Hello troubled bandsters! I was just diagnosed with a slipped band. I was banded March of 2006, and I know that my band was fine in 2008. I know it's futile to try and pinpoint a cause, but all of my problems seem to be associated with a pregnancy in 2008. In fact, I have neen researching the band + pregnancy since about 2007 and the more I read, the more I found it almost common for slips or other complications after childbirth.

My slip is a bit atypical. I wasn't particularly symptomatic except for a "new" band sensation that I didn't have previously, which would lead to nighttime reflux. All night long. And sometimes the next night too. I didn't have crazy restriction, I was not a frequent PBer (in the last 3 years I've probably had 2 PBs), I didn't have a sudden change in restriction, etc. And I don't fall into your typical "high risk for a slip" cartegory -- again, infrequent PBs, I maintained conservative restriction for most of my banded time - was only too tight once and I got an unfill the next day, I followed the rules that worked for me (not meaning I followed them selectively, but sometimes I had my own more restrictive rules... e.g. I was never able to tolerate a.m. foods/drink so I didn't try), etc.

I'm not surprised I have a slip because something about such significant changes in my band (the "new" sensation I mention earlier was pretty significant) this far out certainly didn't seem normal. I also sort of went into this expecting to have a complication of some sort some day. And now that more data is available than when I was banded, and I see the increasing rates of complications, I just sort sort of expected it. (In other words, I went into this knowing it was a forever comittment, but also knowing that forever might be cut short).

I've been given 3 options:

1. Since my only presenting symptom is occasional reflux (maybe once every month or two), and even completely unfilled I still have some restriction, I can ride it out and see what happens. This may well work, but I have concerns about dysmotility consequences... and while I'm maintaining my weight, and have since my daughter was born in 2008, I'm not losing. That's not a good thing.
2. I can go in for repositioning or rebanding, which I know tends to have lower and lower success rates as more long term data becomes available. I've had a band for a while - long enough to develop a love/hate relationship with it, and I'm hesitant to sigh up for another procedure that may or may not work properly.
3. I can submit for revision to another procedure. My surgeon recommended the vertical sleeve. I've always been hesittant to do anything that permanently removes part of my stomach because, if it doesn't work, what then?

Guess I have some thinking to do, but figured I'd say hi to y'all.

BTW, I was 380 lbs when banded. About 215 when I got preggers. About 280 at delivery, and about 265 today. That's with a goal weight of 180.

My band came out yesterday. I'm a little sad to see it go, but I WILL NOT miss the discomfort or reflux that came with the slip.

I wish I had known the slip symptoms for what they were, and not just assumed it was another change in my "restriction pattern." WIth 20/20 hindsight I should have put two and two together, but I just didn't. At least it was caught before anything worse could happen, or there was permanent damage to my esophagus.

Best wishes to you without your band. Did you already have a revision to something else?

I think that the old small band has been replaced for alot of people, me included. I got band #2 almost 3 years after band #1 (small band).

Take care.

Sue

My band came out yesterday. I'm a little sad to see it go, but I WILL NOT miss the discomfort or reflux that came with the slip.

I wish I had known the slip symptoms for what they were, and not just assumed it was another change in my "restriction pattern." WIth 20/20 hindsight I should have put two and two together, but I just didn't. At least it was caught before anything worse could happen, or there was permanent damage to my esophagus.

I am having a bout of something that is worring me. I know i eat to fast...almost 2 years and still struggle, especially when I am with people and talking. The past few days nothing will go down. This morning my son is in from medical school and my husband wanted to fix Breakfast. I had 3 small bites of scrambled egg, two small bites of biscuit w/ gravy, one bite of bacon that I chewed up and spit out (TMI....I know) and drank about 3 ounces of pineapple juice. I have felt stuck ever since. My upper stomach hurts, I have this lump feeling in my throat, I have thrown up about 4 times (always just small amount of liquid) and I feel like I need to burp. When I do burp it is just acid like. I know other people say when they are stuck it will take 30 minutes to an hour before it goes down. Sometimes this last all day. So, I don't know if i am stuck or something else. I am just wondering if maybe I have slipped. I have lost 98 pounds and have really done well so far. Any advice???

Stagegirl

My band came out yesterday. I'm a little sad to see it go, but I WILL NOT miss the discomfort or reflux that came with the slip.

I wish I had known the slip symptoms for what they were, and not just assumed it was another change in my "restriction pattern." WIth 20/20 hindsight I should have put two and two together, but I just didn't. At least it was caught before anything worse could happen, or there was permanent damage to my esophagus.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I had my band placed in 2004 and just discovered, after a ton of tests, that it has definitely slipped and needs to be removed. I am so grateful for the weight I have kept off, but the nausea, reflux and pain will not be missed. I'm currently waiting for a response from my insurance company to see what they cover.

