RavenClaw779

Writing this as I sit on hold as my WLS office attempts to schedule yet another follow up appointment. I've been transfered and disconnected three times, so I've now spent 45 minutes just trying to get an appointment. Guess if you get confused, or tired of dealing with computer hassles - just hang up! Par for the course, I was not seen by my WLS for yesterday's post-surgical follow up and once again had to go through the whole history again with yet another PA I'd never met. Once we established that I hadn't just had a band placed, the PA went and got a print out of my surgical notes(not in the file!?). What I was told - my band hadn't slipped, but I had a significant hiatel hernia as well as adhesions(scarring). Per my request to save the band, the surgeon repaired the hiatel hernia. What the PA indicated was missed/wrong in the discharge instructions: - Pain med should've been in liquid form. - Only Rx meds - no vitamins or supplements unless liquid form until swelling subsides(surgeon noted it okay to resume all meds on day after surgery) - A script for Prilosec in liquid form - Instruction to consume only liquids and pureed food until further notice. No greek yogurt - "too thick". - No lifting anything over the weight of a gallon of milk. - Walking is the only exercise allowed for now. According to the PA, the repair was quite intense, so the symptoms I've been having are not surprising. Still have abdominal swelling which may take several more weeks to heal. The lump at the base of my throat is from the two tubes inserted during surgery. The cough,reflux and restriction are also a result of surgical irritation, but if I'd been given the Rx for Prilosec, should be significantly less. It may take up to six weeks to see if this corrects the problem. In the meantime, I've been told I'm not eating enough, so I need to push protein shakes. First and only time I've heard that I should work in some ice cream! So now we again start with the every 7 - 10 day follow up $400 appointments regardless of the fact I'm not getting a fill. That hour and a half roundtrip drive along with juggling a work schedule that doesn't have much flexibility - super! I'm kicking myself for having the band left in. It's a tool. It works great for a lot of people - no "hate" here, but for me, the quality of life has dwindled. This is the second hiatel hernia repair. The three years the band has been in have resulted in significant internal scarring, an inability to eat normally, declining social life, endless testing, medicines, embarassing situations, costly co-pays...

I'm a week out from surgery. Problems with my unfilled 11cc band led to numerous tests which pointed to the band needing to be removed. Not wanting to regain I mentioned to my surgeon, "if it can be saved, please do" - but he was 99% sure it needed to go. Surprised to came out of surgery with a hiatel hernia repair and the band still in. My follow up appointment is Wednesday, but I just don't feel right. I've got reflux like I never had before and this annoying need to clear my throat. I have a weird lump at the base of my neck which I can literally feel - thought maybe it was from being intubated for surgery, but shouldn't it be gone by now? Everything I drink - coffee, tea, water stops in my throat and then it sounds like a slow drain swirling down. Can do the same soft foods I did before surgery - yogurt, cottage cheese, but it did take 45 minutes to get down a bowl of thin oatmeal. After eating(if you can call it that) pain either spreads across the center of my chest and along my jaw or across my shoulder blades. Even drink water results in belching like I just had a beer! Anyone out there experience this and is it normal? Will it resolve in time?

Par for the course, I was not seen by my WLS for yesterday's post-surgical follow up and once again had to go through the whole history again with yet another PA I'd never met. Once we established that I hadn't just had a band placed, the PA went and got a print out of my surgical notes(not in the file!?). What I was told - my band hadn't slipped, but I had a significant hiatel hernia as well as adhesions(scarring). Per my request to save the band, the surgeon repaired the hiatel hernia. What the PA indicated was missed/wrong in the discharge instructions: - Pain med should've been in liquid form. - Only Rx meds - no Vitamins or supplements unless liquid form until swelling subsides(surgeon noted it okay to resume all meds on day after surgery) - A script for Prilosec in liquid form - Instruction to consume only liquids and pureed food until further notice. No greek yogurt - "too thick". - No lifting anything over the weight of a gallon of milk. - Walking is the only exercise allowed for now. According to the PA, the repair was quite intense, so the symptoms I've been having are not surprising. Still have abdominal swelling which may take several more weeks to heal. The lump at the base of my throat is from the two tubes inserted during surgery. The cough,reflux and restriction are also a result of surgical irritation, but if I'd been given the Rx for Prilosec, should be significantly less. It may take up to six weeks to see if this corrects the problem. In the meantime, I've been told I'm not eating enough, so I need to push Protein shakes. First and only time I've heard that I should work in some ice cream! So now we again start with the every 7 - 10 day follow up $400 appointments regardless of the fact I'm not getting a fill. That hour and a half roundtrip drive along with juggling a work schedule that doesn't have much flexibility - super! I'm kicking myself for having the band left in. It's a tool. It works great for a lot of people - no "hate" here, but for me, the quality of life has dwindled. This is the second hiatel hernia repair. The three years the band has been in have resulted in significant internal scarring, an inability to eat normally, declining social life, endless testing, medicines, embarassing situations, costly co-pays...

