I've done this twice and I need a buddy.....help

[PattieW 3]

Hi!

I'm a female in my 50's. I had my first lap band surgery in Dec. 2008. I did well for about 6-8 months and lost about 50 + lbs. Then I got something stuck and threw up quite a bit. I think that is when the band slipped. My Doc decided to unfill a little at a time and it took 6 months to decide to take an upper GI and confirm the slippage. June 2010 is when I had the second surgery (revision). My Doc was a little agressive with the fills and I have been playing "fill --unfill" for the last few months. I have not lost but about 20 more pounds since the second surgery.

I have support group meetings with my surgical group but they are just once a month and I need more interaction.

I would love to "talk" with another bandster........

Pattie (not quite as fattie)

[Spouse of TEJ 0]

Hi!

I'm a female in my 50's. I had my first lap band surgery in Dec. 2008. I did well for about 6-8 months and lost about 50 + lbs. Then I got something stuck and threw up quite a bit. I think that is when the band slipped. My Doc decided to unfill a little at a time and it took 6 months to decide to take an upper GI and confirm the slippage. June 2010 is when I had the second surgery (revision). My Doc was a little agressive with the fills and I have been playing "fill --unfill" for the last few months. I have not lost but about 20 more pounds since the second surgery.

I have support group meetings with my surgical group but they are just once a month and I need more interaction.

I would love to "talk" with another bandster........

Pattie (not quite as fattie)

[Saraboo 21]

I feel your pain Pattie. I had a slight slip due to the same things, but my dr was extremly sensative to doing fills after that. After we did a complete unfill, we went very slowly. Which has been the best thing possible. Just make sure you're getting your Water and exercise in. You can try swiching up your calorie intake. Have 1 or 2 days a week where you up your calories, and like 1 day where your drop them. It will help keep your metabloism guessing. And switch upi your exercise. If you usually take walks, use the elliptical, or try some weight training.

[Spouse of TEJ 0]

Pattie....thank you for your post. I too have been banded since Aug 2010 and two weeks ago started having reflux like crazy....I couldn't even eat ice chips....out of the blue. I went to the doctor and he thinks it's a slippage....but he just opened me up. No plans for a Upper GI.....he told me to come back in 6 weeks for another fill. Now I am thinking I should ask for the Upper GI. I have gained back 8 pounds and have no restriction....Since he think it may be slippage...should I ask for the GI?

Your sharing this post may have saved me some heartache.....so Thank you for being honest!!!

Spouse of TEJ

[Spouse of TEJ 0]

I feel your pain Pattie. I had a slight slip due to the same things, but my dr was extremly sensative to doing fills after that. After we did a complete unfill, we went very slowly. Which has been the best thing possible. Just make sure you're getting your Water and exercise in. You can try swiching up your calorie intake. Have 1 or 2 days a week where you up your calories, and like 1 day where your drop them. It will help keep your metabloism guessing. And switch upi your exercise. If you usually take walks, use the elliptical, or try some weight training.

[Spouse of TEJ 0]

Saraboo....did they do a Upper GI on you...or did they just fill you slowly and think the slippage self corrected. I am having a slippage issue also.

Thanks

[PattieW 3]

I know the last thing you want to do is have the surgery all over again like I did, But I tell you I wish I would have pushed a little harder and sooner for the GI. I spent so much time with reflux too. I was up to 300mg of rhinitidine just to control it and to no avail. Take the guessing out of everyones mind and try to get them to give you some help and clear answers. You know you body better than anyone ever will. I felt so much better right away. Best of luck.

Pattie....thank you for your post. I too have been banded since Aug 2010 and two weeks ago started having reflux like crazy....I couldn't even eat ice chips....out of the blue. I went to the doctor and he thinks it's a slippage....but he just opened me up. No plans for a Upper GI.....he told me to come back in 6 weeks for another fill. Now I am thinking I should ask for the Upper GI. I have gained back 8 pounds and have no restriction....Since he think it may be slippage...should I ask for the GI?

