NCIS

Have you gone to doc yet? Do that first if you can and you will probably want to get an upper GI which will confirm your slip. If it has and it's early enough, an unfill might do the trick...hang in there...good luck!

It's not a big deal, it's a GIGANTIC deal. I personally think it's bigger than actually having the initial surgery - more traumatic for me anyway. I was to have my revision surgery last Tuesday and woke up to " We took it out - to let your stomach rest". How'd you like to wake up to those words? Yep. I still am in disbelief bc I cannot believe I no longer have it. I wasn't expecting it to be an option even though yes the doc said possibility. So, this time around surgery was very stressful and painful now I have to 'wait and see' - which means fight ins company for another procedure (no idea how that works), mentally rewind, time off from work again and more medical costs....Idk...it all is a big deal to me. There is really SOOOO much more - I've bitched enough. Glad you didn't have to go through this and wishing you a speedy recovery! Take Care!

okay this is my third attempt to reply - three times a charm right? Hello all - I'm still here barely. I was banded Feb. 16, 2009 and weighed 265 lbs (5'8") and as of this past January weighed 132 lbs. I was pleased so far except I had started having horrible night coughs - along with the occasional spit up and could barely eat anything anymore. So band doc took some out and said to get upper GI/fluoro. I was feelling a little better but still had occasional throw up session and still some night coughing. Early March I had upper GI and band slipped. I almost had a heart attack. On one hand I was so relieved because I had not felt like myself in two months which I started a new job at that time and kept thinking it was the stress of the job and I couldn't hack it. I swear I had never felt so out of sorts - not myself as I did for those two months. On the other hand, what do you mean it's slipped...fix it. So they said so much of my stomach was so far up above my band they had to do revision surgery and since my port stuck out about 6 inches out of my rib cage like a gigantic alien goose egg they could fix it at that time and they would do this fast. So I thought okay, maybe for a reason would certainly explain a few things and I could get egg fixed. So I had surgery last Tuesday NIGHT (6:00 pm - no drink/water/food since midnight before and waiting all day - can you tell I am impatient ???) Woke up Tuesday night to hear "WE TOOK IT OUT." WHAT??????????? Why? It was best - your stomach needs to rest. So I ended up staying overnight in excrutiating pain - about 50 x worse than the first time around which doc says is bc maybe I was 120 lbs heavier - idk ok. I have follow up in two weeks and I am still a little bit of disbelief. I weighed 139.2 day of surgery and yesterday 152. How does that happen? I have had nothing but Clear liquids since Wed am. My stomach is swollen but I am baffled in very many ways. Now what? Am I going to have to go through this pain agan IF they get it approved by my insurance not to mention although I have insurance I still am responsible for some of the costs which include doc visits, portions of fees, hospital stays, etc... I am open to any ideas/comments/suggestions/feedback - anything. You wouldn't know it by this 'bitchpost' but I am generally a very positive person, did yoga, chants, positive thoughts etc right before the surgery all positive imagery - took supplements/vitamins that were appropriate etc... So, How's everyone else doing?

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. How are you doing now? Did you have another surgery? Anything you could share would be greatly appreciated...thx!

Dear Bandits - So sorry for your pain and discomfort! Unfortunately I think I know much of the same feelings. Ugh. I had my band slip sometime in Jan/Feb and confirmed in early March. So I was scheduled for a revision this past Tuesday (the entire experience brutal in so many ways) and I am now recovering with NO BAND. They took it out - I am so upset for so many reasons. Did you ever have your surgery and if so, how did it go? Best of luck - thanks for sharing.

So have you had it since replaced? A new band? I would appreciate anything you could share as I am just going through a slipped band, they were supposed to rreplace it but instead removed it last Wed and I am now recovering with severely mixed emotions and a A LOT of pain. I swear I don't remember this much pain the first time...agonizing. Thanks for sharing!

Hi there...I was banded 2/16/09..I am down 90 lbs. The band is a tool. The surgery was fine..I followed my doctor's orders and it all worked. It was really hard the first probably 6 months. I am not a fast loser obviously. But I kept plugging along and followed what my dr said. It gets better. It is a struggle but I am very glad. I still would LOVE to lose another 30 lbs - we'll see. Again, the surgery was ok, followed instructions, took the week off from work, mostly slept, and for the first couple of months felt like I hadn't even had surgery. No restriction. It didn't kick in until around Mayish...but it was good and started to work. Yes, I had pain in my left shoulder..been told it's gas pain..it eventually subsided. Lost hair like u would not believe. That too has just recently subsided..still feels thin though. Had many pbing episodes..but u have to work w/it and see what works for u. Definitely gets better w/time. You learn from it. I did an unnecessary blood work eval about 2 mos ago - all was normal. Thought about WW and needing some structure but if u listen to ur dr all should fall into place. I didn't start exercising until I was down about 50 lbs. I was too fat! Since then I exercise at least 4x a week and can tell I need to lift more to help with loose skin, etc. Still learning. ALL GOOD! Good luck!

