KarenB

I can't believe it! I have lost 69 lbs. My goal was 90 by now, but I think I've done pretty darn well and that I'll get at least to 85.

It hasn't been an easy year. Some of you know what's been going on. My husband's been ill for more than a year, and he got so sick in August that my band literally froze up, and I've had problems ever since. I've had 3 unfills!

I am proud of myself for being a "responsible bandster" and getting unfilled when I was way too tight instead of trying to ride it out.

I am grateful for lining up good aftercare BEFORE being banded Mexico.

I am happy I chose Dr. Ortiz & that he's been in constant touch w/my doctors here to resolve my stupid nutcracker problem.

I'm happy that I've been a positive example for my daughter.

I think I'm doing better with medication and looser fill. A looser fill makes me more aware of what I eat.

And believe it or not, I'm happy that I've lost so much weight that I have to have my abdominal surgery (related to my mastectomy) revised to remove the majorly buldging stitches and that it will result in a Tummy Tuck. That's why I might have to stop at 85 lbs.; if I lose too much I will bulge again. What a problem to have! On that subject, I am happy that my plastic surgeon, who will perform that surgery, is so amazed by my weight loss. I've taught him (and my internist) that bypass is not the only successful WLS. Surprisingly enough, when I saw him the other day, I brought along a detailed image from of a banded stomach & the port location so he doesn't damage it when he "peels back" my previous surgery. The area is from just above the pubic area to just below my belly-button. He said, "Karen, I know where the port is, I've helped some other surgeons re-position them". That really blew me away and gave me peace of mind.

I'm grateful for the past year and in light of people's recent problems pray that I will be able to keep my band. Besides marrying my husband and having my two wonderful children, it's the best thing I've ever done.

I'm happy that I've made friends on this board, and I'm very grateful for your support and encouragement. Thank you.

Me too. Prayers & best wishes for your continued recovery.

O.K. gals, here's one for you. As some of you know, I had a double-mastectomy 3 years ago. I had what's called tram-flap reconstruction where they take tissue & fat from the abdomen, & attach it microscopaly to make new ones. WELL, THEY'VE GOTTEN SMALLER! My plastic surgeon is flabergasted & we crack up every time I see him.

FYI, thighs are still big!

Do not vomit. If something is stuck, you will PB on your own (believe me, the mucus comes, the pain comes, and up you chuck) If you're lucky & it passes through, there was no need. Listen to your band. If you eat a really big piece of something it might not come up OR go down & have to be removed. I saw it happen to someone & it wasn't pretty. Just because we can eat that next bite doesn't mean we should.

I don't mean to scare anyone--I'm far from perfect-- but it's really important to learn to eat properly. The band is just a tool, not a magic bullet.

Dear Penni. Thanks for the update. I'm glad everything went well surgery-wise.

As for what you and Lisa said, I couldn't agree with you both more. We are not doctors (at least most of us aren't), and if something doesn't feel right, CALL YOUR DOCTOR.

Also, I can't stress enough, if you're banded out of the country & don't live close tothat other country, good local after-care, lined up BEFORE HAND, is a MUST. I know because I've had esophagus problems that necessitated un-fills 3 times. Hopping on a plane from NY to TJ is not an frequent option for an un-fill, time-wise or $ wise.

Penni, I know you'll do great; you've always been such a help & inspiration to all of us.

Yup, yup, you're all right. When I've been sick with this stupid nutrcacker esophagus, I could only eat soft foods till I closed up entirely. However, that said, I've been perfectly fine & able to eat solids at other times & still persisted with the ice cream.

Interestingly, Sue, there have been times that food was hard going down, like sweet bagel chips, & I ate them anyway. Why? Because I'm addicted to sweets. That was not survival instict, that was downright stupidity. Is that called "eating despite the band" instead of around it?

Now that I have this nutcracker (it sounds so stuped even when I type it, but it could lead to more serious esoph. conditions) I'm taking my eating habits more seriously, knowing that so many people have lost their bands & I could be one of them.

Penni, I just saw all this & there's nothing left to say. You are in my prayers & I join everyone in anxiously awaiting news.

Tizag, I read every word of your posts. I have some esoph. problems, but nothing like what you went through. I have something called Nutcracker Esophagus, which basically means I have major spasms & only can be diagnosed with motility studies (monomotry). No reflux, though. How strange. Apparently some of us bandsters do go through motility & other esoph problems. Thank you for sharing your story.

Do you live in Israel. Hopefully, my daughter will be studying there next year. She's been banded for 7 months & is doing well. I know we need to find a doctor in Israel for her to be in contact with; could you please PM me?

Thanks & take care,

Karen,

Hope you're feeling better. Been there, done that!

I agree with your doc's philosophy on fills, but 6 lbs. not enough? Someone should tell him that 1-2 lbs. a week is just perfect!

So glad you're o.k., Michelle. As I've told you, you're still my inspiration.

Definately crack. 800 is unrealistic & too low on a long-term basis. I'm trying to get down fast cause I have a surgery scheduled & my weight should be as low as possible. I asked the nutritionist about doing slimfast when I was unfilled, and she said o.k. as long as I get 900-1000 calories a day. She's pretty slim herself & I really trust her.

Lisa, I'm so sorry about your beloved furbaby.

Jonathan, fabulous news. As a matter of fact, best news I've heard in a long time.

I absolutely agree, Paula. All of my fills have taken about 2 weeks to kick in.

