kaohinani

Hi Lisa, how are things going??? wondered if you did the bypass surgery. Well let me tell what happened to me. about a year ago, I started to get reflux, the new md took out all the fluid, and was better, but then the reflux came back. Then in Nov. Dr. Fowlers office called to do a checkup, and she suggested I get an UGI, I did, it showed a slipped band. I waited for 2 months to get an approval from my new insurance, then on March 25 I had my band removed and a new one put in, but he also found a hiatal hernia. Boy.... so now I am at square one. and have gained 20 some pounds since moving to South Dakota. so hopefully I will be back on track. Wish me luck.... I wanna hear whats going on with you.

Well, I have had my band for 3+ years, and I was telling my doctor about the reflux, we did and upper GI and he said my band has slipped. Other than the reflux, I feel fine, I looked at the x-ray and it looks like the pouch is dilated, but he is the doctor, so he is checking with our insurance to see if they will cover the revision,or if not at least to remove the band. He is worried about erosion of the band on the stomach. (We have a different insurance now than we did before) I am worried that they will consider this a pre-existing condition. Bummers, so until then its just a waiting game.

Sorry to hear that Lisa, I had best of outcomes for you. We are doing well here in South Dakota, have gained some pounds though, but will try and work hard to lose them again. Hope all works well for you.

wow, its been awhile since I have been on this site. We are doing well and enjoying ourselves immensely. We should meet up sometime. Anyone game???

Hi everyone, my hubby and I are moving to Sioux Falls in September from Hawaii and we would like to know of any lap band doctors in the area. Any help anyone??? Mahalo for the help.

Ok, HI, I couldn't find the original contact you made with me, but I hope you have a quick recovery. If you need any questions answered from a bander like myself, let me know. Good to meet you.

Thanks for the reply, my hubby and I have an appt. to see Dr. Thaemert in December, we are planning on going to the support group in December. Second Thursday right?? and where is that again, i don't know the area well.

I heard that there is another doctor at Avera McKennon, and they have a support group there. anyone else go there?

Hey Hawaii ladies, BIG news, Dave and I are moving to South Dakota, on the 18th of Sept. We will miss you guys, I have an appt with Dr. Fowler on the 12th for an adjustment for my fill so hopefully I will be all good before we move away from Hawaii. Thanks for all the friendship ladies, and we can keep in touch on this site. We Love You. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Annie, and Chewy. My doc doesn't have a recommendation for us. But I have a job interview at Sanford, so maybe I can check him out while I am there. That would be the perfect thing for me. I am looking forward to moving to Sioux Falls. I have never lived anywhere but in Hawaii, so it will be a big change for me. Mahalo again

Our flight leaves mid afternoon, but if anyone wants to meet at the Mall, maybe we could change our flights. Any takers?? let me know ASAP

Helllllooooo everyone. Wow where has everybody gone?? How is everyone doing??? Dave and I are doing great. I have lost 75 lbs, Dave has lost 102 lbs. I will be at my one year anniversary in just two weeks. We have a check up with Dr. Fowler on 8/22/08. Anyone else going to be there. Good for you Miriam, have you gotten into the 12's yet, I am in some but not others but it is so close. Good Luck

Thank You Susan for stepping in and clearing things up. I am a nurse and I KNOW that any time you are vomiting up black stuff, is not OK, not unless you ate black stuff. It could be blood, whether you have a band or not, it needs to be checked. I commend Sammie for looking for help. I hope she was able to get her mom to a doctor before it was too late. Sammie if you are out there and get these messages, please write to us and let us know how your mom is. I hope all went well. Your mom is lucky to have you for a daughter.

Well, I don't live in SD but am looking into it. I had my surgery done here in Hawaii, and I couldn't be happier about it. I have lost 75 lbs in 10 months, and my hubby has lost 102 lbs in one year. We are looking to see if there are any MD's in Sioux Falls or nearby that could do our follow up care, I think I am as filled as I am going to be, so not much care for me, but maybe for my hubby. Aloha

Aloha everyone, I was hoping you could help me. My husband and I live in Hawaii, and we have both been banded about a year or so, and we may be looking to live in the Sioux Falls area, and we were wondering if there were any lapband physicians that could do our followup care. We have done well. He has lost 102 lbs, and I have lost 75 lbs. We would love to meet any of you. He is actually going to be there around the 28th of July to check out the area. He works for Monsanto. Hope you guys are doing great. We would appreciate any replies. Mahalo..

