jmh

I had my band removed 2 weeks after I got it (October 2nd). It's a long story but in a nutshell my actual band (not my port or incision) became infected. It was very painful and very scary. I was devestated. I swore that I would never do it again however, after a month and a half of healing and recovery, I am starting to reconsider. I am considering having it put back in for a few reasons. One, I am out $15,000. Second, I am still big and still need to get healthy. Apparently this RARELY happens. Alot of ports become infected and have to be removed but they can easily be put back in. They don't know why it happened but they do assure me that it is very, very rare. I am looking for anyone that this may have happened to or anyone who has had it removed and then put back in. Am I crazy to put myself through this again? My life and my health are more important to me than losing weight but I still really want the life that the life band can provide for me. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated!!

Hi TJ Wood, I am so sorry for what you are going through. I wanted to share my story with you and tell you that based on my experience you need to take action quickly. I don't know how good or bad you're doctor is but I can tell you that my surgeron took my infection very seriously and took immediate action. I was banded on Oct 2nd and my band was removed on Oct 17. About a week and a half after I got it, I started experiencing some pain in my abdomen. It was getting worse so I went to see the dr and he first thought that there was Fluid building up around my port and band (something your body does sometimes when it doesn't recognize what is happening to your body) and they drained the area. We thought this would take care of it but the pain got progressively worse. That night the pain was unbearable and my surgeon told me to go to the ER and then come see him first thing in the morning. I went to the ER and got some blood tests and pain medicine and decided not to do any further testing until I saw my dr the next morning. My white blood cell count was elevated which indicated infection so my surgeon put me on Levaquin antibiotics. He pushed around on my abdomen and I screamed when he pressed on my band. He was very concerned with this and said that my band was probably infected. He told me that he would give me 2 days of being on the antibiotics and if it didn't get better that he would have to go in and see where the infection was. There was a possibility that it could be my gall bladder or maybe my port was infected but he didn't think so and he couldn't be for sure without going in to see. He told me right then and there that if it was my band that was infected that the whole thing would have to come out. I was devestated but hopeful that the antibiotics would work. He was very concerned and said if they didn't work that he did not want to go past the weekend without surgery. He also told me that if I got fever over 101 to go immediately to the hospital. That night I got a 101.5 fever and went to the ER. They did a CAT scan and more blood tests but found nothing. The next morning my surgeon personally drove from West Fort Worth all the way to East Mansfield (about a 45 minute drive) to go get my tests and xrays from the ER I went to the night before. He met me back at his office and said I had one more day to take the antibiotics and then we needed to schedule the surgery if it wasn't miraculously better by morning. The next morning I woke up in even more pain and we called to schedule my surgery that day. He had me in surgery by 3:30 that day. When I woke up from surgery he told me that my band was very infected, the whole area was surrounded by pus (sorry, gross) and he had to take the whole thing out. I was devestated. It's been a month and a half since that happened. My surgeon has been very supportive and my follow up visits have been very frequent to make sure I'm doing okay. My point in telling you all of this is that I feel from what you are telling me that your doctor is not taking this very seriously. I'm not a doctor but having an infection like that inside your body can be very serious. You need to listen to your body. Nobody else is going to take as much responsibility for your health as you are. Your high fevers and the pain you are experiencing is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. Trust me, I did not want to get my band removed. It was devestating to me. I've lost $15,000 and a dream of a new life. But your life is more important. I just think you should either get a second opinion or demand some action from your doctor --- and not wait until the 20th. I pray that you find answers and healing and that you don't have to have your band removed but I also pray that you take charge of your own health. I hope this helps.

