drewsmom

I was banded in 2008. I lost about 100 pounds but then started having severe reflux. I did the fill/unfill process more times than I even know. I live 4 hours away and felt like I was constantly going back and forth to the office in Durham. In 2011, I had to have my gall bladder out. I had Dr Portenier take it out and he also did a gastric plication at the same time. He said my band looked great. Since then, I have gained 30 pounds and have had constant reflux. Now I can't even lay down without having acid shooting up my throat (and sometimes out of my nose). I really want the band removed, and to get a revision to RNY. Does anyone know if Dr Portenier does this type of revision? I am pretty sure Dr Sudan does, but how do you switch surgeons if you are already a patient of someone else? I really like Dr Portenier and would love if he would do the revision. I have searched google and can't find any posts of anyone having band to RNY revision at Duke. I can find tons on the DS, but my BMI isn't high enough for that. I also lost a lot of hair with the band and am worried about this happening again with a revision. Any ideas?? Thanks so much!

I had surgery March 26th and have only lost about 20 pounds since then, and it has been through hard work alone. I walk on the treadmill for 40 minutes 5x per week. I have cut way back on my intake, although I can still eat just as much as before. I know this because I ate a HUGE salad last night because I was so hungry! When I say huge, it was stacked 3 inches tall off of my dinner sized plate. I ate it all, with no problems. No sticking, no sliming, no PBing...and honestly, it felt so good to actually eat. Here is an average day for me: Breakfast: 1 small apple, 1 small light yogurt Lunch: 3 slices shaved roasted turkey w onion and mustard, 1 pickle, a large Naval orange Dinner: Broiled fish, shrimp or scallops with lemon & some kind of steamed veggie Snack: sometimes I will have a 100 calorie fat free pudding, but not everyday (maybe once or twice a week) I never exercised before surgery. I never ate like that before my surgery. I was a large eater, like a pound of fettucine alfredo with tons of parmesan cheese and garlic bread. I know that the 20 pounds I have lost in the last 4 months have been through diet and exercise. Everyone kept telling me I would get restriction after I had a couple of fills. I have had THREE fills. My band holds 10cc's, and I currently have 7ccs in there. My last fill was the first week in July. I feel no different. Anybody have this experience? Everyone expects some miraculous weight loss, but it isn't happening. I feel like I should have had the bypass. Thanks for reading my rant!

Hi, I was banded on 3/26/08 and have only lost about 15 pounds. Since I started at just over 300 pounds, that isn't much. I have had 2 fills, the first of which did absolutely nothing for me. The second fill I had restriction for 2 weeks, then again....nothing. I also think my reflux is getting worse since being banded. I am scheduled for another fill on Wed the 9th. I want to get a fill, but am scared about the reflux. I have even been looking for people on the web who have switched from the band to the bypass. I wish I had gotten the gastric bypass instead of this. No one told me that it was so difficult! I was told the band restricted the amount of food you can eat. If that is so, why can I eat so much without getting full? I am not testing the band, I am FRIGGIN HUNGRY!!! If I could lose weight through strict dieting and exercise alone, I wouldn't have needed the surgery! Anyone else as frustrated as me???

Sorry, yes it was March 26th, typo!