MaryJo881

I was banded in November of '08 and since surgery I've lost around 130 lbs and actually below my goal weight. I'm 24 yro, 5'10" and 144lbs so I'm pretty happy, but I've felt like I've had problems from the beginning. I had terrible acid reflux to the point my teeth are chipping? a hiatal hernia, gallbladder removal and come and going pain. Well recently I have had terrible pain. I am literally bent over from the pain for about 3 days and then it resolves itself. I went to my gp and he did an X-ray and discovered I'm incredicbly constipated. I've been taking meds for that for some weeks but the pain keeps coming back. it's mainly the center of my upper abdomen and then to the left. Oh and the left side of my abdomen is swollen! I have had my gp and a GI doc look at it and they both don't tell me what it is from. I'm just getting frustrated with all the pain. Have any of y'all had similar problems and it end up being related to your band. Let me finish my saying I do have a realize band so my port is in the middle of my upper abdomen. Thanks y'all.

I'm not sure what caused the slip but I did have a bad case of the flu a year after being banded so I'm sure all that vomitting could of had something to do with it. My band was sitting at the bottom of stomach with more than 90% of my stomach above it so it would of be impossible to fix it with a simple unfill.

All I can say is listen to your body. If you think you are having lap band complications then there is a good chance you are. I had my band removed and the surgeon said the slip was worse than he thought. More than 90% of my stomach was above the band and he fears that there is nerve damage and I might have to have part of my stomach removed so in essence a gastric bypass. I had an upper GI and another X-ray after the surgery and they both show liquid just sitting in my stomach and not passing into the intestines. I will have one more upper GI and if it reveals the same then there is a good chance I will have another surgery. I'll keep updating.

Thanks y'all. I am going to just try to maintain my weight. Since the doctor said that the band couldn't of been doing much for me anyways and I haven't felt restriction in forever, I don't think it will be too much of an issue.

Thanks y'all. I am going to just try to maintain my weight. Since the doctor said that the band couldn't of been doing much for me anyways and I haven't felt restriction in forever, I don't think it will be too much of an issue.

UPDATE - ENDED UP BEING MY BAND!!! I have been living a nightmare. Since the cyst was found I have had a total of 3 CT scans, 2 endoscopies, an MRI and spent the night in the hospital. Also, I had a tube inserted into my side which drained into a bag I had to strap to leg. I have had over a liter of Fluid drained. Several doctors were working on my case. I was finally told to check in with the baratric surgeon and he said the band has slipped to the bottom of my stomach. He has never seen anything like it before and shocked I'm not incredibly sick. Well he told me that today and I am having the band removed tomorrow. I couldn't be more satisfied to be rid of it. It has been a nightmare from the beginning.

Well I went to my gp today and he told me that he spoke to a number of GI doctors and they can't conclude it is a cyst related to the pancreas because it is so large. I have been scheduled an emergency endoscopy ultrasound on Monday and given Vicodin for the weekend. Once we have a better idea what sort of cyst it is then the doctors will give me the game plan. Either way, it will need to be either drained or surgery to remove it.

UPDATE FYI I did call to set up an appt to meet with my band doctor, but he is on vacation and next week he is overbooked so they wouldn't let me come in for 2 weeks. I went to the ER and received a CT scan with contrast. Luckily, there is no problems with my realize band. I've thought from almost day one that I was having problems related to the band. Well I found out today that what I thought to have been a dilated portion of my stomach caused from the band and eating too much is actually a large cyst wrapped around my pancreas. Go figure.

So I had my endoscopy today. Doc found a hiatal hernia but she isn't too concerned about it. I just don't understand, I feel pain and its hard for me to keep food down. She said the hernia wouldn't be the reason for pain. Well I drank a lil water afterwards and can't keep it down and it tasted very acidicy coming back up. I think I'll call my lapband doc today and see what he has to say.

Hey y'all! So let me start off and say I was banded Nov of 08' and lost nearly 90lbs so I'm pretty happy. But I've been having terrible acid reflux and lately it is to the point I can keep hardly anything down. Also I've been experiencing pain in the middle of my chest - right below my breat but above my port. I can feel a large bump and a tiny bump directly above it. They don't protrude out, I can only feel them while pushing. If I just ate something and I push on it, then my food automatically comes right back up. I'm too embarrassed to ask ppl if that's a body part there or if it is some sort of growth. Any ideas? I know I need to go see a doc, but idk what sort to go see. Should I go to my gp, a specialist, or I wait a few weeks when I see my lap band doc again? Any advice would really help...thanks y'all!

