glad I'm not alone on that willowcat. And yeah, weirdest thing, there are some foods I used to be able to tolerate and now can't. Likewise, there were ones I couldn't eat that I now can. Popcorn used to be a big no-no. Now most days I'm fine. However...rice...most of the time....ouch. But that comes and goes. I've noticed quinoa doesn't give me as much trouble. Maybe I've just gotten to the point where I know when a stuck episode is going to resolve itself or when I need to just give in and get it out. As far as eating too close to bed, I do have to say that that is occasionally the issue. But I have had a handful of times that I'll eat around 7pm...go to bed around 1 am....and throw up undigested dinner around 6 am. I guess you never stop learning with this thing.

Productive Burping

So I've had the band a long time. And when I searched for this problem of course all I got were really frightening pages that said I was going to die. Obviously ridiculous and the sites were not that legitimate. So, I thought I'd ask some fellow banders for their experience. I have the usual PBing if I eat too much etc. But I've noticed that if I eat later than usual (and maybe an hour or two before bed) I can wake up with bad gas/pressure just like PBing and I go throw up. Usually quite a bit of my food is undigested but as soon as it's up I feel fine and this specific problem has maybe occured a handful of times in the last 4 years. 99% of my days I have no food intolerances, no PBing, can't even tell I have the band (besides eating less of course) Also, I can easily fight the urge to throw up but it's pretty uncomfortable and so let myself. And usually it comes up all in one go, so I'm not sitting there dry heaving. Things to consider before telling me I have a major complication: • Most of the time it's with hard to digest food (raw, super-fiberous veggies...dry chicken...etc.) • I maybe eat a little too much at these times, but not enough to put me in pain immediately. • I do have acid reflux and had it before the band (band has actually helped a ton), I occasionally take 1-2 Prilosec and sometimes I've wondered if that can sometimes bring about this problem since it decreases acid production....therefore, I'm assuming, causing digestion to be a bit harder. So....any similar experiences out there?

I'm sure this topic is dead but my surgeon is going to do a port revision on me and I haven't heard of anyone doing it this way. Anyway, since the low-profile isn't that much thinner, he may replace the port to the slim one but then he's stiching it under my muscle. I didn't have a choice of doing it laproscopically so I'm doing a tummy tuck at the same time. Hopefully he uses the same incision but my plastic surgeon was blabbing on about another higher incision and I was like, whoa! no, you're going through the same hole! That's the whole point! Anyway, I have my pre-op two days before surgery so I'm realllly going to double check haha (Also, if I decide to get fills after this it's going to be through muscle and crazy painful, so I'm having him give a teeny tiny fill while he's in there.)

Hey all, what are the different types of scar treatments have you tried? I know the silicon strips are supposed to work well, but it seems really expensive. (Although I just found out they aren't one-time use haha) Any cheap things that helped you heal up faster and with minimal scarring?

Well I have PCOS and an underactive thyroid as well. I have high cholesterol and I think I put down muscle and joint pain as well. Also, I had to put family history down as well and I have heart problems and diabetes on both sides of the family so, maybe keep that in mind. However, I agree with the others but the lowest I've heard of doctor's operating on (or insurance covering) is a bmi of 35.

Thanks you guys for the advice on what to expect. Keep the comments coming. I'm thankful I'll be spending a night in the hospital and after that I'll be at my mother's place until I heal up....or until one of us goes insane, which is highly likely. How many of you experienced smaller stomach/tighter band after the TT? I was going to have my dr put in about 1/4 cc but I'm still debating. Xavier, I'm actually getting a port revision as well. Standing up straight, my port sticks out by almost an inch. I really like creeping people out with it haha. But my doctor said he may try a slimmer port...but here's the kicker...he's sewing it under my muscle. It's going to hurt big time. They'll be getting cut open and then stitched up tight again. Jachut, At first I was irritated my doctor wanted me to spend the night in the hospital but from what I've heard from everybody it's probably for the best.

So, I don't want to jinx it but I have a surgery date set for July 25th, about 4 days shy of my 4th bandiversary. I've wanted this since I lost about 50 pounds. I'll try and post pictures after my surgery, but it may take awhile since I'm a huge wuss and will probably be in severe pain, however, I know it'll be worth it. Just a small question for those out there that HAVE had a TT (or a C-section, or some kind of similar surgery).....How badly exactly does it hurt? I didn't take any pain pills after my lapband but that was laproscopic and I'm not sure if I can take that as a measure of my pain tolerance....