completely unfilled and still having problems

[nursejess 0]

I will try my best to condense this: banded May 2008 with 12 cc LAP-BAND®...lost 20 lbs first month with nothing in the band then continued to lose well total of 70lbs in 7 months with 2 cc's total in band.I only had to make sure to drink coffee in the mornings then everything else would be fine..went to see MD and since I wanted to lose more told him I was a little hungry so he put in 1 cc..BIG mistake...couldn't tolerate anything came back next day and had 1 cc taken out. Then no weight loss for over 4 months so got 0.5 cc's put in, had the PBing, slime, etc for a few months, lose 5 then gain 5 back and forth. One yr anniversary had pain in port area found out port had flipped, had replaced and asked MD to put in 1 cc while in surgery...BIG mistake..ended up in hospital for 3 days very dehydrated and had 2 cc's removed...(total of 2 cc's at this point in band) so over the next several months did not lose any weight....did not over eat, just made bad choices at times then other times really good choices for several weeks with no weight loss (side note..within 30 lbs of goal weight) began to have problems with sliming, PBing, etc...had BS just to check things out and everything was okay but continued to have problems...I would have no problems with "bad" foods but Protein was a different..could not tolerate it at all..(gained 15 lbs)..so I had enough and went to my MD in November 09 and asked him to remove everything which he did, initially lost 9 lbs in 7 days over Thanksgiving because I could eat protein. Became lazy over the holidays and made bad choices and the 9 lbs came back. Now for the last 2 months I have once again began to have problems with PBing, sliming, lots of mucous and sometimes cannot eat anything:(....at times the carbs will go down easily and since that is all I can eat at times I have not lost any more weight. I will admit I have been under a lot of stress....what is causing this since I am completely unfilled...also had Migraine on Monday, vomitted alot went to ER, they did CT scan just to check band and said it is fine....what is going on, any thoughts would be appreciated.

[slimmap 1]

I do not know what is happening with your band but I have had a lot of the same problems you do and I am frankly disappointed in my band. Yes I have lost weight but whenever I get a fill that seems to be effective, I get terrible, terrible acid reflux symptoms. So back to the dr to get unfilled. This costs me $250 a fill or unfill as I am self pay. Then I am back where I can eat anything and have to rely on will power. I don't have a lot of will power though, so more frustration! I have been back and forth hovering around 2 cc's in my 10 cc band for the entire year of 2009. I feel like I wasted a whole year. So yesterday I went back for just a little tiny squirt of a fill 1/4 of a cc. I hoped and prayed that this little bit would give me enough restricion to lose more weight. But I am afraid again because my throat feels so tight. I guess I will hang in there and hope that I don't wake up in the middle of the night coughing up acid again. So all I can add is that "I feel your pain!". If I can help you in any way, let me know. All I know is that this is not what I had hoped for.

I will try my best to condense this: banded May 2008 with 12 cc LAP-BAND®®...lost 20 lbs first month with nothing in the band then continued to lose well total of 70lbs in 7 months with 2 cc's total in band.I only had to make sure to drink coffee in the mornings then everything else would be fine..went to see MD and since I wanted to lose more told him I was a little hungry so he put in 1 cc..BIG mistake...couldn't tolerate anything came back next day and had 1 cc taken out. Then no weight loss for over 4 months so got 0.5 cc's put in, had the PBing, slime, etc for a few months, lose 5 then gain 5 back and forth. One yr anniversary had pain in port area found out port had flipped, had replaced and asked MD to put in 1 cc while in surgery...BIG mistake..ended up in hospital for 3 days very dehydrated and had 2 cc's removed...(total of 2 cc's at this point in band) so over the next several months did not lose any weight....did not over eat, just made bad choices at times then other times really good choices for several weeks with no weight loss (side note..within 30 lbs of goal weight) began to have problems with sliming, PBing, etc...had BS just to check things out and everything was okay but continued to have problems...I would have no problems with "bad" foods but Protein was a different..could not tolerate it at all..(gained 15 lbs)..so I had enough and went to my MD in November 09 and asked him to remove everything which he did, initially lost 9 lbs in 7 days over Thanksgiving because I could eat Protein. Became lazy over the holidays and made bad choices and the 9 lbs came back. Now for the last 2 months I have once again began to have problems with PBing, sliming, lots of mucous and sometimes cannot eat anything:(....at times the carbs will go down easily and since that is all I can eat at times I have not lost any more weight. I will admit I have been under a lot of stress....what is causing this since I am completely unfilled...also had Migraine on Monday, vomitted alot went to ER, they did CT scan just to check band and said it is fine....what is going on, any thoughts would be appreciated.

[3636millie2 0]

I had the exact same problem that you had.. I received the band in May of 08. In Feb 09 I developed severe problems with the band. Had emergency surgery where they did lysis of adhesions. I attempted to get fills, went a couple of months with just a few mls of Fluid in the band. Started in again with the severe problems. Went back to the surgeons in Phoenix. They just blew me off. I continued to vomit, be unable to even get Protein shakes in. Was surviving on IV fluids that the Anesthesiologists I worked with would write the prescription for and about 2 Protein Shakes per day. Could occassionally get other slider foods in (ie melted ice cream, hot coffee with lots of cream, sugar in, etc). The whole time I was trying to get another surgeon in the U.S. to see me. OH HELL NO. No one would see me because of the "liability". Finally after much research, I found a surgeon who literally saved my life in Mexicali. I revised from the band to the sleeve. During the sleeve surgery it was discovered that I had severe adhesions around every piece of the band (port, tubing, band itself). What was causing the problem was that I had adhesions underneath the band.

Not saying that this is what is wrong with you but...... there are people who are "band intolerant". Please research this phenomena.

