sharon2u

What can cause the espohagus to narrow out in order to stop food from going down? I had my UGI done and the radiologist told me that it looks good but then well not so good, those were his words to me. The esophagus is of normal size well now it is dilated again round three for me and as it goes down transverse about 2mm it narrows out and then towards the bottom it returns to normal size, there is no food stuck in my band at all however there is reflux that is evident. He said that removing some of the fill might help but it not the solution to the problem for this has happened to me several times more than I would like to even count. I was told I have achalasia which means a narrow passage that spasms and closes down to were nothing can get through, he also said but did not put it in writing for I ahve the report on hand that due to this I should ahve never had the band done due to the complications. My Mother also suffered from the same thing but well back then there was no lap band causing her problem as mine is with me. Can someone please give me some feedback on this just to ease my mind. And tomorrow I hope my Dr. will also ease my mind.

I have had my Band sicne 2007 my weightloss was wonderful and then in mid 2008 it just stopped, no matter what I do it does not go down it goes up. I have been filled and un filled as we call it here. I have suffered three different times from a dilated esophagus, my band gets very tight weeks after the fill, I vomit so hard that I sob afterwards. I have developed all over again GERD, night reflux and a bit of a cough. I have re gained 20 pounds and all I get from my Dr. is well maybe this is where your supposed to be with your weight, well no I don't think so. I requested a revision with the same Surgeon last year and I was refused twice by my health plan due to new guiodelines and such. I exercise daily and walk and yes I even still watch my diet and no matter what I am regaining and not losing. My question is can the lap band become defective after so many adjustments in the port and a few times the nurse could not find the right area in the port and I would get stuck several times. would a new Lap Band help resolve these issues I don't know and the last time I seen the Dr. he was in such a hurry that he rushed me through the appointment due to his office being over booked. I eat very little due to the pain with swallowing and the vomiting. I contacted the Dr. on Thursday and well no one even gets bak withme. Maybe I need a different Bariatric Dr. This surgery is supposed to help the patient not make them get worse.

I have BC/BS Federal Texas I was denied twice being told that I was having revision surgery I would have to have no weightloss for two eyars and my BMI I was told was too low they said I was 35 well I have a BMI of 37 now and my weight nop matter what I do keeps increasing. My Dr.s Coordinator sent on all the information and I was given the letters to read during one of my visits and well it dd nto state any of the actual reason and problems that I actually ahd or was having. I feel no one seemed to care about me or my case any longer. I am now amost 4 years pot surgery. I vomit so hard and often each day that I ahve to sit on my toilet holding a buncket becuase I now lose control of my urine and well my poop (sorry) I just sob becuase I know this is not right but what can I do about it. I ahve bad heartburn, GERD well it is back, my esophagus when i swallow my food just hurts to where you don't want to eat. My diabetes has come back, my HBP has never went away and now I have high cholesterol. I feel a huge loss here and mis understanding with my Dr. that did my surgery. The last time I was in his office I was discussing this with him and well he could not get out of here fast enough for it seemed. I just want my insurance company to see that all my problems are for real and that no one is supposed to live their life as I have had too.

Hi everyone. I was 54 years old in 2007 when I was banded. I had a great Dr. and still see him on a regular basis (my surgeon). I am heading down the path to a revision from Lap band to RNY as soon as I can get approved by my health plan that is. My band worked fine for the first year and then the weighloss just stopped and then I started having problems, for a too tight band that after each fill it took about three weeks and then the band would get so tight that it looked like the lead tip from a pencil according to the radiologist. My esophagus became so dilated that I would ahve to have just about all the fill removed and then start over more than once or twice. I was vomiting and had real bad reflux and now even though I have not had a fill in sometime I don't know if I am too tight for I have not had a fill in many months, but I vomit so hard that I now sit on the potty with my container in hand and use that becuase when vomiting I do lose control of my bodily functions (both) no good and not fun either and after I just sit and cry. My insurance company which is a federal health plan that I pay through the nose for denied me so we are now going into the appeal mode and I am praying that someone will see the severity in this and approve me. Now I am not saying the band is a bad idea for it did help me lose 99 pounds the first 10 months after surgery, through diet and exercise and a lot of determination and if I was told that the band needed to be replaced with another then I would say go for it, for without it I would still weigh in at 289 pounds. Before my surgery date I weighed in at 253 pounds. So for those that are afraid to ahve the band don't be afraid for if I can do it so can anyone and my complications does not mean anyone will have the same thing happen. So have the band and you will be happy that you did. But the band is only a tool your the one doing all the work. So good luck to each and eveyone of you.

I have to see a surgeon about revision surgery next week. I am not interested in it unless I can get the FOBI POUCH "look that one up, and watch the difference on you tube.

