SO SCARED-advice on severe acid reflux!---

[mbz 0]

ok, so I am totally new here, confused on the tech end--but I am so worried! Need advice---I Do see that "leatha_g" has had a slippage issue...? leatha--what were your symptoms????!!!!---

I am banded going on 18 months, and life is just amazing, and I dont want anything to change. Lost 80. I am an extremist, and have had only one fill, with A LOT put in....almost 4cc's, on my request, because the band was doing NOTHING without a fill. Then the weight just slid off. I know, I know, I probably should have done it more gradually, but that's Water under the bridge...it took a year to lose it all. so for 6 months, I am maintaining, and couldnt be happier....except when I "overdue" it....I have discomfort, and I go to sleep sitting up, but I wake up like 4 hours later with this excruciating acid in my throat. It's horrible. Then I go back on liquids for a day or 2, and I am back to normal! UNtil the next time when I push it too far. I had a bariatric study, check up, in June. Doc said pouch has stretched a bit, and band has slipped slightly, maybe a degree or 2, but did not seem overly concerned---told me to take it easy. I try, but every once and a while...I eat too much...: ( ...doc would not add anymore saline, said it was PLENTY full...

I saw someone said they drink 20 oz of water before bed, to "clear out" the pouch? Do you think this is my problem?...I am VERY bad, dont drink hardly ANY water, always forgetting....

--->>>Do you guys think this will be ok, if I just try to be careful....my greatest fear is having to remove this thing! It is my LIFESAVER!,....thanks....

[leatha_g 4]

mbz,

reflux at night is never a good symptom. either you are too tight or yes, your band can slip. being too tight definitely can help the band to slip.

when your doctor said the pouch seemed to be stretched, he really should have taken some fill out at that point.

i urge you to have this checked out. not only the band itself, but you may need an EGD to check your esophagus if you have been aspirating in your sleep. please, please, please see that some of your fill is removed - aspiration pneumonia is not required to lose your weight!

my slippage symptoms were silent UNTIL i was overfilled and started in with the reflux symptoms at night.

get thee to a doctor!

[sascijo 0]

One of my friends was doing what you are, they found a slight slippage, the doc removed "ALL" of her fill for a month or two, and it corrected itself. He then put it back slowly. You would rather "maintain" than to lose it completely. Sometime you have choices to make you don't like. I agree with Leatha, Get thee to a doctor, don't try to make the decisions for him. Please don't get mad at that, the band may have to be removed if it start to erode. Every reflux you have does damage to the esophogus and they won't place a band if you have very bad damage in the beginning. I know cause I had it, and they made me do a lot of tests to see why and what the damage was. Let us know what you find out. Please.... we care

[mbz 0]

Thanks so much you guys!---

I was thinking,....this acid nightmare stuff only happens every once and a while, like once a month or less, (I dont vomit anything...) do you think I can wait to see if it just gets better again?....I am 2 HOURS away from my doctor!....and I am PETRIFIED that if I go to have some fill removed, he will take out more than I request, and I will gain the weight right back in 2 seconds!---Do you think I could wait it out a while? Sorry I am such a pain. This is just the biggest miracle ever in my life (besides my boys!) and I dont want to change a good thing.

thanks.

[leatha_g 4]

This doesn't sound at all like your urgent plea this morning? I really think that if you are waking up aspirating in the night you need to see your doctor.

Quote:" I had a bariatric study, check up, in June. Doc said pouch has stretched a bit, and band has slipped slightly, maybe a degree or 2.

Do you think this statement alone is enough to keep a close eye on it?

If a band is 'slipped' AT ALL, there should be no fill in it. In order to save your band and possibly keep you from entering the ER with a prolapsed stomach and losing your band - it just seems to me that that would be worth allowing it to rest and possibly settle back into place for a few weeks.

You will not gain ALL your weight back in 2 seconds. I was fearful too, when they un-filled mine. But I maintained my loss within 5 lbs the whole time. It is do-able.

I'm really concerned for your health and the future of your band. I really hope you do the right thing.

Leatha

[sascijo 0]

I DITTO WHAT LEATHA SAYS...YOU ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE. IF YOU TRULY LOVE YOUR BAND, GET IT UNFILLED. IT IS BETTER THAN LOSING IT.

[GeezerSue 7]

I was unfilled (for surgery) in May. I've been up a little and down a little , but have not gained any substantial weight. And I am completely insane about food. Funny thing...the food that's really bad for me I can eat WITH a fill...ice cream, most Cookies, potato chips.

Without a fill, I'm enjoying salads and good things along with the stuff I should not really be having. AND, I cannot eat what I ate pre-band. There is restriction.

ACID REFLUX CAN KILL YOU. YOU CAN ASPIRATE STOMACH ACID, GET REALLY BAD PNEUMONIA AND DIE.

Your boys do not need a skinny mother...or a dead one. They need a healthy mother. That should be the idea behind your decision...

[donali 57]

Your boys do not need a skinny mother...or a dead one. They need a healthy mother. That should be the idea behind your decision...

