blackcherry2002

Ugh just upset. It happens every month. I'm a week away from my period and I've been eatting everything! I know I'll get some control over it in a bit but it's just frustrating how it always happens...

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?

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 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.

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.

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.

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?

Productive Burping

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.

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....

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, it's been really hard for me to find information about this and I think everyone has their own opinion about what a MINI thigh lift is. From what I've heard the standard inner thigh lift is either around the groin area and sometimes down to the knee...and in some cases it is just a 10" to 12" scar running along the pubis crevis towards and around the butt. One place described a mini thigh lift as I would understand it. She described hers as an incision around 4 inches. This would be ideal for those that don't have sagging all the way down to their knees, etc. Most of my problems are in the front and inner thigh, definite improvement would be seen but I don't think the incision would need to be more than 3-5 inches tops. Anyone had this done or heard anything about it? I do have a consultation coming up but I'd like a cost estimate.

Oh yeah, my scar is neither going down my thigh nor around my butt. It will be a smaller incision only in the groin area, probably stopping halfway to my butt through the groin. So, it's mini. Not a full thigh lift, whose incisions would be either of the aforementioned.

Sorry that didn't help me much. I'm still worried about the infection rate with the inner thigh lift, but since my scars wouldn't be anywhere near my butt I don't think I've have the same problems with sitting. I plan on talking with my surgeon again just to clarify what I meant with the mini. He shook his head but...I've had too many experiences where they just don't listen. But I still plan to go ahead with surgery especially because I know I have the time now and support now, whereas in the foreseeable future (next 15 years) I will not have either. So it's kind of an all or nothing situation. Unfortunately.

Ah yeah. My dr's reason was for the pain after. He said he could do the tummy tuck in an hour and a half, "since I don't have a very large abdomen". So, I don't think time is an issue. I'm pretty sure he thinks I cant handle the pain. I'm a wuss...I'm sure I couldn't but at least I'll be getting pain meds that work. After my lapband my pills didn't work so I went without any since day one. Though obviously, much less invasive...

Ok, well just got back from my appointments with both lapband and plastic surgeon. What's planned for or what I atleast was/am planning for is a port revision, a tummy tuck, and a mini thigh lift. However, I got quoted 5400 for my tt and 3100 for thighs. That may just be the surgeon's fee. Who knows....Anyway, problem is, my doctor doesn't want to or think I should do the TT at the same time as my thigh lift. Anyone have thoughts? I feel like I'm already taking out so much time, I've got the support of my family, and it's going to hurt like hell anyway...I might as well do both.

How bad were your thighs? I was/am interested in all of the procedures. I'm for sure getting the tummy tuck done. However, now I'm so tempted to just go all out and do thighs or a breast lift. Really in a good bra I'm ok....but...I didn't realize how much skin I had around my thighs. It's all upper/inner thigh and compared to a lot of you out there who have it much worse, mine barely looks like it's loose skin, just a bit of sag. Will a full tummy tuck help this or do I need to ask my doctor to really pull up around the groin area?

Just wanted to know, whether approved or denied, how long did it take your insurance to make a decision? (Specifically if you have/had Aetna, I'd like to hear from you.)

Well my rapid weight gain was caused by thyroid and PCOS. So I am gathering all medical records that relate to either and bringing them to my plastic surgery consult. I will then....pretty much beg for him to write a recommendation for reconstructive vs. cosmetic. I'm sure they'll do the usual pictures too. Going to make sure I practice my "most" saggy skin poses...haha.

I don't expect to get approved except for my port revision but the sooner I hear back, the sooner I can start my financing...and the sooner I can get the surgery I've been waiting for for four years

Ok so I'm going to see a second plastic surgeon (this one doesn't charge a $50 consult fee ) Anyway, first time my insurance denied me. However I don't think my surgeon then explained much of anything in the letter or whatever to the insurance. Here's the thing...they covered my lapband completely. I went from 270 to 135. I do have a lot of hanging skin, it doesn't look like it because it's being held up pretty well so it just looks like I have a fat belly still basically except that it folds hot dog style on itself as well as rolls? If that makes any sense but yeah it's really loose. And here's the reason for that and the reason I hope my insurance will cover: About 1 to 2 years before my lapband surgery I ballooned from 165 to 270...and I did it in 7 months. I had went to my gyno right before this and had her check my thyroid. She said it was fine. In fact it was 5.6 or something which is NOT in the .3 to 3 or even .5 to 5 range for thyroid. So a year later after my body was streched beyond belief, I went to get a mental health check up for suicidal thoughts. They tested my thyroid again: 22. Also, at the time I told her I thought I had PCOS. She laughed and said no I don't have and she wasn't going to test me for it. Well guess what? Yup have PCOS too. So basically my question for those of you a little bit more insurance savvy than myself...do you think I could get insurance to cover a TT since it was caused by a medical condition (almost like 'reconstructive surgery')? I do have a tiny rash problem underneath and I keep getting belly button infections on top of it all however I don't have those documented and don't feel like doing such since I'd have to pay for a dr's visit everytime I got a tiny rash, sorry but I'm a college student, it's just not possible (especially since that money goes towards dr's for my thyroid, hormonal and mental health issues).