Old Timer's History

[Tired_Old_Man 1]

It was suggested to me that I post here regarding my complications with my Lap-Band.

I haven't checked to see which LBT member has had a Lap-Band the longest amount of time, but I am sure that I am up there.

September, 2002: Weight = 327

Today: weight = 232

But that is the good part.

The bad part is:

#1. I lost from 327 to about 260 by the end of the year. I then fluctuated between 265 and 245 until April of this year.

#2. I started having very bad gastric reflux problems and in a attempt to self-cure myself, I am now down to 232, but having problems which could be life threatening.

Let me explain (I will do it in chronological order rather than in order of importance):

Everything was going fine until the second band adjustment in November 2002. Then I had my first PB attacks. I was told that it happens sometimes.

The frustrating thing about the PB attacks is that I have no way of gauging when they will happen. I can eat x amount of food y one day and get the PB's. Another day, I can eat 4x of y with no problem.

PB's can so debilitating, that I spend my concentration on avoiding them rather than losing weight or eating healthy at times. I was told to drink a cup of Water about 30 minutes prior to eating and then no liquids until a minimum of 2 hours after the meal. Whether I drank the Water before the meals or not, I found that PB's happened too often. I also found that warm liquid sometimes shortened the PB attack.

Eventually, all my meals were soupy type stews. I know I was defeating the Lap-Band's effect by washing food from the upper pouch to the lower stomach, but if it kept the PB's away, I was happy.

I would listen to the doctor's advice on PB's, but usually after a month of failure, I would go back to my own methods. Positional changes, liquids, etc were tried. I did what I had to do. I will try the method suggested in the Possible Solution for PB's and restriction pain thread when I get a chance. Hopefully, I'll never need to have to check it out.

I had the surgery in Brooklyn, NY. I moved from Brooklyn to Florida about 14 months later. The closest doctor that takes my insurance is 101.64 miles away. I say takes my insurance, but there is a problem there. When I had the surgery performed, I was on COBRA, now I am retired. The insurance paid for the surgery, but the retirement plan claims that I am not covered for Bariatric surgery or complications. It is the same plan, I say, but they disagree. That means for a band adjustment, the insurance will not pay, but they will pay for the endoscopy. I went from February 2003 until January 2005 without seeing a doctor because of the insurance and distance problems. My fill-port is difficult to find, so they do it in radiology which jacks up the price.

Since going to the doctor in Florida for the first time in January 2005, I had had two band adjustments and an endoscopy Until this April. Whenever I had a bad PB attack ("bad" defined as over 2 hours before I stop regurgitating), I found that PB attacks were more prevalent in the next few days, so I would use the same eating regiment as if I had a band tightening and then after about 2 weeks, I would start eating normally. Normally for me though is over-eating for a Lap-Band patient, though not eating like I did before getting the Lap-Band. My wife and I usually share one meal in a restaurant (plus we don't eat the bread or desert). Prior to the Lap-Band, I would eat one meal and then finish what would have been my wife's "doggie-bag" from her meal including bread.

My big problem weight-wise is that I get the munchies at night. If I am doing things on my PC, I can go for hours (or days) without eating, but once I sit down to watch the TV, I wear a path between my recliner and the kitchen.

I started having gastric reflux attacks about 18 months ago. I am now taking two Nexiums per day. But recently the attacks became more prevalent and stronger. It got to the point that last Saturday, I spent the night sitting in my recliner and I was still waking up with my mouth full and sometimes there was Fluid coming out of my nose. Tums and Pepto Bismal were used alternately and continually. I went 4 days without eating. I would drink 8 oz. of soymilk in the morning, 8 oz. of V8 juice around noon and a cup or two of water during the day. And I still had the reflux problem. I called the Bariatric clinic that is 100 miles from my home and they said come in today (Monday, June 5, 2006). They removed all the Fluid from my band and I finally had 2 nights without reflux.

Tomorrow, they will do an endoscopy on me.

[lianna 3]

Let us know what the endoscopy results show. I will be sending a prayer your way tomorrow. I hope that everything is okay and that unfill is all that you needed.

[Marimaru 7]

Thank you for sharing! Please let us know what the endoscopy turns up. I've never had reflux issues, but a while back my band seemed to get tighter for no apparent reason, and I started getting heartburn. I had a small unfill and that seemed to help.

Is it possible your 2nd fill was just too tight?

