Having A Hard Time And Need Advice

[janey2 0]

Hi All, I was banded in August of 2010. I had roughly 100 lbs to lose and I lost about 50 lbs (recently gained back 8 lbs due to needed unfill). I have NEVER had an easy go of it. Constant vomitting, food getting stuck etc. I only lost weight because I had many periods where my band would tighten up on its own and nothing but Protein Shakes and Soup would get down. In January of this year I started having severe heartburn and reflux. I had several esophograms and an endoscopy and nothing much was revealed. I went to doctor yesterday...fed up of 2 years of this and was ready to remove the band. When low and behold, a very astute NP looked at my post-op esophogram and compare it to the current and he saw signs of a hiatal hernia and slippage. A surgeon then came in and concurred and now I am headed back to surgery for a hiatal surgery repair. I am though questioning if I will get any benefit from this or am I just going to be one of those people for whom a lap band is not a good option. I don't want to go back to the tightening and vomitting etc. My nutrition had been horendous with very little Protein and hardly any vegetables--they all get stuck with lettuce the worst offender. My question is--has anyone gone through this and if so, did it all get better after your hernia repair and band revision? Since I am going back to surgery, I want to make the right decision--keep the band? convert to a sleeve or bypass? or remove all together?.... Thanks for reading.

[Secondchanceatlife 38]

I was just recently banded on 6/12, and have thankfully had a pretty easy time overall. However, I suffered from heartburn/acid reflux for years, no matter what I ate. Before my surgery my doctor did an endoscopy on me and found where I had a hiatul hernia, which he repaired in my lapband surgery. Since then I have had NO heartburn (thank God)! What I'm trying to get to, is that even though I obviosuly don't KNOW what you should do, I feel like you should keep the band. Once your hernia and the slippage is repaired, I'm sure you'll feel like a totally new person. But no matter what you decide, I wish you all the best. Please keep me posted

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

This is strictly my personal opinion, but since you know you have a hiatal hernia and need the band adjusted because of it, it seems like having those issues fixed and then seeing how you feel with the band after would be the most logical step. You already have the band, fixing those issues should make a world of difference, so why not give it a try? The hiatal hernia will have to be repaired no matter what decision you make, so you may as well work with what you already have before doing anything more drastic.

Just my opinion, I'm no doctor

[nomorejellybelly 77]

Hang in there. I was banded in 09/2010 and lost just about 60 lbs, but it's fluctuated back up to about 158/160 and I've been plateaued for a whole year. Had been putting off going for a check/fill and finally went today. Hopefully this will help me get back on track. You can do it.

[fluffbgone 0]

I'm having a similar problem. I was banded in 08. Lost 100 strictly from vomiting all the time. I had Fluid taken out, got pregnant and gained weight. Now with no fluid I still constantly vomit all the time. I hate it. We will be at dinner and my husband will joke did you have to meet uncle earl honey? i hate that people know i have this happen. Endoscopy and swallows just show slow movement. I'm ready to be unbanded.

[janey2 0]

Well the ineresting thing is..I had surgery in August for what I thought was a repair of m hiatal hernia. To everyone's surprise, once the surgeon got in there, there was no hernia but a bg slip that was undiagnosed or detected by endoscopy or esphogram. The band slip was fixed and after 2 years I am a completely new person! The surgeon also performed a plication. She said it would help with the vomitting and prevent the band from slipping again. 6 weeks later and I am totally relived. Maybe have a discussion with your surgeon to see if it is possible the band slipped and it is undetected.