Hi, I met with someone at the True Results clinic in Fort Worth today and learned that while my insurance pays for banding it won't pay for me, my BMI is barely 35 and I weigh 185 with no co-morbid factors. That's stinks but we're going to go through with it because I don't WANT to develop those co-morbid factors! Anyway, I'm looking for someone out there who used either Dr. Adam Smith or Dr. Richard Carter from True Results. I'm looking for information on their bed side manner, the process, your results, etc. Also, is there anyone out there who has used Dr. Wade Barker in Dallas? I know he will do the surgery for $10k and that would be so helpful but my husband and I don't want to go with a "Cheap" doctor. I've not read anything terribly bad on him other than his bed side manner. I'd like to hear from anyone who has had any kind of experience with him. I appreciate the advice and support!:tt2:

...has anyone heard of this happening to anyone else? The nurses in recovery said they had been at the surgery center for years and had never seen it before. My surgeon looked down my throat into my stomach and says that I didn't perforate my pouch with anything I ate and he didn't see where any of the sutures had been torn but when he went back in with the laproscpoe he saw the infection around and under the band itself. He had to take the entire device out, port and all. Now I feel like I've tossed a huge chunk of my families savings down the tubes and mutilated my body just so I could suffer through this agony for several weeks. Does this sound like something was done wrong in my original surgery? I know the surgeon had several back to back operations that morning. I'm not accusing the doctor of any wrongdoing, just wondering "why me?"

Hi Luluc, sorry for another one but I'm curious, since we are both from dfw, who did your band?

I'm laying here at 6 in the morning in totally agony over the pain of 2 surgery's in 2 weeks. I appreciate your last response and I think it's a good idea to ask for the band,I will see my doctor today and ask him for it. Looking at your success I am especially touched. I was 191 pre-op and 181 when I went in for surgery. I fluctuated b/t 181 and 183 during the 2 weeks that I had my band. Before I had the surgery I was looking for people who were under 200 who had the surgery and didn't get but one response and she had just had the surgery and no results. Looking at you, down to 123 now and running your first 5 k, you remind me of where I was going and what this journey was supposed to be about. I am so thankful that I am okay and that this didn't turn out more serious but now I have to say goodbye to this dream that I thought was going to become a reality and that really sucks right now. God has different plans for me and I am completely and totally faithful in His plan but it's just hard to re-adjust. After reading and resarching so much about the lab band, I know that it is a life saver for so many and that it transforms lives but I honestly don't think I could ever put it back in. I am in so much pain and I've put my family through a lot and I don't think I could do that again. Like I said, God's got a plan and I'm listening loud and clear as to what he wants me to do next. I'm actually feeling motivated to the challenge of losing weight without it.. not that it's not challenging with it too. I think we may take the money and invest in a trainer - not just 4 to 6 sessions - but someone who is with me always, pushing me and teaching me. I also think this process has taught me a lot more about nutrition than I knew. I never put heavy emphasis on lean Proteins and low carbs. I always did low fat, or counted points with weight watchers. My body really responded to the high Protein way by losing 10 pounds in a week and a half in my pre-op diet. So I'm trying to look at the upside. Sorry for the long post... you just gave me a painful reminder as to where I wanted to be by this time next year. I am proud of you and I wish you the best of luck with your rocking new body!!!! Take care.

Hi, I'm having severe pain and reflux 2 weeks after surgery. I've read that this might be a sign of a slipped band. I'm looking to hear from anyone who may have had their band slip and if so, what were their symptoms and how do they fix it? I also have to admit that I didn't eat right after my 1 week post op doctor appointment. At one week they gave me the green light to eat softer foods - not mushy but soft, canned meats like tuna or over cooked Pasta. I was really craving "chewing" some foods so I think I may have not eaten the right things for a couple of days and I probably ate a more like a 1 cup of food instead of 1/2 of a cup. Could eating like this for a couple of days cause your band to slip? I'm going to the doctor in the morning and should know for sure but I'm scared!!! I just won't be able to face it if my band has slipped and my carelessness or lack of discipline was the cause of it. Help! :biggrin:

So what did they do for your twisted intestine? I thought I was out of the woods since they drained that fluid from me but my pain has only progressively gotten worse. What were your symptoms of a twisted intestine and how did you fix it?

