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effini

LAP-BAND Patients
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About effini

  • Rank
    Newbie
  • Birthday 03/08/1963

About Me

  • Gender
    Male
I had surgery in Aug 2010. My first fill, a month or 2 later, was (in my opinion) extremely aggressive... 2.5 cc (on top of the 2cc from surgery). No one gave me a clear idea what to expect so it took me a week to go back due to being unable to eat or drink anything. I had a partial unfil and things seemed to be fine.
I went through 2 or 3 more fills, frequently having PBs or foaming, when I reached a point of total unpreditability with food consumption. A sip of coffee might make me vomit. But if I vomited I could then eat anything I wanted - as much as I wanted. Or vice versa: the coffee would be fine but food would make me vomit non-stop. Overall, I was stuck at a loss of only 30lbs.
After seeing the surgeons, I was sent for GI exams and determined to have band slip. All fill was removed from my band in April 2011. Three months, and regain of 20lbs, later I was cleared to resume fills. I had 1.5cc put in my band in July or early August 2011, rapidly lost 10 lbs then gained it back over the next 2 months. I made an appt for another fill but had to cancel due to allergies (which caused stomach problems) and a cold... and gained another 5lbs.
Now, nearly 14 months after surgery, I'm down only 8lbs, despite 2hrs/week with a trainer.
Had there been any idea that gastric sleeve would be approved by insurance so quickly, I would have waited for that surgery. I'm told that having band slip once greatly increases the chance of it happening twice. If I have another slip, I'll go for revision surgery - to the sleeve. That potential is the only reason I stay at my current job (for the insurance coverage).
While I haven't had the weight changes I wished for, the initial weight loss allowed me to begin working out with a trainer. A year ago, I was on crutches nearly full time and facing a future of being in a wheelchair. Now I can walk/stand like a normal person. Although I'm extremely disappointed with my surgical results, and live in fear of another band slip (it was extremely painful whenever I ate anything), I have to remember to focus on my improvements - and to hope that this round turns out better than the first.

Age: 61
Height: 5 feet 5 inches
Starting Weight: 273 lbs
Weight on Day of Surgery:
Current Weight: 265 lbs
Goal Weight: 170 lbs
Weight Lost: 8 lbs
BMI: 44.1
Surgery: LAP-BAND
Surgery Status: Post Surgery
First Dr. Visit: 03/03/2010
Surgery Date: 08/26/2010
Hospital Stay: Outpatient
Surgery Funding: Insurance
Insurance Outcome: 1st Letter Approval
effini's Bariatric Surgeon
The N.E.W. Program Satellite Office
150 North Robertson Blvd.
Suite 150
Beverly Hills, California 92660

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