tutuclvr

Hi Missgal, Write to me at tutuclever1@aol.com and I'll give you the scoop. Vivian

Hi Betty, I hope you can attend. I'd love to meet other lap band patients in Mississippi.

Sorry, I don't have info about your state but you can always go to Jackson Mississippi to Dr. David Carroll. He is my doctor and I was initially banded in Mexico. I know it is a 3.5 hour drive from Memphis but I guess it's closer than Atlanta and he is a bariatric surgeon who performs lapband surgery so he knows what he is doing. His website is: Physicians, Doctors, David R. Carroll and David S. Miller, Jackson, MS Hope this helps. Vivian

Hi Everyone, Dr. David Carroll is sponsoring a support group for LapBand patients at the River Oaks Hospital in Flowood, MS on the second Tuesday of each month. Second Tuesday each month 6:00 P.M. Private Dining Room River Oaks Hospital Also, he is sponsoring seminars at 6:00 P.M. on the other Tuesdays at River Oaks for those interested in Lap-Band surgery. Go to his website to get the specific details. Physicians, Doctors, David R. Carroll and David S. Miller, Jackson, MS I am one of his most devoted patients. Vivian

Hi Simmy, I have had a severe slippage (probably the worst on record). My surgeon said he had never seen a band slip that far. At any rate, it was have emergency surgery or die. I chose surgery and I am so glad that I did. It turns out my band was placed too low initially and it was one of the reasons for the slippage. Going into surgery, I didn't know whether he could save my band or not. I had a lot of damage all the way down my stomach and intestines and was in surgery for 3.5 hours. After repairing all of the adhesions, my surgeon was able to place the same band in the correct position. He put it between 2 or 3 arteries or veins or something that connects to the upper stomach so that it cannot slip. Then he wrapped it in plastic mesh. So I feel very confident that my band will not slip again because it is between the 2 veins or whatever. I am doing great now. No pain. It took 2-3 months recovery time before I could get a fill but I am losing weight so much easier and faster now than before the life-saving surgery. I can't believe the difference correct positioning can have on weight loss. It is wonderful!! My surgery was laproscopic and he used some of the same incisions from the first surgery. The cost was around $27K - $28K for the surgeon and hospital. This doesn't include all of the tests and lab-work prior to surgery. But remember I was in surgery for a long time (3.5 hours). Please hang in there and don't be discouraged. They may be able to save your band and position it correctly. All I can tell you is that I am so grateful my band was saved and I feel fantastic now. I am losing a steady 2-3 lbs a week. I wish you the best of luck and please keep us posted.

I'll keep you in my prayers, LegallyBlonde. I know exactly how you feel. However, with my 3rd and final insurance appeal, my bills are being paid. I was told BCBS does not pay for gastric bypass or lapband due to a written exclusion but they do pay for complications. Praise God because He answered my prayers. I'm so sorry you don't have insurance. Please check into Medicaid. Like you, I was banded in Tijuana Mexico by a supposedly world renowned surgeon and mine was placed too low initially as well which resulted in slippage. At least I have learned from my mistakes. Never again will I seek medical advice outside the U.S. It would have been cheaper in the long run to have just paid for the surgery in the U.S. to begin with. Live and learn.... I'm wishing you the best and I hope they can save your band. Please keep us posted.