The smallest I have ever been is 34 DD and the largest is 38 DDD last year when I had my surgery. I am currently a 36 DD - I'm okay with it. I think, at least for me, I tend to lose weight in my face and boobs, rib cage area, upper body fastest so I guess it depends on your body type. Whatever, I don't care...just want to lose it. If I need new ones or some reshaping I will deal with it later. :-0 Good luck and hang in there!

Well I am not officially a member of the Fabulous Februaries but I was banded on Feb. 16, 2009. I have lost 90 lbs. Yes I am thrilled and at the same time would like it to be more. Still a learning process - almost every day but it gets better all of the time and I welcome it. :-) Best of luck to everyone!

I too am still learning - almost at my one year bandiversary - but I can tell when it's not going down and honestly a drink of water or something makes it come up. I feel so much better when that happens. I can't wait it out...sometimes I try for hours...and it's uncomfortable and I move around but inevitably when I take a drink of water it makes it all come up. Sometimes I think I must have eaten too much. I have tried to troubleshoot it but cannot always do so. Good luck!

I hope this is helpful for others..it's on wikipedia. Just in case anyone is interested..I was not aware of a lot of the info. Does everyone already know all of this? Good luck to all! Adjustable gastric band From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: sleep apnea, food each meal. This pouch fills with food quickly and the band slows the passage of food from the pouch to the lower part of the stomach. As the upper part of the stomach registers as full, the message to the Calcium supplements and Vitamin B12 injections are not generally required following gastric banding (as they are with RNY, for example). Fluid and restriction, and likewise require a minor operation). Internal bleeding Infection The band lifetime combined incidence of all complications is of the order of 10%. The psychological effects of any weight loss procedure also must not be ignored, as a proportion of patients fail to lose weight (often because they subconsciously develop strategies to defeat the band and maintain their status quo which they have become psychologically habituated to). Continued counselling, dietary advice and interaction with WLS support groups - locally and/or on the web - is widely seen as being of considerable help to patients, and can make the difference between success and failure. Many patients perceive themselves as having previously failed at every other weight loss strategy, and consequently their trigger threshold for giving up on WLS is often low, even after substantial financial commitment. [liquid that contains a radio-opaque fluid similar to barium—clear or white. When swallowed, the fluid is clearly shown on X–ray and is watched as it travels down the esophagus and through the restriction caused by the band. The radiologist is then able to see the level of restriction in the band and to assess if there are potential or developing issues of concern. These may include dilation of the esophagus, an enlarged pouch, prolapsed stomach (when part of the stomach moves into the band where it does not belong), erosion or migration. Reflux type symptoms may indicate too great a restriction and further investigation may be required. In some circumstances fluid is removed from the band prior to further investigation and re-evaluation. In some cases further surgery may be required (e.g. removal of the band) should gastric erosion or similar be detected. Some health practitioners adjust the band without the use of X-ray control (fluoroscopy). For example, this is standard practice in the main bariatric surgery clinic in Melbourne, Australia, where AGB placement has been performed for more than ten years. Some UK services, such as Bristol, also do non-fluoroscopic adjustments. In these cases, patients visiting for a regular fill adjustment will typically find they will spend more time talking about the adjustment and their progress than the actual fill itself, which generally will only take about one to two minutes.. For some patients this type of fill is not possible, due to issues such as partial rotation of the port, or excess tissue above the port making it difficult to determine its precise location. In these cases, a fluoroscope will generally be used. No accurate number of adjustments required can be given. However, an average may be estimated to be between three and five fills (where saline/isotonic solution is inserted into the band via the subcutaneous port) for a person to reach the optimal restriction for weight loss. The amount of saline/isotonic solution needed in the band varies from patient to patient. There are a small number of people who find they do not need a fill at all and have sufficient restriction immediately following surgery. Others may need significant adjustments to the maximum the band is able to hold. Bands come in several diameters and sizes and can hold a total of between 4 cc (ml) to 12 cc (ml) of fill fluid depending on the design. Band size is usually determined by personal preference of the surgeon who places the band together with what s/he is either able to use (e.g., specific bands approved in country of surgery) or what s/he believes to be the most appropriate. In Europe, for example, it is possible for the surgeon to use many designs. The size of the band used is determined by the surgeon during surgery based on the size and thickness of the patient's stomach. It is more common practice for the band not to be filled at surgery—although some surgeons choose to place a small amount in the band at the time