New plication conversion patient from Michigan

[Flylovesong 24]

Hello, my name is Holly, I am nearly four years out from my original lapband surgery. I have had countless problems with my band starting with my port falling seven months after my surgery. Then again three month later. Finally things seemed well and I lost 87 lbs (started out at 249 and got down to 162). Last summer I had a full abdominoplasty and my wls did that procedure. He fitted me with a new low profile port while he was in there and I kissed him after my surgery because I was so happy with how much he has changed my life.

Fast forward to this past spring. The area where my port was located had been bulging and tender. We thought for sure it fell or flipped again so he scheduled my surgery for May 3rd. When I woke up from my surgery I had bad news given to me. I had an abscess around my port and he had to remove it and I would have to come in again for surgery to replace my port once the abscess had healed. I went in this past Monday for my replacement surgery and I had made a comment to my surgeon about how I was very defeated as I felt like I was starting out back at square one. He contemplated what I said and gave me a reassuring squeeze on my arm and said he'd see me in the OR.

Now a little back story in regards to my surgeon and myself. I work for the health system that I had my surgery done at. I gather surgical costs for surgeons when they are performing new and sometimes trial procedures. I work closely with my surgeon on a professional level and we know each other very well. So that being said, when I came out of surgery from having my port reinserted, it wasn't a surprise to me at all that he informed me that he reinserted my port, this time in the sternum area to avoid falling again and that he performed a Plication and that he is confident it is exactly what I need to give me the desired weight loss I want in a more rapid timeframe than I had before. I was very happy he made that choice for me.

So far I am 5 days out and I am 5 lbs down. I had no pain from the plication, more discomfort from the sternum placement of the port than anything. I am hoping that the plication plus the lapband will compliment each other for the course of my weight loss journey.

[Northfilly 10]

Congratulations I'm very excited for you and all I can say after that is... wow!!! You've been through a lot

[lauradevans 52]

I am in the almost same situation. My band was place Oct 2012 but after a year and 2 revisions, it is not working and I still have a pouch making it impossible for my to keep anything down. I have thrown up everything for over a week now and I will see my doctor tomorrow to discuss removal of the band this week. I am thinking of having the Gastric Plication done when he removes the band but have to say that I am scared to have further complications. I'm just ready to be healthy again and be able to keep food down.

Can you tell me if you are loving your plication or have you had any issues? I didn't know what kind of post-op I would be looking at with just the plication? I know after my 2 revisions it wasn't much recovery at all...

Thanks for any advice.

[Flylovesong 24]

I have had no issues since my plication. Had my surgeon not even told me he did that, I wouldn't have known. I am down 25lbs since June and am grateful he made the decision for me. Good luck!