Just a little over a week from my surgery. I was understandably tired and couch surfing for a couple of days but was really surprised to find how tired I was even after resuming my normal activities. Each day I've been able to go a bit longer before finally having to say, "Enough". It's really disconcerting to find yourself breaking a sweat by simply making the bed! My band removal surgery ended up being a hiatel hernia repair. The steri strips are still in place and the bruising has gone yellow. Really didn't have much post-surgical pain. Still have this peculiar lump at the base of my throat and am thankful I have my post-op visit tomorrow to find out what this is. Surgical boo-boo? My discharge paperwork didn't really give me much to go on regarding what I should eat post-op. "Clear liquids...progess to normal diet.." really doesn't provide much help. Went online and WebMD has two weeks clear liquid only and so on until the SIX Week mark where supposedly you're able to eat a normal diet. Confusing. How am I? Belching after even a sip of water. Any drink sounds like a slow drain gurggling down. Annoying cough to the point I'm tasting blood in the back of my throat. Acid reflux. Pain across back and jaw when I eat - even yogurt. Discharge instructions say it's okay for me to take my usual scripts and multi-vitamins - it now takes me half and hour to get them down and I've got to be standing to do it. I have to fight the urge to vomit them back up as they seem to stick with that horrid bitter medicine taste. Still can't eat while wearing a bra. Everything I do eat has that stuck, 'stop & drop' feeling, but as my husband pointed out, "At least you're not vomiting!". True, but that's more to do with my prior experience and now having restriction to the point of knowing at one bite that if I try another, it's going to be a problem. Incredible restriction considering I have an 11cc band with nothing in it. Yes, the band is just a tool, but not every tool works for everybody. I'm wondering if there's something structurally different about me that's making the band a poor choice for me. I wasn't able to have post-mastectomy reconstruction because my body rejected the tissue expanders. I had an allergic reaction to my eyeglass arms and nose piece. Periodically the area around my port erupts with a strange itchy rash that requires extra antihistimines to bring under control. Having a stent in my ureter following kidney stone removal resulted in two weeks of painfilled hell beyond the normal discomfort as it felt like my body was trying to squeeze the damn thing out. Here I sit, back at my desk with my hand up my blouse pulling my bra away from my chest as I belch after a couple of sips of coffee. As noted before - Same old, same old! Today's client lunch should be a riot!

Soonest they can see me is Wednesday - apparently in their eyes this is NBD(No Big Deal). Thanks for all the support - will check back in Wed PM with news.

An endoscopy several months ago revealed inflammation from my esphagus all the way to my duodenum and noted a potential band slip. There was no mention of a haitel hernia. An endoscopy is often used to diagnose or confirm a haitel hernia. Even with no fluid in my 11cc band I was unable to get anything down that wasn't the texture of yogurt or cottage cheese. In the planning for my surgery, my surgeon was of the opinion that the band itself was the problem and had likely created irritation and scar tissue and thus would have to go. He also felt that he'd likely need to repair the herniated area he repaired during my original surgery plus remove scar tissue. I was cleared for an overnight stay in prep for a series of post-surgical tests. I was the one who pushed to save my band for fear of weight gain and it was my WLS who advised me that there was a less than 1% chance that that would happen and that given my reaction to the band, replacing it was not an option. Thus, I was really surprised to be going home that same day with a haitel hernia repair. Nothing was done to the band or the port. There was no post-op testing. WebMD is saying full liquids for two weeks post haitel hernia repair; my discharge papers say nothing beyond, "progress to regular diet". My husband swears the WLS told him I could eat a regular diet two days after surgery! Meanwhile, even coffee is doing the "stop & drop" on the way down. I've got reflux. Attempts to swallow a protein shake give me pain across my shoulder blades. I don't want to believe that this is a money making effort, but let's just say that this practice is known for knowing which insurance carriers are likely to pay without question and tailor the treatment accordingly. I would not be at all surprised to be back in the OR several months down the road having it removed. Meanwhile, my follow up appointment is next week and I've already been told that it's time for me to get a fill(!?!) plus they've started laying the ground work for potential revision to gastric sleeve. Covering all the bases except the one that really matters - my health and well-being.

