PattieW

NO, I have had complications with the band and revised with the band and now have had the sleeve for about a year. Next was gall bladder and I now have permanent GI "issues". I love my sleeve and it has been very easy to manage. Am I glad I lost 100+ lbs.....yes, Would I do it again ....absolutely not. It has been too high a price to pay.

Hi All, In the past I have begged for help with ideas for my diahhrea...I now have the answer. I'm 5 months out of band to sleeve conversion. I have had diahhrea for all that time. Not enough to keep me at home at first but lately yes. I was told " watery in watery out " meaning no solid food and no solid you know what. Next it was "you eat too much or too fast", no results there. Next is was my gall bladder, so I had it out ( I did have stones). Next it was "lactose intolerant" so I tried that...no change. Next "gluten free"...no change. All this time I kept asking if I caught a "bug" and I had antibiotics about 6 weeks after surgery for a sinus infection. Guess what he thinks I have "c-diff" a bug you get when you stir up the flora in the gut and you get it from being in the hospital. I am currently taking the meds for it and have had such relief. I hope when I get off the meds I am cured, My doc has assured my I will be. So the lesson here is keep asking and if you get no good answer ask again. You know your own body better than anyone.

Me again...mayo clinic, web md, wikipedia are all good. Just put c-diff in the google line and you will get alot of info. I also have some sites you can ask questions of professionals and they will answer you back. Mayo I thought was the best with general information.

Please be very careful with the antibiotics you have been given and taking Imodium. I was told not to take it (imodium) because it will cause the toxin in c-diff to stay in the bowel longer and that my cause some form of colitis? Please get on a good website and do some research. Give me a few minutes and I will see which ones have been very informative for me......

Cowgirl Jane, You are not hijacking you can ask anything at anytime. We are in this together. The docs can talk all they want but they don't have a sleeve and live with it everday like we do....so with my gall bladder I did not have pain either but I did have the diahhrea and vomiting. The of course with the ultrasound the quote from the tech was "if these were diamonds you would be rich"! Remember as weight loss patients we are more likely to have gallbladder problems. I had the lapband first and it slipped 2nd surgery for correction and then another (3rd) hiatel hernia and that is when they decided the band was not working would I like to have the sleeve done. I am 90 lbs down and it has been since 2008. So I can say this all or you in our group...3 surgeries, 4 hiatal hernias, now diahhrea for 10 months..Am I glad I did the surgery...yes would I do it again...NO WAY.

I was diagnosed with c-diff 5 months in and after the gallbladder removal. I had 2 courses of flagyl. I then got two negative samples. But still diahhrea. So at the same time they put me on Cholestyramine 4mg 1 x daily. That seems to hold the diahhrea in ck but I still break thru and then I too take Imodium or if I have to travel I take it preventatively. My primary tried to switch to fiber and that just caused so much gas and more diahhrea. So they gave up meaning my Bariatic doc and primary and said GI doc next. I see him next week. I did take Amoxicillin about 2 months after surgery and they think that is how I got the c-diff. I think I got it from the hospital too. I had my surgery Dec. 2011 so it has been almost one year of hell. I feel for you and I hope they start with Vacomycin which I hear is the best course of action. Please keep me informed. You have a sister in GI issues.

Hi Whitsmom08, Believe it or not I did have c-diff and one round of antibiotics did not help. I did have my gallbladder out five months after the sleeve surgery and that did make it worse. I am now seeing a GI doc. my primary doc thought I might have IBS. It has been hell. I love the sleeve as far as eating. It is a dream. But if I don't get the GI problems under control....well I don't know what to do with myself. To finally answer your question my c-diff did not show up for a few weeks also. So keep asking questions, don't just sit back and let them control your treatment. You can look up c-diff on the internet and there is alot of info. Get involved! Good luck and I hope it is cured quickly.

Hi all, I am 5 months out of my band to sleeve surgery and I seem to have bouts of diarrhea at least 2 to3 times a week. I mean run to the restroom type. I can't seem to connect it to a food or any certain foods. I have tried to eat slower and eat a much smaller amount. I go to see out nutritionist this morning and I hope she has answers. I also had my gallbaldder out because I did have stones. Any help is much appreciated!

Hi all, I had my sleeve done 5 months ago and have had diarrhea at least twice a week since???? I had my gall baldder out last week because I was having vomiting and pain after eating. Now that the gall baldder is out I still wonder what is causing the diarrhea? I had a band first then was converted to sleeve. I was never lactose intolerant with the band or even prior to the band. Help, I worried about going out for too long. If I take imodium I am ok but I know that is not good with the sleeve. Can I become lactose intolerant?

I just had an ultrasound and the quote was " if gallstones were diamonds you would be a rich woman". I am on my third surgery, 2008 lapband placed, 2010 band slipped and hernia repaired, 2011 band out and sleeve done another hernia....now more surgery for gallstones. I give! Any of you had your gallbladder out? I here it is not uncommon with bariatric surgery and weight loss.

