KayleighsMommy

Still waiting for word from my insurance, I saw the surgeon last week, He told me he was going to send a letter to them with a request for surgery sooner than the nearly year I would have to wait normally . Not sure when I will hear back, getting kind of anxious, since I have a knee replacement scheduled for the 7th of July (I would much rather have the bypass first, and wait 6 months for the knee)

Best of luck. Looking forward to hearing all about it!!!

looks like I will (hopefully) be having a bypass soon. I was banded in June 2008. I did pretty well, losing 113 pounds (it took me 2 years, 2 months and 2 days to lose the 100... but I did!!) Then last November I started having a lot of pain. Had my band emptied, no help. My surgeon told me I had gastroparesis (which is a condition where you have very slow gastric emptying) After 2 months I got into a gastro doctor (we had new insurance... an HMO where nothng happens quickly) She did a endoscopy and found my band sitting in my stomach!!!! Major erosion. :eek: . So back in February I had the band removed. Just got to read the surgical notes today and found out the band was actually turning black!!!! (from the stomach acids). Anyway, I was approved for bariatric surgery, but my insurance co has a 9-10 month waiting list. The band removal did nothing for me. I am still having the same pain and issues I had before the removal... plus a few more. Went back to the gastro doctor today and she and I read the surgical report from the removal. Turns out I have a LOT of adhesions in my abdomen. I am scheduled for a upper GI this coming Friday and a endoscopy on Monday. She is then going to call the surgeon who did the removal to discuss my case. After that she is (hopefully) going to put in a call to the baraitrics department of my insurace to tell them I need surgery for the ahesion removal, as well as a bypass to cure the gastroparesis problem. She feels they will do the surgery a lot sooner because it will be considered a medical issue and not just to lose weight anymore. I am so hoping this all happens. Since my band removal my food addiction has so reared it's ugly little head and I have gaind 9 pounds back!!!! This is such a slippery slope. I am afraid that in 10 months I will gain 50 or more back.

I'll try to remind both of you LOL

Oh Man, that sucks. I am so sorry that happend to you. But first off you need to get better. I'm sure It will happen, and you will appreciate having the band even more (take it from someone else who had bad luck related to the surgery)

Works for me!!! Anyone else??

Sorry we missed you last time. Just pick a day and we'll set something up

Looking forward to it :bananajump:

Hey Jamie, Long time no see. Glad you're back.

I'm happy your dad is doing better. I know you replied to one of my posts and mentioned your dad having GPS from the band, I'm glad to hear the whole story. I suspect I still have it, even after band removal. But I had an erosion and from what I understand the vagus nerve can be permanently injured from an erosion. I have an appointment with my PCP tomorrow, and am going to make an appt with the gastroenterologist to see if I do still have GPS (I'm pretty sure I do, due to pain and nausea... thankfully never as severe as what your dad had!!) My insurance does pay for weight loss surgery, so I am hoping that if I do still have GPS she will lobby for me to get a bypass done a bit sooner than the 9-10 months it takes through my insurance. Tomorrow will be 5 weeks since my surgery, and I have only gained 1 pound... but the fear f massive gaining is still there.

I don't claim to be an expert on the subject, but it sounds more like an erosion to me. I had that same pain in my chest (and still due due to the damage my erosion casued) Hopefully if it is an erosion your insurance will cover the removal, since it is more a medically needed procedure than a "cosmetic" procedure. Please let us know how things went.

That is what I am going to do. I am applying through Kaiser for a bypass since I had to have a removal due to an erosion. Didn't really want a bypass, but the ersoion caused gastroparesis so a sleeve is put of the question. I miss my band!!!!

Works for me!!

Thank you

Well..... it's been 15 days since my band removal. I am still on liquids for another week or so (due to the erosion/ sewn hole in stomach) I was in the hospital for 2 days, went home for 12 hours and went to a different hopital for another 3 days due to post op fever. As of now I am still having pain from my gastroparesis. I am going to apply for a bypass through Kaiser (it takes about a year) In the meantime, I am going to do what I can not to gain (after all, after 2 1/2 years I did learn a lot of good habits)

Just curious..... Do you mention when you make your calls that the reason you are looking for a different doctor is because you were banded in another country?? I should think this may make a difference. Either way, best of luck to you.

Can anyone recommend a protein powder specifically for PS healing? A surgeon I just saw (and decided not to use) Recommended one from bariatric advantage but they no longer make it. Any ideas?

I am no longer a bandster :cryin: I spent 2 nights in the hospital. The surgeon said my erosion left a hole a bit larger than a quarter. He also said there was a lot of scar tissue in there. He cleaned it out as much as he could. I am still having a lot of pain, It is pretty much the same as before the removal. Gastroparesis really sucks.

sorry about that. I have found everyone here friendly and helpful. Most questions get answered. Please re-ask the questions or send me a private message and I will try to help.

Yep, doc said my stomach may be "mishapen" due to scar tissue and that he can go in in about 6 months and stretch any strictures in there. If I have a "natural Band" I'm sure as heck not going to get it stretched out!!!!

Thanks Mary, For those that don't know, I lost my band last week. I had a major erosion. I spent 2 days in the hospital, came home for about 12 hours and went back to a different hospital. I had a CT scan in the ER and had a seroma (way early for me... that usually happens after 3-4 weeks... not 3 days) I was in the hospital for another 3 days on a couple different antibiotics. I came home on Sunday with 2 different antibiotics and 2 different pain killers. I have a drain that will come out in another 2-3 weeks. The surgeon told me my stomach may be "mishapen" from scar tissue and in 6 months or so he may be able to go in and stretch any stricture in there. I'm thinking NO. If I have any restriction why would I want to get rid of that? I am still on liqiuds for another 2-4 weeks!!!! I got my applications for Kaiser bariatrics. I am going to fill that out in a couple of weeks (want to go to a doctor and get an "official" weight before filling out paperwork) I am so hoping I will not need it. I have pretty much decided that I will give myself 6 months. As long as I am still staying the same, or even losing a bit (C'mon scar tissue/restriction ) I am going to go ahead and have my plastic surgery done. I guess just time will tell.

Congrats.

I've been so dreading having my band removed tomorrow, yet kind of anxious. I have been in a LOT of pain from my erosion. I'm hoping this will help the pain.

Thank you.