[Kashia 0]

Sorry to here your complications. I have a slipped band so I know all about acid reflux especially at night. I often would rather sleep sitting straight up than go lay down. If I am not throwing up in my sleep I wake up drowling all of hte place. OK now that you have a geat picture of me..LOL, I hope that your unfill will do the trick. No one needs to live like this. I have to for awhile but bec I am pregnant, but wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Take care and let us know how it goes.

[Dody 0]

Wow, your name says it all. I felt so sad as I read your message. I wish that I could somehow give you some good info, but I'm not yet banded. Of course a post like yours makes me think twice, but there are also success stories out there. I have met someone banded about 5 years and doing well, abeit some problems along the way. I don't think everything stays rosy all the time. I think in everyone's journey there are perhaps little hiccups, but I hope no major ones like you are having.

I hope someone who knows more about what has happened to you will chime in with some helpful info. Welcome to the board and thanks for sharing your experiences. I hope that someone here can point you in the right direction. Being 64 and undertaking the lap-banding, I consider myself a real old-timer, but I'm also determined to have it done before to awfully long. I will send out a prayer for you.

God Bless,

Dody

[FunnyDuddies 6]

sounds as if you might have been too tight, and just haven't had a chance to really heal. Maybe you have been in a constant state of aggitation. I really hope that this unfill will give your stomach a change to calm down and heal itself. I hope you really enjoy the time off from the pb's and the reflux. You have been down a hard road. Good luck to you.

[Anwyn 0]

Thank you for taking the time to share your story. Will they also be performing a barium swallow? It sounds like a slipped band to me, but my band slipped so I'm sure that colors my perception. Good luck today - let us know how the endoscopy goes!

[Tired_Old_Man 1]

#1. I hope my post does not discourage anyone from getting a Lap-Band.

I would do it again if I could turn back the clock.

Has anyone tryed Hoodia? This Lap-Band would be so much more successful with an appetite supressor. I get so hungry sometimes.

#2. I drank some barium after they unfilled by Lap-Band. It looked good on the flourescope.

#3. Thanks for all the good wishes. I will report back and let everyone know how things turned out.

#4. I always wanted to be surrounded by women. I finally got my wish at this forum.

[PhotoNut 7]

#4. I always wanted to be surrounded by women. I finally got my wish at this forum.

Too bad you're so tired huh? *winks*

Welcome to LBT and best wishes for positive results!

[PhotoNut 7]

My big problem weight-wise is that I get the munchies at night. If I am doing things on my PC, I can go for hours (or days) without eating, but once I sit down to watch the TV, I wear a path between my recliner and the kitchen.

Doc, it only hurts when I....

*snickers* I know you know the rest of that!

Seriously, I saw this as I re-read the post and wanted to suggest that you only keep healthy Snacks in the house. That way, you can view wearing out the carpet as exercise! :clap2:

[Carlene 12]

You have all the symptoms of a slipped band. I hope your scope gives you a firm diagnosis and you can get back on the band wagon (pun intended) soon.

[Tired_Old_Man 1]

Doc, it only hurts when I....

*snickers* I know you know the rest of that!

Seriously, I saw this as I re-read the post and wanted to suggest that you only keep healthy Snacks in the house. That way, you can view wearing out the carpet as exercise! :clap2:

I can eat "no-sugar added" icecream, nuts and good Snacks until I am blue in the face. The more I eat, the hungrier I get.

[PhotoNut 7]

How about replacing the Snacks that get thru the band easily with snacks that fill you up? Do you like cottage cheese? Add a little low sugar fruit to that and Yum! Or have a few slices of deli sliced chicken or ham with some fat free cream cheese spread on each slice before ya roll it up. High Fiber Cereal is also a good snack but not as filling obviously. Hm.. if I think of more, I'll let ya know. Oh! Water.. drink a bottle of Water and wait 10 minutes before you actually eat anything. That will help fill your tummy!

[Tired_Old_Man 1]

I think my hunger is more emotional than physical.

Eating the right Snacks is better than eating the wrong food, but being able to say "NO" is more important.

Thanks for your suggestions. I will look into them.

I already do things like mix part-skim Ricotta with Jello or no-fat american cheese with Jello. But as soon as I finish eating it, I count the minutes to the next commercial.

[PhotoNut 7]

Ok then... there's only one answer to this problem. Toss the TV out the door and spend all your free time on LBT! *laughs*