of surgery. The stomach tends to swell following surgery and it is possible that too great a restriction would be achieved if filled at that time. Clearly, this is undesirable. The patient may be prescribed a liquid-only diet, followed by mushy foods and then solids. This is prescribed for a varied length of time and each surgeon and manufacturer varies. Some may find that before their first fill that they are still able to eat fairly large portions. This is not surprising since before the fill there is little or no restriction and this is why a proper post-op diet and a good after-care plan is essential to success. Many health practitioners make the first adjustment between 6 – 8 weeks post operatively to allow the stomach time to heal. After that, fills are performed as needed. Some practitioners may be more aggressive than others, but most appear to require a 2 – 4 week wait between fills. It is very important to discuss post-surgical care and diet plans with your weight loss team if you are considering this surgery. Recommendations can vary dramatically from team to team and it is important to find a weight loss team with a good post-surgical plan. Some teams offer support groups, but unfortunately many of them mix RNY and gastric bypass patients with gastric banding patients. Some gastric band patients have criticized this approach because while many of the underlying issues related to obesity are the same, the needs and challenges of the two groups are very different, as are their early rates of weight loss. Some gastric band recipients feel the procedure is a failure when they see that RNY patients generally lose weight faster. [edit] Effectiveness The average gastric banding patient loses 500 grams to a kilogram (1-2 pounds) per week consistently, but heavier patients often lose faster in the beginning.[citation needed] This comes to roughly 22 to 45 kilograms the first year for most band patients. It is important to keep in mind that while most of the RNY patients drop the weight faster in the beginning, some studies have found that LAGB patients will have the same percentage of excess weight loss and comparable ability to keep it off after only a couple of years. Gastric banding patients may have to work a little harder in the first couple of years, but the procedure tends to encourage better eating habits which, in turn, helps in producing long term weight stability. However, with greater experience and longer patient follow up, multiple series are now being reported that have found suboptimal weight loss and high complication rates for the gastric band, particularly when used in younger patients.[citation needed] A systematic review concluded "LAGB has been shown to produce a significant loss of excess weight while maintaining low rates of short-term complications and reducing obesity-related comorbidities. LAGB may not result in the most weight loss but it may be an option for bariatric patients who prefer or who are better suited to undergo less invasive and reversible surgery with lower perioperative complication rates. One caution with LAGB is the uncertainty about whether the low complication rate extends past three years, given a possibility of increased band-related complications (e.g., erosion, slippage) requiring re-operation".[24] The Royal College of Surgeons of England held a national consensus meeting on the status of bariatric surgery in the UK on 21st January 2010, in the course of which the President, John Black, drew attention to the inequality of access to WLS across the nation (in many strategic health authority areas the NICE thresholds for surgery are being ignored as bariatric service provision is geographically patchy and financial commitment is inadequate). [edit] Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) is an advanced, minimally invasive (keyhole) procedure in which the surgeon operates almost exclusively through a single entry point, typically the patient’s umbulicus (navel). Special articulating instruments and access ports obviate the need to place trochars externally for triangulation, thus allowing the creation of a small, solitary portal of entry into the abdomen. SILS has been used for several common surgical procedures including hernia repair [25], cholecystectomy [26] and nephrectomy [27]. The SILS technique has also been used in weight-loss surgery for both sleeve gastrectomy [28] and – more recently – for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) [29]. [edit] The LAP-BAND in Australia According to an August 2006 article in The Medical Journal of Australia [1], over 90% of weight loss surgeries in Australia are installations of the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band. Some of the more interesting findings in the study are these: Our group has treated more than 2700 severely obese patients with the LAGB procedure since 1994 without a single perioperative death. In contrast, mortality from RYGB is reported at between 0 and 5%, with the ASERNIP-S systematic review showing a mean short-term mortality rate of 0.5% — ten times the risk of LAGB. [...] All bariatric procedures have been able to achieve loss of more than 50% of excess weight. The ASERNIP-S systematic review showed greater weight loss after RYGB than LAGB during the first 2 years after the procedure, but the difference in weight loss was not significant at 3 and 4 years. In a recent review, we extended the data of the ASERNIP-S review by including all studies that included at least 50 patients, reported up to March 2004. This showed a substantial weight loss after both procedures, with an initial greater weight loss after RYGB but similar effectiveness for both procedures at 4, 5 and 6 years.

