March Bandsters: MASTER THREAD

[ajoneen 0]

Im not sure who is following this anymore. I know the support I received here in the early days was a life saver! All of us going through pretty much the same thing. Now quite a few have had the band removed.

After having no band related problems (that I know of- all my problems were my dedication to working the tool) I am having weird food stuckage issues. I guess it coudl be refulx but there is no real acid coming back up. Just kinda like air trapped and alot of discomfort! I've gone on liquid only and sometimes that helps, but sometimes I get stuck on liquid.

Im at the point of actually hoping my band has slipped so I can have it removed and replaced with the sleeve. I dont think the band itself has been a benefit.

Well I guess Im asking if anyone is out there and if they are having or have delt with this issue.

Thanks

[thin2bme 2]

Ajoneen, my husband was banded 1 year after you and I were. To this day he gets stuck on liquids, probably from gulping too much at once, but he's able to eat without problems. I had acid reflux really bad but never really had acid coming back up, it was more the food that I had previously eaten causing me discomfort. I would take my Nexium and all would be good after that.

I think you should go see your band doctor tell them what's going on and have them check your band. I seriously hope it has not slipped so you can put it back to good use. If the band didn't work for you, then the Sleeve probably won't either since it basically does the same as the band, so think this through before going that route. So far I'm 2 weeks post op from my Sleeve surgery and doing well, but I'm still on the soft food stage for 4 more weeks. Since I started my 2 week pre-op diet I've lost 21 lbs, 13 of which I lost pre-op. I'm glad I have the Sleeve and I'm hoping it works for me as we'll as my band did.

Good luck to you.

[WyominGirl 1]

Anyone still here?

[ronnfia 13]

6 years out and still struggling.

[Tess415 1]

Its been a long time since I've posted on here… I did well the first 2 years with the band, lost 105 pounds. Still had about 60 more to go.. then I became obstructed and had to have Fluid taken out. As a result, I have gained back quite a bit of the weight, but not the entire amount. I have struggled with my decisions of where to go from here. I found a new surgeon, had fluid added, but still not enough to get the weight loss going again. In all honesty… most of the weight I lost was due to such a tight restriction and difficulty eating, as opposed to the proper way the band was to work. I felt like I was becoming a bulimic…. I do not want to go back to feeling like that. So, I have been pursuing a revision to a sleeve. I am currently waiting on insurance approval. Anyone else in the same boat?

[MichelleInCA 22]

I'm in the same boat as you, Tess. I didn't lose much weight with the band, while I had frequent issues with vomiting and stuck food. I also had terrible acid reflux even with 2 Prilosec per day. I finally went back to my surgeon, and she told me they stopped doing bands altogether two or three years ago! They found that too many people were forming strictures under the band that were keeping the passageway too small, or something like that.

In previous visits she would dismiss my problems as eating the wrong foods or eating incorrectly. This time she was far more understanding. Rather than tighten my band as I had expected, she loosened it by several cc. This cured my acid reflux instantly, and I haven't thrown up since. The downside is the weight has been creeping up due to lack of restriction. I also got many blood tests and swallow tests and all looks okay.

I'm doing all I can to get approved for the sleeve revision. The surgeon said they have had great success, and that it feels more natural to patients while their appetites are far reduced. I hope I can get it early in 2014 but so far it's taking forever to even learn what the requirements are.

Meanwhile I've started working out with a personal trainer and am getting stronger physically. The weight doesn't want to come off, though.

Good to hear from a few folks!

[ronnfia 13]

I ended up having a possible slippage a few months ago. my Dr decided to loosen my band and let it settle back into place. deep down I was hoping to have a problem so I could get sleeve or ru en y revision, honestly the band is a struggle, daily struggle. I also have acid reflux issues and a large bottle of emeprosole when needed. sadly the band corrected itself. I have Kaiser and if there was a problem I could have has the revision for free. bummer. I feel like its time for a sit down with myself and make a new start and work harder at using this tool. also going to try and keep posting here. it's been a while and I feel better connecting with others "in the same boat".

[mom007 0]

Hello everyone! Sheesh....glad to see I haven't been the only one struggling!

I have had a love/hate relationship with my band. Thanks to my 3rd slip about this time last year, I got down to 143 lbs (pre-surgery I was 294). Unfortunately at 5'11", I looked like a bag of bones and had friends telling me I looked sick. I had been living on Soup and mashed potatoes for about a year because it was the only thing I could get down. By this spring I couldn't even get liquids down and had to push my bed to the corner so I could sleep sitting up, my reflux was so bad.

In June of this year, I was miserable and was completely unfilled after the diaganosis of the 3rd slip. I have since gained over 50 lbs - as of the last time I weighed myself about 2 months ago. Now I am miserable in a whole new way. The food addiction is still there obviously but I feel like the band has given me a warped way of looking at my body. I know I'm not "fat" like I used to be, as a matter of fact the same friends that were telling me I looked sick 6 months ago comment about how healthy I look now but I just don't see it. I want to see my hip bones and ribs again!

I am to the point now where I would rather be throwing up and sleep sitting up to be skinny than look like this! How sick is that? Ugh.

Thanks for listening and starting this thread back up! Good luck to all of us out there who are struggling with this thing that was supposed to change our lives so perfectly.

[Tess415 1]

Robin…. I never got below 245# with the band…. far from bones and ribs sticking out. But, I definitely would throw up daily with the band being so tight…. it scared me how comfortable I got with that happening. Then, the complete obstruction lasted 3 days of not being able to even get a sip of Water down. I was so weak when I got to the doctor, I should not have let it go on for that long…. I didn't want the Fluid out and thought I could work through it. Now, I find myself on another journey… I gained so much weight back, and I don't want to go back to throwing up everyday

I found out today that I have been approved for band removal and a revision to a gastric sleeve!!!

