Texgirly

Thanks for the welcome. I made the call to my surgeon's office to start finding out what is and is not covered. I was blessed to have the band completely insurance covered. We will see what they think about revision. Thankfully, I have been a very good patient and all of my ups, downs, struggles, and success has been doctor documented. All in all, I have been a model patient. I will keep you guys posted. Thanks again for the feedback.

Howdy all! I was banded 3/08 and I have maintained a 35 lb. weight loss. I am proud of what I have managed to do with this tool - but the LB has some serious limitations. And in my case, some very, un-fun issues that go with my band that I won't go into. Needless to say, my surgeon is the one who started this revision conversation. And no - he is a honest, nice man and is not looking to line his wallet further. I should also say that I am not a negative person, but these questions may make it seem that way. I just want the truth (picture Tom Cruise here if you like). So, on to my questions: Do you LOVE your sleeve? I liked my band until recently when I learned NOT everyone who has had WLS suffers like me and my sister (also banded and living with the same darned issues) do. Do you ever "throw up" with your sleeve? What is eating out like for you now? Are there any foods you cannot eat in moderation? How long did it take you to re-introduce most foods? I appreciate your candid answers.

Howdy all! I was banded 3/08, so this March will be 3 years. I have lost a total of 50 lbs and kept off 35 of that - the gain had more to do with having to stop running - completely unrelated. I have an ultra sensitive band. In 3 years, I have never had more than 2cc in my band. And there has been drama finding that out. No hospitalizations, but one trip to the ER because what was we thought I had some sort of stomach flu and dehydrated, not realizing until I was pumped full of anti-nausea drugs that it was a band problem. Yesterday (after no fills for almost a year now), I went to see my surgeon because I had to have some taken out after two weeks of only being able to eat liquid foods - smoothies, Soups, etc. For the first time, he talked about switching to either bypass or sleeve. Sleeve definitely has my interest to say the least. I think is more frustrated with my band (not me) than I am. So, as I investigate, I may have a question from time to time. Looks like there are already plenty of topics to surf through to find what I am looking for. See you guys around the boards! Texgirly I am Sparkpeople under the same name, and LapBandTalk as well, but not active.

Any one else have a doc with this new (very cool) machine? He puts the needle in your port for the fill then you stand inside this digital x-ray machine. As you drink a barium solution, he can see how things are working. After a year, I have great restriction at 1.3 cc in a 10cc band. I kept getting too tight with my fills - I am very sensitive. With the new machine, he got to be very precise with my fill. LOVIN' the new machine.

Living in a small Texas town there is Mexican and then there are some other restaurants. For Chains: Chili's Baked Potato Soup - after a fill - yummo! Golden Corral - I know, lots of people hate these buffet places but I find their green Beans very easy to eat and you can also find a good Protein to go with it. Baked chicken or chopped steak. be warned - you have to control your own portions here. If you don't have a good eye for what a 1/2 cup looks like stay away. Olive Garden - Give me their Caesar salad any day of the week Texas Roadhouse - Salmon and a Caesar Salad again. Now if you are asking about fast food - can't help you. I have found nothing at any of these places I can eat. I keep trying Chick-fil-a Nuggets but they don't seem to work for me. They do have yummy chicken soup. Soup is always a good choice when it is available.

I am coming up on my 1 year anniversary but clearly remember that feeling. WALK, WALK, and WALK. By day three I started making trips to my gym and would walk, very slowly, for 15 minutes on one day, then 20 minutes, the 25. Within 1 week I was walking a little faster and by week 6 I was able to start running again. All of that said - WALK! It helps move the gas out, gets your blood flowing which also helps the healing process. Nothing fast - you are not in a race. Just move. I talked to my doc pre-op and discussed my plan and he approved. Call your docs office, talk to the PA or head nurse whatever and talk about a plan.

Completely unscientific opinion here - but I think it is the food sitting at the opening of your new smaller pouch, meaning it is still in your esophagus. Does it end up coming back or PB'ed as it is referred to here? Some suggestions: 1. take smaller bites. 2. Chew and chew and chew. I count my bites - try for 40! 3. Accept there may be stuff we can no longer eat. For me it is break and Pasta. Hope that helps.

This is meant to help and inform - it certainly is not meant to scare anyone. I would still have the band. At 170ish (I lost about 10 lbs through this) I feel so much better, I run faster, I am much healthier, etc. To see the start of this thread see this thread: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f178/major-distress-dont-know-if-band-related-87649/ I thought I would post this under a more descriptive title. IF you get a GI bug and you are banded. There are a few things to think about: 1. In and of itself, a GI bug may do nothing more than make you miserable for a few days. You may not see any issues with your band. We are all so different from band to band. 2. If you notice a change in "the bug" from when it starts to the later stages, like if you get to where you can't hold down anything , Water included, call you LB doc. Or if the bug seems to be lasting a really long time, something else may be at work. I did not seek my LB doc until day 6. On day 6 I learned that the GI bug irritated my stomach enough that it swelled. With the restriction I already had, this essentially closed off my stomach completely. 3. By seeking advice from your LB doc sooner than later you can save yourself some potentials headaches. I read in one thread that someone else had band slippage. But again - we must all remember that every band is different. From what we can eat to when we feel restriction to how a GI bug affects us - we are all unique. ( and beautiful and kind and sweet and...) Above all - be informed and thoughtful about your new life or the one you are investigating.

Update #2 I live in a small, awesome, little town in TX. The ER doc I saw called my LB doc - small town or not I realize this probably happens all over but I am really grateful for ER doc's attention. LB doc did not mess around and we unfilled my band completely to let my stomach heal and get back to normal. Said I could come back next week or on my next appt (March 5) to put the fills back in. (I don't have to start over with smaller fills, I can go right back to were I was.) Both docs as well as my GP feel that it started as a GI bug that irritated my stomach and made it swell - hence the too tight feeling I was experiencing. As soon as the unfill was done I was able to sip some Water. I am on Clear liquids for a few days then graduating as I can. Everything from my stomach up is so sore I can't do much more than that anyway. So - for all those reading - if the nasty GI bug hits you like it did me and a few others on this thread - think about the band as you go through the GI bug. If it suddenly starts to act differently that it did in the beginning call your LB doc. I likely could have saved the trip to the ER (but I needed the IV fluids at that point so it is OK) if I had clued in sooner on the band side of all of this. And if you go onto anti-nausea meds and they don't work - take the hint - it could be your stoamach/band. Also - my band is A-OK. No slippage. So seeking LB doc in a timely manner was important as well. And finally - this board is so helpful - make sure and post stuff like this - the good and the bad is always help for others.

UPDATE I went to my LB doc's office first thing this morning and the ER doc called me and they both think it started as a GI bug that caused my stomach to get irritated. LP doc is working me in to do an unfill for a while. I will keep you updated. Thanks for the advise and suggestions.