Can't take it anymore!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

This is more of a vent than anything.

I was banded 12/06. You know how some people name their band? At first I thought that was weird. Then I slimed for the first time and I named it, "The Evil One." Then I kept sliming and I renamed my band "Spawn of Satan."

I started PBing day #4 after surgery and haven't quit. It is rare to go a whole day and not PB. I have slimed on Water before. Yes yes yes, I know the rules. I know them well. I can't even sip room temp Water on some days. For the most part I've been on full liquids since I was done with Clear Liquids. I was supposed to be on clears for 14 days, I kept myself on clears for 21 days. It didn't help.

Since that time I've been on full liquids. Once every now and again I can eat tuna. I don't get it, tuna is considered a solid yet I just slimed on my Protein shake. It makes NO sense. The upside to all this is that I am at 50% goal.

I was supposed to go out of the country for an extended trip so I had a pre-planned fill. BIG MISTAKE! Within a few hours of the fill I was barfing every 20-30 minutes. By the middle of the night I was barfing blood and blood clots.

Got an unfill and it took a week before I could drink water without discomfort again.

I hate this, it is miserable. Talked to my doc repeatedly and he swears nothing is wrong. He said I am stressed and when I get stressed my band is tighter. At first I believed that, I don't anymore. He even suggested that I start a journal and write down how I "feel" when I hurl. Bah! Something is wrong and I'm at my wits end. I just want to have this thing removed.

I have it narrowed down to two docs, Dr. C and someone else. Now I just need to decide which one and get it done.

[musicalmomma 1]

Gosh! I am so sorry you're having such a terrible time with the band. I don't understand how any doctor can hear what you just said and say nothing's wrong and it's just stress. Sounds to me like HE doesn't want the stress of investigating the issue. I'm glad you're going to see a different doctor. I wish you all the best in finding the right solution for you.

[Betsyjane 2]

First, what Dr. would give you a fill when you are PBing and can't get food down...whether it's from stress or not????? That's major scary! does he have any experience?

Here's the thing. Your band may tighten and loosen due to stress and due to half a dozen other things. So sometimes tuna will work. But if you can't get your solid calories in so that you are losing no MORE than 2 pounds a week, then you have too much of a fill. And if you still have the problem with no fill in the band, then it's time to go to a Dr. who can figure this out. Good for you for doing it. Hopefully they'll find that you just get inflammed and stay that way a bit longer than most when someone messes with your tummy. Maybe you're one of those people that needs to open your band in the morning by drinking hot liquids. We can theorize, but a good Dr. should be able to figure it out. don't give up on the band...just the Doc! Hey...you might also ask Dr. C...the lap band dr. who is on this site. Can't remember how to find him, but if you can't, I'll start looking.

[Betsyjane 2]

There he is...Dr C:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/scared-slip-t25096.html

[lrw26 0]

Thats sounds awful. I am new to this and I am not sure what sliming is or the other expressions you used.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

First, what Dr. would give you a fill when you are PBing and can't get food down...whether it's from stress or not????? That's major scary! does he have any experience?

Here's the thing. Your band may tighten and loosen due to stress and due to half a dozen other things. So sometimes tuna will work. But if you can't get your solid calories in so that you are losing no MORE than 2 pounds a week, then you have too much of a fill. And if you still have the problem with no fill in the band, then it's time to go to a Dr. who can figure this out. Good for you for doing it. Hopefully they'll find that you just get inflammed and stay that way a bit longer than most when someone messes with your tummy. Maybe you're one of those people that needs to open your band in the morning by drinking hot liquids. We can theorize, but a good Dr. should be able to figure it out. don't give up on the band...just the Doc! Hey...you might also ask Dr. C...the lap band dr. who is on this site. Can't remember how to find him, but if you can't, I'll start looking.

The fill was my fault, not the docs. I have to take TOTAL responsibility for that one.

Two weeks after being banded I went back to him and we talked for a long time. He basically told me it was all in my head. A barium swallow showed everything to be fine so I believed him that it was all in my head.

When I had the pre-scheduled appt I didn't want to look like a total nut job (considering I think he thinks I am anyway) and being a newbie didn't realize how bad a fill would be. So I went ahead and got a very small fill. It was horrible, just horrible. Got an unfill and all was good. I was at least back to full liquids vs. barfing spit.

I haven't actually been to another doc. I've been talking to a couple via email and I was just going to have the band removed. If it is perfect on a barium swallow what else could they even do? Other than to remove it?

I do have a question for others, when you are tight do you also have a feeling that there is a lump in your throat?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

There he is...Dr C:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/scared-slip-t25096.html

Thx. Dr. C is one of the people I was considering to remove the band. I didn't go into a lot of detail with him, just mostly that I wanted it removed. The other one is Ortiz in Mexico.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Thats sounds awful. I am new to this and I am not sure what sliming is or the other expressions you used.

Sliming is when your stomach is trying to get food to pass through your stoma. If it get stuck and won't go your body produces really super thick saliva to make it slide through. When it doesn't work you PB and it comes out in thick ropes. It's truly disgusting but part of being banded. It's gross but amazingly, not as bad as it sounds. LOL

[lapband4meNOW 0]

ya, what is that feeling of a lump in your throat sometimes?

[ralheit 1]

I was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks after I had my band put in. It seems that I have a tendency to swell more than most, so I have had to have lots of little fills and one unfill during my first year. I was miserable and vomited alot. I had to have an NG during my hospitalization. But I've not had any really bad problems since. I do PB sometimes and feel that lump, but nothing as serious as in the first 3 or 4 weeks of being banded.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Certainly is time for a second opinion.....please let us know what your status is....

Your report is NOT typical of anyone I've heard on LBT....

Were it me, I'd be for getting another experienced Band surgeon to make evaluation at once!!!

Actually in old threads I've found a handfull of other people that had the same problems as me. However, they never came back to tell of the final outcome.

[piercedqt78 658]

I'm wondering if your band is properly placed. How experienced is the surgeon that placed it? Of course he is going to say it's in a perfect position if he was the one that put it in. I would ask another band soc to do an barium swallow and see if they agree that it is in the correct place. Also what band do you have? Maybe you needed the larger band and a smaller one was put in? Possibly to small to begin with? ~Mandy

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Surgeon is very experienced, he's done about 1300 of them. Early on another surgeon saw band placement and said it was perfect. My surgeon said if he put a bigger band in then I would never have the restriction needed.

See why I am so frustrated? That's why the only option I can see is to have it removed.

[jewel 0]

You said you had a fill 2 weeks after being banded?

That doesn't sound right either. Most docs wait about 6 weeks at least to allow healing. You probably still had too much swelling and that may have been the reason or part of it that you were having trouble in the first place.

Sorry you're having so much difficulty and so little help from your doc.

Jewel

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

You said you had a fill 2 weeks after being banded?

That doesn't sound right either. Most docs wait about 6 weeks at least to allow healing. You probably still had too much swelling and that may have been the reason or part of it that you were having trouble in the first place.

Sorry you're having so much difficulty and so little help from your doc.

Jewel

No, I saw my doc two weeks after being banded for barfing but the fill was at 6 weeks.