Symptoms of Band Slipping

[Susan Therrell 0]

Hey Guys,

It's been a while since I've posted. I've actually moved from New Jersey to Atlanta in July and have been busy settling in. I've noticed that I PB a lot more that I used to and I'm starting to notice a little pain in my stomach where my port is.

Part of the problem is , that I'm in Atlanta now and I can't seem to find a doctor who will see me regarding this here. My surgeon was in New Jersey (Dr. Abkin's office) and when I call them, they tell me to fly up to see them which is kind of hard to do.

I really wanted to see if anyone knows the symptoms of slippage before I book a flight out.

Thanks,:think

I just had the lap band surgery June 10, '08. Am feeling well, but appetite is back and I'm tending to eat too much....wondering if the band has slipped, thus causing me to be able to eat more.

I really like the dr. who did my surgery, Dr. William Johnson, Atlanta Bariatrics, in Johns Creek (No. Fulton County), GA. Surgery was done at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. Don't have the dr.'s ofc. number handy, but I know of two new patients Dr. Johnson and his partner, Dr. Christopher Hart, have inherited since the patients have moved to Atlanta. I met them at a monthly support group meeting, and they both like the drs. here. I hope you don't have to go back to N.J. for a checkup!!

Band of Help, Roswell GA

Thanks for any info

[judister 0]

Hi people,

I was banded 9/26/06. I had two fills and two unfills because the band was too tight. I am now experiencing really bad acid reflux everytime I eat. i am having problems when I lie down, I feel like I am choking, I have to get up during the night to spit. The most frightening thing is that I have gained 17lbs in two months. I am still doing my exercise, going to the Gym for 2hrs three times a week and walking everyday for 1 and a half hrs. I don't understand why I am gaining weight. I know I am not eating enough to gain weight. If someone could explain to me what you thank the problem is I would really appreciate that!!!!!

[nan42 2]

I need help advice I had the flu three days ago and threw up and I had acid all night. I have not had acid again but it hurts to eat I have put myself on liquids for a few days, Could the pain be a slip?

[tanderson 3]

Hi Everyone,

I am just wondering if the patients that are having slippage were done before they started stitching the band in place? Or do they slip anyway. It must hurt because if it is sewn down wouldnt it have to tear away in order to move? I was told that they used to not sew them in place and that now they do and that they slip less often. What do you all say?

Thanks,

My band was put in on 6-4-07, the happiest day of my life. Over the next year I managed to lose 55 pounds with lots of HARD WORK and EXERCISE....about 3 weeks ago, I began to notice changes in my body. I was having more variations in my diet because some foods went down so much easier than others. And I am sorry, if I have not been able to eat hard Protein all day long, by the time the evening come around, my body is weak and trembling and HUNGRY. Mind you, I had 1.8 cc in a 4.0 band. Anyway, I resorted to eating more high caloric soft foods such as ice cream, so that I could have some caloric intake.

This went on for a few days and I knew that I needed to see a doctor as the weight was starting to creep back on. The only problem, was that my surgeon retired 4 months after my procedure and left no follow up instructions. At the time, I was really OK with this because at the time of his retirement, I was losing relatively well and easy and had been told that my body would never need another fill as I had recently had to have a slight defill.

So last week I began looking for a doctor and started feeling worse and worse, more tired and more tired. Labor day, I was in the hospital with my daughter who was having surgery the next day, and I began to feel sick. I went/vomited in the bathroom several times and then realized I was having pain. Suspecting a slip, I walked over to the ER to check myself in. The next 24 hours are a blur to me as my pain because so intense. My BP was 175/157, low grade temp., pain so intense it radiated through my abdomen, chest, back, both shoulders, and jaw, sever nausea, vomiting bright red blood spots; at one time the did and ekg because they thought I might be having a heart attack. They did plain xrays on my which showed nothing and told me to go home and follow up with wichever lap band doc i could find, and i forced them to admit me for pain control and to consult with a surgeon.

The next mid-morning my pain became more intense, bowel sounds stopped, pain meds were doubled and given twice as often and noting touched the pain i was in...nothing. I was given a CAT scan to look at the band and was told I did indeed have an extremem slip to where my entire fundus had passed above the band and yes I had the stitch method used to prevent the band from slipping. Than night my wonderful surgeon came and removed the band. He said when the first saw the stomack it was COAL black. He was afraid I was going to have it surgerically removed. Luckily, when he removed the band, the tissue above the band began to turn deep purple which meant the blood was beginning to return. There is one small spot on my stomach that did die, but my surgeon says that will scar over in time.

I am only 5 days post op from band removal and still very emotional. I am so happy that it's out. I was told about complications of slippage and erosion, but NO ONE every told me about complications of possible neucrosis. I have no an idea of why what happened, happened. I followed ALL band rules to the tee! I keep replaying the whole thing over and over in my head and realize how close I was to losing my life. If I had indeed developed gangrene, I may not be alive right now.

NO I WOULD NOT RECEIVE ANOTHER LAP BAND NOR RECOMMEND LAP BAND TO ANYONE.

[nan42 2]

Two weeks ago I got the flu and vomited several times then I was ok for two days and started throwing up again this time the pain was unbearable. I had my band done in Mexico and found a fill doc four hours away from where I live. There is a doc here but he wanted $2500 just to see me because of the Mexico thing. My pain was so bad I was sure I needed to go to the ER my husband convinced the doc here to see me for an evaluation. The next 24 hours are a blur to me as my pain because so intense. My BP was 175/157, low grade temp., pain so intense it radiated through my abdomen, chest, back, both shoulders, and jaw, sever nausea, vomiting bright red blood lots of it; at one time the did and ekg because they thought I might be having a heart attack.