[thin2bme 2]

Hi All, it's been awhile since I posted and was just reading through the above posts. I would highly recommend the Sleeve revision from Lapband if you are able to do it. I lost 114 lbs with my Lapband before it slipped and I had to have it removed late in 2012. Before it was removed, I too had acid reflux and had to sleep on a wedge and also threw up on a daily basis. That is probably what caused my band to slip. Consequently, after having the band removed, I too, put back on 50 lbs of the weight I had lost. I had to wait 8 weeks before my doctor would do the Sleeve procedure, so had that done on February 4, 2013, since that time I have lost 68 lbs, making my total weight loss since having my Lapband in 2008 and the Sleeve done last February, 2013 a total of 127 lbs. I would like to lose another 15 or 20 lbs but I'm in no hurry. Losing weight with the Sleeve has been much easier than it was with the band, I get full much quicker and I'm very seldom hungry. You still have to watch what you eat if you are going to lose weight because just like the band the junk food still goes down easy and will put on the pounds but it definitely helps with Portion Control, which I need. I also no longer have acid reflux and haven't thrown up at all since having the Sleeve done. My insurance paid for the Lapband, but would not pay to have it removed and converted to the Sleeve, so I was self pay for the Sleeve and it's been worth every penny. Just wanted to relay my story since having the conversion to the Sleeve and hope everyone has a good New Year.

[MichelleInCA 22]

thin2bme, thank you so much for your reply. I was worried that the sleeve will bring back my reflux, which is gone since my band was unfilled. So it's great to hear that didn't happen for you. The band has never really helped me avoid hunger, it just makes it harder to swallow. So that aspect sounds great as well.

68 lbs in less than one year is amazing -- pat yourself on the back, wow!!

Anyway my insurance will pay for a second procedure if the weight loss from the first one was not very good, which is the case for me. I'm just trying to get all the documentation together, and then I plan to go for it!

Thanks so much again for your story. It's very inspiring for the new year

[thin2bme 2]

MichelleInCA, good luck, I'm sure you will do fine with the Sleeve, I wish it would have been available when I had the band done first time around. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to private message me.

[Desdemona 48]

Hi-- I haven't been here for quite a while and was really happy to come back here today and find some of you,

I have also been experiencing a fair amount of reflux over the past year. Some saline was removed at that time and now I have subsequently gained about 20lbs. I still am about 45 lbs lower than from my preband days but I'm disappointed. I have the head of my bed elevated 6 inches now (and practically slide right out every night!). I'm taking 2 Omeprazole a day and also really trying hard to stay away from food before bed.I have been thinking about the sleeve too but the the MD dosesn't see any slips or evidence of band problems (other than the reflux). My ins would pay for a sleeve if there was something wrong --- but there isn't. Things seem to be much better the last few days but I'm worried about where this is all leading to. Even if the acid reducer works -- I don't think it's a good idea to stay on 40 mg of that every day for a long time because reducing acid in the stomach like that can cause cancerous polyops in the the stomach. I'd like to do the sleeve but I'm kind of worried about that. I mean --they SAID the band was the ticket and didn't expect problems and so I'm wondering what kind of problem will pop-up down the road with the sleeve. And that is not reversibe.

I have to be honest and say that I'm a real couch potato. I just brought a trendmill into the house today because that is what I like to use when I go to the gym. So -- I'm going to do my best with losing weight and using this treadmill.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Desdemona

[thin2bme 2]

Hi-- I haven't been here for quite a while and was really happy to come back here today and find some of you, I have also been experiencing a fair amount of reflux over the past year. Some saline was removed at that time and now I have subsequently gained about 20lbs. I still am about 45 lbs lower than from my preband days but I'm disappointed. I have the head of my bed elevated 6 inches now (and practically slide right out every night!). I'm taking 2 Omeprazole a day and also really trying hard to stay away from food before bed.I have been thinking about the sleeve too but the the MD dosesn't see any slips or evidence of band problems (other than the reflux). My ins would pay for a sleeve if there was something wrong --- but there isn't. Things seem to be much better the last few days but I'm worried about where this is all leading to. Even if the acid reducer works -- I don't think it's a good idea to stay on 40 mg of that every day for a long time because reducing acid in the stomach like that can cause cancerous polyops in the the stomach. I'd like to do the sleeve but I'm kind of worried about that. I mean --they SAID the band was the ticket and didn't expect problems and so I'm wondering what kind of problem will pop-up down the road with the sleeve. And that is not reversibe. I have to be honest and say that I'm a real couch potato. I just brought a trendmill into the house today because that is what I like to use when I go to the gym. So -- I'm going to do my best with losing weight and using this treadmill.

Hang in there, getting a treadmill is a big step and if you set your mind to it you will do fine. Being 45 lbs lower than preband is stupendous, don't be disappointed, we all have gained some weight back and that's because we are human, just get back on your treadmill and start logging what you eat, that really helped me to. I use myfitnesspal to log my weight and food, it's fun and helpful. Just use your band as it was intended as a weight loss tool, in the event you have problems down the road with your band then by all means get the Sleeve but use the tools you have now, you know you can do this, you've done it before! Good luck.

Edited January 3, 2014 by thin2bme

[Charity 0]

It's been quite sometime since I've posted. I just had my band removed on 1/15/14, So much painful than having it put in. I have been having terrible reflux issues and have had the band completely unfilled for the last 2 years. I will soon start the process for the sleeve to be done, hoping my insurance will approve it.