No truer words have been spoken...

You rock, SUE!!

And super congrats on your maintenance without a fill! Whoo hoo!! And I just got a little stuck on some hamburger. Casper ROCKS!!

[Audrey 21]

I also had these symptoms - only 2 months ago...

I would strongly advise that you get at LEAST some fill out - even a 1/2 ml??? You will do your band and yourself irrepairable damage, theres no point in risking it...

- what would be worse? having a slight unfill for say... 2 months.... or losing the band completely !

I got a small unfill and my night time reflux stopped immediately ! PLEASE get some fill out!

I really don't mean to alarm you - but it really isn't worth it.

Let us know how you get on will you?

Aud x

[mbz 0]

thank you all again for helping me here!---OK---just had a LONG discussion with my doc. Here is the scoop---Need some opinions, (AGAIN : )

---HE SAID:

-my slippage is slight, otherwise we would have gone directly to the emergency room.

-I can:

a.

live with it the way it is (since I was so insistant that he keep the fill in...) and be very careful, and it could just stay like this the rest of my life

b.

1.have ALLLLL the fill taken out (he said "some" is not an option!-with "some" taken out it will not try to heal iteself!)

2.come back a month later to see if it healed and put the fill back in, BUT if it did not heal---here is the nighmare---HE WILL PUT ME BACK IN SURGERY TO TRY TO FIX IT!!!!

AAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Then!---there is a chance if he goes into surgery, either he could ruin it, or whatever, since all the organs are all over it, and then he would have to TAKE IT OUT!!!!

AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Maybe I should leave well-enough alone,......that what my husband said.

if anyone sees this, please help....I dont want re-surgery....I think I have a better chance of re-surgery if I start messing with it....

[donali 57]

I guess if leaving it as it is and being careful is an option, I don't understand why taking all the Fluid out and having the band NOT "fix itself" would automatically require surgery... I mean, having all the Fluid out shouldn't make the problem worse than it is now, and if it doesn't fix itself, why would you be any worse off getting your fill back and living with it slightly slipped and being careful?

Not that I recommend leaving the band slipped either way, but the options as the doc outlines them seems hypocritical to me. Either the slip needs to be fixed, or it doesn't. In option A he says it doesn't. In #2 he says it does.

The bottom line is you are having problems due to slippage. They are only going to get worse - reflux is not something to mess with.

And, if you are throwing up, and you already have a slight slip, you could get into an emergent situation if more of the stomach comes through and totally obstructs you, or worse yet, if your stomach torques and cuts the blood supply off from itself.

If you were having no problems/symptoms, I'd be willing to say go with it and be careful... But you're having problems, so I think the more responsible advice would be to get all your fill out and hope it corrects itself - many times the small slips do correct themselves with this kind of treatment.

And if it doesn't correct itself... Well, it really does need to be corrected, because YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS!

So sorry. This is my best most responsible advice.

[Audrey 21]

I have to agree.. Why take the risk of losing your band?

My advice would be to get a complete unfill - get the problem fixed then start again?.. Better that than losing your band completely !

2 months out of your life, being careful and not going overboard.. (which you need to do anyway) is better than losing the band completely or worse & risking more unnecessary surgery?

Good luck with your choices... please be safe and wise when making your decisions.

I know which one id pick..

Audrey x

[sascijo 0]

OK,

I am blunt, and you asked. I mean this with no disrespect. I care. Let me stress this...

WAKE THE HELL UP....

If you love that band so much, choose #2.

Take ALL the fill out. Let it rest. You will not gain all your weight back in one month. My friend did this exact same thing................ Hers went right back into place, everything is ok. First of all, your surgeon should have never let "you" tell "him" how much to put in at the first. Gradually creeping up on this restriction is the "ONLY' way to do it. You have to learn how to use this band, you have to learn what to do with each level of restriction and that is probably why you slipped in the first place. Your hubby means well, but that is NOT the right answer unless you want to give the band back.

Please listen to us..... You are ok now, but if you don't do something the chances are greater that you will have more problems. Now quit piddling around and do something. Take all the fill out...........Now...........

By the way, did I mention I care? I really do.. but you must listen.

[leatha_g 4]

Thanks you guys. I was trying to figure some nice way to say the same things. Although, I feel that with my current situation, I was too emotionally involved. Thanks.. You are all so wise and I really do appreciate your opinions.

[dishdiva 5]

I've never heard of a doctor requiring immediate surgery to fix a slipped band. For many people, the band slips and they never know it because there can sometimes be no symptoms. I talked to Inamed about this and asked if I could go a significant amount of time with my slipped band -- of course, they didn't want to dispense medical advice, but the message I took away was it's okay to walk around with a slipped band provided there aren't any complications. Not forever.

Before my fill was taken out after the slip was confirmed, I did have lots of side effects. As for acid reflux (before the slippage), my surgeon suggested Gaviscon. That worked sometimes. Someone on another board recommended taking a Pepcid A/C before bed. That really worked well for me. Be safe!

Elizabeth

8/28/03