SLIPPED BAND...It is a BIG DEAL!

[Boo_68 6]

I sit here struggling with the notion to write this or not...but something someone said to me yesterday is very disturbing. I think her words were "A Slipped Band is not a BIG Deal, quit your whining it can be fixed."

I followed all the rules the Doctor gave me and for 18 months have had phenominal success with my band. I eat right and I excercise and within this time have lost 129 lbs...putting me 5 lbs under my original goal. Two weeks ago I came down extremely ill with the FLU and my world changed. I've never been so sick in all my life and the vomitting was non-stop. It landed me in the ER for two days, my LAP-BAND® slipped, they unfilled it...hoping it would fall back into place. Unfortunately it didn't and surgery was scheduled. My Doctor was not sure what they would find. Could I have been so sick that it could of caused a possible errosion. I was lucky...but it is a VERY BIG DEAL! I was in surgery for 4 hours to fix my Slipped LAP-BAND®...and a 3 day hospital stay. It just really angered me yesterday when someone told me to quit whining about surgery. Surgery is risky no matter who you are or how healthy you are. Don't get me wrong I LOVE my LAP-BAND® and I love the success I've had with it...but surgery of any kind is scary. Things like "throwing up" shouldn't be taken so lightly or carelessly. A slipped band can and will happen if you don't take care of yourself properly.

I thought this forum was for sharing your stories and helping and supporting one another. If I can help one person not go through what I did, then its a success. Obviously I couldn't stop the Flu from happening, but I wish I would of gone to the Doctor at the first sign of being sick and had my LAP-BAND® unfilled. Maybe then I'd be out running today instead of being on day 7 of recovery.

I will however not let this stop me or drag me down. I'm loving life and love the "new me". Everyone has a story and deserves to be heard!

[Tsaleen 1]

That is horrible, I feel for you. This is the big thing most of us dread. I am thankful to be notified through others experiences here that any extended vomiting should result in an immediate unfill in an attempt to avoid slippage!

I hope you are better soon!

[kll724 3,055]

Oh, I absolutely agree. Overheard my surgeon telling a teacher who was saying that flu is going around her school. ""If you get the flu, come here and have the Fluid removed, because productive burping is different than vomiting!" Vomiting will cause the problem that you mentioned.

I am going through a slippage problem, where I had all my fill removed. I am due back to dr on Oct.6, and am hoping to have a slight fill put back in.

Good luck in your healing. Karen(kll724)

[JMinDallas 1]

Thanks for your story. I can only imagine how scary that must be. Good advice about the flu and an unfill.

Take care of yourself!

And may I say what an awesome job you have done with the amount of weight you've lost!

[Lovelyladylv 0]

A slipped band absolutely is a big deal! My band slipped after 15 months and I had surgery last month. When it slipped it occluded the opening and I couldn't keep anything down. I have never been so sick in my life. Because I could keep nothing down I had to go thourgh the ER and be admittied for surgery in the morning. The surgery took about 45 minutes and it went well. I was discharged after about 24 hours of first walking into the hospital.

My insurance denied payment so that made me a self-pay and I got my hospital bill this week. It's $28,000! And that doesn't inlcude the surgeon's fees, the anesthesiologist's fees or the radiologist's fees. I also got a statement in the mail saying that if my insurance had paid, the hospital would have settled for $1998.00 but since they didn't pay, I am responsible for the entire $28,000. This is because my insurance company has a contract with the hospital and I don't.

I was barely overweight enough to have the lapband with a BMI of 30. I have reached my goal weight and am very thankful for my band. But if you figure I have lost 54 pounds and after I get all the bills from the revision surgery that will put me at nearly $50,000 spent on the band and just under $1,000 a pound.

So the band slipping IS a big deal, not only because it jeopardizes your health until it is fixed but because it can leave you financially devastated.

[emjay 8]

Lovely - contact the hospital and see if they will accept a lower payment. It may be above what your insurance may be paid but well below the $28,000 they are asking.

Contact the billing department and speak to a manager. If they say they can't do anything about it, ask to speak to someone higher up. Be persistent, but also be polite and state the facts. See if they can help you out.

You have my sympathy.

[Manda87 3]

That sounds so scary. I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm sure the person who said "a slip band is no big deal" is probably ignorant. I hope you feel better soon!

[Boo_68 6]

Slowly but surely I'm recovering and feeling better....stronger every day. I think my body is wiped out still from being so sick, but I'm making progress and my strength is coming back. I actually walked two miles today with daughter, felt great to get outdoors. No need to worry...Doc said I could walk walk walk :drool: but I'm still on liquids for another 5 weeks.

Thank you everyone for your continued support...Your all Amazing!!!