[slimmap 1]

Yikes ! That is a scary thought to have to deal with. I can get food down though. My band is pretty loose and almost anything can get through it.That is part of the problem...either keep it too loose and feel okay or have good restriction and cough up acid. I am at Day 2 after fill. We will see which way it goes. Thanks for the very important input you gave me.

[nursejess 0]

update...when you have that feeling that something is wrong...go with it! I continued to get worse to the point that it would take me 4 or more hours just to get a Protein Shake in...I went in to see my surgeon..he did an EGD in the office and found that my band had slipped and not only had it slipped but it still had food from the week before that had not gone through...he sent me for BS and NOTHING went through....radiologist said I was the most interesting case he had seen because literally none of the barium went through....my esophagus was too swollen to do surgery so I was in the hospital getting steriods to reduce the swelling and PPN (nutrition)through my veins for 3 days before they could do surgery. Came home yesterday, still in alot of pain, esophagus is very touchy, no appetite but followering MD's orders to the letter. I am proud of the weight I lost with the band but will not have it replaced. The good thing...I don't think about food the way I did and I really believe with God's help and support of my wonderful husband I will be able to lose this remaining 25 or so lbs. I wish all of you the best!:thumbup:

[slimmap 1]

My goodness!! How are you feeling now? What an ordeal you went for...I am so sorry. The good news is that you are going to be okay, right? I am really glad that you persevered and took care of this. I don't blame you for not wanting to replace the band. You can do 25 pounds. With someone supportive, you can do anything. I am glad that you posted this because I was wondering what you had found out. Wow! I never thought this! Well take care of yourself because your body has been through a lot. By the way, did the doctors say why they think the band did this? Or do they not really know. Let me know. I will keep you in my prayers.:smile::thumbup:

update...when you have that feeling that something is wrong...go with it! I continued to get worse to the point that it would take me 4 or more hours just to get a Protein shake in...I went in to see my surgeon..he did an EGD in the office and found that my band had slipped and not only had it slipped but it still had food from the week before that had not gone through...he sent me for BS and NOTHING went through....radiologist said I was the most interesting case he had seen because literally none of the barium went through....my esophagus was too swollen to do surgery so I was in the hospital getting steriods to reduce the swelling and PPN (nutrition)through my veins for 3 days before they could do surgery. Came home yesterday, still in alot of pain, esophagus is very touchy, no appetite but followering MD's orders to the letter. I am proud of the weight I lost with the band but will not have it replaced. The good thing...I don't think about food the way I did and I really believe with God's help and support of my wonderful husband I will be able to lose this remaining 25 or so lbs. I wish all of you the best!

[nursejess 0]

thanks for your prayers! My MD didn't really know why it slipped like it did, although I really think it had been slipping on and off but just not at the same time they would do the test:(...his nurse told me that the lapband is more likely to slip when you don't have any Fluid in it, so that had been since November of 2009. I feel like I will be okay, it is just going to take some time...I did have a better night last night and I am so thankful...I had about 4 tablespoons of broth last night for supper so that is some improvement....still very tired so I am about to rest for a while...I really appreciate your words of encouragement and support and wish you the best!

[Melliebelle 0]

Nurse Jess, I am so sorry that you have had such an ordeal to bear. I hope you heal and recover quickly and that the things you learned while on the band will help you to your goal post band. Rest, heal and keep you chin up.

[slimmap 1]

Us lap bandsters have to look out for each other! I am glad that you can get some broth down. It just all sounds so painful. Hang in there and remember what you said about paying attention to what your body says. If you still feel something isn't right, get yourself back to the doctor. Otherwise, good luck. You are going to do great.

thanks for your prayers! My MD didn't really know why it slipped like it did, although I really think it had been slipping on and off but just not at the same time they would do the test:(...his nurse told me that the LAP-BAND® is more likely to slip when you don't have any Fluid in it, so that had been since November of 2009. I feel like I will be okay, it is just going to take some time...I did have a better night last night and I am so thankful...I had about 4 tablespoons of broth last night for supper so that is some improvement....still very tired so I am about to rest for a while...I really appreciate your words of encouragement and support and wish you the best!

[freespirit63 112]

wow..what a story. i have mine completely defilled because i had thyroid surgery and cancer of thyroid. i am still restricted with empty band. getting a barium and fill next week. any advise?

[nursejess 0]

freespirit...bless your heart I hope things go well with your thyroid surgery...I wish I could tell you that everything continued to go good for me after my removal but it did not...I began to vomit the little bit of liquid that I was drinking, went back to MD, had BS...my stomach stilled looked like I had a band on and then it showed that I had developed a stricture right below my little stomach and that it was only open the size of a straw or less, so essentially Fluid was backing up in my little stomach and then having trouble going thru...so I had another EGD and the gastro MD attempted to dilate the strictured area...stated he had been doing these for 20 yrs and never saw anything like this...he too said my upper stomach looks exactly like someone with a band on and there is so much swelling it is unbelievable, he said it may take 6 wks for all the swelling to go down and he is not sure if he was able to dilate me enough to get soft foods down but hopes as the swelling goes down he hopes that I will be able to eat soft foods, he said that my stomach will most likely never be completely normal and that I will never be able to "gobble" food (I haven't done that in 2 yrs anyway with the band)..I am able to drink 2 Protein Shakes a day and some gatorade now. so my advice to you if you have no fluid in the band and still feel restricted alot is to get an EGD to see what is going on. I pray the best for you. We have a trip to Disney planned in 7 wks that my 4 and 5 yr olds are really looking forward to...I hope I am able to eat by then:)

[freespirit63 112]

WOW what a story you have. I did have my band filled now at 1.5. I am very gently with my eating and being very consious not to eat fast and eat small pieces and take my time. I think this time it will be success. Take it easy and go slow with eating.