I went to the dr this morning and thank goodness it's not a slipped band. Apparently some people react to having this "foreign" port inside their body differently. Sometimes a wall of tissue forms around the port, very inflamed, and can retain fluid. This is what happened to me. They did an xray and simply drained the fluid from inside this tissue that was causing so much pain. It seems crazy that simple extra fluid could make me feel like that. So basically I had just a lot of extra, inflamed tissue and pressure from this fluid. I felt a lot of relief once he drained it but I'm still sore from this inflamed tissue. He said that this ususally subsides after a couple weeks. I'm just so glad it wasn't a slipped band! Thanks for the encouraging words...

Yes, that sounds exactly like what I am feeling. I actually went to the doctor this morning and found out that I had a bunch of fluid that had collected around my port site. Apparently whenever your body is trying to adjust to this "foreign" thing in your body (ie: the port) that sometimes people's bodies react by forming a wall of tissue around it to try and protect you. This can become very inflammed and can cause you to retain fluid. They did an xray and this is exactly what it was. He simply put a needle in my abdomen and drained out almost an entire vile of fluid that had become trapped and was causing pressure and pain in my stomach. I felt almost instant relief but it is still very sore. He said it may be sore for another week and a half or so. Maybe you had this too but didn't know it... and then it subsided after a couple weeks. Anyway, I was glad to learn that it wasn't from me having intercourse or eating something bad... I certainly didn't want it to be from something I did wrong. My first fill is scheduled for next Thursday and he said I should still get it done. Thanks for all the encouraging words. I hope this helps someone who experiences this same kind of pain.

Hi, I was banded on 10/2 (Thursday will be 2 weeks). I felt like I expected to feel for the 1st week (pretty crappy) but I got better every day and by Thursday and Friday of last week I really felt very good! I had very little pain from the port site and most of the trapped gas was gone. Other than some bad reflux, I felt really decent. However, as of this past Sunday I am sliding downhill and very fast. I have horrible headaches and shoulder pain but I am having SEVERE abdominal pain, internally (not the incisions) where I believe my port is located. So severe that I am back on my pain meds 24/7 and I have had to have my sister come get my kids because I cannot care for them. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm starting to think that maybe I've over done it physically? I only took about 4 days off of work and I have 2 small children - 2 and 6 years old and they run me ragged. I'm miserable and I have cried myself to sleep the past 2 days because of the pain. My doctors office has asked me to come in first thing in the morning but I was curious if anyone else has experienced this. Also, to be completely truthful and I'm embarassed to admit that I did something so foolish, I did have intercourse with my husband on Saturday. This goes to show you just how "normal" I was feeling as of Saturday. I know that the dr's orders was to wait 3 weeks, and it had only been a little over one. We got caught up in the moment however, we were very "low key" and did not do it for very long. Is this a stupid question..do you think this may have something to do with my pain? One more question. I lost 10 pounds during my pre-op diet (in only a week and a half) but I've gained back 3 since the surgery -- during the all liquids portion. Is this normal? I'm really feeling awful and discouraged. I'm hoping any experienced bandsters can help me. Thank you!

Hi, I'm 33, 5ft 1in. tall and I currently weight 185, making my BMI at 35. I've just recently decided to get more information on lap banding. I had gestational diabetes with my second child and I recently got my lab work back from my dr that said my triglycerides were very high. I'm afraid that I am on the fast track to developing adult onset diabetes and a multitude of other health problems. At the risk that I may sound offensive to others out there (which is NOT my intention at all), I am looking for others that have had the lapband procedure that weighed under 200 lbs. My weight is very high for someone my height and my BMI is in the obese range but most of the threads I read are from people who were well over 200 lbs. The reason I'm looking for someone around my weight that has had this done is because I want to know how successful they were at this weight range, if it was harder to get insurance to approve, if it was harder to get the weight off and just your experiences overall. I'm well on my way to reach 200 and I just don't want to get there or put my overall health in jeopardy. It's time to take action now! This website has been invaluable to me as I have researched this procedure. I'm still very early on in the process. I have an appointment scheduled this Thursday with the True Results Clinic in Fort Worth and I am looking into either Dr. Richard Carter or Dr. Adam Smith. Has anyone out there used them? How was there bed side manner? What is their philosophy on re-fills? Thank you for any light anyone can shed as I begin this scary... but exciting process! Love from Texas.... jmh