Bandedbut

Well, my surgeon just gave me a complete unfill, and said that because I have had problems with my pouch enlarging on a reapeated basis, that he won't refill me. And, he said "no surgeon would do a sleeve on me because of my current weight," I'm too close to goal. I'm pretty ticked, and feeling "abandoned", as his only suggestion right now is to limit myself to 1200 calories a day, and just "do it on my own". If it was as easy as that, I wouldn't have been as heavy as I was in the first place! After each issue with the band, I asked what caused the problem, how to prevent it etc. and never got any useful information. "Sometimes that happens" was it. Never any warning that he won't refill me. My only other option is surgery to reposition the band, which "should" be covered by insurance. I'm determined right now to not gain the weight back, but it's a complete change of mindset, going from working on nibbling/sipping all day in an effort to get down enough Protein and Water, to dealing with hunger, and making healthy food choices vs eating what I can get down. I must see though, that I feel SO much better, I'm eating good food again, and am working out. JI'm enjoying being able to eat any food.

OK, so at least my BMI shouldn't prevent me from a self pay revision. I do visualize myself heading there. I'm around 25 right now. I'm also 5'9 and 170 right now. Wow Jane, you do have your hands full! I have 3 kids and 3 step kids, (2 granddaughters, well, second is due any day now) most have moved out now, but we do have my step son with fragile X (a chromosome defect as well, imagine a Downs Child with autism), my daughter in college, and my 7 year old. I thought having a healthy baby with no issues in my 40's was exhusting!

I have had an *Enlarged pouch* 4 times now, each time unfilling completely, going on liquids, letting it heal, then refilling in about 2 weeks. One time, I know it happened from vomitting, but the other times I have no clue. Each time brought severe acid reflux and heart burn, not being able to keep anything down, and dehydration. What is the difference between a band slipping and an enlarged pouch? The first year was great, (banded April 07) No problems. Since then its been a struggle of fills/unfills, up and down and pouch enlargements. I'm tired of this, and wondering how to prevent the pouch enlargements in the future? I was self pay, but now can't even afford the fills much less a revision to a sleeve.

Amazing how ridiculous insurance can be! What a scary story, how is Emerson now? What was your BMI when you got the sleeve?

Oregon Daisy, were you still experiencing the issues even with the band unfilled? It's horrible when I'm filled, but ok so far unfilled, except I gain weight. It seems like I can tolerate a smaller and smaller amount of fill.

OH, second question, how far along in your weight loss journey were you when you had the revision? Is there a point where you wouldn't qualify, self pay or not, because you are too close to your goal, even if that was from the band?

Thanks MacMadame, I never thought to look on their website. Going through VM hell (especially if it can only be done during work hours where I work in a cube, and don't want that kind of conversation overheard) then talking to someone that doesn't have a clue or, me not understanding the medical technology discourages me. I was self pay because, while my insurance DOES cover WLS, my BMI wasn't high enough to qualify. But I could see the direction I was headed, and after a lifetime of dieting only to gain it all back, why wait until I did qualify. I was told at the time, that if I had complications, and needed it removed, that insurance WOULD cover it. I assume that is if it is medically necessary, not just because I want it out. I don't have problems with the band when it is unfilled, but obviously then it isn't doing much either. From experience, I know that unfilled=weight gain. We've had a tough year financially, right now, I literally don't even have the money for a fill/unfill so there is no possible way I could pay for a surgery. That is what is so frustrating, I can't afford to play around with the fills to find the right spot! The sleeve just sounds so much easier. Unfortunately, I had never heard of it when I was banded.

I just posted a similar question in the insurance forum. I was a self pay banster, but was told insurance WOULD pay for complications. It hasn't covered an unfills due to dehydration though. There is no way I could pay for removal/revision right now, but can't live like this either.

Hi Dr. Horgan put in my band April 07. I have no doubts about his surgical talents. If he is the one doing the surgery, you are in good hands. And he'd be the first to tell you that :lol0: The thing to keep in mind however, is that UCSD/Thornton is a TEACHING hospital. So... first, who would do the surgery, Dr. Horgan or Dr. Jacobson? I'm sure Dr. Jacobson is a very capable Dr./surgeon, but he is not at the same level of experience as Dr. Horgan, although he has been working under him for years. There is a big difference between having a skilled surgeon performing your surgery, or supervising someone else perform the surgery. Or, not even supervising anymore. Honestly, I don't know the full situation there, maybe I just watch too much Grey's anatomy. Second, how much followup does the sleeve need? I saw Dr. Horgan yesterday for the first time in TWO YEARS. Residents and interns are doing the fills and handling office visits. Sorry, but I don't like being a practice guinea pig, while some intern learns how to find the port! Of course, the sleeve is entirely different in that respect. Just a warning that it can be hard to get to Dr. Horgan if there are issues. Dr. Horgan got me perfect on my second fill, and I was great for 9 months. Then I had some issues, and had to have an unfill (by a resident) I've been struggling with fills and unfills the last year, struggling to get back to that sweet spot, and other issues that I'm sure many of those here can relate to. I finally INSISTED on seeing Dr. Horgan yesterday, and honestly, I don't think I would have had to go through all I've gone through this past year if he had been the one to see me all along. Cross your fingers we've got it figured out now! The rest of the staff is very attentive, returning phone calls, getting me in fast when needed, and answering questions to the best of their ability. Key word, best of their ability. There were a few time when I felt like I was the only one with certain problems, only to find out later that many people had similar issues. The support group they have is helpful. Wait time is HORRENDOUS. Expect to wait 1/2 hour to and hour and a half every visit. I hope this information helps, even though you are looking at a different surgery. Yeah, Dr. Horgan is at the top of his field, so good he teaches others, (oh, yeah, he is gone a lot too, traveling to teach others) the downside is that you have to be prepared to be treated by one of his students. Have you checked into Dr. Callery in Poway? I don't know if he does the sleeve yet, but I know several other of his patients that love him. I'm thinking of switching over becase it is a far more convenient location, and more importantly, I want to be seen by a DOCTOR, not an intern.

