moonroses

I was banded back in 2007 with minimal success. I had no problems for the first 6 mos and lost about 50lbs. About 6 mos after my surgery, i started having issues with things getting stuck and vomiting frequently. My surgeon kept saying that i was eating too fast or taking too big bites, but i totally followed all the rules. I have since been hospitalized twice for stuck episodes, had my gallbladder removed, and have gained back 40lbs in spite of vomiting up almost every meal. I'm getting really depressed and frustrated. The only foods I can keep down are bad foods, because nutritious stuff gets stuck. I want this to end. I have an appointment with my surgeon next week to discuss my problems for the millionth time and to talk about getting it removed. Any suggestions for what to say to him? He's the typical pretentious idiot surgeon and has made me cry on several occasions....so I'm a bit nervous about talking to him. Does insurance cover the removal? Insurance paid to get it put in. Any advice would be much appreciated!

I'm so sorry you are having all this trouble. I know all about that "heart attack" feeling and it's no joke. Get an upper gi series and endoscopy done to rule out any other problems. I know it seems crazy to take the band out so soon after having it put in, but seriously consider it. Keep us informed! And an update on me....It's been 9 days since I had my band out. I transitioned to solid food yesterday and things took a turn for the worse. After taking 3 or 4 bites of Chinese eggplant and noodles I experienced what could only be described as a "stuck" episode! How can this be when I'm no longer banded?!!!!! I spent 3 hours on the bathroom floor last night trying desperately to dislodge and cough up my food. I just don't know what to do. I called my GI last night sobbing and I have an appointment for Monday. Talk about feelings of failure...I feel like an idiot. After all I said about my surgeon just trying to cover his butt, and it turns out he may be right after all. It just doesn't make sense. I never had any problems swallowing my food before I was banded and now, even without the band, solid foods get stuck and come back up. How am I going to live like this? I'm terrified that I will forever be eating my meals through a straw! Has anyone else faced this?

Yikes! I didn't even know a stomach could do that! Thank goodness you had it taken out! I just don't understand how something so obviously risky and harmful is still pushed as some kind of miracle cure for obesity & all its related diseases... I've struggled with my weight my entire life, but have been very healthy up until I had the band put in. It's all been downhill from there. While I'm healing physically (I can keep soft foods down!!!!! Yay!!!), this whole experience has been emotionally taxing. The fact that the band didn't work for me just compounds my feelings of failure and inadequacy... :thumbup:

I'm convinced that "motility issues" is the surgeon's way of covering his a$$. It can't possibly be the band! Oh noooooo....It must be some motility disorder beyond his control. Did I mention that I was put on GERD medication even though I didn't have it? The doctor thought "maybe it will help..." Since you have gall bladder issues, I assume you see a gastro. Have you been scoped & prodded and all that? Definitely get it done....but BEWARE THE MANOMETRY TEST!!!! (and yes..i checked the spelling this time) You're right, it is amazing the things we endure.... I wish you all the best.

Ok..so here's the update. I had the band removed this past Thursday. Insurance covered it completely and it was surprisingly outpatient. I'm pretty sore, but it's not as bad as it was when I had it put in. It's the incisions that hurt mostly...and the gas, but that happens with any abdominal surgery. My surgeon remains a nasty pompous man, but I refused to let him him bully me any longer. Since I started this thread I have had an endoscopy, an esophagram, as well as an esophageal monomitry test (which, btw, should seriously replace waterboarding as an interrogation technique). I've had a standing date with my gastroenterologist every other week to figure this out. Every test came back normal. The GI thought it must be the band causing the regurgitation. The shmuck surgeon thought that either I'm eating too fast (which anyone who's eaten with me knows is ridiculous) or (my personal favorite excuse) that I have some kind of esophageal motility disorder that isn't showing up on tests and conveniently only presented itself after having the band placed. I believe the simplest answer is usually correct... Unlike when they put the band in, I got very little instruction about recovery from this. I was basically told to be on liquids "for a while" and then move to soft foods "for a few days" and see how it goes. I love when they're specific like that. I tried some soft food tonight, and it didn't go so well (it hurt) so I'm back to the liquids for a bit longer. To be honest, I'm terrified that I'm still going to have this regurgitation problem even without the band and that my life will never be back to normal.