Any Rebanders???

[Infaith 1]

I am going to be rebanded April 7th...WHOOWHEE!

Has anybody here gone thru this? I mean I had my band 7 months, lost 55 pounds. Lost my band, gained almost 55 pounds and now am going to try again. Just curious is there is anything different about the "second time around"?

[EmileeKaye 1]

Why was your fist band taken out origanally? Before recently coming here I hadn't thought may if anyone got theres taken out. I'm learning so much! Hope everything goes well with the reband!

[Infaith 1]

My first band was removed due to extreme slippage. I caught a nasty stomach virus that had me violently throwing up for days. Thought I would be okay if I had all my fill taken out and I kept "trying" to sip fluids. My biggest mistake was waiting too long to call my surgeon. By the time I called him and he insisted I fly in the next day (after being hydrated at a local hospital and emailing him pictures of my x-rays). He didn't know if he could save it or not. It was too late. My band was down around the middle of my stomach and my stomach was purple. Another day and it would have been perforated. He removed it and my port and told me IF I wish to be rebanded I would have to wait 6 months to heal. When I go in April, they will do an endoscopy just before surgery to see if I'm okay to reband.

[Vera 7]

Well I think you know my story Darcey. I was rebanded in the same day as my old band was taken out(old band faulty tubbing). My difference was I now have the Inamed 9.75. where the old band was an AMI, swedish band. And yes I felt a difference between the 2 bands. The old was bigger and I never felt optimum restriction. The new band I felt restriction from the start and I've only had 1 fill of 1.3cc.

So I guess I have a question to you. Have you thought about which band you want? I knew exactly what I wanted and even talked to Don Mills about the different bands.

Good luck

[Gwendolyn 0]

Me! I was rebanded a week ago Monday.

The only difference this time is I haven't been violently ill. :welldone2: I only had my band for a week, but 5 days of that was violent wretching and dry heaving. The band slipped (we think on day 4), tests didn't find it until day 7 and by then a portion of my stomach had been pinched off and necrosed. I too had to wait 6 months for everything to heal properly.

Best of luck on your rebanding!

[Jonathan 5]

Me! I was rebanded a week ago Monday.

The only difference this time is I haven't been violently ill. :welldone2: I only had my band for a week, but 5 days of that was violent wretching and dry heaving. The band slipped (we think on day 4), tests didn't find it until day 7 and by then a portion of my stomach had been pinched off and necrosed. I too had to wait 6 months for everything to heal properly.

Best of luck on your rebanding!

Just out of curiosity, did your doctor give you a reason as to why you were so sick? That's exactly what happened to me right after surgery, but my doctor didn't do an xray, and I didn't find out until 10 months later when I had my first fill under flouroscopy.

[Gwendolyn 0]

Just out of curiosity, did your doctor give you a reason as to why you were so sick? That's exactly what happened to me right after surgery, but my doctor didn't do an xray, and I didn't find out until 10 months later when I had my first fill under flouroscopy.

Hi Jonathan-

I think we'll never know for sure, but my doc and I have theories...

We know NOW I get nauseated by pain meds. That started it. I also think I am a natural sweller (based on the restriction I have now with the VG band 1.5 weeks after surgery) and I had the 9.75cm band the first time. I'm suprised yours wasn't caught for 10 months - I was SO sick and in pain from my slip! :sick My Dr. thought it was a lot of other things at first too, so he didn't do flouro until a week had passed. You sure can see the slip on the flouro!

Were you able to get repositioned? Did they have to do it surgically?

[Jonathan 5]

Hi Jonathan-

I think we'll never know for sure, but my doc and I have theories...

We know NOW I get nauseated by pain meds. That started it. I also think I am a natural sweller (based on the restriction I have now with the VG band 1.5 weeks after surgery) and I had the 9.75cm band the first time. I'm suprised yours wasn't caught for 10 months - I was SO sick and in pain from my slip! :sick My Dr. thought it was a lot of other things at first too, so he didn't do flouro until a week had passed. You sure can see the slip on the flouro!