Thank you for your post. I'm in a similar boat right now. SOMETHING is wrong, and I don't know who to see. Seems my surgeon only does the surgeries now, and passes on the patients to other dr.s on staff. I'm searching the board for similar experiences with pain. I have pain that radiates to my middle back, but comes and goes. It seems to come in the afternoon, and the last two days were excruciating. Today, after a barely nothing breakfast, I headed out on errands. About 3 hours after breakfast, the intense pain started again. I barely made it home before throwing up WATER. I've also had a LOT of heartburn.

Yes, I would wake up because I couldn't swallow my own saliva, and would choke on it or have a bit of reflux. I ended up getting unfilled a little bit

Sorry, no hlep. Why would he take some out though? Wehn I had my second fill, he just added to it.

That is interesting Lisa. It seemed like the pain was finally going away after 4 weeks, but then I got my first fill, and I think it did get worse again. hmmmm.

It can happen fast! I went for my preop appt on a Thursday, and had the surgery Tues. Only 4 days of the liquid diet. So, it really is going to depend more on your surgeons schedule, and how willing the staff is to pull it together. I wasn't expecting it that fast, but when they offered, I jumped at the chance.

My thoughts exactly. After healing, but before my first fill, I was able to eat pretty much anything, and had my last supper then so to speak. Even now, I can still eat a good variety, and can see that this is going to be more about making good choices than anything else if I want to see results. Sure, I could have another fill, and barely be able to eat anything, but that is not the way I want to live. My Dr. did say that he has cancelled a surgerys if a patient gained even a pound between there first preop appt and the day of the surgery. He said part of the reason for preop was the liver, but also to see how motivated his patients really were.

Thanks for the suggestions. It has been SIX weeks for me, and I am STILL having trouble with it. Not nearly as often, but still, every day or so an episode.

oops. I had one at about 10 days post op. Wine is a liquid right? I nursed one glass all night. Now, at 3 weeks, I have a glass every few nights. I am getting enough water now and good nutrition in other foods, and it hasn't bothered me.

When I had the barium xray before my surgery, it made me so full and nauseated, I couldn't eat or barely drink for 4 days! Easy way to start the liquid diet I guess. I know my Dr. does fills with fluoro, so am I going to have to drink that stuff again? Forget the iritaion of the fill, I'm worried about the barium! Michelle Banded April 19, 2007

Ohhh, I forgot about that fizzy stuff! I almost hurled that all over!

So happy to have found this group! I was banded April 19, so Tues is my 2 week mark and start on pureed foods! :clap2: I'm still wading through all this info, is there a special place where the April bansters can hang out?

Exercise - I'm just starting to feel like exercising, but plan to get walk at first. Mr. Dr. would NOT do the surgery unless you agree to exercise. Work - I had mine done on a Tues, and hoped to go back in to a busy office on Friday. No way. I was OK on Monday, but would have rather waited a couple of extra days. Regrets? It's only been 2 weeks, but not yet!

I had mine two weeks tommorrow (Tues). Everyday got better. I had hoped to go back to work on the Friday of that week. HA! I felt much better by Monday, but was still moving slowly. By Wed. i really felt pretty good, and by 10 days I felt pretty much back to normal except for the stupid shoulder pain!

1. Was your procedure outpatient or did you stay overnight? Home that afternoon 2. Did you have complications related to surgery? No complications. 3. What you were given for at home pain? How many days did you take it? Tylenol with codine 4. Pain after surgery for how many days? Swollen and tender, but really not bad. Two weeks later though, and I'm STILL having a great deal of pain from my shoulder! 5. Degree of pain...10 being your arm was cut off and 1 being a paper cut? Pain from surgery was around a "3." Shoulder pain can hit a 7-8 easily. 6. Doctor and state where surgery was done? Dr. Horgan, San Diego