Problems started about a year ago and my surgeon felt that he was 99% sure the band needed to come out. My fear of packing it back on pushed me to suggest that if he got in there and felt whatever could be fixed and the band left in, please do so. Still, I was a bit disappointed to come out of surgery still banded. Apparently, I had a haitel hernia, which he repaired - same as when I had my original surgery three years ago. I'm three days out - the usual swelling and discomfort over the incision sites. Can hardly swallow the pain meds and even liquids are doing the old 'stop - then - drop' on the way down. Odd lump at base of throat - which I can literally feel with my hand. I'm supposed to be on my way to soft foods, but I had a tough time getting down a Protein shake this morning. Laughably, despite four days on nothing but Clear Liquids, I haven't lost a pound. Anybody else had this type of fix? Success or did you end up having to have your band removed? My gut is telling(no pun intended) that this thing has got to go!

In the lead up to my surgery, my surgeon was 99% sure the band was going to have to come out, but agreed to get approval from my insurance carrier that if when he got in there, it appeared the band or the problem could be remedied without removal, that he'd fix the problem and leave the band in. Again, my fear of packing the weight back on overriding the numerous problems I've had with the band. Nevertheless, I came out of surgery feeling relieved that the band was out and finally I'd have no more painful or embarassing food adventures. I was surprised at my disappointment of finding out the band was still in and the protruding, lopsided, scarred port area even bigger than ever. The surgeon repaired a hiatel hernia - just like when I had the band placed three years ago. It's been three days and I can barely swallow the pain meds. Liquids are still going down with the old 'stop and drop' feeling. Not hungry but how laughable - still haven't lost a pound even after four days on nothing but clear liquid. Here we go again.

I'm scheduled for band removal at 7:30am today - hence, I'll not sleep this night. I won't bore anyone with the whole story(it's on my blog). Let's just say it's been a long year of problems. When I started having problems, I used that as an excuse to indulge in "sliders", which resulted in me beating myself up as I packed on the pounds. Yes, my unfilled, extremely restrictive band has helped, but I started - for lack of a better word - "parenting" myself. Combining WW, with mindful eating and shutting down the "I'm stressed - let's eat chips!" response, I'm back to the weight I'd reached when I started having problems - 65 pounds less than my highest weight. I've not been able to get any more off - my WLS says it's because I'm not able to eat enough. Well, when you get blocked on two cherry tomatoes, you might have a point! Will I succeed? Good question. The band has definitely taught me portion control and created some real food adversions due to the time spent bent over the toilet. Dealing with my weight has also opened my eyes to how many people fight this battle and how it literally eats away at your life - thinking about being fat, what not to eat, watching others eat whatever they want while you look at a brownie and gain five pounds! Yesterday I went to a charity fundraiser - an auction with a chicken BBQ. Obviously, I'm on 'Clear liquids only' but the hubs(Mr. I Can Eat Whatever & Never Gain) needed to be fed, so as I stood there waiting for him to pick up his meal I did some people watching. I'd guess that 85% of the people there were at a minimum of severely overweight. Let face it - food is so much of the American lifestyle it's almost impossible to engage in any activity without there being food involved. Later I stopped by my sister-in-law's. Along with me, three of her friends are also WLS patients; one gastric by-pass, two lap-bands. All of us are still plus-size, granted, much smaller than we were, but we've all endure problems that have really compromised quality of life. Maybe the best that any of us can do is to attempt to eat right 80% of the time, limit the couch-surfing and try not to beat ourselves up because we're not as thin as we'd like to be. No matter what the fashion industry tells us, most of the real world does not look like a tooth-pick wearing a dress!

The band will be coming out the first week of July. I am a bit sad(that it failed) and worried(that I'll pack it back on), but I have learned better portioning, and better control over emotional eating, so I'll try to be optimistic. Been following Weight Watchers and cut out all my slider/excuse foods so my weight is back down to ye olde plateau of 223. Still better than the 285 I was. I have a 15 pound cat who likes to be picked up like a baby. Just picking him up is a reminder of how what seems like a small amount of weight is quickly felt. Feel like a need a back support just hoisting him up from the floor! LOL As I sit here at my desk - dressed; jeans,bra etc., I feel like I have acid reflux, and the last time I ate was over three hours ago. So that old bra + band double restriction with no fill in an 11cc band is reinforcement that it needs to go. I wonder what I'd be dealing with if I had a significant amount of fill in the band. Ah - never mind - too scary to think about! So now with a BMI of 37.1, I would not qualify for WLS. Not sure how the Type 2 DM would play out - I am one, but my A1C is almost that of a non-diabetic. Wonder what would happen if I decide to proceed with a gastric sleeve?