When my band slipped I had several symptoms. 1.) Severe, horrible reflux from anything I ate or drank 2.) Sour stomach from anything I ate or drank 3.) Vomiting that became more and more severe as the band slipped further 4.) Vomiting clear slime 5.) Vomiting black bile 6.) Severe chest pain that extended to the back between the shoulder blades 7.) Frequent and irritating hiccuping 8.) Unable to keep anything down including a drop of water after being completely UNFILLED. 9.) A severe tight feeling around the stomach - like someone has a belt wrapped around your stomach and keeps pulling it tighter and tighter. 10.) Severe stomach pain 11.) Vomiting regardless of whether or not anything liquid or solid had been consumed. 12.) Vomiting every few minutes without having anything in 24-48 hours 13.) Vomiting even with prescription anti-nausea medications (pills or suppositories) 14.) Dehydration 15.) Weakness (unable to do anything except lie down) 16.) Aspirating during the night (vomiting through your nose) while sleeping 17.) Waking up strangling during the middle of the night 18.) Having to sleep sitting up in a recliner for fear of aspirating 19.) Extreme thirst from dehydration If you start vomiting on a regular basis, go to your doctor immediately. Sometimes if a complete unfill is done, the band will go back into place if it is caught early enough. Do not ignore vomiting or severe reflux. See your doctor immediately upon experiencing any strange symptoms. It is easier to have an unfill for a few weeks than to risk losing your band. Having a slipped band is a miserable experience and one that nearly cost me my life. Listen to your body and heed its warnings. Think of the long-term weight loss, not immediate gratification of losing a few pounds. When your band is positioned properly and filled properly, you will lose weight and keep it off. Here's wishing all of you continued good health. Vivian

My surgeon feels for the port. He never misses and only sticks me once. I've had no problems with fills whatsoever.

When my band slipped I had several symptoms. 1.) Severe, horrible reflux from anything I ate or drank 2.) Sour stomach from anything I ate or drank 3.) Vomiting that became more and more severe as the band slipped further 4.) Vomiting clear slime 5.) Vomiting black bile 6.) Severe chest pain that extended to the back between the shoulder blades 7.) Frequent and irritating hiccuping 8.) Unable to keep anything down including a drop of Water after being completely UNFILLED. 9.) A severe tight feeling around the stomach - like someone has a belt wrapped around your stomach and keeps pulling it tighter and tighter. 10.) Severe stomach pain 11.) Vomiting regardless of whether or not anything liquid or solid had been consumed. 12.) Vomiting every few minutes without having anything in 24-48 hours 13.) Vomiting even with prescription anti-nausea medications (pills or suppositories) 14.) Dehydration 15.) Weakness (unable to do anything except lie down) 16.) Aspirating during the night (vomiting through your nose) while sleeping 17.) Waking up strangling during the middle of the night 18.) Having to sleep sitting up in a recliner for fear of aspirating 19.) Extreme thirst from dehydration If you start vomiting on a regular basis, go to your doctor immediately. Sometimes if a complete unfill is done, the band will go back into place if it is caught early enough. Do not ignore vomiting or severe reflux. See your doctor immediately upon experiencing any strange symptoms. It is easier to have an unfill for a few weeks than to risk losing your band. Having a slipped band is a miserable experience and one that nearly cost me my life. Listen to your body and heed its warnings. Think of the long-term weight loss, not immediate gratification of losing a few pounds. When your band is positioned properly and filled properly, you will lose weight and keep it off. Here's wishing all of you continued good health. Vivian

Hi, I was banded initially in May 2005. My band slipped all the way to my small intestines and I required emergency life-saving surgery in February 2006. Surgery was not an option, it was medically necessary to save my life. I am still fighting my insurance company to pay for the surgery and for the most part I am winning. My cardiologist who was formerly an attorney told me to tell the insurance company it was not weight loss surgery, it was surgery to save my life and it was medically necessary. I was a self pay patient for lap-band surgery in May 2005 because my insurance has a written exclusion for any type of weight loss procedure or medication. My first 2 appeals, I lost. Then I got angry and wrote to every legislator in my state and I also sent it to the federal legislators/senators. My biggest complaint was that Medicaid/Medicare approve lap-band surgery but my insurance doesn't provide me with the basic minimum insurance coverage of Medicaid patients? I was furious. The senator requested the state Insurance Commissioner investigate my claims immediately and I am now seeing some action and bills are being paid. They may not be paid completely, but a lot of them have already been paid in full. I am still waiting to see what they pay on the surgeon's bill and the hospital bill. I've received an Explanation of Benefits form showing where they paid the hospital some piddly fee and showing that I owe nothing. I'm waiting on the bill from the hospital to see if it is correct. Did I mention I am considering a class action law suit on the basis of failure to provide minimum coverage that Medicaid patients receive and also discrimination of the obese? At any rate, I am seeing action from my insurance company now. We'll see how it goes. Now to answer your questions about losing weight after the revision... I can honestly tell you that I am losing much faster now than I did initially. Correct positioning of the band has made all the difference. I am so excited about the weight loss and cannot believe the difference in the way I feel now vs. before. It is wonderful. My band is so sensitive now that I can feel the fills immediately and it only takes a very small amount of saline. I can't imagine living with a slipped band. When mine slipped, it was very painful and I was vomiting constantly. The more I vomited the further it slipped until I was completely obstructed and it was either die or have surgery. I'm wishing you the best. Fight your insurance company and go to your federal representatives if you have problems getting your surgery approved. Keep us posted.