Your sharing this post may have saved me some heartache.....so Thank you for being honest!!!

Spouse of TEJ

[hmarko 0]

All - I am having similar issues messed around for a year w/ complete unfills and going back up. Lost 72 lbs in 9 months and then problems started. Here are observations and the awesome NP in the practice and Dr I see, helped alot w/ the clinical signs because in my case it looked really bad at 5.8 cc's but an unfill corrected it completely but the joke is I can't get filled it would need to be loose so whats the point?

1) After June I was never in the green zone i was either too loose or too tight where that was defined by reflux problems at night. They explained that could be a hiatal hernia that developed. It sure looked that way or a partial slip on the barium swallow a few weeks ago before he released it.

2) Through this i've net gained 12 lbs and I imagine would if i did nothing would slowly gain back

3) after the unfill the barium swallow looked pretty good the band did look like it was sitting lower; before the unfill pouch dilated and it looked like stomach was coming up

4) Dr explained to me that the acid reflux ends up causing problems w/ the espophagus and it works less effectively in pushing the food through

So my point is that in my case even w/ the films there was not THAT much that was conclusive and sometimes they do need to go on the clinical evidence. I hope it will work for all of us - even though this is a pain this is still the best thing I ever did. My big fear is that it will fail.

I am going in on Sat

I know the last thing you want to do is have the surgery all over again like I did, But I tell you I wish I would have pushed a little harder and sooner for the GI. I spent so much time with reflux too. I was up to 300mg of rhinitidine just to control it and to no avail. Take the guessing out of everyones mind and try to get them to give you some help and clear answers. You know you body better than anyone ever will. I felt so much better right away. Best of luck.

[Saraboo 21]

Saraboo....did they do a Upper GI on you...or did they just fill you slowly and think the slippage self corrected. I am having a slippage issue also.

Thanks

They did a complete unfill and sent me in for an emergency Upper GI. We had some issues with the actual images; they didn't have the program at the one office to open up the documents, but it did show I had a slight slip. I lost my job not too soon after, so we decided to take it really easy with the fills. It took awhile to get back up to restiction again. As soon as I have insurance again, I'll probably go for another. Just to be sure.

[PattieW 3]

I know the last thing you want to do is have the surgery all over again like I did, But I tell you I wish I would have pushed a little harder and sooner for the GI. I spent so much time with reflux too. I was up to 300mg of rhinitidine just to control it and to no avail. Take the guessing out of everyones mind and try to get them to give you some help and clear answers. You know you body better than anyone ever will. I felt so much better right away. Best of luck.

In response...It can't hurt to make sure of a slippage. The upper GI will also let you know if you have a hiatal hernia. I had one prior to my first surgery and there was another with the slippage so I was pleased to get back to what we would consider normal. I found a great book for all of us with the band, It has changed my head thinking so much. Remember they banded our stomach not our head. It is called "bandwagon" by Jean McMillan. She has had her band for several years and has the best testimony for a bandster. She will set you free on some ideas we were told by the Docs. I highly urge you to pick it up. Best wishes with you very special journey.

[mousek 4]

Hi!

I'm a female in my 50's. I had my first lap band surgery in Dec. 2008. I did well for about 6-8 months and lost about 50 + lbs. Then I got something stuck and threw up quite a bit. I think that is when the band slipped. My Doc decided to unfill a little at a time and it took 6 months to decide to take an upper GI and confirm the slippage. June 2010 is when I had the second surgery (revision). My Doc was a little agressive with the fills and I have been playing "fill --unfill" for the last few months. I have not lost but about 20 more pounds since the second surgery.

I have support group meetings with my surgical group but they are just once a month and I need more interaction.

I would love to "talk" with another bandster........

Pattie (not quite as fattie)

(not quite as fattie) ha ha, that's pretty funny