Chilean Sea Bass marinated in low sodium terriyaki sauce is delicious and easy...just bake it in oven at 350 for approx 15-20 mins. DELISH!

Hi...I named mine Princess. She can be difficult and a little bit hard to understand but we're working on it. Yes, Princess it is.

How long has it been since your surgery or last fill? It's hard to be patient. It took me a long time to see any weight loss. Like the first 3-4 months just to get 25 lbs or so and I was sooooo anxious and felt out of control. Like oh great my last resort, drastic expensive time consuming surgery and this is it? Then I continued with my fills and restriction kicked in. I was banded in Feb and my the end of Sept was down almost 60 lbs..woo hoo.. enough to now feel like I could get to the gym. I am glad to say I'm now down 85 lbs..yes wish it was more but I'll take it and I can see the light. Hang in there and follow your dr's orders. Good Luck!

Well I had surgery about 11 months ago and my hair loss was scary and constant too. In Sep my dr had me do blood work to see if there was anything abnormal. Nope all good. I've heard theories that it's your body reacting to weight loss, surgery (anesthesia), etc... I took extra vitamins and biotin. I don't think it worked but it has seemed to slow down. I don't really have any answers except it does seem like a common side effect. I hope that helps anyway! Sorry! Good Luck and let us know if u do discover something!

Hi February Fabulous Finds - I know not very clever. Anyway, I had appt with my dr 1/7 but had to move it to the week of 1/26 or so. I've lost about 85 lbs since last Feb. 16. I'm thrilled - yes, wish it was more! I'll take it. I hope to still get close to 100 by Feb. 16 but not likely to be more than 90 ish. Again, I'll take it. I have at least 15-20 to my first goal and honestly, I'd like to try for 40. We shall see. Best of luck to all - hope you are doing well!

I burp like a fiend! I hardly ever used to burp - except for a beer or seltzer water. I burp now after a sip of cold, flat water. I burp while eating...I burp after anytime I put something in my mouth. I also have come close with acid reflux and definitely experience much more 'stomach activity' - juices flowing? I guess. It's ok. :-)

I gained too about 20lbs..it was so painful and dreadful. I wished I had known more about this site. I would wear ankle weights had I known.

