missy2shoes

Just visited my clinic for a fill. I am 4 .5 years out and last two fills had to be removed. This visit, however, I was informed that my clinic in northern Minnesota no longer does lap bands!!!!!! Not one in 2013. Not one. They said that of all they have done in last 5+ years only a handful have been successful! They said that gastric reflux, which I have, has increased so much that people are having bands removed. Anyone else run into this?

I am now down 50 pounds after 4 years. However, the acid reflux comes and goes. In a bad bout of it coming I have acid reflux 7-10 times in one night. This lasts anywhere from 1-3 weeks. I do not eat after 5 pm. I do not lie down until after 11 pm. I am on Prilosec, and Carafate liquid. I take 2-4 apple cedar tablets a day. My physician keeps trying but nothing is working. Help!

It sounds like you really had a bad time. I am so glad that you are doing better. I did have an upper GI and my band has not slipped. Before I had this surgery 4 years ago, I was a little worried that they only had 5 years of problems and statistics to go back on. So now, I guess it's a little more time but still not long enough for a patient to have a heads up on the "could happens". I think it's a learning experience for them too. They are learning daily from the veterans. Also I noticed that whatever happens, doesn't last. Eating good, vomiting, pain, No pain, acid reflux, no acid reflux, it all seems to be in the moment of 3-6 weeks. Take care and stay well!

Well, Katie, I too am attractive! I have now come to view my lapband in the same way I look at menopause. The bonus rounds just keep coming! I could not eat any meat, fruit or veggies for 3 1/2 years. I only recently had my first hamburger( no bun) in over 4 years. I seem to do better with raw veggies though. I don't like much fruit, so I guess juices would be a good choice. It seems to go in cycles with cans and can nots. Even my acid reflux gets better than worse. I have noticed that I can absolutely never eat anything after 5:30 without terrible acid reflux. Hair loss I have heard is too little protein so the shakes should help that. Now a new bonus round for me is esophageal spasms. Yikes! Those are hellacious! It's hard, Katie, staying this attractive isn't it? Keep me posted!

I love the tea! It does help. Now that I had an unfill, I really keep an eye on what I eat and remember my lap band is a tool.

Ok I have had a busy couple of days trying out things. First the worst night I had before posting here was 10 episodes of acid reflux. The best was 7 episodes. After trying and changing teas, adding tums, and trying to stay pretty elevated before bed, I am down to 1 episode a night! ???????????????????????????????? Thank you everyone for your advice, and for the fact you wanted to help. FYI I ended up using lemon-ginger probiotic tea.

Thanks for the good advice! I will definitely try the tea. I did have my .3 cc fill removed once, but still had the reflux start about a year after that! Hopefully, this will pass. Thanks again.

Thank you though!

how is everyone doing now? I personally cannot eat sooo many foods! No ground meats, no beans, no celery, no roasted meats either! I am officially known in my family as the soup nazi! Lately, no yogurts either. I have not had a fill for 9 months. My previous fill of .6 cc was removed., then had another fill 4 months after removal. That was 9 months ago. I seem to be able to eat a lot of bad things tho. As popcorn, mashed potatoes and cookies! I am within 12 pounds of my goal weight but no weight loss for one year. If I try to eat meat it gets stuck. Always. I know for health reasons weight loss is good. But....was this a good decision? Will it always be like this? I feel bad now!!

anyone out there have a new sudden increase with gastric reflux? I had it occasionally, butihada small fill in October and now a huge increase in reflux. Ieatat 5:00 pm and nothing except water in the evening. This is new as in the last2 weeks and it will be 3 years since my surgery next month.

Thank you for that reply. I am glad you got some help! I just called the facility in Duluth Mn that did my procedure to see if I could get an unfill. Sure, on January 26 2013! I explained to them how bad it had gotten but that is their first appointment! Yikes! Now I will call my primary and maybe check on some Nexium! Thanks again.

I was told by my surgeon that in many cases acid reflux becomes worse after banding. This was not the case until my last fill. Maybe an unfill, but I doubt I can get in before the holidays. Home remedies until then, I guess!

PA only does fills at my facility. I don't feel that these things are just happening to me. I think they are very common among many.

I can check with my PA, but I haven't seen or heard from my surgeon since he discharged me 3 years ago! I don't know, there seems to always be a new issue with the lap band. Too tight, too loose, food stuck, vomiting, yikes! Now, I enter the bonus round with the reflux! Thanks for replying!

I will definitely check the book out. Thanks! It s good not to be alone!

Thanks! I actually sat and made an effort through dinner tonight to eat meat and chew it slowly. Small bites only, and I managed to get 2 pork rib lets down without any sticking! I am glad I found some good advice. It's hard when it's been so long since the banding!

That really is their policy that a PA does the fills and followups. Since I was never impressed with him, I didn't ask to see him. I did have a barium swallow and all checked out. I am certainly willing to take some blame here tho. Maybe I just still eat too quickly and too large of pieces. It's easier for me to eat soft food and liquids. Maybe I can get encouraged enough here to take a little longer to eat. Maybe I can get to a point of healthier eating then. Thank you to all of you taking the time to reply. It makes a difference on this journey.

I will check with the fill crew in a couple of weeks but this has been the way for me from the get go! Only one unfill but I have actually never seen my surgeon since I left the hospital 2.5 years ago! I guess that's the way they do things here in northern Minnesota! It's just that I am really afraid that this is it!

I was banded 2 1/2 years ago and can only tolerate toast about once every six months. Ok that is a choice and I am good with it, but I still cannot eat/digest the majority of meats out there! Nothing ground, and nothing roasted EXCEPT the occasional piece of pork! Anyone else have this problem? I basically live on soup, a fried egg or the occasional salad. If I try to discuss this with my provider they immediately want to xray. I have done this all is normal but does anyone else have such a poor diet?

Anyone else out there have a symptom like a vibration in their lower abdomen? I am 2 years post lap banding and had my last fill of .6 ml removed 3 weeks ago. Vibrations started 1 week ago.

Not really sure about my surgeon. That may be something to look at, but after all it has been 2 years! Now that I am looking at this, I am not to sure about this entire journey. Just for weight Loss? No, but even the core morbidities should really be looked at thoroughly before such a drastic move.

I drink 8 glasses a day, at least. It never occurs after eating, getting up or down I can cause it happen. The first time I thought I had my cell phone in my pocket! Always RLQ. I can only describe it like a cell phone on vibration.

I was banded 2 years ago with my last fill 6 months ago. The last 2 months I have had "gurgling" after eating or drinking and when I go to bed at night. This is embarrassing as people can hear it and have commented on it! Plus, these noises last anywhere from 2-3 hours. Anyone else have this?