Removal & Change to RNY

Beeotch · May 25, 2007

Hi everyone I am new to this forum and learned about this one from another forum I had no idea this was available. I got my band in March of 2004 I started at 260 and I am 5'1, I was down to about 235 last december but then started getting some side effects like frequent acid reflux and pain in the chest and around the port area. It was a struggle the whole time to loose a couple of pounds here and there like i said two year I was only done 25 lbs. I even went on nutrisystem and got a personal training nothing work well enough. Then the pain and problems started to happen, I am going to be honest with you I gave up I was working my brain off trying to get rid of this butt. They did a upper GI and the liquid was not doing down it was just kind of going up and down and up and down before digesting creating the acid to come up so it wasn't letting me drink Water I had to eat while drinking or my liquid would stay in the area banded. And the endoscopy shows a few ulcers so my doctors wants to remove it and revise it to RNY I am so scared. I was wondering if anyone here had the noises in the throat and constant acid reflux and port spasms I sneeze and I get a charlie horse in my side. I was laid out and the gym once trying to do a sit up it was so embarassing. Sorry for the rambling just looking for some advice or someone with my similiar experience.

Chance

momof2boys · May 25, 2007

Chance-

Was the band just too tight? Had you had any fills at all? I had some of those symptoms and when I had my upper GI the doctor said the band was too tight and insisted on taking some out. I did and suddenly I am losing weight again - he claims that too tight is just as bad as no band at all because you go for the easy stuff like ice cream, pudding etc. because that is all you can get down.

Deb

Beeotch · May 25, 2007

Hi Deb-

Thanks for the quick response. Well they didnt even give me that option they asked if I wanted them to take some out but I said no in fear of gaining more weight. He saw all my tests and still wants to either get it removed or get the bypass. I should ask to get some taken out do you get port spasms? Oh I had four fills about 2 years ago. I just got approved to see a Surgoen this year I was trying since last Nov and in feb I got to see one. before Feb it had been at least a year and a half since I see a bariatric doctor.

momof2boys · May 25, 2007

Hey-

I would always try to get some removed and give it a little rest before I charge back into surgery again. Surgery means recovery time and starting all over again. I did not have port spasms but I had spasms in my opening as food would try to go through - it would result in multiple multiple burps, pain and discomfort until the item went thru or I threw up. A little rest may be all you need. Do you know how many cc's are in your band right now?

Deb

Beeotch · May 29, 2007

I get the same thing with the burps and just gagging feelings..I am not sure how many cc's I have in because it has been so long I dont know if any has sweat out but I was at about 4 cc's I think. Well I am waiting for approval to get the band taken out so I guess I will see what happens. Did you get your removed or revised? Thanks again for responding.

Chance

KarenB · June 1, 2007

Dear Chance,

I would definately try getting partially or totally unfilled before jumping into another surgery. And I am going to have my band removed and have RNY! Just search here on Life after Lapband Removal & you'll see my story. It was not a decision I made in haste, but one that I pondered for quite some time while my band was unfilled.

Some people are able to keep weight off without a band or with an unfilled band, many are not. I am defintely not!

As Alex mentioned in a post recently, there is malababsorbtion with RNY, so I have to be monitored for life. But I figure that if I continue the way I'm going, I'll have to be monitored for life for other things anyway (my BP is already way high & I just had to have my meds adjusted up for that). I'd rather have the rest of my life to be monitored than have no life at all!

Hope this helped somewhat.

Karen

Beeotch · June 2, 2007

well I was approved on wednesday and asked to have surgery on monday june 4th I thought I could do it then the surgeon told me that he has to do it OPEN not LAP so today I decided to cancel my surgery and get a second opinion. Thanks for the response I hope your recovery is quick...I think I made the right choice to get this done its was just the OPEN made me nervous. I see your surgery is soon did he say how he was doing it LAP or OPEN? just curious the doc said because of the band he had to do it open but I know another girl in th same situation she ended up having LAP I dunno. I hope I new date come fast

KarenB · June 3, 2007

He said he would do it lap--actually go through the same "holes" that were used to place the band. So I'll have my scars in the same places. Where are you supposed to have it done?

According to my doc, who's very experienced, he said that it just might take a little longer. If I were you, I would DEFINATELY take more time to research. Keep us posted.