Problems After Slippage

August 23, 2004

I AM NEW ON THIS WEBSITE AND HAVE BEEN BANDED NOW FOR A YEAR ON AUG. 21ST. I HAVE LOST 56LBS NOW. NOW SALINE IN MY BAND FROM A SLIPPAGE REPAIR IN JULY 04 AND PROBLEMS AGAIN! MY SURGEON REFUSES TO BELIEVE IT COULD BE MY BAND AGAIN BUT MY food ALWAYS GETS STUCK AND I HAVE ALOT OF PAIN LIKE THE LINING OF MY STOMACH IS IRRITATED. I HAVE FINALLY CONVINCED HIS NURSE TO SCHEDULE ENDOSCOPY TO SEE IF I HAVE GASTRIC ULCERS. I AM SOO DEPRESSED BECAUSE I HAVE NO FILL AND STILL AM UNABLE TO EAT MOST MEALS. DR. SPIEGEL'S OFFICE KEEPS TELLING ME THAT I AM IRRITATED (MY BAND) AND TO GO ON LIQUIDS! I CAN'T LIVE ON coffee AND MILKSHAKES FOREVER! PART OF ME WANTS THE BAND OFF SO THAT I CAN EAT WITHOUT PAIN BUT I DON'T WANT TO WEIGH 200LBS AGAIN! I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO?????? ANY SUGGESTIONS OR IS ANYONE OUT THERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS I AM????

AMY

New Hope · August 23, 2004

Amy, Good for you for insisting on a scope! You need to know what's going on and that's one of the best ways to get a real answer. When is your scope scheduled for? Please try not to get depressed. You will get some answers. Please keep us posted. Best of luck to you! Also, congratulations on the great weight loss that you've had so far!

Alexandra · August 23, 2004

Amy, Marie is right and you will be much better able to deal with this once you have some hard facts to go on. I'm sure it is extremely frustrating but you're taking the right steps to get it sorted out.

Sticking with liquids is a good idea, hard as it may be. Protein shakes, Soups, puddings, spreads, yogurts all of these are "liquids" and will not irritate your stomach more. Please try to be good to yourself until you know exactly what is going on and can take steps to resolve the situation. You may have an ulcer or something that will respond to medication, or maybe it's something else.

Take care, and keep us posted!

Chris S. - L.I. · August 23, 2004

Amy,

I'm sorry yu are having all these problems and am glad you insisted on getting it checked out. I noticed in your post you mentioned drinking a lot of coffee. Do you think this might be irritating your stomach? I know I've seen posts on people being told by their docs not to drink coffee although mine have never told me that. I'm not a big coffee drinker anyway. If I were you, besides getting checked out, I would try more Soups. The warmth sometimes helps soothe the stomach.

paula · August 23, 2004

Amy, I certainly cant give you any advice on the easing of your pain. But I DID notice we have the same surgeon... and through this entire banding experience I have realized that he has a very incompetent office staff.

My question to you is about the slippage. What happened???One of the main reasons I chose Spiegel is his great reputation as a lap-band surgeon. I heard that he double ties the band in place (??? not sure how) to help secure things - so the amount of patients with slippage is greatly reduced.

Let us know when you have the scope.

Band removal vs pain......... goodness, thats a tough one!