Well, I'd was holding out hope that maybe just maybe sticking to soft(but nutritionally sound) foods would result in a miracle and I'd be able to start working in some normal foods and not need surgery. Alas...attended a party yesterday where I managed a couple of tablespoons of guacmole, a teaspoon of corn salad and two mini empanadas - or so I thought.A half hour after my last bite I was in the bathroom - SIX times before leaving for home. It continued after I got home and removed my "second band" - my bra. Later that night I barely got down a cup of hot tea. Amusingly enough a friend who is also banded was at the party. She's had several fills, and had no trouble eat small amounts of all the different foods served - and there I am with no fill barfing to beat the band. Pretty much decided that when the band comes out, the surgeon would do a vertical sleeve - after all that's what we'd talked about. Called my insurance carrier and they were okay with this - no additional hoops to jump through. Imagine my surprise when the case coordinator called to tell me that before a removal/revision, I'd have to have another psych consult, testing, nutritional counseling, attend a class about WLS and two support groups. It took some back and forth for me to finally get her to tell me that while my insurance carrier does not require this, their practice does!? Really - did you tell your surgeon this 'cause he was planning to do the full monty in a couple of weeks. Now my choice is to try to run around and get all these additional "requirements" done in a couple of weeks before a 6/15 surgery date, or have the band out and then go through the whole set of hoops again for another surgery in a couple of months OR wait to have the removal/revision after I fulfill these requirements again. Seriously?

Do you mean a different practice? Yes, it's possible as there are several others in the area. However, I'm not their patient thus I'd most definitely have to go through their pre-surgical requirements. If you mean another surgeon within this practice, I suppose I could, but my surgeon already agreed to do this as one procedure, so it maybe that he's not aware that the business side of the practice has these requirements. That's not uncommon as doctors focus on the "practice" side of a medical office and the business side is handle by admin types. I can't even say for sure that this requirement is a mandate for all of this practice's patients. It may be based on the type of insurance you have or a particular carrier dictating the "need". Example - BCBS(my plan) doesn't require anything for a bonafide revision but based on my plan(PPO) they'll pay for almost any doctor's visit I need. The case coordinator knows this(as she knows all of the various carriers plans and policies) hence the practice is "requiring" all these additional steps because they'll get paid. Another insurance carrier may also not require any additional steps prior to revision and won't pay for another psych eval, nutritional counseling etc. The practice wants to make money. They'll make more doing a removal/revision than just removing the band. If the patient is not going to be covered for all their "required" additional steps, it's not likely the patient is going to foot the bill for additional tests, visits etc. So since the practice will get paid to take out the band and do a revision in one procedure it makes more $$ sense to do this, than to hold the line on requiring re-certification which might result in the patient just having the band removed and never returning to go through the whole process again before yet another surgery.

All I can say is, "Wow!" I have this voice in my head that is telling me that messing with my insides might not be the smartest thing to do. Your experience seems to echo that. For anyone reading this, I'm not knocking the band, the sleeve or gastric bypass. It's not a easy decision, a quick fix or the "easy way". If there were just one solution, we'd all take it. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised at my band issues as my body also rejected the initial attempt at breast reconstruction; the tissue expanders had to come out a week after placement! I know the battle of weight - tougher for women just based on being women, but also by way of society's narrow definition of what is beautiful. It still chaps my hide that you can be an obese man and be a respected politician(Gov. Christie, NJ), business leader etc. but by and large, an obese woman won't get the same respected or success. And let's not even get into the attitude to being over age 30 - heaven forbid a woman in her 40's or 50's be considered "sexy" - why it's a fluke that requires multiple magazine articles and conjecture on how much "work" she had done. See any guys in the same age range getting the same treatment? I'm sure I'm not saying anything new; I'd thought that with WLS I'd not be thinking about food as much. Are you kidding me?! It's all I think about...can I eat this? will I get enough Protein? is there a bathroom nearby in case I get sick? It looks like regardless of choice, food will always be the monkey on my back. It also appears I will always be dealing with people like my husband, who's answer to all of this is for me to have the band removed and just, "try harder to diet and exercise" and my sister-in-law who's all for me having it out, "before summer so you can eat summer foods" - frustrating any way you look at it. Trying to weigh(no pun intended) both sides of the health issue (obesity -v- complications), the fear of gaining the weight back, the annoyance of regardless of which path I chose, knowing I'm going to have to think about food far more than someone without a weight problem - for the rest of my life. Somehow it feels like I'm going to be damned if I do & damned it I don't! I do appreciate everyone's thoughts and input - gives me a lot to think about.

I've been told by my WLS that my band has to come out. I've also been told the I didn't fail, the band failed me - or more like the band functioned as it should, my body just didn't like it. Nevertheless, I'm now a candidate for VSG at the same time the band is removed. Problem is I can't decide which route to take!? As a two-time breast cancer survivor, I realize the importance of a healthy weight and lifestyle...but losing 75% of my stomach also sounds risky. Even my surgeon pointed out that this is the newest of the procedures - comparatively speaking - and who knows the long term outcomes? Apparently the staple line could leak at some future date, there's a risk of not being able to take in enough nutrients, there's the potential of swallowing issues. Some of the YouTube videos from VSG patients are down right scary...hair loss(well, been there - done that with chemo), vomiting, dumping, not feeling hungry when you need to eat but instead having a sick to your stomach feeling be your flag. Any body been down this road? I'm open to any and all feedback!

