Band removed/gastric sleeve 7/6

[Ellisa 6]

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I was banded in Dec 07 and posted a lot before and after my lapband surgery. Okay I had time on my hands and many concerns, especially immediately following my surgery and before insurance approval. But I lived happily ever after for about a year after getting my band and having a hiatal hernia repaired at the same time. I lost weight, had minimal issues with the band and so forth during that time. Before I proceed, let me say that I’m sure my situation is not typical. But if someone out there finds this familiar, maybe this post will be helpful.<o:p></o:p>

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Last summer I began having pain and reflux. Tests were done, gall bladder removed, and it was indeed diseased and had stones. BUT the symptoms not only did not improve but continually got worse. By October I was down to my lowest post op weight but it was due to being sick. I was having an unexplained fever that would last less than 24 hours. In the 101 – 103 range. I would cough, choke, throw up for several hours. Then before I’d get an appointment made, I’d be feeling just fine. This went on for months. Finally I bit the bullet and made an appointment. Anyway my labs were all over the place, my PCP was confused and concerned. And still at least once a week I’m having this fever etc. Finally figured out that I was inhalating (is that a word?) the gastric reflux and getting bronchitis. We start Nexium and propping up in bed and so forth. Got the fever thing under control but not the reflux. In the meantime, my band was completely unfilled and I began gaining weight of course but the issues continued. After some time it was decided I needed an upper GI which included being laid down during the procedure. That’s where it was discovered that the hiatal hernia repair had not held and mine was huge. Because of this my band could not be properly filled. So that put me in the situation of having to decide if I were going to have the hernia re-repaired and my band removed/revised or whatever was necessary. In the end I decided to have the hernia repaired, the band removed if necessary and the VSG. That all happened on 7/6/10. <o:p></o:p>

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A couple of things I’d like to mention, one being that we probably could have gotten to the bottom of the issue sooner if I’d been more diligent about discussing the situation with my PCP and surgeon. The second is, I’m not a former bandit who feels that being banded was a huge mistake, I never “hated” my band. I had hoped to keep it. But the only message here is… though, I’m sure my situation is not typical, if anyone else is experiencing what I did, maybe they can get to the bottom more quickly and also discuss their options and be out of “misery” faster than I was. <o:p></o:p>

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[Mimilou2004 13]

Thank you for your story, Ellisa. I hope your VSG serves you well.

Mimi

[btrieger 21]

Thanks for sharing and I hope you have better luck with the sleeve!

[Ellisa 6]

Time will tell if the VSG works better or not. But there really wasn't a choice about having the band removed since the hernia repair would not hold with it in place. The repair still may not hold but at least I will not be gaining weight since there's no band to be filled. LOL

My husband was banded 5 years ago, my sister around the same time as me, and my mother will be two years out in December. They are all doing wonderfully with their bands, as I did before the hiatal hernia became an issue.

Thanks for the well wishes!

[S@ssen@ch 745]

Thank you so much for posting this. Your story is inspiring for me and the timing couldn't have been better. I have been told today by my band doctor that I may have mechanical failure and I have to decide whether to remove my band.

My story: I was banded 4/4/05. Initially I did very well, lost weight, felt good, no complications. About 6 months into it I starting having what the doctor told me was esophageal spasms and after several months of recurrent "spasms" that made me want to commit suicide, we discovered that they were gall bladder attacks. Since the gall bladder removal my weight loss has essentially stalled, maybe 20 lbs over 3 years then in the last 6 months or so I have gained 30! YIKES! From the time I was banded I have not been able to lay on my back for extended periods of time or sleep on my back. I wake with chest pain and pressure and I nearly always wake with a sore throat. All doctors tell me it's reflux. After 5 years of this "reflux", I started getting worried about the health of my esophagus so I contacted my band doctor. He says that some rare cases of "mechanical failure" occur where the esophagus just doesn't have the motility to deal with the device that's been implanted. We could try Nexium and if the symptoms do not improve, the only way to solve the problem is band removal.

*I've done the Nexium thing before and haven't noticed any change. I'm willing to try again, but I think I'm headed for a tough decision here. It's like I'm losing a friend and I really fear gaining all of my weight back. He offered the VGS as an option, but I chose the band because I didn't want my anatomy altered. I want to cry.

[Ellisa 6]

Dawn,

I sent you a PM. I'm glad you got some encouragement from the post.