Who do you trust?

[leatha_g 4]

I had never had an unfill before my slippage, but I do believe it definitely had to do with an overfill. :confused: Things have never ever been the same since rebanding. :cake:

[itsyvonne 0]

Leatha - what are your problems since rebanding? I am sorry to hear that. I actually had horrible problems for the entire 3 years that I had my first band (a 9cc Midband), and my second band (4cc lap-band) works like a dream.

-Yvonne

[leatha_g 4]

My problems are that I get filled and filled and filled and I have NEVER had the over 'stop' signs that I had before. In the period of the last 18 months, I've been filled several times, slimed maybe twice. never Pb'd, never had the golf ball feeling. Mostly, I think my esophagus is not responding correctly. I do not feel the food is moving through properly, but it may be lax enough that it allows me to eat anyway. I feel the food may be sitting above the band for longer than it should.

I have had Barium swallows, recently had an EGD. Dr's records say 'minimal diliatation, but I don't think the esophageal motility was really looked at.

I've referred to this LACK of sensation now for the past 18 months and I really don't think the doc has made the connection. He's given me the story that some bandsters only lost 50% of their excess weight and I've done that. He gives me stories about how some athlete's say the way they maintain their weight is to STOP eating when they are still a 'little' hungry and this is probably what I'll have to do for the rest of my life. DUH..

December, it was established that my fill was too much, but because of the lack of sensation, I wound up with pretty severe esophagitis, to the point of being in pain when swallowing. So we did an unfill, now we've filled again and unfortunately, I'm beginning to feel that same 'swollen' feeling in my throat, but still no 'stop' signs if I eat.

My weight loss has pretty much come to a stop. I bounce back and forth within 2-5 lbs constantly, but if I didn't weigh daily, I'm sure it would be worse than that. Again, it's up to me and my HEAD, which never agrees.. :confused:

[donali 57]

(((Leatha)))

So amazing that the journey can be so different for the SAME person with two different bands...

I wonder what the real cause is?

I wish your doc would pay attention to your motility issues - I think that's a pretty big deal...

xxoo

[babsintx3 0]

Hi Again:

Jack: You crack me up!! Yes, I am on a mission (lost in space_) and may never return..... Do you think they have lapband surgeons on Jupiter? Yes, we are pioneers if we are more than a few years out cause none of the doc seem to know what they are talking about (strictly my opinion). Most of them seem to be speculating since there really isnt much data .

Yvonne - my original port location was left of my bellybutton and now it is almost above my bellybutton now that they have moved skin. Yup, I really wish I had gone with the low profile port. My port is now in an irritating place. I wish the doc would have honored my wishes and gone sternal. I dont mind having the bigger port, but dislike the location since it is more likely to be seen and when people hug me, I feel like they can feel my port if they squeeze me hard enough. If you can afford to get the little port and get it put in a nice place, that would be the ideal situation. I personally did not have an additional 700 buckaroos to have it done.

Leatha: YOur doc should be concerned with the achalasia issues. I had the same problems and it seems like I cant get that full feeling and it has affected my ability to continue losing and I have also gained a little bit.

THe good news is this fill is definitely working. I ate one and a half ribs and two tablespoons of rice, a little bit of greenbean and I could not eat more

. I really had to work hard to eat it. Same thing at lunch. I ate three nachos which was a third of my meal and I could eat no more. ITs nice having the food police back. Hopefully now, I wont have reflux. I hear the gurgling and I am trying to stay away from eating late at night.....

Babs in TX

334/180ish

[Kim_8 2]

Babs -

Glad to hear your fill is working! That's good news!

I wish that mine was working as well as that... time I guess will solve that one (only 1cc fill so far and my only restriction is in the morning). I worry about eating too much and causing stretching or slippage. Trying to maintain control and only eat as much as they tell me to (3/4 cup), but there's a reason I'm fat and that's a hard thing to do for me. Still trying though. :-)

Anyway - I'm glad you're back on track. You're weight loss is an inspiration!

Leatha - I hope your doc listens to you as well! That's got to be frustrating! I saw your posted pictures though and I think you look GREAT!

[MeganA 35]

I don't think I've digested everything in this thread yet but something popped out at me...I'm having some of the same issues with pouch dialation. I can see it on the monitor when I go in to get a fill (what used to look like a tube now looks like a goose egg) but my doctor isn't worried about it at all and thinks the band is in perfect placement. But now I don't get the sudden "stop" signal I used to get. I can take several bites and then it kind of gradually works up to a stop...but by then I've already eaten a few more bites. Rarely do I PB now...I can usually wait it out. I can eat more in the mornings, and it takes more quantity to get me full. I don't have any reflux except for a little heartburn when I eat things too late at night but I had that before banding.

It's weird how things change over time. It's great to hear from some of the veteran bandsters!

Keep us posted on what you find out...

Megan

[babsintx3 0]

Hi Again,

Kim: Its so great to see you here. I was really worried about you for a while. Havent been to your site in a while. Whats been going on with you?

Its funny you say that you have more restriction or only have restriction in the morning. The amazing thing is that I dont have more restriction in the morning than I do at any other time of the day. I am also not hungry most mornings and I have never been a big Breakfast person anyway.

Megan: For every question we try to answer for ourselves, a new one just pops up! LOL I am still confused about my situation but resigned not to make an issue of my enlarged pouch or crooked band unless there really is a problem or I dont have restriction. Right now, I have restriction, but I also still have a cold/flu, so I dont know if the added restriction is a result of the most recent fill or just congestion. So far, so good, so I am not gonna do anything about it one way or the other!

Babs in TX

334/180ish

-150 ish

[babsintx3 0]

Hi Kim,

I confused you with another Kim. Ignore my previous message!!! LOL

Babs in TX