Despite another 45 minute wait, I was pleasantly surprised by today's one-on-one with my surgeon - yet another case for the wisdom of reserving judgment on any given situation. Given the vibe that goes around in my own office and the devils that drive us, I'm willing to bet there are plenty of days we come off as a bunch of witches on wheels. The surgeon spent almost an hour with me reviewing the test results. The verdict? It appears the stomach has mushroomed over the band. Based on the inflammation, it's got to come out. Though my BMI has dropped below what my insurance carrier would tradtionally approve for a revision to a gastric sleeve, my surgeon seems to feel that there's enough to document I've made a good-faith effort and it's the band that failed, not me. Interestingly enough, he told me that his practice is taking out as many bands as they're putting in, and not as many people are getting them in the first place. So now I have to decide if I'm just going to have it out or if I'm going to also have revision surgery done at the same time. My husband just wants it gone. He's tired of eating dinner alone and that our friends never invite us out to dinner for fear I'll be uncomfortable or worse. We haven't gone out for dinner in over a year. I dread the required business lunches, charity events involving a meal - even a recent girls' night out for drinks took a turn for the worse when the girls I was with ordered dinner. I wasn't offended and they know it doesn't bother me when they nosh. It was the server who made my life hell. Let's face it - I'm not some waif, so apparently when I declined to order anything she felt the need to comment each time she came to our table..."Sure you're not hungry? You look like you've got a good appetite". When I finally caved and ordered a small appetizer of soft potato puffs even that wasn't enough for her..."Is that all you're going to eat?!". When I couldn't finish it and declined a to-go box, it was..."You barely touched this? Didn't like it?". I feel like I've had enough surgeries to last a life time but I don't want the weight I lost to come back and I don't want to spend the rest of my life avoiding cameras and feeling like a small tug boat entering a room. I am afraid of complications for a non-reversable procedure and wonder if I just need to accept that at almost 50, my ship has sailed. I'll never be young again. I was pretty for about 15 minutes when I was 23. I wasted my 30's and 40's being obese. It seems like a waste of time to attempt another surgery that may not make any difference just as it seems ridiculous for me to bother having breast reconstruction - I'd need a full body re-do to actually look good. My husband's vote is to just have it out and then commit to "trying harder and working out more" - Gee, if it were that easy would any of us on this site even be here? So - anyone out there gone from the band to nothing and maintained &/or continued to lose? Anyone gone from band to sleeve? Good? Bad? I want to hear about it!

Still smarting from the verbal slap from my surgeon and PA. "Why didn't you come in sooner if it was that bad?" has been an earworm in my brain and I've been beating myself up...maybe I've not tried hard enough...maybe it's all in my head... Like a lot of women I put myself last before all my other "gotta do" responsibilities. Since even with the daily hurl, my weight pretty much stayed the same from July '12 until December '12 and other than annoyance of being sick, not being able to eat in public etc., I was otherwise healthy I dragged my heels on going to the doctor. Face it - after 2011's trip down breast cancer lane, I'd had enough doctors appointments. Going to my WLS cattle market with it's deli counter vibe - "Number 86", "Number 87"...was not something to look forward to. So I had to laugh when I got home yesterday to find a message on my voice mail advising me that my WLS,"Wasn't going to be in on X date and we've rescheduled your appointment to X...". Three weeks from now. So I guess it's okay for the Doctor to have other commitments arise but not for thePatient. In hindsight, yeah - it is "that bad". My weight is creeping up which only half surprises me. The list of what I can't eat gets longer and longer, but we all know the slider foods work especially when you're starving, on a short deadline... Yesterday was what I like to call "classic"... Even my thyroid medicine which I take first thing in the morning gives me the 'stop & drop' feeling. End up throwing up six times during the course of the day on food previously "safe". Often have a delay of 30 minutes or more following eating before getting sick which can be triggered by sitting down, or bending over. Often feels like it's not only food in the pouch, but food in my stomach coming back up. I so love having to not only make sure I'm still in my pj's to eat(bra and anything fitted on my waist and nothing's going down) but also having to wait to jump in the shower. Gee - if it's a day when I need to shave my legs, gotta make sure breakfast stays down as just bending over to shave could be lethal. Ah yes, totally normal and likely all my fault - she said, sarcastically!

