Slippage, Flippage, and Discouraged :(

[christiana 0]

So I have had problems with my band. I have had it completely unfilled for over a year due to it slamming shut on me and bad heartburn and acid reflux. I went in today and had a flouro (my first) done since it seemed to be getting worse and I wasn't able to eat and the other day I couldn't even get spit down.... Well, my band has flipped and my medical staff has never seen anything like it. It's in the opposite direction it's suppose to be! The barium I drank during my flouro went up over and then down to the band and stopped at the band and wouldn't pass through. They told me I needed to head to Mexico tomorrow and have it fixed but I am probably going to have to have it removed. :tongue2: It's just a horrible time! I was a self pay patient and financed my surgery, got a blood clot in my leg after surgery which ended in me losing my job. I sued and settled and was able to pay my surgery off around then but now I still have no health insurance and I only make my gas money at the job I have now. It is now going to cost me at least $4000 to have my band fixed/removed plus plane tickets are WAY up since I don't have much notice and I have to go ASAP. I don't know what to do but obviously have to go and fix it. So, if I have a choice to keep the band should I??? I can't decide if I would want to or not... I don't want to gain my weight back but I have had so many issues that I don't know if I want to keep it and risk having it done again...

Edited July 26, 2009 by christiana
added more!

[scout47 1]

So I have had problems with my band. I have had it completely unfilled for over a year due to it slamming shut on me and bad heartburn and acid reflux. I went in today and had a flouro (my first) done since it seemed to be getting worse and I wasn't able to eat and the other day I couldn't even get spit down.... Well, my band has flipped and my medical staff has never seen anything like it. It's in the opposite direction it's suppose to be! The barium I drank during my flouro went up over and then down to the band and stopped at the band and wouldn't pass through. They told me I needed to head to Mexico tomorrow and have it fixed but I am probably going to have to have it removed. :tongue2: It's just a horrible time! I was a self pay patient and financed my surgery, got a blood clot in my leg after surgery which ended in me losing my job. I sued and settled and was able to pay my surgery off around then but now I still have no health insurance and I only make my gas money at the job I have now. It is now going to cost me at least $4000 to have my band fixed/removed plus plane tickets are WAY up since I don't have much notice and I have to go ASAP. I don't know what to do but obviously have to go and fix it. So, if I have a choice to keep the band should I??? I can't decide if I would want to or not... I don't want to gain my weight back but I have had so many issues that I don't know if I want to keep it and risk having it done again...

Christina,

I don't really have any advice, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am that you have had so much trouble. Since you are self-pay and have to have something done anyway, I'd probably keep the band if your dr says it will work as it should after this procedure--well, guess I did have advice after all:smile:. Do you trust your dr--that would help me decide what to do. Whatever you decide, keep me updated. You are certainly in my prayers.

[greytz 4]

You are in my prayers too. What a terrible thing to have happen to you. Ultimately as you know, you are the only person that can decide whether or not to keep it. If you were doing very well and were losing a lot of weight and are undecided maybe once you get there and speak with your surgeon about it you will be able to make an informed decision. Hopefully, your surgeon can help you make up your mind and you can get healthy again. Good Luck and please let us know how it turns out for you.

[christiana 0]

Thank you both! If I have a choice to keep it or not I think I am actually leaning towards not keeping it. I for sure don't want to gain my weight back but I have had problems from the get go and have never really been able to focus on my weight loss it was always on the blood clot, or having the band close on me and all of a sudden horrible heartburn.... Plus, having had my surgery done in Mexico no US doctor will touch me and trying to find someone to fill/unfill me is hard and is always a hassle and a very long drive to get there. So I think I shall try life without it... MAYBE! :tongue2: I will keep ya'all updated when I know what is going on. I am going to try and fly to Texas tomorrow and have my surgery on Tuesday morning... Oh and I have no passport!!!! Mine expired YEARS ago... I had no idea that I would have a medical emergency and have to go into Mexico. Ha... We shall see how this works out.

[scout47 1]

Thank you both! If I have a choice to keep it or not I think I am actually leaning towards not keeping it. I for sure don't want to gain my weight back but I have had problems from the get go and have never really been able to focus on my weight loss it was always on the blood clot, or having the band close on me and all of a sudden horrible heartburn.... Plus, having had my surgery done in Mexico no US doctor will touch me and trying to find someone to fill/unfill me is hard and is always a hassle and a very long drive to get there. So I think I shall try life without it... MAYBE! I will keep ya'all updated when I know what is going on. I am going to try and fly to Texas tomorrow and have my surgery on Tuesday morning... Oh and I have no passport!!!! Mine expired YEARS ago... I had no idea that I would have a medical emergency and have to go into Mexico. Ha... We shall see how this works out. :mad:

Christina,

I am assuming that since you are self-pay you had your surgery in Mexico because it was much cheaper, I'm sure I would have done that too. Do you have insurance at all or your insurance just won't pay for this surgery? Maybe if you are unable to keep your band (which I hope doesn't happen) you could wait until healed and possibly find a dr in the US who could do another band or some other type of WLS--things are changing all the time--I just read about the new surgery that just goes through the belly button. Possibilies are endless. I will continue to pray that everything works for your good.:tongue2: Keep us updated!

[christiana 0]

Hi, So I had my band taken out on 7/28 and feel so much better already! The doctor said it slipped quite a bit and made my stomach into a swervy shape which will take a couple of weeks to relax. I was on an IV for dehydration the whole time I was in the hospital (Mon-Wed) as well and my surgeon was a saint and is only charging me for the hospital fees which they told him he had to charge me! I am not really all that sad to have lost my band. I gained most of my excess weight when my boyfriend and I started dating and we went out to eat a lot and cooked big meals (As he was skin and bones when we met!) so I am hoping I can keep the weight off as I am only like 40 lbs from my goal. We shall see though. Thanks for all the good thoughts! And good luck to all of you on your journeys.

[scout47 1]

Hi, So I had my band taken out on 7/28 and feel so much better already! The doctor said it slipped quite a bit and made my stomach into a swervy shape which will take a couple of weeks to relax. I was on an IV for dehydration the whole time I was in the hospital (Mon-Wed) as well and my surgeon was a saint and is only charging me for the hospital fees which they told him he had to charge me! I am not really all that sad to have lost my band. I gained most of my excess weight when my boyfriend and I started dating and we went out to eat a lot and cooked big meals (As he was skin and bones when we met!) so I am hoping I can keep the weight off as I am only like 40 lbs from my goal. We shall see though. Thanks for all the good thoughts! And good luck to all of you on your journeys.

Christina,

Thanks for the update of your good news. I will be praying that you will be able to reach your goal on your own. I'm at the point that I think I am never going to lose any more:thumbdown: and I have 99 lbs to go. But I know I'm just having myself a pity party--had 1 cc removed Tuesday and am able to keep my food down much better, but still have that old enemy, head-hunger . Anyway, you just keep on keepin' on and I'll do the same. You go, Girl!