Unlocked Band!

[shortgal 5]

After an x-ray was taken last week due lack of restriction, hunger and no recent weight loss, my Dr. has diagnosed an unlocked band.

The physician's Assistant wanted to send me for an endoscopy, but I kind of persisted on a less invasive route first, so I was scheduled for a fill with floro first.

The first step the day of the appt was an x-ray and that's where it stopped. The Dr looked at the x-ray and tell me he "thinks" my band is unlocked.

Whether it has been unlocked since day one or it happened along the way is unclear, but he wants to go back in and lock it.

I have a date for surgery, but now that I've had some time to digest all the info, I will meet with the Dr. first and ask a few more questions before the surgery date.

Anyway, I am posting in case the info helps anyone else that has a problem reaching restriction and thinks they are failing. Here is one more thing to have the Dr check out.

My surgeon said I am the second person in his practice that has this problem. He claims the band locking device has changed.

[Apples2 19]

Thanks for sharing the story of your complication, Shortgal. I have been following Sades story and wish you both well. Sorry you have to go through another surgery but try to look at it positively. You will soon be on the road to having your band function as it should. I admire you for continue to lose and maintain during this time.

Good luck to you and let us know how things go. God Bless

[shortgal 5]

Thanks Apples,

I hope it turns out to be as simple as just locking it. Who knows when the Dr gets in there what can happen.

The thing is the Dr. makes it sound simple, but we are not cars that they simply lift the hood to make the repair and close the hood. New scars, new healing, possible surgery and anesthesia risks all over again.

I have no choice but to try this, if I want to keep my band and have it work.

Thanks for the reply.

[BensonRN 0]

Those are the things I worry about happening. Sorry, it has happened to you. I have had restriction the whole time but then the last couple weeks I feel like I dont even have a band. Good luck with your surgery.

[Apples2 19]

Thanks Apples,

I hope it turns out to be as simple as just locking it. Who knows when the Dr gets in there what can happen.

The thing is the Dr. makes it sound simple, but we are not cars that they simply lift the hood to make the repair and close the hood. New scars, new healing, possible surgery and anesthesia risks all over again.

I have no choice but to try this, if I want to keep my band and have it work.

Thanks for the reply.

After having my band just a short three weeks, I am already attached to it and would do whatever it took to keep it.

I think I would check with my dr. to see if he could put in a new and revised band if I were you. Hope your revision journey is a short and painless one. Wishing you all the best.:tt1:

[shortgal 5]

I have the one of the latest style bands, so if everything looks good he'll just lock this one. He had one other patient with same problem and she's doing well now. Hope that is my outcome, too!

[luluc 6]

shortgal - i wish you well.

keep posting on the outcome!!

[shortgal 5]

I will post after this mess is sorted out in the hopes it will help someone else. Thanks.

[Vicki J 0]

Shortgal - I am so sorry to hear this has happened to you. Hopefully he'll use the same incisions and the scars won't change. I would kind of ask him about this being the second one that has happened in his practice since the new band. It hasn't been around that long and maybe he needs to figure out what "his" problem is. I'm not saying that your doctor is a bad doctor by any means but maybe he just needs to re-evaluate his installation of the new band.

Good luck on your surgery. I am sure that once the problem is fixed you'll be a total success.

Vicki

[shortgal 5]

I saw the Dr. today. He showed me my x-ray compared to a person with a closed band and I agree the band diameter on mine appears larger.

He described how the new allergan band locking mechanism was changed so that patients that needed revisions (like from a slipped band) could re-use their original band and not have to pay for a new one.

Anyway, I have a second surgery date of Aug. 5th and I hope the Dr. is right that locking it is all I need.

[Candle 11]

I wish you luck!!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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I have seen this problem mentioned a few times on this forum.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

How will your doctor determine if it was unlocked from the get-go or if it came open at some point? I would be worried it was a faulty band and would come open again.

Did you ask about a brand new band?<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

[shortgal 5]

I wish you luck!!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

I have seen this problem mentioned a few times on this forum.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

How will your doctor determine if it was unlocked from the get-go or if it came open at some point? I would be worried it was a faulty band and would come open again.

Did you ask about a brand new band?

<o:p></o:p>

My Dr. insists he locked it at surgery, so if that is true then it came unlocked and further if it's true then anyone with the same band could experience the same problem. There is a lock indicator on the band that shows the Dr. it's locked.

One other person on the board had her's re-locked, her Dr. does not believe the band was defective, so he re-used it and he believes her's was locked at original surgery as well.

I think people with this brand band need to be concerned that this band opens too easily.

I never was sick or vomited or had a bad cough or anything like that since surgery to say that caused the band to be unlocked and my Dr. says I am the second person he has that the band came unlocked.

Are there more people out there that just haven't discovered their band is open? It took sevens months for both me and the other person on the forum to discover this.

At this point it seems my only option is to have them go back and lock it. My Dr. knows to check the band for defects this time and we have discussed the option of a new band if there appears anything is wrong with the band I have.

The new band was redesigned to make the lock easier to unlock should a patient need a revision surgery ( like for a slipped band)and so the band could be re-used in that situation, but now it seems people need revision surgery because of the new design.

In the end I just hope I end up with the working band I paid a lot of money for.

I feel we are guinea pigs to the band people and the surgeons.

[SuzanneG 1]

Shortgal, is the surgeon going to do it at no cost or do you have to pay again? Were you insurance or self pay?