Finally made it back to my WLS for the follow up to my endoscopy. Had to reschedule twice - once due to a funeral and oncedue to a severe snowstorm. Figured since nothing had changed for better or worse, other then dealing with what I've already been dealing with, no big deal. Figured after the total $5,500 procedure where allegedly, "biopsies" were taken, if there was a problem, the surgeon would have called. Actually, I thought regardless of the results, someone would've called, but no one did. My WLS just moved their office to a new location and with the gray-green paint, super-wide doors and chairs, no magazines and their brusque, unfriendly check-in staff, it was just sooo warm and inviting! It was entertaining watching them shuttle one after another new patient in, with that 'I'm doing you a favor...let's move it along...sign here, here...' eyerolling, heavy sigh annoyed attitude which was delightful. As usual I'm taken in for the prefunctory weigh in, blood pressure, temperature nonsense and left to sit for 45 minutes past my appointment time. Finally, in trots the PA. I've never met her before and she clearly has no idea why I'm there, so I have to go over the whole deal again. She then asks me what I want to do and I have to explain again that that's why I'm here - to find our what the surgeon noted on the endoscopy and what her thoughts were. "Didn't, umm the doctor, umm talk to like whoever brought you to umm the procedure?" So I recap for her what the surgeon told my husband hoping that'll jog her into disclosing any additional impressions/recommendation/biopsy results the surgeon noted, but no, she comes back with, "well, that's about it...". So I ask the PA what the surgeon suggests we do and she tells me the surgeon was hoping that by scoping me and writing scripts for Prilosec, the problem would've resolved itself?! WTF! Note that a no time has the surgeon come in to speak with me, although he's there - I saw him in passing. The PA steps out into the HALL and discusses me and my case in the HALL with the surgeon. The PA comes back in and says to me, "We have one question first - why did it take you so long to come back in?" . I was polite when I said, "Pardon? Do you mean when I first had problems, or for my post-endoscopy follow up?" She's confused(again!) so I have to explain the whole deal from July '12(see my earlier entries) again and then explain that I can't just blow off a funeral and I'm not dumb enough to ignore the local authorites telling me to stay off the roads with a fast falling foot plus of snow! Long and short of it - I have to go back AGAIN(Chach-ching) to meet with the surgeon to discuss removal, revision... Interesting to note - you can have mastectomies and immediate reconstruction(same time), but apparently you can't have your band removed and have a new band or other surgery. You must "heal" and come back to be opened up again for a second time. Why? According to the PA, it's to ensure your insurance company will cover it!!!

Coming up on three years since I was banded. The eight months post surgery was understably the adjustment prior. The following year a wash due to cancer surgery and treatment. Things had actually started to move in the right direction until July '12 when the problems started. I'm 22 pounds lower than the day of surgery - given all the expenses involved, that's about $1,500 a pound. To whit, I am 50+ pounds lower than my highest weight, but as a size 18w ain't no one going to call me "slim" - and I'm still a Type II diabetic. The problems, which have been bothering me since July - please, if you're having any issues, go to your WLS ASAP - continue regardless of the medications. I have my follow up to the endoscopy this week. Yesterday was classic. Out late the night before, so I slept in 'til about 10am(for me a real treat). Got up and had coffee. Not hungry, so I was working around the house i.e., on my feet on on the go. Around 2:30pm I felt hungry, so I made myself a piece of toast with Smart Balance. According to my WLS, I should be able to eat this... Nibbled it down and then it came back up or the course of six trips to the bathroom. Waited a bit and settle my stomach with some tea. Around 7pm, I managed yogurt with no problems. Several hours later I was hungry again, so I scrambled 1/4 egg sub and cooked 1/4 oatmeal. The eggs I ate standing - no problem. Took my oatmeal downstairs to eat while watching TV. Got it down no problem. Watched an episode of a fav show on my DVR - fast forwarding through commercials, so sitting for about 45 minutes. Went back upstairs to go to bed. Felt blocked and stuffed, but thought it was all in my head. Took my bedtime meds and just made it to the bathroom for another three episodes of vomiting. I'd hoped that having this procedure would mean that I could finally stop thinking about food all the time. Instead I'm thinking about it even more. What I can and can't eat. How I can avoid eating in social situations. How I can pretend eat so I can fake my way through family dinners. Knowing what I should eat, should be able to eat but choosing the slider route to be safe. God how I envy those with no food issues!

Here's the kicker - there's NOTHING in my 11cc band! Can you imagine if I did have anything in it?!?!

Just got the EOB for my endoscopy. My insurance company was billed $4,400! That's more than my bi-lateral mastectomies cost! No real change to what I can and can't eat - but I can't even imagine how much an exploratory laproscopy would be. Maybe I'll just resign myself to a life of yogurt and protien shakes!