Otherwise I'm hoping they offer the sleeve. It does what the band said it was suppose to do.

I'm not into Dumping and not getting your medication in if you need it, "AND YOU WILL" does not make me happy. Also I asked my surgeon about longevity 5 years ago when I chose the band. He just chuckled and said it's to new to tell. Every one that I new except for 2 people are dead ! Please take that into consideration. Also like he told me there's no going back. Long as he gets paid, it doesn't matter to him. People are in line to have surgery. I hope this helps some, But google Lap Band failures or mistakes, and see what comes up. Believe me we are not alone. They make it look like it's are fault, and it's not. The stuff is defective.

Good Luck, I hope I hear what your choice is.

Shirley.

I seen my Dr. last week and we discussed the two revisions that he oes and one is the sleeve and the other is the by pass. even though the sleeve has ben around for a few years now he stated the sme thing about the end results. He said that the bypass is top of the line and can last from 10-20 years post op, then the sleeve might give you about 5 years post op and then the band is at the bottom of the list and that gives you 3-5 years before it might have to be revised. There is no looking back after the sleeve has been done for there is noting left to reattach if needed. The Bypass can be rerouted as I call it and maybe not like it was before but something can be done. I have had my band just under 4 years now. I ahve not lost weight with it in a few years however my beginning weightloss took me down 99 lbs and now I ahve gained back 20. I can't have any more fills even though I am at about 5 1/4 due to vomiting, severe restriction and tightening of the band, I have reflux and my esophagus dialited several times. I ahve had more UGI's than you can imagine. I am hungry all the time and it is hard eating as if your band is nioce and snug when in fact it is not. I requested a revison to GBY and will find out soon from my Insurance provider if it will be approved or not. I have BC/BS Federal health plan and they cover both of these but I still ahve to wait and it is hard waiting when you see pounds flashing before your eyes.

unfortunately, insurance companies don't consider weight loss surgery as preventative medicine.

do you have a surgeon picked out already? i didn't have to do this because i was self pay but what i heard of some people doing is wearing heavy clothes and wrist and ankle weights while getting their initial weigh-in to submit to the insurance companies to make it look like they weigh more than they really do.

That sounds like dirty pool to me but if it workds well go for it. Sometimes you ahve to out fox the foxes sort to speak

I am fuming! I did all my research prior to my testing and was told as long as it was medically necessary, they would approve the sleeve. Now I am being told it�s too new and considered investigative. I know other regions for BCBS Federal have covered the sleeve. I�ve talk to people on 2 different supports group, but I not necessarily in my state. I left a message with a rep to discuss but don�t know how far I will get. They will approve the bypass. I understand most sleeves are self pay, but I just think this is ridiculous!:cursing:

Hello, after reading your comments I felt that I wanted to add one for you. I too have BC/BS Federal (Texas). I was told by my Dr. that the Insurance provider covers the gastric Sleeve and the Roux-n-y bypass. I thought I would let you know. Also I need a revision from the Band to the Bypass due to band problems. My Dr. told me I could ahve either surgical procedure for it is up to me. However he did tell me the pro and cons of both types of surgerys and what he discussed with me was true facts because as always I do my own research. I am just trying to find out if I have to go through all the same thing as to testing, etc or not. If anyone knows or had a revision please let me know for i would appreciate it. I was always told that the federal Health Plan approves more than anyother plan did or does.

Sharon

my understanding is that when you eat too much, the esophagus starts to fill up and dilate. Is that correct banders??

Not quite so I have had this problem over and over again I was told it was caused by the band itself being too tight causing restriction of food not to go throught the stoma area into the stomach what it does is backs up and then begins to stretch out you might be eating like me but the food is not getting stuck nor is it going down. I am now consulting with my Dr. about doing a revision. i ahve had so much vomiting, reflux, hard swallows, fills and unfills as I call them. I had more U GI's than you can shake a stick at and most of all I stopped lowing weight over two years ago.

I had my band surgery in 2007 and now after a long history of problems, lack of weighloss and not being able to be filled without problems. I am heading for the revision part. I am Ok with the procedure but I was told to study both the Gastric Sleeve and the RYGBP options and I have. I have read many different articles on both procedures and all the complications what the long range goals are everything from Soup to nuts as it goes. I don't know ehich road I want to take. Both procedures are execellent choices. But the sleeve might not be what i need after all and then it would be followed up with the RYGBP. The sleeve is reccommended for lap band patients and well so is the RY. If someone was in my shoes which would you chose. I have made up my mind but I was just hoping from a response to this topic.

