One month ago I was in the hospital for band removal. I'm one of the lucky/unlucky ones that's still restricted. I had a terrible hiatal hernia that hurt like a muthah prior to banding. It was apparently corrected with the band and stopped hurting. Now I feel that pinching/ouch often that scares me to overeat. But fright doesn't always hold me back, because I've had a couple bad binges that kept me awake all night in pain.

I now have Barrets Esophagits, which means potentially cancerous stomach cells somehow eroded my esophagus (something like that) making it hard to swallow. A few nights ago I ate Cookies and peanuts right before bed and had a very frightening night of not being able to breath; choking, wondering if I'dl ive. Bad habits don't fade easily. In my condition, I simply can't eat before bed or I won't sleep.

Two of my incisions hurt like I've been beaten up (port & small one between & below boobs.) Dr. Billy didn't need the small one, but he cut out the bad scar (kiliod) for me in hopes of a flat scar. I can't wear bras because they rub that scar, which is probably why the 1st one turned to a kiloid.

I've managed to lose a few pounds since band removal, which is a miracle considering I gained 10 pounds towards the end of my banded life. I try to stay at 1200 calories, but I go over every night with large portions. Staying away from night eating might kill me one day. It's what I do. Last night I drank a Diet Coke to keep from eating, but then I need a Xanax to sleep.

I just felt the need to journal all this.

Lisa,

For that scar, could you maybe put some gause or a few bandaids over it so that it has a cushion when you wear a bra? Or maybe a tank top with a shelf bra type thing?

Not that anyone wants more surgery, but maybe you can have that hernia repaired 'for real' in the future?

Journals are good, even if they aren't in a normal 'journaling' format. I have a journal online that no one can see that I just pound at when I'm bitchy.

Decarla, I'm sorry to hear about the Barett's. I have really bad GERD and am so afriad of developing that. Lately I have had some throat irritation and pain in the esophagus. Did you have acid reflux too? And if so, before or after your surgery?

Hi,

I just had my band removed due to erosion on Tuesday. I feel like HELL I was in the hospital for 3 days the Dr. said it was the worst he had ever seen. He almost had to due RNY just to save my life. I will know next week if my patch is holding on the esphecus (sp) I did a swallow test on Weds. no leaks so far so good. I can not eat food for 14 days only drink liquid. I can hardly swallow as it is anyway. I did not know how to start a thread so I just posted on yours Dalarla. Take care everyone.

Tracey

Tracey, you can post here any time. Just when I thought my removal was bad, then yours sounded so much worse. Who did the removal? Was it the same person who did your band? How long were you banded?

I never had problems with the burning of acid reflux, but I had some problems swallowing. I had a bad PB before I was banded. One time I was really full, eating dry pretzels while driving (that's what 300 pounders do.) Suddenly my chest was heaving and everything got stuck. Overeating can cause so many problems. I have to wonder if my bulimic phase of vomiting weakened my esophagus. I guess I'm lucky that I've been spared the heartburn. I can eat hotter food than my Mexican friends with no burn, but I have swallowing problems and can't breathe if I lay down after eating. I can feel food sitting in my esophagus.

Hi DeLarla,

My band was placed on 10-30-03 by Dr. Lopez . No he did not remove my band a Dr. Tersigini in Cos Bay Oregon removed my band. He said that it was the worse he had ever seen. I asked him if he could tell why of coasre we both know that there is no cut and dry answer why byt he said that there a stitch in a funny place under the band that he did not know why it was there??? I lost about a 100lbs I really had no problems until last April 05 I had a baby via c-section and that is when it all started my port site filled with fluid I went to my primary Dr. she cit it open drained it sent it off to lab for culture no ifection was dedected but it would not heal back and forth to the Dr. back to lab for more test no infection finally I went to see a Dr. Neal in Olympia Washington what a mistake that was, he was nice Dr. but the office was a big mess my insurance had agreed to pay for partial cover of the surgery I guess I got ahead of my self at the time Dr. Neal looked at my wound under floro and said that my port was flipped and it needed to be moved and then the sight would heal that was in the first par tof Aug. Well I waited and waited to here back from them 2 weeks 3 weeks finally I called to see what my part would be all I got was a run around it was hard to figure out on and on finally after messing around with them for 4 and half months I called Dr. Tersigini office and I seen him in Dec. right agter christmas the first opening for endo was Monday Jan. 22nd so that is were it all came about. I ahd seen Dr. Tersigini for a fill about 18 months ago and I really did not care for his bed side manner but at this point I felt like he was the only one to help me. I really did not think I had eroded or maybe I did not want to think that I had he did the endo first thing Monday and said it has to come out first thing Tuesday that I could not wait another day it was so bad. I wish for my health I would have just seen him in Aug. He was very nice I would recomend him to anyone to see. I really wish I had know of him before I went to MX. I found out about him about 2 months later. His outpaitent cost for band placing is 13,000 not all that much more than what I paid in MX. including air fair and all. Oh well nothing I can do about it now. De Larla how many days did it hurt to swallow after your surgery? I feel like I have a golf ball in my throat they all the tubes in until Weds. afternoon because really wanted time for the hole to heal. Pretty scarey.

Thank you, tracey

Barrett's esophagus - my grandfather had that. Pre-cancerous changes to the esophagus that can progress to esophageal cancer. He got his from GERD - he had it way back when they didnt know what it was.

Nasty stuff, I'm so sorry to hear that you're having to deal with it. No fun.

there is no cut and dry answer why byt he said that there a stitch in a funny place under the band that he did not know why it was there???

Very interesting..I eroded too my Dr. was a MX doc as well and my MX Dr. thinks it was from a stitch also. What he hell is this stitch they are using??

Anyway Tracy, I'm sorry to hear of your erosion..you are not alone here there are 3 or 4 Lopez erosion patients here on this board and 2 or 3 eroded Ortiz patients as well.

And Lisa..I'm proud of you girl to be able to lose a few lbs without your band..baby steps my friend, baby steps..one pound at a time, its all we can do!

Hi,

Thank you. I just wish I would have been closer to goal before all of this happened. I don't wish that I did not have my baby but maybe wish that she would have came after removal. I have to wonder if my c-section site draining had anything to do with it all. I guess I will never know. I think after Im feeling better I will check out LA weight loss I have done WW on and off my whole life i will not be doing that. I might take a loan out on my house and have rny done by Dr. Tersigini... Tracey