OK , so new update, I went back on 6/3/08 and had more fluid taken out. The acid reflux was better, but still present, so I called Jennifer and she talked with Dr. Fowler and he said I needed more fluid taken out. I am disappointed, but I don't want to hurt my band, so back I go to see Dr. Fowler, but the funny thing is last night for the first time since I had the fill I had a good nites sleep, no acid reflux. Go figure, well I will see how it goes tonight. My appt is 6/26/08 at 11:30. anyone else?????

OK ladies, not to sound too naive, but what the heck is a NSV????? But anyway, I am a shortie, only 5' 1" so being on top on my knees is not an option, my DH is a large man, not just is girth,(much smaller now after he got banded) but not lanky, You Know???? anyway, when I get on top, which he really likes, is I have to straddle him like in a squatting position. Much easier after losing some weight. He just loves how much more active we are, not that we weren't active before.

I just find that so unusual, being tighter during TOM. But I love it. It happens to me too and I kind of look forward to it, because it helps me get back on track and watch what and how much I am eating. I just Love my band.

I had the same problem a few months back, was worried that my band was getting tighter. Then spoke with my doctor and he said that I was just getting complacent about my eating. Meaning I wasn't being careful about how I ate. Too big bites, too fast, too much. So when I got home I paid better attention to the size of my bites and how much I chewed my food, and now no more problems. Well other than getting a fill a few weeks ago and being to tight, but that is on another thread. Try paying more attention to how you are eating. Good Luck

Sounds like your band is too tight. I had a similar thing happen to me with my last fill also, he went from 1.5 to 2.0 and after about an hour I knew I was too tight, so he had to remove .25. Then that night when I went to bed the acid reflux started. Had to sleep sitting up. Since I live on another island, I had to wait about 10 day to go back and have more fluid taken out. Now at 1.6 and have good restriction. No acid reflux at night except if I eat to late. Good Luck, keep us posted.

OK, so I saw my surgeon and he took out some more fluid. He initially put in .5cc, then took out .25, then this time he took out about.1 -.15 so now I guess I only had .1 cc added to my band so a total of 1.6 cc in a 3cc band. But the good news is I still have really good restriction (the best I have ever had since getting banded) and NO acid reflux, YIPEE. I am still having head hunger, and wanting to eat, but my band just will not allow me to do it. I guess thats why I got the band in the first place. Take Care everyone

Jamba, my friend. Take heart, it will get better, I promise you, we all understand about how bland liquids can be, but it will all be worth it. Each day the pain will get better, just keep being active. remember Jello is a liquid as is sugar free popsicles, and they have lots of taste to them. Give those a try. Good Luck, I am so proud of you for taking this first step to a better you. For You and your loved ones.

OK, so here is my newest update. I got a fill on 6/22/08 got .5 cc put in, then 2 hours later I went back cause it was to tight. Had .25 cc taken out and I absolutely loved the restriction, then i flew home. Weeeelllll that night was a nightmare, I have never had acid reflux before, and boy is it horrible. I tried some tums, no help, tried pepto bismal, some help. But then I called Jennifer, told me to take Nexium, got a prescription from my PCP, took it, helped one night, then back to the same. Sooooooo now I have to go back and see him on June 3 for another defill. I hope he doesn't have to take out all of what he put in. I really love the restriction I have now. During the day I am fine, but small problem of being to full after my meal that I cant get enough of my fluid intake for the day. Well, so I go back and get a defill. Wish me luck. Mirium, sorry that I couldn't meet up with you the last week. I think Lisa and I are meeting up on Tuesday after our appt with Dr. Fowler. Any chance you are off????? anyone else??????

Well I would definately talk to your surgeon on what he would recommend. My nurse told me that there was another patient that had the same problems, and she was getting increasingly worse but didn't tell anybody anything cause, she was enjoying the weight loss and her band ended up slipping, they had to remove the band. But when it was time to put it back, she was "thin" enough" that her insurance no longer was able to pay for it, cause she was not in the same catagory as before. I don't want that to be me, so off to the doctor I go. I hope my defill isn't too bad.

Mahalo everyone. Well I did call my doc (well his nurse) and she said that even if I was fine during the day, only problem was that I was so restricted that I was having trouble with my minimum water intake. Anyway, she said that I was too tight and would need to get some fluid taken out. Even if I was only having trouble at night, It might get worse, so off I go to see my surgeon on Tuesday for some removal. I only hope Iget to keep some restriction. And I guess that I just have to sleep sitting up for the next few days. Thanks for the encouragement to call my doc.