I am now on my third bariatric surgery and now gallbladder??? I just had a scan and the quote was "If gallstones were diamonds you would be rich". 2008 lapband placed, 2010 band slipped and hernia fixed, 2011 band removed and gastric sleeve done now gallbladder! How many of you have had to have the gallbladder out?

I keep asking if I am dumping with my stomach pain and vomiting but it has been suggested that maybe it is gallbaldder? I have lost 40lbs in the last few months. Can it be? Anyone had gallbladder problems? I hear it is common with rapid weight loss.

About once a week sometimes longer I have an episode of vomiting,cramps and diarrhea. I thought it was the celebrex so I stopped that. Then I thought it was the advil so I stopped that. I thought it was the tuna sandwich so ........ I do have a chocolate kiss or two and I have had it after that but it has no rhyme or reason. I'm 4 months out from band removal and sleeve conversion. Any ideas?

I'm 9 weeks out from band to sleeve conversion. I have had a couple of episodes of diarrhea and vomiting after I eat either too much or certain foods (ice cream)? You would have thought I had bypass. It does not happen all the time? Any ideas?

I have had my band surgery (6 scars) then revision when the band slipped plus hiatal hernia repair(7 more) and now the sleeve and band removal and another hernia repair (7 more). That is 20 right! I look like I lost a knife fight....but I would do it again.

Hi All, I am 5 weeks out today. I feel like all the food I am able to eat taste "funny". I do have a sinus infection and am finally taking anitbiotics but it taste funny prior to that. It is true that I need to take foods slowly? This site in invaluable!

Thanks so so much all who replied. Ketosis is it. I thoght I was crazy and what did they do to my taste buds!

Hi All, I finally got the go ahead to do "mushies" yeh! But for the last few days I have had a lump in my throat. If I drink it will go away for a while. It is not all day and not just when I eat. I did have the band removed and a hiatal hernia repair and of course the sleeve done. Any suggestions? I can't see my Doc till next week. and the nutrionist did not have much to say about it.

Hi All, I think my Doc has scared me into thinking I can get a leak pretty easy. He says this is the dangerous time. But I think he is talking about the stretching of the "little" belly. I had a hiatal hernia repair at the same time of the removal of the band and of course the sleeve. Am I just nuts?

Hi All, Thanks for all your help in the past. I am now on day 15 and no mushies yet? I see the Nutritionist tomorrow. If I eat some things I do get a little nausea? Is this normal? Looking forward to day of being normal with my eathing. Pattie

DebiC...You are so right about normal eating. I guess after so much faliure with the lapband for three years I feel as though I have not eaten a meal like a normal person. Thanks for the words of wisdom and encouragement.

Hi All, I am just 6 days post op and my side where the port was and drain really is tight! I feel like I can't stand straight. Normal? I don't remember this with my lapband. All this said I look forward to a new start after having such a horrible time with the band. Banded Dec. 2008 lost 70 lbs. Slipped and surgery revision June 2010. Now another surgery to revise to sleeve. All three I had a hiatal hernia. I hope this fixes all and I can open a new page on the book. Loose the weight I regained (30lbs) and get to goal. Any words of encouragement....... Thanks

Hi All, I just had my 4th upper GI. This is my 3rd time having a hiatel hernia show up. My band was placed Dec. 2008, slipped and revision June 2010 with a hiatel hernia present. Now back again with another hernia. Should I just give up? I have had numerous fills and unfills. Lost 80lbs and now have gained back 20 lbs. My band has only 3 cc in it and I have heartburn. I am at my wits end????

Hi! I'm a female in my 50's. I had my first lap band surgery in Dec. 2008. I did well for about 6-8 months and lost about 50 + lbs. Then I got something stuck and threw up quite a bit. I think that is when the band slipped. My Doc decided to unfill a little at a time and it took 6 months to decide to take an upper GI and confirm the slippage. June 2010 is when I had the second surgery (revision). My Doc was a little agressive with the fills and I have been playing "fill --unfill" for the last few months. I have not lost but about 20 more pounds since the second surgery. I have support group meetings with my surgical group but they are just once a month and I need more interaction. I would love to "talk" with another bandster........ Pattie (not quite as fattie)

In response...It can't hurt to make sure of a slippage. The upper GI will also let you know if you have a hiatal hernia. I had one prior to my first surgery and there was another with the slippage so I was pleased to get back to what we would consider normal. I found a great book for all of us with the band, It has changed my head thinking so much. Remember they banded our stomach not our head. It is called "bandwagon" by Jean McMillan. She has had her band for several years and has the best testimony for a bandster. She will set you free on some ideas we were told by the Docs. I highly urge you to pick it up. Best wishes with you very special journey.