Julie Northrup

I followed up with my GI doc a couple weeks after surgery and I was able to swallow pretty well by then but at that time I was still chewing everything incredibly well because I was afraid not to. He told me I had developed a band of scar tissue around my esophagus that was constricting it, and he said that was most likely the cause of the reflux. The band doctor didn't tell me that, he just told me "the band was just fine, it wasn't causing your problems" . I just know I didn't have problems before the band and I did after, and the problems stopped when it was removed. I say the problems stopped, but I do still have some problems where I can feel the food not moving, I feel it sitting in my chest and when the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus opens I feel the food move through, so the sphinter isn't working right. Also I sometimes have to "tell" myself to swallow more than once, because it just doesn't work initially. The doc is waiting to see how much is going to resolve on it's own before he does further testing. FYI on the costs r/t removing the band, if you havn't checked with your insurance lately check again, rules are changing all the time. Removal/placement was not initially covered on my plan, which is why I initially went to Mexico, however rules changed, and they now cover one bariatric surgery (placement OR removal). The costs related to the removal were about 10,000 dollars, but the costs related to the aspiration pneumonia caused by the band were over 76,000 dollars, not to mention all the time off work. so if you are worried about the cost of removing the band you need to look at the cost of NOT removing it too. Thankfully it looks like my insurance company will cover almost all of it. I fequently get asked if I am going to have another band placed, that is not an option for me given my residual swallowing problems, it's not worth the risk. I have gained 10lbs since the band was removed (it was removed the first week in february, so about 6 weeks). I haven't been able to get back in to a regular running pattern yet as I have still been recovering, but I am feeling much stronger and I am working on that. (I know from last time it takes a while before you can run again after a bout of pneumonia, let alone surgery). I am thinking positive, but nervous. i hope all goes well with you. Julie

I followed up with my GI doc a couple weeks after surgery and I was able to swallow pretty well by then but at that time I was still chewing everything incredibly well because I was afraid not to. He told me I had developed a band of scar tissue around my esophagus that was constricting it, and he said that was most likely the cause of the reflux. The band doctor didn't tell me that, he just told me "the band was just fine, it wasn't causing your problems" . I just know I didn't have problems before the band and I did after, and the problems stopped when it was removed. I say the problems stopped, but I do still have some problems where I can feel the food not moving, I feel it sitting in my chest and when the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus opens I feel the food move through, so the sphinter isn't working right. Also I sometimes have to "tell" myself to swallow more than once, because it just doesn't work initially. The doc is waiting to see how much is going to resolve on it's own before he does further testing. FYI on the costs r/t removing the band, if you havn't checked with your insurance lately check again, rules are changing all the time. Removal/placement was not initially covered on my plan, which is why I initially went to Mexico, however rules changed, and they now cover one bariatric surgery (placement OR removal). The costs related to the removal were about 10,000 dollars, but the costs related to the aspiration pneumonia caused by the band were over 76,000 dollars, not to mention all the time off work. so if you are worried about the cost of removing the band you need to look at the cost of NOT removing it too. Thankfully it looks like my insurance company will cover almost all of it. I fequently get asked if I am going to have another band placed, that is not an option for me given my residual swallowing problems, it's not worth the risk. I have gained 10lbs since the band was removed (it was removed the first week in february, so about 6 weeks). I haven't been able to get back in to a regular running pattern yet as I have still been recovering, but I am feeling much stronger and I am working on that. (I know from last time it takes a while before you can run again after a bout of pneumonia, let alone surgery). I am thinking positive, but nervous. i hope all goes well with you. Julie

I had my band placed in 2007 and removed last week. In retrospect I had problems with esophageal spasms from the beginning, but I thought it was the band restricting me, because it was always that way. I lost 120# in the first year and have been stable since then. I had ongoing issues with pain in my chest and then reflux which was treated with Nexium. I had an EGD 2 years in for the pain and everything was normal. Fluroscopies were normal too, but they only looked at the band, not the esophagus. For the past year I have been having more reflux at night, despite taking all the measures I could find to prevent it. I had not had a fill in my band for more than 3 years, but I still felt restriction. I had aspiration pneumonia last July and they thought it might be related to the band, but my dad was dying from cancer so I ignored it and didn't follow up. A few weeks ago I got aspiration pneumonia again, this time really bad, and it wouldn't go away, it just kept getting worse, the pulmonologist said we needed to find the source and fix it. The GI did and EGD immediatly and found my esophagus was very dilated and my muscles in my esophagus and the sphincter were not working right. All of the stuff from the esophagus started when I got my band so it was removed immediatly. I follow up next week with the GI doc for more tests to see if the damage is permanent or if I need more treatment. I actually left the first hospital I was admitted to because they just wanted to treat the pneumonia and not find the cause. I deliberatly went to a hospital that I knew did lap band surgery so I would have a qualified surgeon available. I believe that made all the difference in the world. I feel so much better it is unbelievable. I am so glad the band is gone, I am worried about gaining weight, but I am more concerned about being healthy enough to live. I remember the feelings of low self esteem and the reference to a fat pig really makes me hurt for you. I remember being mood at in the mall by some kids. Noone has the right to make you feel like that, not even you! Hold your head up, be positive and have faith in yourself. Maybe you have learned more than you think. You are of worth whether you way 100lbs or 500lbs. Don't give up looking for help. I have used self hypnosis tapes for lap band patients since I was banded and I hope they will continue to help me now. If I had it to do over i would still get my band, it helped me get to a place where I feel good about myself, a manageable weight where I can be active. I am living and active again. I took up running and created good habits. Only time will tell if this is enough. I learned I am so much more than my weight and I can do hard things, including keeping this weight off and I wish the same for all of us that have had to take this path. If you think you need your band out you probably do, so don't drop it, keep going til you get the healthcare you need, I should have pressed sooner, but I got too busy and it could have created permanent damage. Sorry this is so long, I just needed to say that stuff.