Georgia Peach

I read a previous post about a fill doctor/center in Moultrie, GA. I am in Valdosta which is only 30 minutes from there and desperately need an unfill. My surgeon is in Atlanta which is 4 hours away.

Don't wait...you may have pouch dilation, esophgeal dilation or a slip. My niece had reflux so back with her dilation it almost severely damages her esophogus. I also had what they thought was pouch dilation, actually a slip and had my band replaced just this past monday with a new ap band. Now I know my band is in the correct place and we can proceed again. Don't play around with reflux or a slip. My pouch did go down after an unfill but then starting getting big again after several fills. I actually had a slip and am extremely happy I went ahead and had surgery again. There was no hope for me to lose the wait I have regained until the slip was fixed. good luck!

Good luck to you. I hope things stay well with you but be aware that if your band eventually needs a repair you are far better off to go ahead and find out and take care of it sooner than later. Slight slippage and pouch dilation can be very similar. I have spent the last 4 months being unfilled and trying to refill only to have the pouch dilation and/or slip reoccur after getting very far into filling again. My pouch also looked back to normal after a 6 wk. unfill. Finally my doc decided I needed surgery. I now have a brand new band in correct position as of this past monday and am looking forward to finally having it work again the way I know it can. I am 4.5 yrs out and have lost 100 lbs. but regained 50 in the last year while trying to fight and figure out the pouch dilation and slip thing.

HI I noticed you were rebanded on 8/5. I just got rebanded on the 18th due to a slip also. They put my new ap band in in a much higher position. Was wondering how things are going with you and what they said about your new band placement. I was banded 4 years prior to a slip.

I had 2 surgeons suggest to me that patients that have to deband they are having extreme success with them when converting them to gastric sleeve...less risky than rny. I would probably consider that if I were you.

I too am also being scheduled for a revision/replacement due to slip and pouch dilation. The doctors feel confindent they can do it but must always warn the the health of the stomach is there number 1 concern and that there is always a chance they might have to remove the band but this does not mean it couldn't be put back in at a future date. My surgeon seems confident that he can reposition though so I am just grateful to have the opportunity to get it fixed and will pray that he can do it. the other option is to revise to a gastric sleeve if they can't do it and i don't want that so they are going to give it their very best to reposition a new band into place. Good luck everyone with revisions and please lets keep each other posted on this complication site . I expect to have my surgery in approx 2 -3 weeks.

I am 4 yrs out and my experience with esophagus dilation, also called pouch dilatation, is the exact same as yours. This is very important information for you to take to your doctor. My doctors are at Emory in Atlanta, GA, highly experienced with hundereds of these cases. Dilation can fix itself from and unfill and patients can be refilled again sometimes with success. The most important thing is that my surgeons told me that it is almost impossible for even the most experienced surgeon to detect a true slip on a barium swallow test. I had dilatation also but have also been confirmed with a slip. The doctor says corrective surgery for revision and/or replacement is mandantory as this is an "unhealthy band" situation and I am at medical risks of serious complications. He said that when the wall is weakened there is usually always a slip involved and that revision is necessary to correct this situation. By the way, my niece also had pouch dilatation after 2 yrs and is now being refilled. I'm waiting for her to have a fluro or 2 down the line to see if she also stretches out again. I have had 2 surgeons now say I have slipped in addition to the pouch and esophagus dilation and must have surgery. No one wants to but at least now I understand what is wrong and they are going to do everything they can to revise it. There is a chance of losing the band when trying to revise due to difficulty in securing in back into place but the surgeons are confident that can do it. Do not be fooled into thinking that this is all your fault. Good surgeons know not to over fill nor to allow patients to go too long too tight and also to look at patients regularly under fluro or barium swallow to look for signs of dilatation. I would absolutely get another opinion form a very experienced surgeon. Do not fool around with a chance of losing your band with a surgeon that does not seem committed to helping you keep it if this is what your want. Most are willing to tell your their success rate with revision and whether or not they are confident with your case. I'm sorry this has happened but I've been there and did not give up and was extremely happy when I got such a tremendous load of great information from 2 very experienced surgeons at Emory in Atlanta plus one amazing senior surgical resident who explained how slips cannot be always detected on the upper gi. Please let me know if I can help your further with more info. I have gained 45 lbs . this last yr due to this situation and was also going from one extreme to the other too tight and throwing up to too loose with only a .25 cc change.

I'm not sure about your area but wanted to assure you, don't hesitate to get the band and don't procrastinate. It has changed my life. I would have given anything to be able to have this opportunity at your age. It is totally safe and easy to lose when it is adjusted correctly. And if anything ever goes wrong you can have it removed and your body is still intact! I have lost 100 lbs and even though I need a revision due to a slight slip, my life is not threatened and everything inside me is still intact. Good luck!

I have to have a band revision/replacement and was wondering if anyone knew anything about the newer Dr. Jahnavi Srinivasan at Emory Atlanta? Also Dr. Lin.

I had a port revision this past Monday. It is a short surgery and I had the same soreness as with the 1st surgery, but now I'm feeling fine.

Was wondering how things are going with your unfill. I too had to be unfilled due to dilation and my surgeon says that although my pouch has gone way down it is still enlarged and that I have a slip and need revision surgery. Naturally I am worried about losing my band if they are unable to replace it.

I too have to have band repositioning and/or replacement. Mine is due to pouch dilation and slip. My band is not as high as it should be and even after 6 weeks unfilled my doc says my pouch is still too large probably also due to a slight slip. He is recommending surgery as he says I have an "unhealthy Band situation" and could end up with major problems. What is terrifying me is that he and other surgeons I have heard say sometimes patients lose their bands as repositioning is impossible. Is your situation sort of like mine and has your surgeon said you could lose you band? I feel like they have to tell you the worse case scenario and the odds are well in my favor I will keep it.