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.

[TinyMamiOf3kids 1,280]

Wishing you all the best. A few people here are going from band to gastric bypass.

[believeinme 0]

Chatty,

I'm sorry to hear about your complication . Could you share what symptoms you had and how the dilation was discovered please?

thank you

[chatty826 4]

HI Believeinme,

About a year ago I started having problems with my band I felt like it was too tight but I knew I wasn't at my sweet spot. This was solved by taking a little Fluid out then waiting awhile. I had a fill in May (needed one) but was too tight for some reason. i could not keep anyting down and got aspiration phnemonia which really sucked. All the Fluid was taken out at the ER and when I went to see my band doctor the Nurse practioner did a small fill but wanted an upper gi first as she was worried about my band either slipping or causing dilation.

Upper GI showed dilation and then one two months later showed worsening. I currently have no fluid in my band and am hoping to get the band removed in the next couple weeks because even with it empty I am having issues. Not able to eat solids well, lots of reflux which includes some food and well as gas issues and pain when swallowing.

Honestly this has been nightmare.

[believeinme 0]

Sounds terrible.... I have been having similar issues myself. I've had 2 unfills and started some meds for the reflux without any relief. The next step is an UGI I guess. what's after that who knows.

how did you decide to go the RNY route?

Hope you feel better soon!!

[chatty826 4]

Thanks! If I had my choice id go with the sleeve but my insurance doesn't cover it (yet they covered the band) crazy insurance companies! Anyhow my roomie had a bypass and I know a lot about them and have researched them so I feel good about doing one. Hope things get better soon for me I wish I'd had the ugi ASAP

[believeinme 0]

Yes, good luck to you....Let us know how things work out and thanks for sharing.

[juditha 48]

Hi, i am too a "bander" who hand problems and with very little weight loss. I had the band emptied about 4 months ago, knowing that will firstly let me breath eat and drink better- aswell as being helpful to having it removed and have the gastric bypass in the same operation. My doc still said that even though all my check tests look good- that there is still a chance of having to do the operation in two parts like your's . It all depends on what he finds when goes in side

My date for the op is on the 5th of september.. Hopefully!

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Today I am 3 weeks post band removal and 173 days until my bypass it sucks but you gotta do whatever is safest and has the best chance of a good long term outcome.

[katey1469 0]

I am sorry to hear about your issues. I actually had a band put in August of 2009 and had issues similar to yours and was not getting the results from the band that we wanted. I had my band removed and gastric bypass all in the same surgery. I am 5 weeks post op. I feel great. I am losing weight and everything is healing well. I wa my doctors first "all in one" revision and she said it could not have gone better. She is thrilled with the progress I have made and how well I am recovering... I go back to work next week (6 weeks out) but I could have gone back after 4 if I wanted to....

[katey1469 0]

Oh, and I forgot... My doctor didn't wait very long. We decided in may to do the revision and I had it done 2 months later... That quick. It was the best decision I made thus far.

[believeinme 0]

Congrats Katey that's good to hear

[reshiapooh96 31]

HI Believeinme,

About a year ago I started having problems with my band I felt like it was too tight but I knew I wasn't at my sweet spot. This was solved by taking a little Fluid out then waiting awhile. I had a fill in May (needed one) but was too tight for some reason. i could not keep anyting down and got aspiration phnemonia which really sucked. All the Fluid was taken out at the ER and when I went to see my band doctor the Nurse practioner did a small fill but wanted an upper gi first as she was worried about my band either slipping or causing dilation.

Upper GI showed dilation and then one two months later showed worsening. I currently have no fluid in my band and am hoping to get the band removed in the next couple weeks because even with it empty I am having issues. Not able to eat solids well, lots of reflux which includes some food and well as gas issues and pain when swallowing.

Honestly this has been nightmare.

I had to read this twice to make sure it wan't my post. I have the same story. Too tight, fluid in, fluid out several times. still

HI Believeinme,

About a year ago I started having problems with my band I felt like it was too tight but I knew I wasn't at my sweet spot. This was solved by taking a little fluid out then waiting awhile. I had a fill in May (needed one) but was too tight for some reason. i could not keep anyting down and got aspiration phnemonia which really sucked. All the fluid was taken out at the ER and when I went to see my band doctor the Nurse practioner did a small fill but wanted an upper gi first as she was worried about my band either slipping or causing dilation.

Upper GI showed dilation and then one two months later showed worsening. I currently have no fluid in my band and am hoping to get the band removed in the next couple weeks because even with it empty I am having issues. Not able to eat solids well, lots of reflux which includes some food and well as gas issues and pain when swallowing.

Honestly this has been nightmare.

WOW! This is my story. pain, too tight, fluid in, fluid out. Even being too tight, I was still hungry and could eat what ever. I had an UGI swallow twice before telling me that I had a dilated esophagus and pouch. 5cc taken out and now 2cc back in. I'm having so much gas until it's unreal. I was banded same time you were. He said the band is longer working and I need to have all fliud removed and have another procedure. He is more experienced doing sleeves. I'm frustrated and torn. I have to go back to him this week to give my decision and it's a hard one to give. he said that I would have to wait due to scar tissue but didn't say for how long.

[chatty826 4]

Hi Ladies,

I think the thing is for me is I didnt want to wait the 2 months for an all in one procedure. I was having so many problems I wanted my band out immediately.

Anyhow post op two weeks on band removal. I feel so much better now that my band is out. It is amazing. Also I have lost 8lbs I am trying hard not to gain as I already did when I had an unfilled band. My doctors office is supposed to call today with a time line on when to do the bypass. I struggle part of me doesnt want to go through another weight loss procedure but then I still have a good 90lbs to loose to be at my final goal. Thats a lot to do on my own plus if I ever get lazy about working out (which happens) its very easy to put it all back on.

Sigh I am torn. That said I am still going to move forward with things to get the conversion.

How are you all doing?

[monken 135]

I had to read this twice to make sure it wan't my post. I have the same story. Too tight' date=' Fluid in, Fluid out several times. still

WOW! This is my story. pain, too tight, fluid in, fluid out. Even being too tight, I was still hungry and could eat what ever. I had an UGI swallow twice before telling me that I had a dilated esophagus and pouch. 5cc taken out and now 2cc back in. I'm having so much gas until it's unreal. I was banded same time you were. He said the band is longer working and I need to have all fliud removed and have another procedure. He is more experienced doing sleeves. I'm frustrated and torn. I have to go back to him this week to give my decision and it's a hard one to give. he said that I would have to wait due to scar tissue but didn't say for how long.[/quote']

Me TOO! WOW I am going through this now. I had all the test too EGD and Barium swallow upper GI and a CT scan of my abdomen. No Slip No erosion.

Scar tissue causing Esophageal motility issues...Waiting for approval for band to bypass. I wanted the sleeve but the my surgeon said I would have to have two surgeries and they would have to see if the motility got better, whereas if I chose the RNY I can have it all in one surgery. He also told me that the sleeve would cause the same issue i had with the band and bypass would not. If people are worried about the malabsorption of the RNY they should talk with there surgeon because every surgeon has a different amount (length) of the intestine they use to bypass which causes different degrees of malabsorption.