He said I did indeed have an extreme slip to where my entire fundus had passed above the band and yes I had the stitch method used to prevent the band from slipping. That day my wonderful surgeon rushed me to the OR and removed the band. He said when the first saw the stomach it was COAL black. He was afraid the tissue was dead. Luckily, when he removed the band, the tissue above the band began to turn deep purple which meant the blood was beginning to return. Fortunately my doc does BAND TO SLEEVE revisions so that is what I asked for and got. Cost $17000. Ouch! band was $9000 and fills and time travel for fills was $2000. I am glad to be rid of the band if I knew the flu could cause a slip I would never have gone there.

I am only 10 days post op from band removal and still very emotional. I am so happy that it's out. I was told about complications of slippage and erosion, but NO ONE every told me about complications of possible neucrosis/death. I keep replaying the whole thing over and over in my head and realize how close I was to losing my life. If I had indeed developed gangrene, I may not be alive right now. The doc said if I would have waited two days I would have died!

NO I WOULD NOT RECEIVE ANOTHER LAP BAND NOR RECOMMEND LAP BAND TO ANYONE.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Seems like the sleeve is the way to go and having a doc near by.

***************

[skinnymom 2]

Hi Everyone,

I am just wondering if the patients that are having slippage were done before they started stitching the band in place? Or do they slip anyway. It must hurt because if it is sewn down wouldnt it have to tear away in order to move? I was told that they used to not sew them in place and that now they do and that they slip less often. What do you all say?

Thanks,

I asked my doc about the stiching of the band when my band slipped. he said that they stitch only one side of the band. I am not sure if this is the case with all docs. When my band slipped, It began with mild pain when food was going down. So I switched to mushy food. That helped for a few days, but then the pain came back. So I went to liquids, thinking it was just irritation. After 4 days on liquids the pain became worse, so I went to the doctor and was told my band had slipped and went for surgery to fix it. I just have to say that the recovery from the revision was NOTHING. No pain even when waking up in the recovery room. I was back at work the day after I left the hospital. Nothing like when I was banded. So as scary as a slip seems, it wasnt so terrible just totally annoying. I hope this is comforting to those of you who feared slippage as much as I did before my band slipped. good luck all.

[skinnymom 2]

just wondering... For those of you who have had a slip, could you please tell me what size band you had when it slipped, and if you know the brand of band you had. I am trying to figure out if a smaller band has more of a chance of slipping or not. I thought I heard something like this but cant remember. Thanks!!

[gloriouslady 0]

Did you have an endoscope to determine if the band had slipped? I just had the procedure last week and prior to that had all my Fluid removed. Now I have no fluid in, and can eat anything and most importantly I can drink all the Water I want! I was unable to do that and food hurt going down until the evening.. I go to the doctor on Monday to determine what's going on, but I hope I don't have to have the band removed and replaced- since I'm a self-pay

[tanderson 3]

just wondering... For those of you who have had a slip, could you please tell me what size band you had when it slipped, and if you know the brand of band you had. I am trying to figure out if a smaller band has more of a chance of slipping or not. I thought I heard something like this but cant remember. Thanks!!

I had the 4.0 cc INAM Lap Band......I am the one who suffered an extreme slip with near gangrene of my stomach. I am now 3 weeks post removal of band and still on pain medication as my stomach is STILL not healed. Please if you are banded, pay attention to your body and do NOT ignore symptoms...it could literally be a matter of life and death!

[karri68 0]

I am confused I was banded in Dec. 07. Did fine until about a couple of months ago I was eating right small bites, chewing ect. but i couldn't eat any bread, pasta potatoes soft shell taco's things of this nature I would pb on the the first bite this went on.oh i wasn't loosing any weight either staying within the same 5 pds up and down.So I went to my dr. he gave me a micro fill he said, I had ,had my last fill before this one in march of 08 this is early sept for this one i think he said he couldn't even remember where my port was,my husband was in with me you could hear the needle scrapping round on my port trying to find the right spot,ever since then sometime i get sharp pains almost like a needle in there, and it is tender around my port and i can eat anything and everything bread everything i couldn't eat before and as much as i want, still having control though and still staying around the same 5 pds i have been at for a months now. i have lost around 50pds since nov 08 . Anyone suggestions. i talked to the nurse she said they might do an unfill if it keeps up, thinking that is what I will probable do.

[nan42 2]

I am the one woh also almost died and ended up having to have a sleeve because so much of my stomach was dead. I had the VG by inmed 10cc it was sowed in and the front stiches had come loose. Doc said the band was in good shape and could have been re-positioned but my tissue had began to die so it had to come out. My piont is not the size of the band it is that something like the flu can kill you if you have a any size band. It is risky.

[nan42 2]

You may have a port infection

[lkylberg 0]

Jcall - I know it's been 2 years since this post, but are you still out there??? I'm from Georgetown and banded 3/6/09.

[rzaal 0]

I am having burning in my upper stomach abdominal area.. what do you all think this would be.. it hurts in a way and is really irritating. Not wanting to eat because of the burning, feeling tired a lot.

[angiebabes1970 0]

hi every 1, i had my first infill 6 days ago which was 3cc i still cannot tolerate proper food it is so painfull so i have had to make myself vomit the tiny bit that has gone down, could i have band slippage ?? i can take fluids but not much. also excuse me for being ignorant but what does pb mean?? regards xx