Beth Jenkins

Members, I had a thyroid cyst removal surgery 5 months after having my band installed. I have had problem after problem with food getting stuck, and thinking it was the band. My Dr. swore the band wasn't too tight. I had 7.5 cc's in a 10cc band. ENT Dr. who removed the cyst said it was a bit more invasive than he thought, they removed lymph nodes and some fatty tissue as well as some bone. Said I might feel nerve endings that hurt when the healing happened. I know can touch my chin and feel it about 4 inches below where I touch my chin. I had an endoscopy done to stretch my throat, the band was loosened for that proceedure. Then found out my thyroid is now enlarged, now I have nodules in thyroid, they are benign noncancerous, so the drs don't feel they need to be removed. They don't feel they are infringing on my esophagus or impeding my swalling. So I had the band retightened to 7.0cc's, and now I am right back where I was before, can't swallow. But, band Dr. says band is not too tight when looking under fluroscopy while drinking berium. Has anyone here had throat surgery and had similar problems...if so how did you over come the difficulty getting food down? I am stuck and get sick on 65-70% of meals. I am sick of being sick! Any thoughts... Beth

Dear Members, I had my band done in April 06, all went fine until Dec 06 when I had surgery to remove a cyst behind my thyroid in my throat. Now I have been through every test to try to resolve difficulty swallowing. Nothing can be found medically, so the doctors are saying as a result of my throat surgery it has left my nerve endings oversensitive, and when I eat with my band at 6cc's or tighter, I can't eat normal foods at all. I get sick. I want to have the band removed now, because it really does me no good if I can't tighten it to where it needs to be. My insurance (Cigna-PPO through work) did not cover putting the band in. My company does not have a rider to cover anything pertaining to WLS. I paid $17,000 out of pocket. Was just curious if anyone had Cigna in the same way, but was able to get the band removed and paid for by Cigna due to complications? Desperately looking for some financial assistance from Insurance. I meet with my Lap Band Dr. next week to discuss and will have him contact Insurance on my behalf, but thought I would just ask here too. Thanks, Beth:frown:

Because I have suffered so long with getting sick, at this point when the band is at 5cc's or less, I eat right past it because I am so excited to be able to eat and not get sick. I almost binge at times when I can eat. I would love to have gastric bypass if my Dr. thinks I can have that and not have the same issues I am having now. Which I don't think I will. I just have to figure out how to pay for it all. Some good insurance would be nice, but I don't have it and with insurance through work I can't get a supplemental policy, so I am stuck as far as I know.

I have not written since I was banded so here goes. My banding was on 4/10/06 and was done as an outpatient. I went in at 8am and was at home by 2:30pm that day. Doc said I did Great! I weighed in at 283 (and I am only 5'4") with a BMI of 46 a couple of days prior to surgery. One month out I am down 20lbs and I have not had my first fill yet. I am scheduled to get that on May 11th, 2006 and can't wait. I am almost back to eating normal, still a bit less but not a lot less than before. I totally expected this may happen so I am not so worried - I read about it here on LapBand Talk. I am sure many more pounds will start to drop off after I get my first fill. I can't wait. My only question/concern which is not of great concern is I still have tenderness where my port is and can plainly feel it under my skin. I just wasn't expecting that, but not too worried as long as it doesn't become painful I can live with that as long as I am losing! I will give you all an update as I hit each new phase as best as I can. Until then take care and feel free to write if you have any questions at any time. Thanks, Beth.

I have not written since I was banded so here goes. My banding was on 4/10/06 and was done as an outpatient. I went in at 8am and was at home by 2:30pm that day. Doc said I did Great! I weighed in at 283 (and I am only 5'4") with a BMI of 46 a couple of days prior to surgery. One month out I am down 20lbs and I have not had my first fill yet. I am scheduled to get that on May 11th, 2006 and can't wait. I am almost back to eating normal, still a bit less but not a lot less than before. I totally expected this may happen so I am not so worried - I read about it here on LapBand Talk. I am sure many more pounds will start to drop off after I get my first fill. I can't wait. My only question/concern which is not of great concern is I still have tenderness where my port is and can plainly feel it under my skin. I just wasn't expecting that, but not too worried as long as it doesn't become painful I can live with that as long as I am losing! I will give you all an update as I hit each new phase as best as I can. Until then take care and feel free to write if you have any questions at any time. Thanks, Beth.

Prayer that is. You will be in my prayers and thoughts as well as your Father and sister. My you all be wrapped in god's arms for a calm, quick and safe procedure, and then the speedy recovery with fabulous weight loss in the end! All of you will be so happy and amazed and glad you went through this trying time. May god bless you all. Beth

:help: Hi everyone, I am trying to decide which type of WLS I want, and the band had just about won me over, then I came here and I have been reading many, many posts. I keep seeing people that had the band removed because of corrosion, most seem like that happened within the first 2 years. Does anyone in here have statistics on removals due to complications? I am going to be self paying, and don't know if I can afford to have the band removed via another surgery if I have problems. Any statistics would be very helpful. Thanks!

Thanks Betty and Alex - I realized after I was done with the post my error on choice of words....silly me...good at making up words and complications! At any rate, thank you for your thoughts. I am just more confused than I have ever been in my life. I know I want some kind of WLS but I keep flip flopping back and forth between the band and the bypass RNY. I will be meeting with my Dr. soon and hopefully he can help me with my final decision. I am close to getting this all set up and the closer I get the more I contemplate and worry and get excited...just a bundle of mixed emotions on this. I guess quitting smoking 2 weeks ago might be attributing to my confusion and emotions. But if I can quit smoking after almost 25 years, I am sure I will figure this out too! Thanks again! :-)

2/17/06 - I have met the surgeon during his seminar, been to my psych eval, quit smoking, and now waiting to hear from surgeon's office. Been torn between banding and gastric rny, but leaning to banding. I am 44 and weigh in at 270 (well 268 but who's counting?). I have been overweight since the age of 17 and steady added weight each and every year until now! The madness must stop. :clap2: I am hoping to know more by the end of next week and will update my journal again then. ***************************************************

2/17/06 - I have met the surgeon during his seminar, been to my psych eval, quit smoking, and now waiting to hear from surgeon's office. Been torn between banding and gastric rny, but leaning to banding. I am 44 and weigh in at 270 (well 268 but who's counting?). I have been overweight since the age of 17 and steady added weight each and every year until now! The madness must stop. :clap2: I am hoping to know more by the end of next week and will update my journal again then. ***************************************************