Slipped band and 26wks pregnant

[MzAngel 0]

My problems started from day one with my band but everytime i went to see my Dr he always told me i was just feeling the band working.

I'm now 26wks pregnant and because i continued to lose weight (after having a total unfil) and vomiting everything even Water i finally had enough and got referred to a new Dr.

Well it was confirmed today that my band has slipped and i'll need to go into surgery to have it fixed. There not sure whether it will be removed or replaced, he'll have to see once he's in their. He thinks that due to 10 mths of it being slipped/not properly placed and the constant vomiting, that my stomach will most likely be in bad shape. So i'll only know the outcome when i wake up.

My question is has anyone had to go through a band revision/removal while pregnant? Or any major surgery while pregnant at all.

I'm really scared for my baby and don't know weather i should take the risk and wait the 3 mths until i give birth, or follow the Dr's advise and just go ahead with the surgery.

Any advise would be much appreciated as i'm due to go into the surgery on the 23rd of this month.

[Boo Boo Kitty 3]

Wow! Sounds like you are stuck between a rock and a hard place! I would get a second opinion really! I understand that the baby might not be doing well because you aren't eating, but surgery while pregnant sems VERY VERY scary! I would seek a second opinion. How does your OBGYN feel about it??

[faithmd 14]

Surgery can be done while pregnant, though certainly it is not ideal. Precautions must be taken (google surgery during pregnancy, there's useful info out there), and the internet certainly isn't a substitute for a professional's opinion. The biggest thing is to weigh if the benefits of removing or replacing your band will outweigh the risks of surgery. And by risks of surgery I do not only mean the risk to your baby. I also mean risks to you, and whether you are getting in the correct nutrition required for your developing baby. If you are unable to eat well, then the baby is at risk for being born small or with a variety of issues related to nutrition. This is something you need to discuss further with a good OB.

If you are going to have surgery on your band I would think you need to do it sooner rather than later in the pregnancy, as I am sure you can imagine the larger your uterus is, the harder it will be for the surgeon to move things around and visualize what s/he needs to see to truly ascertain how your stomach looks and whether or not the can replace your band.

If you are getting enough nutrition in and are not in danger of harming your stomach further, I guess I'd wait.

[MzAngel 0]

FaithMD, thanks for your advice. One of the main reason's the Dr want's to go ahead with surgery is that i can't get anything down at all. I'm nearly 7mths pregnant and not showing at all. I'm still able to buckle up and wear the same jeans i wore before pregnancy, and if anything their a little loose on me. His other main concern is the irriparable damage that might be done to my stomach. Because i'm pregnant we weren't able to do extensive tests to see what lv of damage is done. We only did enough to make sure the band had slipped. That's why he said he won't know til he get's in their whether or not he'll replace it. Otherwise he'll just remove and the choice is mine to put a new one in after i give birth.

Boo Boo Kitty - I am getting second and third opinions actually LOL. I've got appointments booked in for later this week. I just wanted to know if anyone else had gone through this because experience has shown me that u get more info from someone who's experienced something compared to the sometimes blunt way Dr's can explain things.

[Alexandra 55]

Wow, MzAngel, what a difficult situation! From where I sit surgery would seem to be the right move. You don't want to jeopardize your baby's development, and surgery on pregnant women is done all the time. I know someone who recently had gall bladder surgery in her 7th month of pregnancy, and all went well. She's healthy, home, and the baby is doing just wonderfully.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

[becca77 0]

Good luck to you and stay positive. I will pray for you.

[bandnomore 0]

mzangel I was pregnant with the band last year and had all of my fill removed also. I had alot of morning sickness during my pregnancy. I had a hard time keeping anything down also. I had reflux at night when ever I would lay down I would get sick. I was throwing up alot sometimes brown like coffee grounds( I had no idea that was blood until I read that on here after the fact). Had a lot of pain in my right side and around to back. Talked to my ob/gyn about it and he thought maybe it was my gall bladder. Had ultrasound that looked ok. I was started to lose weight and was getting worried. I just dealt with it through out my pregnancy about 3-4 months. The only things I could keep down where sugary type things like candy and some cereals for quite some time. Towards the end I could eat a little everyonce in a while. I just thought I had morning sickness and my belly was getting larger from the baby and pushing on my stomach and band. I was wrong. After I delivered I went to see my band doctor who is 4 hours away. Sure enough I had a slip and had to have it removed immediately. Removed the next day and he said my stomach was damaged from having a slip that long so he could not put on a new band said I would have to wait a year or more and then I could do something. I am now in the process of looking into rny. I just don't want to go through that again I am a self pay and don't want to have the risk of slipping again. I only gained about 10 pounds during my pregnancy. But after having the band removed I gained most of the weight back that I had lost while being banded. I think I would have had it removed if I had known that I had a slip if it was safe to do. I was very nervous at the time that I was not eating enough or the right things for my baby. Everything was fine I delivered a 6pound baby with no problems. But I am now afraid of the damage that was done and hoping I will be able to have another WLS. I hate having this extra weight back. I feel like everyone is looking at me wondering if I am pregnant again or why I haven't lost my pregnancy weight. And I felt so much better without all this exta weight. I know I was not much help but just to let you know I went through that also. But did not know it.

[MzAngel 0]

Bandnomore - I really appreciate ur post, just knowing that someone else is/has gone through something similer is a relief in a sence. I don't feel like i'm the only one. I'm really sorry to hear about ur complications and i hope everything works out for u in the end.

Alexandra - thanks for letting me know about ur friend, it's a relief to know that surgery can be performed without to much complication. From the research i've done it would seem the only major side effect could be early labour. But the way i'm starting to see it, if the baby dosn't start getting some nourishment then maybe it's not to bad a thing.

Becca - thanks for ur prayers, i need them at the moment

[Boo Boo Kitty 3]

Mzangel--

I am glad you are seeking more opinions! The best choice is always the informed choice! I will pray for you and the little one as well. I belive things will work out for the best for both of you.

Just try to relax as much as you can in this hard time! You and the baby need it! Go get a pedicure or something and take some me time. It may help clear your head as well! Good luck!

[MzAngel 0]

Again thanks for the replies everyone, now that i've had a few days i think i've passed the freak out stage and i'm now looking at it all a little clearer. From what all the doc's have been saying so far, it would seem i'll have to go ahead with it. I've got one more appointment tomorrow and i suppose that will be the decider.

The only question that keeps going round and round my head is "should i even replace the band?". I've had so many problems with it and i know i'm a rare case, but now that i've reached my goal weight (probably better then my goal ) I keep thinking just remove it and don't risk it anymore. But then the other side of my brain keeps saying u'll just gain all the weight back leave it in.

I wonder if i wake up from the operation and the Dr. wasn't able to place a new band if that would be a totally bad thing????? So confused....

[MzAngel 0]

That's what i meant by the decision being made for me by the Dr. If he finds the damage to much then he won't replace it and i won't really have a choice........

Bye the way, i love ur sig line, i wanna copy it LOL