Another special experience at my WLS facility...started with patient registration advising me that despite my insurance being a PPO with no co-pay, because I hadn't yet satisfied this year's $600 deductible, they wanted $300 up front - but would settle for $100! The first intake nurse was a real charmer who while taking my BP felt the need to comment on how "blotchy" my skin is! Snow White ain't got nothing on me and when it's cold, I get flushed and blotchy on my arms. How this related to an endoscopy is beyond me. The doc was hour late for the procedure, I was left sitting in the pre-op/recovery room freezing under one little blanket while the nursing staff bitched at each other about their terrible hours, their crappy kids and where to go to lunch. Meanwhile the janitorial staff decided that in the middle of the workday was a good time to come in and take the rolling trays off to be cleaned, so some guy grabs the chart sitting on my tray, throws it on my bed and takes off with the tray. Finally get wheeled in for the procedure and it's like I'm not even there as the two attending nurses discuss some grievence they're planning to file if they don't get the shifts they want. They then proceed to discuss other patient's procedures using the patient's full names(Hello HIPPA???) and segway in to a fun discussion on episodes of choking they've treated in the ER and how that haven't been able to save everyone. The doc finally breezes in to ask a few questions and it's clear that what ever info gleem from the PA hasn't sunk in so I try to reinterate what I've got going on. Then I assume a semi-uncomfortable position, the drugs kick in and the next thing I know, I'm in recovery listening to some guy shout for a nurse..."Hello...Hello...can I please get some help - Jesus F--- Christ - does anyone work here?!" over and over until finally someone comes and acts like this patient is inconveniencing her. Results: "Inflammation - esophagus, duodenum, stomach, ? lap band slip" Apparently a biopsy was taken and I was sent home with omeprazole and carafate the latter which I'm supposed to take a hour before each meal and at bedtime. Should be interesting as I haven't eat a real meal persay in ages! Doctor spoke with my husband who also reinterated what he's been seeing me go through. Upshot - take these meds and see you in 7-10 days. Hope I'm not cursing myself, but as a cancer survivor, "biopsy" sends a chill down my spine! For those wondering about what the test felt like - don't remember any of, no real sore throat to speak of, but really excessive gas and I spent the majority of the afternoon zonked out on the couch.

I can honestly say I never made it to the "green zone". You can read about my back story in my blog(Ravenclaw779). I'm now at the pre-decision part of out-v-revision. I was actually going along at a respectable rate despite not being in the green zone. Combining Weight Watchers with working out and the modest restriction of the band I was down to 216 and losing about a pound a week. About six months ago I started having problems including not being able to eat sitting down or wearing a bra, fitted pants, not being able to eat more than a few small bites before vomiting, not being able to get a meal down in less than 40 minutes, and a growing list of foods I should've been able to eat, but couldn't. A couple of embarassing episodes during business lunches and I now no longer eat out. My weight loss stopped and I now hover around the same weight(223) give or take 5 pounds. I'm not eating enough of the right foods(can't get them down) to feel satisfied or to provide the right fuel for my day. You'd think I'd be losing big time but it appears my body's locked into a preservation mode. Couple of weeks ago I experimented with just Slimfast for two meals and a Lean Cusine for a week and nothing changed. This will sound like a complete cop out - in a crunch, before going into a meeting, when my stomach is growing and roiling so loudly everyone can hear and will immediately try to push a pastry on me(ya know that ain't goin' down), I will bolt a candy bar. It helps - especially when that 4th or 5th cup of coffee isn't giving me enough energy to power through. Most days I need a 2hr nap when I get home to be able to get through the rest of day...bills, laundry, housework... Right now my safe foods are Protein shakes, yogurt, oatmeal, mashed potatoes - think the diet of an 90 year old with no teeth. Recent Upper GI appeared normal; yesterday's endscopy show inflammation of the esophagus, duodenum and stomach and a possible band slip which of course won't be definitive until I have a laproscopy. As we all know, that the same procedure used to place the band. My husband has had enough of my bolting from the table after three bites or having to cover for me a family dinners when I have to excuse myself to quietly barf up my big tablespoon of dinner. My dentist has commented on some minor(for now) damage to my teeth. My oncologist is lecturing me as this is not healthy nutrition for a cancer survivor and the fact that an inflammed digestive tract can lead to other types of cancer. When I started having problems I shouldv'e gone in to see my WLS, but I kept making excuses and blaming myself - surely it was because I just wasn't trying hard enough! That said, I haven't felt normal since my surgery. Even if it weren't for the vomiting and digestive issues, the port, which at first was barely noticable, now feels like scar tissue has encapsulated it. I was so proud when my weight loss meant I could wear a more fitted sweater. Can't do that anymore as it looks like half of my abdomen is pushing forward and you can see it in anything close fitting. Push on it with a bag of groceries, a stack of books - my exercise ball and it's a wave of nausea. I laughingly told a friend I was pretty sure there was an Alicia Keys song title, "My Port Is FIRE!" I know my surgeon is going to want to go in and I'm going to need to decide on taking it out, repair/replacement or going for something like a sleeve. Could I keep the weight off? continue to lose without the band? Am I doomed to be a thin girl in fat gir's body? Ultimately, I have to make a choice on what's going to be the healthiest option and given my history it's more like trying to juggle eggs!

