Less2Luv

Well I am giving in and having my band replaced. I am scheduled to have surgery a week from today, November 6th. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I hope things go better this time and I dont have to go through what I did with the last one. My surgeon said the bands today are made much better than they were when we got ours. I sure hope so. I have gained about 30 lbs back and it is worrying me. If I do it before the end of the year my insurance will pay 100%, i have met my deductible and out of pocket for the year so I am getting it done. I will let you all know how it goes. I am sure it will be fine! God bless Renee

Yes I am good now. Gained about 20 pounds back. I thought oh I have eaten this way for 6 years it will be easy to keep the weight off if I just keep eating the same way. UMMMM NO NOT SO EASY I like food and dont have much wheelpower at all. The band for me was a life savor at the time. I lost over 100 lbs which improved my health ALOT.

Kinda weird how it all came about and a lil grose too. I started feeling really bad every afternoon back in the summer of last year. By November I was throwing up every afternoon and evening, it would start out as air, awful amounts of air with alot of pressure behind it then turn into dry heaves. I went to my regular dr, the PA seen me and did a xray which showed a large gas pocket under my left rib. I let it go at that but never got better. Gas X, Maalox etc made it worse. FINALLY in January they did an upper GI on me and found the lapband errosion. He had gone completely into my stomach and made a 2inch long by about 1 inch wide tear or whole in my stomach. They did the surgery to remove the lapband, I came out of surgery with an NG tube for 3 days and finally got to go home the 4th day. It was horrible. They dont know what caused it. My lapband dr said he had never seen one do the way mine did. It still took me almost 3 weeks before I was not throwing up anymore. I was beginning to wonder if it was going to be a permanent thing.

My band erroded into my stomach almost 6 years out. Removed in Jan of this year. Go to see doctor this week to determine if and when I can get rebanded.

Dr. Keith said about 6 months. I have an appt with him this coming Weds and I will know then what all I have to go thru to get it replaced. I have been debating on doing it or not and I really think I need to do it. I am not good at loosing on my own. I like food tooo much.

No Dr. Keith did not find it. I began being really sick back in Nov 08. Every afternoon I began throwing up air, very painful, very debilitating. FINALLY in January my regular physician sent me in for an upper GI. Thats when they found it. They immediately called Dr. Keith and he seen me just a few hours later. He said he has never seen anything like it. Its just one of those things, and it had to be me. Thats ok, saves someone else from suffering. I have not dealt with Dr. Nelson much, she did see me in the hospital when I had the band removed after Dr. Keith left town. She was very nice and very sympathetic. Dr. Keith is still my favorite though even with everything that happened.

I was banded by Dr. Keith in March 2003. I really like him. I had band errosion and had to have emergency surgery in January of this year so I had it almost 6 years. I had successful weight loss and am contemplating having the band replaced. Good luck and if you have any questions I will be glad to answer what I can. Renee

Went in to for the upper GI, the doctor couldnt complete it. My band has erroded into my stomach in a very very bad way. He immediately called my lapband surgeon and sent me straight over there. He is going to do surgery on me Friday to remove the band and try to repair my stomach. I am sooo frustrated and scared. Not sure my insurance will cover it, if they dont I cant afford to have it done. They said I would have to be in the hospital for 2-3 days atleast. My stomach is in a pretty big mess from the band. They showed me the pics, it is awful. My LB surgeon said he has never seen anything like it especially this far out.

The gastrointerologist set me up for an Upper GI and ultrasound in the morning. He said since I am throwing up bile that he did not feel like it had anything to do with the lapband. He said the band is up higher on the stomach than where the bile comes in at or something like that. Maybe I will know more tomorrow I hope. He did take me off anything with lactose in it. I dont drink much milk but I am a cheese lover. I have also quit drinking carbonated drinks except for every now & then and that has helped a little.

A little update, kinda tried to doctor myself until I can get in to someone. Quit drinking my sprite's and being very picky about what I eat. It has been a little better but not much. My regular physician referred me to a gastrointerologist to have an upper and lower GI done. Can't get in to him until the 20th. :wub: I will see what he says and go from there. Thank you all for your responses, I will let you know.

I had my LAP-BAND<SUP>®</SUP> surgery in March of 2003 with no complications since that time (except for the port coming loose from the band and having to have it replaced 1 weeks after initial insertion). The past few months I get sick everyday after noon or so. I get a bloated feeling, nauseated, feeling like I need to burp but cant and then I throw up almost every evening. I know this is horribly grose but when I do throw up it has enormous force behind it, sometimes it is just air until I start dry heaving and that hurts sooooo bad. I thought maybe I had a stomach virus, but not this long, thought it might be the pain pills I was taking for my back but I quit those and no relief. Gas X, beano, pepto NO HELP. I also have pain in my left side just under the edge of my lower ribs. I have an appt with my regular doctor this coming Monday. After reading some of the other posts I am wondering if I need to go see my LAP-BAND<SUP>®</SUP> surgeon. I havent seen him in a few years. No fills or anything. Anyone else had these problems? Any advice? Thanks and Happy New Year to you all!! God Bless!