1. Do you FEEL the LAP-BAND® around your stomach? Does it feel tight or uncomfortable? Not really. Mostly just the port. 2. I think giving up soda will be really hard. WHY must it be done? I am a former diet coke and seltzer Water junkie. Never drank flat. But I followed the rules. I have been told that the carbonation is added gas and when you are healing and learning how your band works you want to do whatever is recommended until you get to know how your band and body will get along. Sometimes mine doesn't play so nice - I named her Princess. She's a little better behaved as they (my body and band) play well now. :-) I just stayed with flat water and am fine. I don't miss diet coke - sometimes seltzer. 3. What is the purpose of the liquid diet pre-surgery? And post? Pre-op: To shrink the liver, and make the surgery easier on your body. Post-op: To aid in healing, your stomach does not need to work as hard. I was a bad patient when it came to this. I ate WHATEVER I wanted...up until the night before the surgery. Awful. But I was fine. Thankfully! 4. Did your insurance company cover the procedure? How long did the pre-auth take? Did you have to do psych evals, etc? My insurance did cover it. With TONS of requirements, it took about one year - yes seemed like forever. Attended the seminar, then surgeon's visit, blood work done, pysch eval, 6 month monthly appts with primary for history - waited painfully 3-4 mos for approval from insurance company. 5. The port - does it physically bother you? Can you see it initially, after losing, etc? My husband is kinda freaked out about it.... All five of my scars are visible. It will be a year in Feb since being banded and I've lost 85 lbs. I have started to notice my port sticking out more and more (bc of weight loss) it's right under my breasts and looks like an alien living in there. I showed my dr a month ago and he said we could do a low profile port revision but I want to lose more so would rather weight until it's all gone. But I am interested in doing it. 6. Does getting a fill hurt? Or does it feel like getting a flu shot / giving blood? Not at all - I go in - chat a few mins - lay down and pull my shirt up, left arm under my head - they stick huber needle in and done. Don't feel anything and no bandaid needed. 7. Do you have restrictions with taking pills? I.e. is Tylenol still effective, does it digest regularly, etc. Sometimes but after surgery I switched to every chewable or liquid that I could. Vitamins are chews or chewable and if nessa I use liquid tylenol for pain. Recently, I haven't had a problem with regular vitamins and/or ibuprofen. Fine. 8. What about drinking alcohol? Is it OK occassionally? I have no troubles with it. I am a big fan of wine. I have noticed I cannot drink as much - that's a good thing. Especially wine though - it causes acid reflux to me. I've tried to determine if it's red/white/heavy/etc. It's a little better but no more than three glasses - GOD telling me something - another reason to love the band! btw - I had wine two weeks after surgery. 9. WHY IS IT YOU CAN'T DRINK liquids, LIKE WATER, RIGHT BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER A MEAL? This one is still tricky for me. Not so much at first. But now - I guess bc I'm filled. I can't have both - food and water at the same time. I can have liquid up to 15 mins prior to eating but 60 mins after. In fact, at a time when I've felt like I ate too fast or was going to puke or stuck - if I drank water - it immediately came up. That was a good thing for me bc I can't take being stuck. I do have to be careful sometimes with gulping water or milk...u can't drink or eat anything too fast. This past summer I would even have Protein shakes at around 4:00ish at work so I wouldn't be starving when I got home and inhale food. It helped a lot. Now I think I've got it but I can have a glass of wine, eat some dinner but I cannot drink a drop of liquid for a good 60 mins after eating...tea, water, whatever - I have to do it slowly and be careful. I just can't have both at the same time. It looks like some pepl can. I hope has been helpful! This site has been my savior! GOOD LUCK!

Um...it's surgery for goodness sake! It's very serious! At least for me. It has been a two year journey - all of the dr's appts., waiting, paperwork, evaluating what you are about to take on, the unexpected, learning how to use your tool, going for fills and unfills, dreaded stuck, it's been a roller coaster ride for me but and I'm still not finished. I think it's a huge decision and questioned if it was the easy way out but it hasn't been so easy...in fact, very difficult at times. I don't want to be judged either so I haven't told anyone. Makes it tricky too! Good Luck! This website has been the best support group you will find.

I did cheat. Fortunately it did not affect my surgery poorlyl I ate like it was my last day of living everyday until my surgery ( a month). Good luck - but I'd recommend whatever your dr tells you. I have found that my dr, while a bit of a geek, was well trained and does know what he is talking about. GOOD LUCK!

Hello - let's see if I remember...I was banded a year Feb 09. I remember drinking the shot glass of water every 20 mins or so..whatever ur packet of ino instructed..and liquids. I took the week off from work so I could heal and rest. I remember sleeping a lot - the medicine helped. After the first week, I started eating regular foods..slowly but carefully. Not too fast - I did have an incident where I ate too fast and felt like I was going to die..it was stuck. Then after that I continued to 'heal' and as I did I could eat more and more. It took a few months before I could understand what restriction was and meant and for me to lose any weight. I was so glad I hadn't told anyone about the surgery bc I was embarrased I hadn't lost more weight. But I fol'd dr's orders and fills and appts...it's a bit of a 'trial' but well worth it. I am thrilled to have lost 85 lbs..yes wish it were more...but still glad. Keep on truckin' Hang in there!

Hi there - I'm a slow loser so don't know if my experience will be helpful..but I didn't even get on the scale after surgery unless I was at the dr's office. I think I must have (and be) passive about the weight loss. I wanted to let the band do it's work. I was banded Feb. 16 09 - and didn't start really losing until around April and May. A few here and there but only around 15 up until April and yes it was very frustrating. The fills started to 'kick' in a bit in the summer...and when I was able to get 50 lbs off by Sept..I started at the gym. I am glad to report I am at a loss of 85 lbs. Yes I wish it were more! Who doesn't? But I'm glad it's gone. I will also tell u that when I don't eat enough my body goes into starvation mode and I gain. It's INSANE but Friday and Saturday I just didn't eat much and yesterday I weighed 188 lbs...tmi but also hadn't pooed in 4 days. I upped my eating a bit yesterday and today as well as some help from senna caps and today I'm back to 179. Good luck and hang in there!