[♥Amy♥ 5]

Slowly but surely I'm recovering and feeling better....stronger every day. I think my body is wiped out still from being so sick, but I'm making progress and my strength is coming back. I actually walked two miles today with daughter, felt great to get outdoors. No need to worry...Doc said I could walk walk walk :drool: but I'm still on liquids for another 5 weeks.

Thank you everyone for your continued support...Your all Amazing!!!

So they repaired your band? They didnt remove it? Ive always thought that they couldnt just repair it. That once it slipped it had to be removed and if a new band was to be placed it would have to wait a little while. I'm sorry your band slipped but happy for you that you didn't have to lose it, also!

[AlaskaGirl77 0]

I have an open script for phenagran (not sure if I spelled that right). I work in a school and the stomach bug runs like wildfire..the first inkling of feeling sick,I pop one and I don't throw up...sometimes I'll still get the bug,but it's just not comming out of my mouth...lol...I fly down to my sergeon Wednesday for hopefully a slight unfill. I have not had a fill in a year,but suddenly way to tight (actually vomitted 2 from eating) and just tons of sliming...hoping i'm not anywhere near a slip...

[lyndi 0]

I recently found out that my band slipped slightly. my dr unfilled it and is hoping that my stomach can go right again. i am extremely scared, I am a self-pay, and I do not have the money to get the surgery to fix it if needed. I dont know what else can be done.. Can a slipped unfilled band be dangerous?

[PitPat 0]

I sit here struggling with the notion to write this or not...but something someone said to me yesterday is very disturbing. I think her words were "A Slipped Band is not a BIG Deal, quit your whining it can be fixed." :thumbup:

I followed all the rules the Doctor gave me and for 18 months have had phenominal success with my band. I eat right and I excercise and within this time have lost 129 lbs...putting me 5 lbs under my original goal. Two weeks ago I came down extremely ill with the FLU and my world changed. I've never been so sick in all my life and the vomitting was non-stop. It landed me in the ER for two days, my LAP-BAND®® slipped, they unfilled it...hoping it would fall back into place. Unfortunately it didn't and surgery was scheduled. My Doctor was not sure what they would find. Could I have been so sick that it could of caused a possible errosion. I was lucky...but it is a VERY BIG DEAL! I was in surgery for 4 hours to fix my Slipped LAP-BAND®®...and a 3 day hospital stay. It just really angered me yesterday when someone told me to quit whining about surgery. Surgery is risky no matter who you are or how healthy you are. Don't get me wrong I LOVE my LAP-BAND®® and I love the success I've had with it...but surgery of any kind is scary. Things like "throwing up" shouldn't be taken so lightly or carelessly. A slipped band can and will happen if you don't take care of yourself properly.

I thought this forum was for sharing your stories and helping and supporting one another. If I can help one person not go through what I did, then its a success. Obviously I couldn't stop the Flu from happening, but I wish I would of gone to the Doctor at the first sign of being sick and had my LAP-BAND®® unfilled. Maybe then I'd be out running today instead of being on day 7 of recovery.

I will however not let this stop me or drag me down. I'm loving life and love the "new me". Everyone has a story and deserves to be heard!

I personally want to thank you for posting your ordeal. I am so sorry you had to go through all of the sickness and the pain, but we don't ever know what is ahead. I will get my band on 10/18 and I try to read everything I can so maybe I will be aware if something were to happen.

Congratulations on your success of surpassing your goal! I hope this time next year that I can say the same thing!

Thank you again. Take care.

God bless,

PitPat

[Shawna2010 0]

I am sorry to hear your band slipped and had to have surgery:frown:. I am new to this I was just banded May 17th 2010:thumbup:. I weighed 213lbs. I had to go to the Dr today:confused:. Today I weighed 178.5lbs:w00t:. About 2 weeks ago I started getting food stuck and sometimes would vomit. I thought maybe I had eaten to fast. I started getting frustrated and scared so I called the Dr and they told me to come in right away. I went in. Last time I went to the Dr was in Aug I had 5.6cc in my band. Today Dr took out 1cc so now I am down to 4.6cc. I was able to eat tonight with no problems. Now I feel guilty for being able to eat and not feel so restricted. I didnt want to be unfilled but Dr doesnt want my band to slip. I have so much more weight to lose. I feel I need to be tighter:frown:.

Good luck!!! Hope you feel better soon:smile2:

[Shawna2010 0]

Hi! I was wondering how do I do the weight ticker. I would like to have that to track my progress:smile2:

Thanks

[TracieCat 8]

So sorry to read what you have gone through with the slipped band, subsequent surgery to repair it and then living with the careless comment that was made to you. My heart goes out to you truly. At least perhaps in what you have gone through and them realizing it will teach them to not say something similar in the future to someone else.