Rockin' Robyn

Yes definitely...I have no other risk factors and all of the dysplasia areas are in my lower esophagus down by where the band is. There are a couple of research articles out there on the internet that are just starting to come out on this subject. I believe that with more time, there will be a lot of people who start to have this happen to them. It is considered a "long term complication" of the band. In other words, not something that will be realized right away.

Haven't been on in a while, and hate to be a downer. I used to get on here to motivate and cheer people on. I had my band placed almost 6 years ago. I initially lost 170 pounds in the first year. I had never heard of or been informed that the band could cause cancer! I have no family history, and am only 37 years old. I have had my band inflated and deflated numerous times over the years, but never experienced true esophageal reflux or heartburn. Over the past year, I kept having what I thought were hunger pains in my stomach. I would then eat something and the pain would go away. I never correlated the pain to being an acid issue, as it didn't really come before/after meals..it would occur at all different times of the day. I just assumed my band was too loose and I needed another fill at some point to get rid of the hunger pains. I have gained a large amount of my weight back, due to eating when my stomach hurts. Then about a month ago, I went to my family practice doctor because I was having pretty severe abdominal pain over my liver area, and I had already had my gallbladder removed. Eventually, I was referred to a GI doctor who performed an EGD (or a scope of my upper esophagus and stomach). He found what I can only describe as looking like blisters (aka lesions) and polyps all throughout my lower esophagus. He took biopsies of the area and told me results would be back in 2 weeks. I just received a phone call yesterday that the results were high grade dysplasia (aka the cells that occur right before full blown cancer). He wants to see me asap and refer me to a specialist/talk about the treatment plan. I am now planning on going to Mayo clinic to have an experimental ablation procedure done where the cells are burned off. I say all this because now doing research, I am finding articles on line from as recent as December of 2010 on "Barrett's esophagus: a late complication of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding." I can't believe it! Wondering what I have done to myself, and all for what?? The articles are saying that they have now associated the band with pre-cancerous cellular changes in the esophagus due to the band squeezing the stomach and causing acid to sit there and in some people seep up into the lower esophagus. Remember, I have never had the typical heartburn or typical symptoms of GERD. I used to say to people, even after multiple complications post op (such as port infection and removal, herniated tubing through my abdominal wall, and gallbladder removal) that no matter all the complications, I would do it over and over again. Now I'm not so sure....Cancer is a whole different ball game. Just venting, and hoping that if anyone else does a search on either esophageal cancer with the band or Barretts esophagus with the band I can let them know that there are others out there going through the same thing.

Great day today. Feeling much better. Found out I may get to go to Haiti on a medical missions trip..so that has been a good distraction! I'm just not very hungry and starting to dwindle on getting all my calories in. Here is my food log for the day: B: 1 cup cottage cheese (80 Cals / 8 Protein) L: Lean Cuisine, the chicken only (120 cals / 10 protein) D: Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup (heavy on the beef) (200 cals / 25 Protein) S: 1/2 cup pistachios(200 cals / 6 protein) S#2: Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup (heavy on the beef) (200 cals / 25 Protein) Totals for today are 800 calories and 74 gms protein. Surgery Date: 8/5/05 Starting Weight: 384 pounds Lowest Weight 1/2/07: 226 pounds Starting over Date: 1/4/09 at 320 pounds Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

Great day today. Feeling much better. Found out I may get to go to Haiti on a medical missions trip..so that has been a good distraction! I'm just not very hungry and starting to dwindle on getting all my calories in. Here is my food log for the day: B: 1 cup cottage cheese (80 Cals / 8 Protein) L: Lean Cuisine, the chicken only (120 cals / 10 protein) D: Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup (heavy on the beef) (200 cals / 25 Protein) S: 1/2 cup pistachios(200 cals / 6 protein) S#2: Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup (heavy on the beef) (200 cals / 25 Protein) Totals for today are 800 calories and 74 gms protein. Surgery Date: 8/5/05 Starting Weight: 384 pounds Lowest Weight 1/2/07: 226 pounds Starting over Date: 1/4/09 at 320 pounds Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

Down 11 pounds. Have had a bit of the stomach flu the last couple days...actually I think it is more related to stress and life. But nonetheless, haven't had an appetite, and unable to keep much down-so didn't see the point in tracking. Even though the same is true today, I didn't want to get out of the habit of blogging. So here goes. B: Slept L: 2 eggs-not sure how much kept down D: 4 oz mahi mahi with 1/8th avacado (the insides of a fish taco)..again not kept down. But there..I blogged! Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