Thanks :scared2: I have actually been thinking hiatal hernia myself. I did go see a gastro a few days ago and I have an endoscopy scheduled for Tuesday. I'm getting real anxious. I've been feeling so much pain radiating from this spot and even though I had a slight unfill a bit over a week ago, I'm still sliming mushies EVERYDAY!!! Most of the time I can't even keep my protein shake down..it just feels stuck in my chest. Whatev tho...I'm getting really discouraged with this band :cursing:

Oh okay thank you. I hope this is the case...I mean the doc can always take some of the fil out if it is too tight...I would be devistated if I had to pay for an operation on my own..here's to being optomistic!

So I am 4 months post-op and have lost about 40 lbs..but hardly anything for a month. I received a my 3rd fill 2 weeks ago but really didn't get too much restriction. As of yesterday I have been getting a tightness if my chest whenever I attempt to eat and sometimes I do that PBing or whatever it is called when I throw up my food with tons of salvia. I have only PBed a couple other times..but I have never had this tight chest..and I am discouraged I've haven't been losing much anymore. Please someone tell me what you think this might be...does it sound like a slippage? And if it is a slippage..how does this work? Does the surgeon operate right away or is it scheduled for another day. It is Saturday and I'm out of town..so I can't really call my doctor right now :thumbup:

I had my surgery this last Monday, Nov. 10th. There is an indent in my stomach where one of the incisions are. When I questioned the nurses they said they have never seen this happen and never heard of it neither. I asked my doctor and he said it is normal and it will grow back the way it should. He said that is where the camera and lap band were inserted and there is a stich there. I am still worried about it, because it is causing me tons of pain. If this happened to you or you know anything of the sort, then please please let me know about it. I need some piece of mind...even if it isn't good news.

Aww man I wish I could eat my "farewell" foods, but I've been instructed to lose 12 lbs before surgery (in a month) or it will be postponed..grr

Hey! So my name is Mary and I'm 21 years of age. I'm new to this..and very nervous. I really don't know what to say. I just scheduled my surgery for Aug. 11 with Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. I leave for T.J. on Sunday, Aug. 10 and come back home on Wednesday, Aug. 13. For those that are questioning prices (as which I did), the total cost is a little less than $8,000. This covers surgery, pre-op tests, hospital stay as well as 2 nights at a 5 star hotel, and transportation to and from San Dieago Airport. I think it is a pretty sweet deal :biggrin: Umm...so a little background about me. I currently work for an airline, so I have free travel benefits. I can fly down to San Dieago and back for nothing. However, a week after my surgery will be my last week with the company. I received a new job with the FAA as an air traffic controller and will be going to government training at the end of August. Here comes my tricky part. I want to get the surgery done before I quit so I have the free flights, and also my training consists of Monday thru Friday and definently no days off allowed. However, I will be relocating from Kentucky to Oklahoma, where the training is held. That is for 3 months, and then I will be relocating to Stockton, CA to start my career. I'm going to try to get down to T.J. at least for my first fill while in Oklahoma, but not sure if that is going to be possible. I'm going to need to find a fill doctor in Oklahoma, and then in Cali. I feel like it would be smarter to wait off...but I will get this surgery done and then be able to relax in a class room for 3 months. Well, anyways that is me. I hope that didn't sound stupid lol.

Hey kfgates! I'm not even trying the insurane route. Not only will it take me more time than I want to wait, I don't think I will be approved bc I have a BMI less than 40. Oh well...and I rather not gain more wait to MAYBE get approved. I'm going to Mexico because it is cheaper, but also because it doesn't take forever to get an appt in. I was actually going to have the surgery done in Ohio, but changed my mind after I found out I was to move to Cali. With that doctor I had to go to a seminar, then it took a month and a half in order to get in for my pre-op tests, and then I would be able to have my surgery in 4 weeks. This way I scheduled one month from the date...the other way would of been 3 months. I'm not sure quite yet where I am going to get fills. I'm going to start calling around to the local doctors to see who will see me. If none will then I'll make arrangements to either go back to T.J. or travel to a Fill Center USA.

Hey I'm new here. I just set my date for Aug 11. I would like to join the group if possible. :biggrin: I'm from Erlanger, KY...right outside Cincinnati, OH. But I'm getting banded by Dr. Ortiz in T.J.