Is My Band Hurting Me?

lovegrapes · December 30, 2009

I was banded July '08. I lost 50lbs in the first 6 months. I gained back 15 of that since May of this year. Due to mutiple complications I've had no Fluid in my band for 85% of the time I've had it. I got to the sweet spot at one point and ended up getting totally unfilled 10 days later due to severe abdominal pain.

My stomach is painful everyday. Not an ache, not a burn, but pain. I feel like its nearly swollen shut when I wake up and it's wide open by dinner time. I've had two endoscopies, a few upper GI's and there is nothing apparently wrong with my band. I had to have a diagnostic lap in May and had many, many, many adhesions taken down.

In the back of my mind I always knew banding was probably not a good idea for me, but I refused the notion of a RNY or a sleeve. I've been in total denial that this probably wasn't the right thing for me. I think deep down I know that the band should should go and I should get a sleeve, but I just don't want to give up. I just don't know what to do or where to go from here. I am in so much pain, I do break down and take ibuprofen because I just can't stand it and nothing else works short of vicodin and I don't want to be branded a drug-seeker.

Any thoughts or suggestions? I just don't know what to do.

Edited December 30, 2009 by lovegrapes
correction

Jachut · December 30, 2009

It must be so hard when you've wanted something so badly and its not working out, but something IS wrong and you know that it is. You shouldnt be in pain every day, and you wouldnt be the first person who has symptoms but apparently nothing wrong with their band.

You're only 29, you know that sooner or later anyway, the likelihood is that you'd need a new band. Why not look into a surgery such as the sleeve? I've never heard anyone who was having pain and difficulty with their band saying they're sorry to have done it. You can check out www.verticalsleevetalk.com, there's plenty of good advice to be had, but be warned, most on that forum are avid band haters and will not encourage you to sort out the band issues if possible, lol.

Pain should never be ignored. It might be something simple like the tubing pushing on something like your diaphragm or it could be more serious but you cant just let it go. You need to know and if they cant explain the pain then surely you have to consider that the band might need to be removed.

lovegrapes · December 30, 2009

When I had my last lap in May my intestines were adhered to my diaphram. He also said I had a ton of adhesions on my spleen and that he would have to take the spleen out if he went in again. I felt a lot better after the surgery. I suspect the adhesions may have some back.

Unfortunetely I know way too much. I acutally work on the inpatient floor where bariatric patients go. Revison patients that have had a lot of complications typically end up with a G-tube for a month for drainage. That means no work for a month which is terrifying!