Please Help! Esophageal Dilation Surgeon Suggests Revision

[chatty826 4]

Hi all,

I got banded Oct 09 and for the last year I have had problems with my band. I was diagnosed with a dilated esophagous and it has gotten worse so it was suggested by the RN I see the surgeon for a revision as the band won't work for me long term.

Meet with the surgeon today and left in tears. He said unfilled me entirely and says I will need to wait for the dilation to go away before band removal and then a healing time before revision to RNY. I was hoping to have these two done at the same time and sooner than months from now.

Has anyone had this issue and can you please share your story? Did your doctor wait? How long? More than one surgery? Complications? I expect to get a second opinion just to be safe. I am new to this doctor and while he seems overly cautious which isn't bad I am also concerned about having to take off work for two surgeries and tests for both and gaining back all my weight. I have already gained back 50lbs since dealing with band problems.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Yup, similar! Banded December 2009, some success but constant problems along the way. In July I got to the point I could not tolerate solids at all and some problems with liquids. Severe chest pain, SOB, refluxing horrible at night and waking up coughing and drowning. Upper GI showed a severely slipped band with gastric herniation. I had an urgent band removal days later. The original plan was band removal with revision to bypass all at the same time but once he got in he discovered a lot of damage and inflammation from the band and slippage. My portion of the stomach that herniation was stretched out and thinned. He was concerned that if he did the bypass at the time, the pouch he made would have to be larger than usual and he felt the risk of complication was greatly increased if he did the bypass right then. So, I am 2 weeks, 2 days post band removal and totally obsessive about everything that goes past my lips. My fitness pal has become my new addiction. And I'm happy to say that at my post op checkup this morning I was down 1/2 a pound!!! Woohoo!!! (I'm just trying to maintain). We did discuss the final revision today and I'm tentatively scheduled for bypass on February 11, 2013.

Keep in mind I had 5 days from the time I learned I was losing my band to the date of surgery. Physically it was one of the easier surgeries I've had (port site was sore as HECK!!!!! Apparently that little booger has to be pried out tooth and nail). Emotionally, about 4 days post op I fell apart. I just knew I was going to wake up post op with a bypass, when I didn't, I didn't know what to do. I was sad, mad, lonely, I felt betrayed by my body and my band which was supposed to save me but in the end had done harm, I was pissed at my surgeon..... So very overwhelming and I don't know anyone who's ever had anything like this happen so I had no one to lean on. Somewhere on this board I left a couple posts at the time, I think the long one was entitled Wandering (or maybe lost).

Physically I now feel better Than i have in at least 2 years. The choking, tightness in my throat that had been there constantly since the band was put in is totally gone, I have NO reflux or heartburn, no chest pain, no nausea, no vomiting. My energy is back to normal. I am okay. I'm probably better than okay . Having a tentative surgery date has really taken a weight off my chest. I have personally spoken to the person in charge of approving bariatric surgery for my insurance and have been reassured that if I maintain my current weight with a BMI of 36 and continue to have no major comorbidities i am still approved for the surgery. Since this whole drama is secondary to lap band failure and complications they are basing approval on my pre-surgery BMI of 50 (good lord that sounds horrible, how the hell did I get to a BMI of 50???) and my now resolved hypertension, so that is another relief.

Since this all began, I've done some research and found that the revision complication rate is lower when the patient is allowed time to heal and reduce inflammation between band removal and revision (so as frustrated as I was at the time, I owe my surgeon one and thanked him today). I had an extremely long discussion with my surgeon today on the future of lap bands and he, as others have said, sees them phasing out over the next 5 years. While some people do fabulous with the band, the complication rate is fairly high and there's just really no way to predict who might have problems and therefore guide them in a different direction.

I asked today if my job for the next 6 months was to maintain my weight and continue exercising. His response was yes, and don't relearn of bad habits.

I will be okay. You will be okay. The next few months will be a challenge but we are up to it. I'm only a couple weeks ahead of you but if you need a shoulder to cry on or punch please look me up! Best of luck as you work through this. Be patient, allow yourself to mourn your loss, allow your body time to heal, and do not rush in to anything you are unsure of.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Sigh, I'm insane, the post I referenced was on lap-band talk, not here....sorry.

[EmpressLizBunny 18]

Hey have been going through the same thing my surgon originally wanted to remove the band then let the stomach heal before the bypass but I turn 26 in feb so my insurance disappears so we are aiming for a oct 1st surgery date hopefully everything will be ok