Down 11 pounds. Have had a bit of the stomach flu the last couple days...actually I think it is more related to stress and life. But nonetheless, haven't had an appetite, and unable to keep much down-so didn't see the point in tracking. Even though the same is true today, I didn't want to get out of the habit of blogging. So here goes. B: Slept L: 2 eggs-not sure how much kept down D: 4 oz mahi mahi with 1/8th avacado (the insides of a fish taco)..again not kept down. But there..I blogged! Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. :thumbup: Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

Worked last night and slept most of the day, so calorie intake is a little weird. I'm tired again and getting ready to go to bed. So I didn't get as much as needed in today...but then again, my whole new outlook is I'm not going to beat myself up when I'm not 100 percent all the time. :ohmy: So here's my intake for today: L: assorted cheeses (400 cal / 15 protein), 2 slices summer sausage (120 cal/ 7 protein) D: 1 cup steamed chicken and broccoli (115 calories / 22 protein) Totals for today are 635 calories and 44 gms protein.

Worked last night and slept most of the day, so calorie intake is a little weird. I'm tired again and getting ready to go to bed. So I didn't get as much as needed in today...but then again, my whole new outlook is I'm not going to beat myself up when I'm not 100 percent all the time. :ohmy: So here's my intake for today: L: assorted cheeses (400 cal / 15 protein), 2 slices summer sausage (120 cal/ 7 protein) D: 1 cup steamed chicken and broccoli (115 calories / 22 protein) Totals for today are 635 calories and 44 gms protein. :cursing:

Here's the link to a prior blog entry where I gave the recipe... Starting Over-Day #9 - LAP-BAND Its so yummy and high in protein..and great to take to a party as a low carb treat to eat with celery sticks (before I was being good again, this was a family favorite to eat with tortilla chips). As far as the dessert recipe...its simple. Mix one package lemon (or cheesecake is good too) sugar free pudding mix with one 16 oz ricotta cheese. Blend together and eat. I like it thick, but I guess you could thin it out with a little milk if you want. I also sometimes put a squirt of whipped cream and a few blue berries on top for a low carb treat!

From experience, I'm fine with the second week plauteau. I remember from before I would lose 10ish pounds fairly quickly, then plateau for about a week. Patience and understanding is key :ohmy: Strangely been more hungry today than I have been. Not sure what that is about. I couldn't have lost that much fat around my band yet. Will ride it out and see. Here's the food log for the day: B: 2 String Cheese (160 cal / 12 protein) S: 1/2 cup pistachios (200 cal/ 6 protein), L: 1 cup Buffalo Chicken Dip with celery sticks for dipping (380 cals / 36 Protein) D: 4 oz Tilapia (90 cals / 21 Protein), 1/2 cup steamed broccoli. S: 1/2 cup ricotta cheese mixed with sugar free lemon flavor jello pudding mix (160 cal / 12 protein) topped with 1/4 cup blue berries (10 cal / 0 protein) S: 1 cup Buffalo Chicken Dip with celery sticks for dipping (380 cals / 36 Protein) Total calories for today are 1380 cals and 123 gms protein! Definitely in ketosis...another day down :cursing:

From experience, I'm fine with the second week plauteau. I remember from before I would lose 10ish pounds fairly quickly, then plateau for about a week. Patience and understanding is key Strangely been more hungry today than I have been. Not sure what that is about. I couldn't have lost that much fat around my band yet. Will ride it out and see. Here's the food log for the day: B: 2 String Cheese (160 cal / 12 protein) S: 1/2 cup pistachios (200 cal/ 6 protein), L: 1 cup Buffalo Chicken Dip with celery sticks for dipping (380 cals / 36 Protein) D: 4 oz Tilapia (90 cals / 21 Protein), 1/2 cup steamed broccoli. S: 1/2 cup ricotta cheese mixed with sugar free lemon flavor jello pudding mix (160 cal / 12 protein) topped with 1/4 cup blue berries (10 cal / 0 protein) S: 1 cup Buffalo Chicken Dip with celery sticks for dipping (380 cals / 36 Protein) Total calories for today are 1380 cals and 123 gms protein! Definitely in ketosis...another day down :thumbup:

A large bag of frozen chicken breasts are fine...sometimes I use the frozen chicken tenders as they are smaller pieces and they cook faster :thumbup: