New Lap Band

sharon2u · April 17, 2011

I have had my Band sicne 2007 my weightloss was wonderful and then in mid 2008 it just stopped, no matter what I do it does not go down it goes up. I have been filled and un filled as we call it here. I have suffered three different times from a dilated esophagus, my band gets very tight weeks after the fill, I vomit so hard that I sob afterwards. I have developed all over again GERD, night reflux and a bit of a cough. I have re gained 20 pounds and all I get from my Dr. is well maybe this is where your supposed to be with your weight, well no I don't think so. I requested a revision with the same Surgeon last year and I was refused twice by my health plan due to new guiodelines and such. I exercise daily and walk and yes I even still watch my diet and no matter what I am regaining and not losing. My question is can the lap band become defective after so many adjustments in the port and a few times the nurse could not find the right area in the port and I would get stuck several times. would a new Lap Band help resolve these issues I don't know and the last time I seen the Dr. he was in such a hurry that he rushed me through the appointment due to his office being over booked. I eat very little due to the pain with swallowing and the vomiting. I contacted the Dr. on Thursday and well no one even gets bak withme. Maybe I need a different Bariatric Dr. This surgery is supposed to help the patient not make them get worse.

TCarroll · April 20, 2011

I have had my Band sicne 2007 my weightloss was wonderful and then in mid 2008 it just stopped, no matter what I do it does not go down it goes up. I have been filled and un filled as we call it here. I have suffered three different times from a dilated esophagus, my band gets very tight weeks after the fill, I vomit so hard that I sob afterwards. I have developed all over again GERD, night reflux and a bit of a cough. I have re gained 20 pounds and all I get from my Dr. is well maybe this is where your supposed to be with your weight, well no I don't think so. I requested a revision with the same Surgeon last year and I was refused twice by my health plan due to new guiodelines and such. I exercise daily and walk and yes I even still watch my diet and no matter what I am regaining and not losing. My question is can the lap band become defective after so many adjustments in the port and a few times the nurse could not find the right area in the port and I would get stuck several times. would a new Lap Band help resolve these issues I don't know and the last time I seen the Dr. he was in such a hurry that he rushed me through the appointment due to his office being over booked. I eat very little due to the pain with swallowing and the vomiting. I contacted the Dr. on Thursday and well no one even gets bak withme. Maybe I need a different Bariatric Dr. This surgery is supposed to help the patient not make them get worse.

Hi there- if i was in your postiion here is what i would do.. I would call eht doctor and schedule a Upper GI /barium swallow to check to see if there is a possible slip of the band- causing you to tighten up like that. If all that is good- have with you a log printed off thru a calorie counter website that tracks your food intake and what evercise you did for that day-- if you arent already doing that you may realize that you are getting too few calories or too many calories... take that with you and have a planned meeting wiht the doctor and have him have the nutritionist there with him.... tell him you want answers... you expect support and that you will be in once a month to review wtih them this so they can get an game plan to get your weight loss jump started. Tell the office you want the last appointment of the day... so therefore they cant rush you out of the office. Also, yoiu might be like me who swells very easily-- therefore i had to get small fills more often--- see if that will help with the fill/unfill process and your eating. Also, make sure you are really following the lapband rules-- how big of bites you are taking, chewing, waiting before the next bite- things like that.... really make a effort to ensure you are doing all that corret to see if it could be user error so to speak--- especially if you have had it for a while and maybe going back to old habits.... everytime after an stuck episode- are you goign to liquids to wait for the swelling to go down before trying to cram food down the band again? All of these are just suggestions... I hope something i said helps--

If the doctor refuses to sit and councel you with you r meals- i would look elsewhere for a different doc- but be careful alot dont want to take others patients.