Bye Bye Band, Hello GPS

[Mamma Litts 2]

(Also posted in the "my story" section)

I would love to hear from anyone who has had Band and then plication. I'd like to know how you would compare your post-op experience, and your current daily experience.

My story is pretty simple, and yet not. In May 2007 I got a Lap Band. I had a lot of success with it. I lost 100 lbs in approx 6 months and kept it off for 3.5 years. I didn't have any problem foods as long as I remembered to chew well and eat slowly. I only needed 2 minor fills... one for 1ml and one 0.5 ml. All was well.

Then I was diagnosed with Chronic Iron Deficiency Anemia - we don't really know if this is related to my band or not as I am still in treatment for it and have some other health issues that could also be likely sources. Anyway, part of the diagnostics was an Upper GI, and guess what we found? My band had eroded all the way through the stomach wall in 2 different places AND my port line was also in there somehow!

To make matters worse, I had moved from WA to CA, so I didn't have access to my original surgeon. Fortunately, I found Dr. Donald Waldrep and his team. They have two offices, one in Thousand Oaks, CA and another I believe in the Sacramento area.

So, to make a short story long, out came the band and back came the pounds. Fortuntately, not all of them, but still 25 lbs in 3 months! And with it came an increase in all those comorbidities that had basically gone "dormant" for 3+ years.

I am now scheduled for GPS with Dr. Waldrep. He has been performing this procedure, which his office refers to as WRAP, for a little over a year now, but has been in bariatric surgery for much longer, doing lap RnY, sleeve, and bands.

For me, GPS seems like the best alternative. My weight regain, despite my efforts, tells me that there is clearly a disconnect in my body between what it ACTUALLY needs (calories), and what it THINKS/FEELS it needs (hunger). And I know that WLS has worked for me. Because I already have Iron deficiency issues, a malabsorptive procedure would not be a good choice. Since my body has already demonstrated what it does with foreign objects (my band), I'd rather not repeat that - I know many erosion patients do get rebanded, but I've heard the repeat erosion rate is higher the second time around and I'd like a more permanent solution. Traditional sleeve surgery makes me nervous because of the risk of leaks.

I want to make clear that I am still a proponent of Band and of WLS. I have several friends who are Band patients who have NOT eroded. All of us have had successful weight loss and been able to keep it off and remain healthy. I also believe that my surgeon did an EXCELLENT job. I had one of the "large" size bands, and minimal fills, also, never had any problems being able to swallow properly chewed food, etc. So I don't think ANYTHING was done "wrong". I believe erosions just sometimes happen. That's why they tell you they are a possibility right up front.

Thank you all for welcoming me to your community!

[Billy363627 15]

Well if you follow what your surgeon says you likely hood of a leak is less that 1%. You know the surgery that you are planning to have may cause leaks too right. Not a very high risk but you can develop leaks. I had VSg and I followed my docs diet to the T and I know that I don't have a leak. With the type of surgery like your having after your band has eroded through your stomach you risks of leaks are a lot higher than people that never had a band.

[Mamma Litts 2]

I do know that there is a leak risk with GPS also, yes. And we're doing diagnostics before surgery to make sure that everything (well, everything we can see) from the band removal has healed up first. Also, he is going to leave the upper area a little more open than usual to make sure there is less pressure on the previously banded area.

Risks are higher than if this was my first time out, but I think still much less than being rebanded. Also, I remind myself that the risks of doing nothing and seeing my blood pressure, sleep apnea and other co-morbidities shoot back up seems a greater (and more certain) danger to me than the risks associated with WLS.

[genepha 47]

Hi,

I was banded in 2001 at Cedars-Sinai. I was a slow but consistent loser and ended up losing about 110 pounds with the band (from 289 to about 176ish). I always had difficulty with fills though because my port flipped almost immediately. I would sometimes go through being poked 10-15 times before getting a fill. When I became pregnant with our first child, I had horrendous morning (all-day) sickness and ended up losing about 20 pounds the first 7 months of pregnancy. I had a complete unfill due to this also. I became pregnant again when our son was about 16 months old and ended up on bed rest for 5 months with our daughter. Another complete unfill plus pregnancy cravings and bed rest were not a good mix! I gained most of my weight back during my 2 pregnancies and beginnings of motherhood. After having 2 babies I was ready to be filled again but I had a tremendously difficult time getting a fill due to the flipped port. I guess my pregnancies and 2 c-sections cause the port to move even more and fills were nearly impossible.

About a year and half ago I saw my doctor for a fill and was told that I had reflux and my esophagus was dilated. I had another complete unfill and was told to wait 6 months. When I returned 6 months later, I was back up to about 250 pounds and my doctor started discussing other options. I have also been diagnosed with severe anemia and ended up in the hospital with it so RNY wasn't an option. I started looking into the EndoBarrier and the balloon. I also researched the sleeve. My doctor at Cedars doesn't particularly like the sleeve mainly due to the risks of leaks, especially with people who've already had the band. He likes the EndoBarrier but it is a short term solution and wasn't looking for that.

After researching for about a month I stumbled upon the plication. I have lots of experience with Drs. Ortiz and Corvala because I would go to them for fills so I was going to go with one of them. Luckily, during my research I had sent out about 100 emails to doctors closer to me and I found Dr. Billy. Dr. Billy is in Ventura, CA and I live in Orange County - about 2 hours away. I was set to go to SLC, Cincinnati or Tijuana so I could have the plication but I was lucky to find Dr. Billy. I believe Dr. Waldrep has worked with Dr. Billy as well.

Life with the band for me was pretty good the first 3-4 years with the exception of the fills. I did have issues with vomiting and I could never eat real food until about noon but could eat larger quantities at night. I also hated the tight feeling in my chest. With the plication I have not vomited once and the full or satisfied feeling happens in my stomach like before the band, not in my chest. My weight loss is also a lot better (so far) with the plication. I expect that I'll be a slow loser but for me, long term results are more important.

My post-op experience was about the same. I felt like I had done thousands of sit-ups and was pretty sore for a good 2 weeks. Dr. Billy used some of my old incisions so I only ended up with 2 small new scars. My surgery was a bit different than yours because my old band was removed and replaced and the plication was done all at the same time. Apparently, some doctors are beginning to study the effectiveness of plication with the band as a back up. So far I have no inclination to use my band and plan on leaving it completely unfilled but it's nice to know it's there - just in case.