No revision yet, my surgeon requires two months between procedures. He refuses to do same day revisions. I am actually OK with that... if I had a choice it is what I would choose.

I very briefly considered rebanding, but since I do not consider the band a long term implant it seemed like I would have just been signing up for another few years. (Just MHO) I was also told, after xray of slip and again after EGD, that my surgeon would not consider me a candidate for rebanding (with just presentation of symptoms I was... but at that time it was also considered an option to keep the band and pursue fills if the dysphagia-reflux resolved.

Slip rates could be related to band size, and I would not rule out evolving surgical technique. My father's slip was on an AP 14ml (IIRC). I guess in another 2 or three years we will start being able to trend whether or not there is correlation.

Best wishes to you without your band. Did you already have a revision to something else?

I think that the old small band has been replaced for alot of people, me included. I got band #2 almost 3 years after band #1 (small band).

Take care.

Sue

Hi stagegirl, with my 20/20 hindsight, the best piece of advice I can give you is to call your surgeon. I believe I know when my band slipped - roughly. Things had been going fine for a few years and then I had a fairly sudden change in the way things worked. Part of it was prolonged discomfort with stuck food. My previous "routine" had been to feel icky (and actually for me, stuck food was very painful) but bring it up within about 45 minutes, and once it was up I would have complete/immediate relief. One of the (then unrecognized) earliest (likely) indicators was that even after I brought food up, I no longer had the immediate relief I used to have. I would still hurt for a while, though it wouldn't be as bad. I would also feel nausea, and also had an incident where I could taste acid in what came up. That had NEVER happened before with my band. Also after food would come up (or when it would be stuck, but not need to come up yet) I would slowly develop an increasingly intense pain in my left side that would last sometimes 2 - 4 days. During that time, I could swallow saliva, but could not comfortably eat or drink, or burp, and would "gurgle" quite a bit. This didn't last very long, but when it sort of went away, there was another change. This is all pretty hard to describe, especially with any sense of coherence or chronology.

See my message (#32) here: http://www.lapbandta...82#entry1583482

That may help. My points "A" and "B", and the last paragraph in that post, pretty much encompass what ended up being the physical symptoms of my slip, I just didn't see them as such at the time. I had been through a few pretty drastic changes in band routines, so at the time I was grouping those symptoms into "another change" because they weren't adding up to what I was expecting to experience with a slip, or what I had been to watch out for, or what most people seem to experience (e.g. the "gold standard" symptoms like slips... the reflux is, but since it was so intermittent (at the time, it definitely got more and more frequent, and more severe) I didn't really piece it together for a while).

Hope this helps.

I am having a bout of something that is worring me. I know i eat to fast...almost 2 years and still struggle, especially when I am with people and talking. The past few days nothing will go down. This morning my son is in from medical school and my husband wanted to fix Breakfast. I had 3 small bites of scrambled egg, two small bites of biscuit w/ gravy, one bite of bacon that I chewed up and spit out (TMI....I know) and drank about 3 ounces of pineapple juice. I have felt stuck ever since. My upper stomach hurts, I have this lump feeling in my throat, I have thrown up about 4 times (always just small amount of liquid) and I feel like I need to burp. When I do burp it is just acid like. I know other people say when they are stuck it will take 30 minutes to an hour before it goes down. Sometimes this last all day. So, I don't know if i am stuck or something else. I am just wondering if maybe I have slipped. I have lost 98 pounds and have really done well so far. Any advice???

Stagegirl

My band came out yesterday. I'm a little sad to see it go, but I WILL NOT miss the discomfort or reflux that came with the slip.

I wish I had known the slip symptoms for what they were, and not just assumed it was another change in my "restriction pattern." WIth 20/20 hindsight I should have put two and two together, but I just didn't. At least it was caught before anything worse could happen, or there was permanent damage to my esophagus.

OMG I was feeling so alone until now. I just scheduled my removal today due to a slip. A slip that I believe has been there for a couple years So sad I didn't see the signs (nor did anyone else). I will miss my band for sure, but as for the reflux - nope!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I had my band placed in 2004 and just discovered, after a ton of tests, that it has definitely slipped and needs to be removed. I am so grateful for the weight I have kept off, but the nausea, reflux and pain will not be missed. I'm currently waiting for a response from my insurance company to see what they cover.

OMG I was feeling so alone until now. I just scheduled my removal today due to a slip. A slip that I believe has been there for a couple years So sad I didn't see the signs (nor did anyone else). I will miss my band for sure, but as for the reflux - nope!

The surgeon I finally got referred to see said I had a million dollar work up! I am still waiting to hear what my insurance company's decision is.