Hi Lynn, Happy New Year's and I'm relieved to know that you can keep liquids down. If your doctor suggests doing a complete unfill for a few weeks, please, please listen. It is much better to go "unfilled" for a few weeks than to risk losing your band altogether. I know because I've been there and I did not want to gain back any of my weight either. God was with me and my surgeon because he was able to reposition my band but the slippage caused a lot of damage all the way down my stomach and small intestines. I was in surgery for 3.5 hours to repair the damage and reposition the band. I feel blessed beyond belief because my band was saved and now that it is positioned correctly, I am losing weight faster than I did when I was initially banded. I still argue with my doctor about getting fills and most of the time he will not give me a fill if I have lost any weight during the month. Regardless, I know that he knows best and I trust him implicitly. I've also found through trial and error that he is always right much to my chagrin. At any rate, please be a good little patient and do exactly what your doctor recommends even if it means you'll gain a few pounds. It will be soooo worth it in the long run. Keep us posted and I'll continue to pray for you. Vivian

Hi Lynn, I'm praying that your band has not slipped. I can tell you my symptoms when my band slipped. I could not keep any food down whatsoever. Everything I ate soured on my stomach and I had very severe acid reflux constantly. I would wake up from a dead sleep vomiting through my mouth and nose. Within a couple of days, I could not keep anything down including liquids. I had severe chest pain and the pain went through to my back (between the shoulder blades). I had severe nausea and vomiting. I began vomiting black bile regardless of whether or not I had a sip of water. It was either black bile or clear slime and it was pretty much happening every 30 minutes or so. Anti-nausea medicine and suppositories did not relieve the vomiting. My doctor did a complete unfill thinking that the band would go back in place but my vomiting was so severe that it continued to slip until it had slipped down to my small intestines. Within 2 days, I was in an emergency situation where I had to have surgery to save my life. If you have problems keeping liquids down, I urge you to call your doctor immediately. Don't wait until Jan. 2nd. If you have a small slippage, it is possible that an unfill will allow the band to correct itself. Please take care of yourself and call your doctor if you have problems with liquids. I'm still banded and loving it. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and I'm wishing you the best. Vivian

Hi Christel, I was banded initially in Mexico in May 2005. On 2/17/06 I had emergency surgery because the band had slipped all the way down to my small intestines. My wonderful U.S. surgeon was able to repair the stomach and reposition the band. Although I did not get a new band I am happy to say that my success after the revision has been phenomenal and I am experiencing a greater weight loss now than after the initial surgery. I am losing a steady 2-3 lbs a week with a 2.05 fill in a 4 cc band. At times I cannot believe the difference in the way I feel now vs. the way I felt after my first surgery. My experience after the first surgery is similar to what you describe happening now. Correct positioning of the band makes a huge difference. When I get a fill now, the results are immediate whereas before I couldn't even tell I had received a fill. My band is so sensitive now that the fill increments are tiny. I went from 2.0 to 2.05 because 2.1 was too much. I couldn't swallow water. At any rate, hang in there and know that you can be extremely successful after the second surgery. Good Luck.