Were you able to get repositioned? Did they have to do it surgically?

It slipped back into place after a week of liquids, but then slipped again a month later. Even if it slipped back now, it would just slide again. Once it starts slipping like this, my doctor tells me, it creats a track of scar tissue that facilitates the movement. Mine will have to be removed.

[vinesqueen 2]

Hijack!!! Darcey!!!!! Yay! miss you!

/hijack

[Infaith 1]

Just out of curiosity, did your doctor give you a reason as to why you were so sick?

Actually Jonathan, I really did just catch a stomach virus. My aunt (I found out later) had the same thing and she doesn't have a band. We both were vomiting horribly and could not keep even Water down. Unfortunately it made my band slip waaaaaayyy down around the middle of my stomach with no chance of it slipping back up even after the total unfill. I don't know if I had got back to my surgeon within a couple of days whether it would have made a difference or not. So I don't think originally it was my band that made me sick and I'm not sure the outcome would have been any different for me except I wouldnt' have been in such pain for so many days.

[Jonathan 5]

Actually Jonathan, I really did just catch a stomach virus. My aunt (I found out later) had the same thing and she doesn't have a band. We both were vomiting horribly and could not keep even Water down. Unfortunately it made my band slip waaaaaayyy down around the middle of my stomach with no chance of it slipping back up even after the total unfill. I don't know if I had got back to my surgeon within a couple of days whether it would have made a difference or not. So I don't think originally it was my band that made me sick and I'm not sure the outcome would have been any different for me except I wouldnt' have been in such pain for so many days.

I was actually curious about Gwendolyn's experience, since her sickness came right after surgery. Not that I'm not very interested in your experience too =) The opinion of a few doctors and xray techs who have done my flouroscopies is that the band the doctor put in me was too small for me. I was curious as to whether Gwnedolyn's doctor had mentioned anything like that. I'm really just wondereding if my doctor made a mistake, and if he did, what that means, if anything.

[Infaith 1]

Thanks Vera...I actually was never sure of your whole story. When I came on here I remember you having a terrible time getting restriction. My doc only deals with Inamed bands. I loved my band and it worked well for me...like I told Jonathan...I really believe it was not the band that made me sick, but a virus that was going around where I work (my aunt works at the same place I do).

Gwendolyn-thanks for the info and good wishes. So you feel good about being rebanded? I went back and forth for many months and now know that it's what I have to do to save my life.

Crystal-you can hijack my thread anytime! Thanks and I missed you too. BTW, your picture is awesome. You are gorgeous!

[Infaith 1]

I was actually curious about Gwendolyn's experience, since her sickness came right after surgery. Not that I'm not very interested in your experience too =)

Ooops, sorry!

[Gwendolyn 0]

The opinion of a few doctors and xray techs who have done my flouroscopies is that the band the doctor put in me was too small for me. I was curious as to whether Gwnedolyn's doctor had mentioned anything like that.

My doc didn't say that, but I personally feel that was the case for me due to the severe swelling I experienced.

[Gwendolyn 0]

Gwendolyn-thanks for the info and good wishes. So you feel good about being rebanded? I went back and forth for many months and now know that it's what I have to do to save my life.

I was in the same place last August. The first banding nearly killed me (I spent 4 days in ICU with a blood pressure below 60/40 and a temp over 104F). I was mad that it took so long to find the slip and I was terrified the treatment (the band) was worse than the disease (obesity).

After I thought about it and reflected on it, I realized that though better decisions could have been made regarding my care, the complications were noone's fault. My doc and I talked it out and I decided I *needed* to lose the weight. I could do it now, or I could wait 10 years until I had major comorbities that would make it harder.

So, I feel GREAT about the rebanding! A week and a half out (this time with the VG band) I feel good and am realizing this was the right choice for me.

I think you're very brave to have had a serious complication and get right back up on that horse! It sounds like you've thought it through and made the right decision for you.