patchoulli

I don't want to bring up a sore subject but....I was reading an old thread when Penny was talking about her grief and having to have her band removed. There are different types of mourning and grieving, some are easy to mourn and get thru, others are not. I don't know if my band eroded or not, I know it obstructed to the point that I couldn't swallow spit for 7 days.I had IV steroids for days in the hospital to no avail. And still I fought its removal...It has been almost 4 months without it and not a day has gone by that I haven't questioned if I will have another one or not...Am I obsessive???OF COURSE I AM.... I'm a nurse too, any good nurse is obsessive. I feel that the loss is not of a piece of silicone that was placed in my stomach, My grieving is the the loss of POSSIBILITY AND HOPE... that is what I lost. That is what I mourn...Are there worse things????Of COURSE THERE ARE...But a life time of fighting this monster called obesity and then you see a light,a possibility, hope, and then it comes crashing down. It truly is heartbreaking, I cry just writing this. Until it happens to you, you cannot understand. I will probably get another band placed as soon as I am well enough. The esophagitis is still here. Do I thank god every day for what I have? YES... But the battle continues. Thank for listening...Marian

I could not have another band placed because I had such bad esophagitis from being totally obstructed that I had to wait until it subsided. It is lessening , I bled from my esophagus for a week and was an absolute idiot. I did not want my band removed. period.,..[in the hospital I didn't feel the pain anymore, the ng tube relieved the pressure and the pca pump was a lot of fun][Don't worry....be happy...]My doctor made the choice for me. I was told I would have to wait til next year to have another one put in so that I could completely heal...next year is January...

I went thru a similar experience in May with removal of my band. I thought I would never get another band again[vomiting or having blood sucked out by an ng tube does that to you], I do however miss the control the band placed on my eating. I was not losing tons of weight, about a pound a week, but I didn't gain and I wasn't starving all the time. I have checked into bypass[terrifying to me], and the only option I have is the band or stay fat forever[i hate that idea]. I was and still am a self pay and have just about finished paying for my removal. If I can swing it, I will be going for another band. If you need to vent[the anger may kick in after you are feeling better], email me......Marian

look up fillcenterusa. They do follow inamed protocol...Marian

I had my band removed, very costly and painful experience, but I still think it was the best option available. I am seriously considering getting another one placed, my only suggestion to you is to ask for the low profile port. Mine was on my right lower rib and truly from the day it was put in to the day it was removed it bothered me[not true pain but definitely discomfort and it did interfere with sex and just cuddling, almost like an electric shock anytime it was touched]. For some reason it seemed to stick out too much....

How are u doing after your rebanding? I had my removed in May after having it for 4 months and was wondering if rebanding is the answer. I still have the esophagitis but it is slowly getting better,If I didn't lose a pound, at least I wouldn't be gaining...Marian

I am still up in the air if I would get another band placed. I hate being overweight. Wish I could accept it, but I can't. I am grateful for being good looking fat or thin, I prefer thin. I don't know if the doc that did it the first time would give me a discount. I do know I wouldn't hesitate going back to him though, even if he was in Mexico. My problem was caused by a fill HERE....I have even considered by pass but am way too much of a chicken to do it, and those people have irreversible problems. Good luck...Marian

It did...I am sure that a lot more problems happen than we know. I never found a site like this before I had my band placement, although I don't know if it would have deterred me or not. The really sick part is that a part of me is considering having another one put in[ even though I have acid still coming up my throat to the point that it is actually burnt]. I was told I would have to wait a year by a colleague of my surgeon befor even considering another band..... The funny part is that I went to 2 ER's the night that the trouble started. The first one I sat in a cubicle for 3 hours vomiting blood in a bath basin, THe doctor finally came in and told me she would not access the port because she didn't know anything about it. I left and went to the other ER where I was ultimately admitted and operated on, but the first ER just sent me a bill for $365, and the ER doctor[which is separate], was $569. I called the hospital and spoke to the risk manager, he said that after hearing my story[i truly was in agony and emptied my own blood out of the basin because no nurse came in] said that he would take care of it...we will see....I wrote a letter to the MD billing dept. I am not paying either one of these bills, but I plan to put all in writing and keep copies. I was treated like a drug seeking fiend, I even asked the first ER to get me a huber needle, I would do it myself[i'm an RN and know how to access ports]....It was the worst week of my life. On the brighter side, I am here, doing better, and spent today with my beautiful 7 month old grandson for swimming lessons[He did better than all the other kids[: } Marian.....

Had my 2nd fill, was able to drink at the fill office and all the way home. I don't really know why my band shut down but when I tried to have soup at home, It wouldn't go down, a lot of burning pain. Of course by now it is friday night. The vomiting started very soon after, and I would feel better for a few minutes, but after about 2 hours of that, it was pink and slimy, and burning. I went to an ER next to my near my home, after 3 hours and me begging them to get a huber needle, the doc finally came in and said that she wanted to do blood and tests and that she would not access the port due to the fact she didn't know anything about the band. She did however try to call the fill center to talk to them but could not get thru. I left that ER and we went to another about 20 minutes away. They tried to access the port but were unsuccessful, but did give me an IV for vomiting and 3 shots of morphine,and prescriptions for phenergan and percocet. Saturday and Sunday are a blur, but I remember crushing these meds and trying to let them trickle down my throat, It may have worked a little and did not vomit again until sunday night, again, it was bloody. I did finally get a hold of the fill person and was to be in first thing monday morn. She took all the fill out[6cc's] In the 11 cc band, and I vomited all the way home. I was truly in agony, could not swallow my own saliva, went back to the ER where they immediately admitted me for dehydration and after many tests was diagnosed with total obstruction. They put in an ng tube which did not go all the way down, but pumped out the acid and blood and I did feel better, gave me IV's for fluid and a pca pump for the pain, also had an IV with decadron, a steroid to try to get the swelling down. After 4 days of this, still dehydrated, 15 puncture sites where my IV's kept blowing out due to dehydration, and now, no food or bowel movement for a week, the doctor TOLD ME that it was coming out NOW>>>I of course wanted to keep it, but I was sooo weak and really felt like I was dying. It is now 5 weeks post op, I went back to work within 5 days, the hospital worked with me also, I only had to pay $11,000 vs the $45,000 [took a loan on my home] Surgeon settled for $1000. I am still taking prilosec 40 mg 2times a day for the esophagitis, still have the burning in my throat but other than that I am grateful to be alive. I only had my band 4 months, It was placed by Dr.Joya in Mexico, He was very professional and the hospital was immaculate, my problem was my fill. Inamed requested my band from my surgeon to find out why it failed. I really don't know, only thing I can think of is that it was too much fill and didnt really tighten up for a few hours. All of this for 11 lbs. I only wanted to lose about 50.

I had the 11ccband placed in 1/06. Had my first fill of 4cc in march, very little if any restriction, Had 2 cc in may, was able to drink all the way home[2 hour drive] got home, made some clear broth and couldn't swallow. Long story short, spent a week in the hospital, no insurance coverage, no more band.