I was banded in March 2010, and had slow and not too steady success with my band - some other health issues got in the way. Things were moving along nicely combining my band with Weight Watchers. Like everyone else, I had those occasional PB's, those foods you learn are not going to go down, the occasional, "Oops - forgot and eat too much/too fast" and from the beginning, I usually could not eat wearing a bra. In July 2012 things changed...now I couldn't eat while sitting down, and never before 10a. Every night I'd sit down to dinner with my tablespoon of whatever Protein or main dish, a tablespoon each of that evening's veggies, maybe a 1/4 cup salad and three thumb nail sizes bites in, I'd be in the bathroom throwing up. After expelling my three bites and a giant mucus ball, I might be able to get my portion of the main dish down...in about 45 minutes and only if I was standing up. I had to give up eating out after a mortifying "3 Bite" episode @ a business meeting. I started having that burning sensation in my throat. I was getting sick everyday. What happened in July? The only thing I can think of was that I'd had carpal tunnel surgery. I have always had to be "patched" before surgery because of severe nausea. Before this procedure, though, the anesthesiologist told me I didn't need it since I'd only be under 15 minutes. It was day surgery so I was home that afternoon. Hadn't eaten and wasn't hungry. Took the dog out to do her business, and my world tilted - I began retching and couldn't stop. My weight crept up from 216 to 227 - combination of not eating &/or just getting what I could get down. When you're beat, and you need a quick pick up before a meeting and you can't risk an incident, a chocolate bar goes down without returning. After a long day of keeping nothing "real" down, a pint of ice cream is soothing. Not making excuses, not saying it was the right thing to do, but it's what I did. Instead of homing in on the real physical reactions I was having (my husband, friends, oncologist all noticed and encouraged me to go see my WLS), I kept blaming myself for not trying hard enough. Finally in December, I'd had it and made an appointment. They told me I should've come in six months ago. Since then, I've had an upper GI and will be having an endoscopy next week. I'm eating mostly soft foods the consistancy of yogurt. Couple of days ago, I attempted a single slice of deli ham chew 45 times(I counted) and made six trips to the bathroom. Had a piece of toast last night - no problem. Had a piece of toast this morning - not so good and really creepy in that at 11am in addition to being unable to keep toast down, I could taste what I'd had for dinner the night before!(TMI). Like anything, the band has it's good points and it's not so good points. It's taught me a lot and if it needs to come out, so be it. Since my original surgery, I'm about 50 pounds thinner(hey only 81 pounds to go!) and I've learned what full feels like. I've also learned that most people with a gastric band will need to have it replaced by the 10 year mark and many much sooner. A some point though, the inconveniences and embarassments become a bit too much to deal with. Revision surgery - hadn't even thought about that yet!

I can't eat with a bra on PERIOD & what's really curious is that my bra isn't holding up anything real...I had double mastectomies about two years following my surgery, so I'm wearing a prosthetic bra. First time I had the "back up" was just after surgery. I was fitted with a compression bra and could even get yogurt down!

It's a way to make more money? Half dreading Monday - I'm still trying to blame myself..."it must've been something I did or didn't do"...and what if they get in there and in their view, nothing's wrong?(Not that they'd tell me that; I'm sure I'm going to be told I "need" the diag lap as well) Is it all in my head and I'll just have to deal with it? Mining for even more info online and it appears that I should be able to eat a small salad, veggies instead of getting my green fix a la V8. Yesterday was classic...crazy busy...errands, volunteering and given that it takes me 40 minutes to get down breakfast I opted for a protein shake...went down, no problem. Four hours later, got home, dropped off the perishables, had a glass of iced tea and grabbed four(4) Combos pretzel snacks(To a certain extent I can do crunchy). Chew,chew, chew...back in the car and within 10 minutes I knew I was going to be sick. Pulled into a shopping center and barfed in one of the poo-poo bags I keep in the car for the dogs! Made it to the store I was headed to and right into the bathroom to throw up twice more. Last night I was able to do a slice of toast; this morning - no way. Thank God for gummy vitamins, fiber and probiotics for keeping me somewhat healthy and coffee for keeping me going. Nevertheless, I'm always tired, look bloated and my nails look like crap fairly sure I'm not getting enough protein. I know ...whine, whine, whine. Well, at least someone around here is happy...my two dogs who get to eat 3/4 of what I make for myself! LOL