I too can relate to this one. I had surgery in 2007 lot about 100 pounds stopped losing weight by June 2008 no weight loss since and now I am gaining weight. I ahve been filled and un filled. I have been too tight, refluxing, vomiting, dislated esophagus several times due to be ing too tight and now I ahve gained 17 pounds in two months why I don't know. I am doing everythng to the Tee, and exercise until I can't move and I mean that. I am no spring chick I am 57 years old and growing tired but I ahve not given up. I requested a Revision for the sleeve or what ever my Dr. feels I would be suited for. Need to wait and hear from the Dr. first to see if I can do this and then to see if my Federal employers health plan will cover it, the old Federal health paln did.

So I've been banded over a year now, Since Oct.

I have great success at first. Lost right around 100 pounds, but just can't seem to break that 100 pound mark.

It's been about 6 months since I've had a new adjustment as the last adjustment I had was down under x-ray, and I appeared to be tight.

But I just haven't lost anymore weight..

I'm starting to get more hungry feeling too.

I have an appointment today, and I think I'm going to ask to get x-rayed again and see if he can do another adjustment, as I just am feeling more and more hungry, and I just have been in this weird not losing any more weight state for too long.

I guess I'm just kinda frustrated, I'm thrilled with my current results, but I has a ton to still lose.

I just had this done on Monday just the standard Upper GI with the barium. I am fine and so is the band. I requested to have this done becuase I seen a new Dr. not the one that did my band. Several months after my last fill I developed night reflux and coughing. So I went to see the new Dr. this is what he told me and mind you I did not yet have the barium test at that time. He told me that my band was too tight. He told me that I ahd a Mega Esophagus (dialited)he also told me that my esophagus is going to burst and that I could die it that happened. He also told me that my original surgeon would have to do my operation (revision) well scared me he did..so much that I was afraid to eat thinking that my esophagus could burst. How can a Dr. tell you all of that without even running the test to begin with (x-ray vision) I guess. Well he did take 1 cc out of my band. He also told me that I had a fill of 7 ccs in my band but in my medcial records from my original Dr. it stated that I had 5 1/4 ccs then on the date of the unfill as I call it he said I ahd 6 1/2 ccs well comone now which is t Dr.? I will not give any names to protect myself here but I really feel that this man has no right being a Bariatric Surgeon if he is only going to guess and assume that there is a problem when there is none at all. I had my Upper GI and well low and behold everything is fine. The contrast went right down, the esophagus is that of normal size. I ahd a wonderful conversation with the radiogogist that did the test and I have had so many that I can tell if something is not right and even he said he could not see a problem with the band or much less anything else. sorry to be so long winded here but it makes me very mad when someone cannot get the job done right.

from me to all of you. My Upper GI scans came out great. No kind of a problem after all.

I have not heard this one. My Protein is made by a company called Syntrex. This is a whey Protein and I have been on it since Sepember 2007 and no problems and everything is listed on the ingredients and well no ehavy metals of any kind. I was a chem major so I know what to look for.

I had the barium GI this mornig and well I had a ncie conversation with the radiologist, we go way back for he is the one that has done so many of these that it makes me just sick. The test went very well, everything is working normally except for one little thing he said it looks like my esophagus is a little spastic, he also said this is normal for no lap banded people, well I have a lap band and have had it almost three years. I have had periods of throwing up, GERD and night cough, but each time I had some fill taken out and then later it would be replaced. I have not lost any weight since May or June 2008 but I have lost 100 pounds and that is wonderful. But now I am wondering if I might lose the band and have to have a revision. My Dr. does not do the gastric sleeve, unless he changed since March but I really doubt that. I ahve heard about the mini gastric bypass and feel that I would do quite well with it to knock off the rest of my weight. has anyone ever had this problem if so please e-mail me for I am concerned and very worried. sharrroc@aol.com

Can any one tell me if a LAP-BAND® performed by a licensed RN is legal to bill incident to?

Ok let me lay this one on you. There have been times to where the Nurse did give me a fill on several ocassions and guess what folks I was billed not only my Dr. Co-Payment of 50.00 but my insurance compamy was billed by the hospital for its supplies and for the nurse. Oh how I wish my Internal Medicine Dr. wpould learn this procedure so I could just go to her and get it done.

I am looking for a new fill Dr. I am covered under the BC/BS Federal Health Plan. I had my band done back in 2008 and my Insurance Plan provider is being cancelled by Federal Insurance Program and now I am under the BC/BS Federal Health Plan and I need a local Fill Dr. The one I have in Waco, does not seem interested in my case anymore. I cannot get into to see him for a fill and when I send an e-mail it goes un answered and when and if I can get in now I am asked do you really need a fill? well I have a 10 cc band and only 5 ccs in the stupiod thing and I am hungry all the time. My stomach sounds like an empty tin can. I have maintained 180 pounds for over a year and a half now and it is getting pertty old. I follow the information given to me and now I was placed on a 800 calorie day diet, consisting of two Protein Shakes and well you do the math, not much left to eat. So I am in need of help here. My co payment is only going to be 35.00 per visit. I need to know whrere to go from here. Thanks:mad::smile2:

Thanks for the info, I never herd of this but tomorrow morning it will be day one for me. I will let you know how it goes for me. I see the dr. on November 10, so maybe I can drop a few pounds and then tell him what I ahd to do, since no one ever mentioned the 5 day pouch test to me before tonight so thanks again.

