scrazyp

Hello, yes I have been there. I was banded in 2008 and lost 65 pounds but always cheated. Then two years ago I wasn't able to keep anything down and was vomiting 2-3 times a day. My stomach felt like a "raw piece of meat." I was constantly taking antacids and had horrible reflux to the point I had to sleep sitting up. I was just miserable but since I was banded in Oregon and now lived in Arizona that made it difficult to go in to see a doctor. My doctor didn't know what to do for me and said maybe I should go back to Oregon and see my old doc???? Oh, boy!! Anyway, one day I started throwing up brown coffee-ground looking Fluid and thru the Internet I figured out this was blood. I went to my closest ER and they sent me home with Vicodin--just what I needed for my stomach ache. I called my old doc and she recommended a doctor in Phoenix and this required another trip to the ER and they put me in bed. I waited and waited but no one knew what to do--finally a PA came by and said he was going to release the fill and that did it. I threw on my clothes and got out of there. I still have problems with eating too fast or too much and have to vomit to relieve the pressure in my stomach. I am pretty sure the band has slipped or twisted because I do have some restriction. I am interested in knowing what you find out because your symptoms are exactly like mine. Good luck to you and I feel your pain.

Hello, I was banded 8 years ago but had to have the band deflated as I had pretty severe complications--like vomiting everything I ate and finally vomiting blood. I am a grazer--eating all day long--just a little bit here and there. Now I know the band is not a good option for a person like me. The doctor I went to tightened the band up too tight and that is why I had complications. I think the person that it is best for is someone who sits down and eats a lot at one setting--then you are restricted and can't eat anymore. Also exercise is key to your success. You will lose the most in the first 3 months, it just fall off and then you reach a plateau and you have to really work at it. Good luck to you and I hope you succeed with the band--I didn't : (

I was banded on 2007 and had a relatively easy course with the exception of not following the rules and having a lot of vomiting--which was my fault. I hate to admit it but--they fixed my stomach but not my head. I lost 65 pounds and that put me at a BMI of 30 and I was happy with that. We moved to Arizona and I had a fill by a doctor that my Lap-Band doc recommended. I felt like the band was too tight but didn't say anything and I was losing weight and that was a good thing. About 8 months later I started throwing everything I ate up and since I was too busy to go see the doctor, I just put up with it. Then it got scary--I started throwing up blood. Oh, Oh, better get in to see somebody. I landed in a couple of ER departments but they didn't know what to do for me--gave me Vicodin and sent me home. After not being able to eat for several days I started calling doctors in the metro-Phoenix area. No one would take me on as a patient. I finally went to an hospital where they did Lap-Band surgery and a PA reduced the volume in my band and I was able to eat and drink again. I have since regained the 65 pounds and probably more. I am now thinking that the surgery is not for me since I cannot get my eating under control and restricting me doesn't do much good. Good luck to everybody who is thinking about having this procedure. I just wish it worked for me. The band is still in place and every so often I will eat too much and will vomit and have pain. I think perhaps it could be twisted up or something.

Yes, I was required to pay the $600 for the book. I just went in for a fill as I had my surgery in Oregon and didn't know who to go to. Pretty expensive for a fill. Then about two years later I wanted to have another fill and I was told I had to pay the $600 fee again as they could not find me in their computer system. Just a money-grabbing outfit if you ask me.