Vines, I already saw that site. Thank you so much. Funny, they say the Calcium channel blockers don't do much good, but both my docs think it will. In certainly don't want to go on the anti-depressents they describe; they make you gain weight! Time will tell.

You are right, Sue. However, I did lose about 50-60 lbs. before it manifested. I think it was on its way anyhow, because when I was filled under fluoro in Mexico it was noticed that my esoph. did move faster than most (the barium moved down fast), but at that time much less than what tests show now. Funny, the local barium swallows I took when this first sharting happening showed nothing, and that radiologist certainly didn't pick up on anything. They did my swallow lying down, which I thought was very strange.

When I did the swallow at a different site as part of the upper GI series most recently, I stood up for the swallow & then lay down for the rest of the x-rays. That radiologist said it was quite noticable & he also diagnosed reflux, as did the doc who did the endo, of which I have absolutely no symptoms (I did have it pre-banding so I know what it feels like). In any event, I am taking nexium as well.

Personally, I think that stress was the biggest contributing factor. I actually felt my esoph/stomach clench up when I walked into my husband's hospital room for the 1st time back in August. That's when all this started. Maybe if I lived on Valium, I'd be fine. Non-functional, but fine.

Hi everyone. I haven't been around for a while due to band & personal problems, but I need to tell you all what's going on. All of the sudden, after weeks on a good fill, it got way too tight & I had to keep having my fills taken out. I had chest pain, top of the stomach pain too. Also, feeling that food kept getting stuck in my throat. Nothing helped the fills loosen up, not liquids, not anything.

Since didn't want to go to Mexico from Long Island to get this all checked out, I coordinated w/Dr. Ortiz to get everyting checked here. His friend here Dr. Gabriel who's in NYC works with a gastroenterologist(sp?) My own doc is a gastro, but he doesn't know much about the band. Anyway, I went to the doc. in NYC, and he did an endoscopy which showed esoph. & stomach irritation. Same with an upper GI. They also noticed esoph. spasms. Prescribed Nexium. (This whole time my band was unfilled) Dr. Ortiz said I NEEDED a motility test, which no one else could figure out why it was necessary. But since my own gastr does it, he did and found out that I have very very strong esoph. spasms, a condition called Nutcracker esoph. If left untreated it can lead to greater esoph. problems. Sounds weird, huh? The treatment is calcuim channel blockers & continuation of the Nexium. I've just started on them last week, & had a loose fill, (1.3cc's). They started me on the low dose of the channel blockers & might have to go stronger) The funny thing is that even before the motility test, Dr. Ortiz was telling Dr. Martinez that I had nutcrackers). They have 3 other patients who have this condition. It is managed through medication and not, I repeat not, having a tight fill. Was it there before the banding? No one knows. But they do know that it can be excaberated by stress, which I have had plenty of; very sick husband w/major hospitalization, money issues, etc. Drs O & M have both told me that band-wise, I will not be able to have tight restriction at this point. But I WILL have some, and that I have to make the band even more of a tool than it was, not the whole cure. I will never again be one of those people who can only eat 2 oz. of food & be full. I was assured & double assured (I called them again after hearing about Michelle's erosion) that this has nothing whatsoever to do with erosion or slippage).

I did not post this to scare. I wanted to tell everyone anyway since I've been gone so long between having my band filled & unfilled & depression over the other problems. I also want to tell you to have any esoph. issues checked out because if you have esoph. problems they have to be taken care of.

Haven't been around for a while so I don't know what's happened to Sue and Francesca, but I wish all three of you the best & I'm sending prayers your way.

What works for me is pudding. I keep the smalll low-fat ones around just for that.

You have to be very careful w/grapefruit juice, I know it diminishes the effects of some antibiotics, you'd need to check w/pharmacist before doing.

Lisa, I do the URP thing too. I thought it was just me! Sometimes it does feel like the food is in my throat & only an URRP will get it down. I thought only my kids could make themselves burp!

Shirley, did I read right? You got one fill & then another one 2 days later? I've never heard of that cause it takes quite a few people a couple of weeks to know how the fill is really working. How much did you get each time.

BTW, I thought $175/fill was a lot. I guess it's a steal, & with a good person too!

DeeJay, my 2 fill people say no food for 4 hours before & no liquids for about 1/2 to one hour. & even then, just small amounts towards the fill time.

Larae, I've been through it too. My problem is sudden closing up so I can barely tolerate liquids. I had a 3 week wonderful fill & boom, total restriction. I've been unfilled 2X, once totally. Now Dr. Martinez has prescribed Reglan, he said he noticed that the liquid rushes down too fast when he's done fluoro, so I'm taking it nice & slow, had .3cc's added today, now at 1.3. This pretty much sucks, but I'm taking it REAL slow.

And yes, I did gain a little weight. But that was my fault, I figured no restriction, poor me, and let's eat whatever!

I hope it works out for you, and for me too!

After reading Sue's post, my answer went from no way, no how to any other procedure, to" the circumstances would have to be extraordinary to consider what she's having; but no bypass

One of the most popular and in my opinion talented surgeons in Mexico (Ortiz) praises Dr. Rumboult to no end. Dr. R enjoys an EXCELLENT reputation--he was a consideration for me, just harder & more expensive to travel to from NY. (Like TJ is easy!). From what I hear, you can't go wrong with him. As Leatha says he is certified/licensed (whatever it is) and he had indeed proctored many sureones in the U.S. Good luck & let us know.

Ditto what everyone already said. You are a true inspiration!