scared4life

I her ya sista!! Gaviscon is my new best friend, along with pantoloc. I don't know what to say. I am sure you will be ok. You will just have to wait for the swelling to come down after surg. Get scoped as well, and go for a GI series to make sure there is no other damage! I suffered for 8 f'n months and u know I am so sorry I ever let myslef do this...esp in Mexico. I am a nurse, I am smarter than that. Oh well, I am trying to change my negativity from this experience. Can't focus on the past.....only hope for the best in the future!

Hi there! I had mine removed because it was in my esophagus and causing major restriction. I had problems from 6 weeks on to 8 months. I felt weird at first, and then was scoped 8 weeks post op and now have a hiatus hernia. That is causing me grief now....relfux, and burning! Banding was the BIGGEST mistake of my life. I will never be normal again, no spices, no flavor to food, no enjoyment, no Coffee the one thing I love most in the world!!! You have only had it for 5 weeks so I am assuming that you should be back to normal within a few weeks. Just need time for the swelling to come down. Why are you removing yours?

I have had mine out for 4 weeks and I still feel very weird. I am having reflux, and lots of burping and my stomach feels like it isn't emptying. What are your symptoms?

To "Banded Wrong" ....All I can say sista, is I am in the exact same boat as you!! I was Banded in July of 2008 in TJ. That was my first mistake. (Should of had it done in Canada because there is no support for you when you have it done outside of the country!) So the first 6 weeks post op were ok. I was progressing as I should be. Then all of the sudden in middle of October I had such bad "reflux", which to me made no sense what so ever because I was already on a anti-reflux med. So I bared through it for a while. Then all I could eat was vanilla pudding, yogurt, ensure and Water. Everything else burned like fire in my chest. Went to the hospital, got a GI series and xrays done (compared them to the ones I had from mexico) and they said it was in the same place as I was when I left Mexico so it didn't slip. Well, I was loosing my mind. I thought I was going mental. It wasn't until one day at work I spoke to a surgeon I work with and he said that it was placed above the stomach in the esophagus and was extremely resticted. He did a gastroscopy and could hardly get it through to my stomach. At this point, all I wanted was it to be taken out. I was refered to another surgeon who had more experience with bands to have it removed. He said it was positioned in the wrong spot as he had thought all along!! Post-op was good!! Way, Way less pain. Was up walking around shorly after surgury and home the next day. He kept me overnight and the next A.M I had another GI series done. He also did a gastroscopy when I was under in the OR. (If anyone is going to have this removed demand a scope while u are under so they can verify that there is no other erosion!!) My stomach does feel smaller, but also have the reflux again, and am on a med already. I am taking maxeran to help my stomach empty faster because it seem that whatever I eat sits in there forever!! I am so angry, and I feel real cheated. My advise is reasearch, research, research.....I thought I did, but it was obviously not enough. I lost about 60 lbs, and a whole lot of inches. I am not to worried about gaining it back. I am gonna hit the gym and start running, which is something I have always wanted to do! Plus, I can eat veggies, fruit, chicken and fish again!! YEAH!! I swear, i will never say I hate veggies again after going 8 months without them!!