Hi I was wondering if it is possible to re tighten the pouch should it stretch out inbetween fills? I would like to know. I ahve been banded since Sept 2007 and I have done real well, watching what I eat and through tons of exercise and walking I mastered about a 93 pound weightlos in the first 10 months of surgery and well now I am just plain stuck. I ahve lost inches and look good but I ahve only lost 8 pounds since May 2008 before I had my gallbladder removed I was weighed and my weight just goes up and down the scale sort to speak. I am maintaining 180 pounds. I am going to have my large veins removed from my legs soon and I asked the nurse at that clinic how much I weighed in at beofre that gallbladder surgery and i was just thrown back in horror. This is not the actual bariatric clinic that did my surgery it is another clinic of there for general surgeries. I ahve told my surgeon and his staff for months on end about not losing the weigh and well after 17 months something seems wrong. I ahve been filled and un filled and then re filled. I ahve a 10 cc band now with under 5cc's in it and I am tired of the expense it is causing me now and everything else and I am wondering if the pouch could be stretched. I ahd an upper GI about a month ago and i was told other than it being too tight the band looks good, now how do they really know? can someone send me an e-mail about this. my address is sharrroc@aol.com I really need some advice here. Thanks:confused:

Ok right from the Dr.s mouth, do not eat on the day before getting a fill. Why well say if you ahve solid food in your pouch beofre it has time to digest properly and then you get your fill, guess what? your band or the area around your band may have a tendency to swell up a bit and if so then the food becomes stuck and it will just hang in there and make it hard on you. I know I did this and I had soo much trouble to where I ahd to go and get the new fill taken out, it is so not worth it.

For me it was in my ar as my husband was driving I was in the PB process and in my work bus thank god for plastic bags, trust me never leave home without one.

Can a person have a stretched pouch and still develope band tightness to where you ahve to have the fill removed? Please respond if possible Thanks

I have reluxed in my sleep. I do not vomit up food for my stomach is way empty beore going to bed, but I reflux a smelly brownish liquid color that actually wakes me up once it hits my sins, my white jammie top is now all stained up from this, like baby vomit staining up everything. I also have had the caugh at night only. If I nap during the day I ahve no problem, only at night go figure. I had been filled and un filled for this on going problem. I do follow my bariatric diet as I call it. I exercise every evening around 6:30 PM for an hour or so and then I shower and go to bed around 10:00 PM. I have been doing this since May 2008 and I have maintained my weight since then. I ahve not had any other weight loss and I talked to the nurse about this and the Dr. so next month I am going to just ask him since I ahve not lost any more weight sicne then and with the reflux and all the fills coming and going and not to mention the expense for I now have to pay for my fills. I would like to see another band put in place and start all over or see if I would be a candidate for the bypass surgery. I stand 5 ft 2 and weigh 180 pounds and I am still considered obese according to the BMI index which I think is crap. I might weigh 180 pounds but I can wear a size 10 or 12 in jeans and a medium in my tops. I have lost a lot of inches but no weight and well I am getting really set back about all of this. Does anyone know about this same problem and getting a new surgery or not? I do not have a pouch, no slippage, by band is pretty normal according to the upper GI's that I have done.

My band does tighten up when I am under stress or not feeling well. I do not binge on foods that I am not supposed to have. The Dr. has no idea why this happens to me. I generally begin to tighten up 2 or 3 weeks after I have had a fill. I don't eat in between meals and I omit all sweets, sodas, etc.

When I am stressed it seems that my band rally gets tight, I too can develope a thick mucus substance and I ahve to PB it up and when it comes out it is like a clear bubble of yuck. Also if I exercise too much in my tummy area I will tighten up. I was not sure of this so I did an experiment and suce enough the folowing day I was really tight but it went away a day or so later. I was banded with the lap band 25 months ago. I ost my first 100 pounds really fast and I ahve been at the same weight for over a year now and I am so ready to give it all up. I exercise and this keeps my size down. I can fit into a 10/12 which is great but I would like to see the 150 pound mark someday. I weigh in at 180 pounds. I ahve ben filled adn un filled and I get so depressed over this. I am thinking about asking the Dr. next month for a new band or to submit to my insurance group for the actuall bypass surgery for I have been failing over a year now. No matter what I do I cannot seem to lse any more weight and no one just stops losing weight not for 16 months. I have weighed 180 pounds since May 2008