Removal Of Entire Lapband System

[Kimberly Theisler 1]

I am 29 years old. I had the lapband surgery on November 19, 2010. Since then, I have lost 122 lbs. April 2011 I started getting very swollen and red on my stomach where the port was located. I had a CT scan and i was filled with Fluid and inflammation. My surgeon had me come in 3 days later for surgery to remove it. The fluid ended up being a MRSA infection. One week later, I went back in for surgery and had the port relocated to the right side. My hospital had only been doing this surgery for a month prior to me getting it done, so this was something my surgeon had not yet come across, so therefore I was his first patient to have a relocation done, and it was successful. Here we are, 7 months later, and I was having terrible pain on the right side near my port, and it felt almost like gallbladder pain. It increased throughout the day, and I couldnt stand up straight or sit up straight. I went to the ER, had another CT scan, and they found a lot of inflammation again (but didnt see fluid this time). I've been admitted to the hospital for a week, been on a round of Vancomycin antibiotics, pain meds, the whole 9 yards. My surgeon thinks that when I had the infection last time, part of it may have been inside the catheter part of the lapband (the actual band), not just the port. The infection had taken months to settle around the port itself. He said we could relocate it again, but I was worried about getting another infection months down the road. I can't keep ending up in the hospital and having surgeries left and right. I have a 6 yr old son at home and I'm a single parent. I made the decision to have the entire lapband removed, hoping it will solve the infection issue. It was a very difficult decision to make, I was very emotional over it, hoping I was doing the right thing. I'm deathly afraid of gaining weight again. I started at 312 lbs 2 weeks before surgery, 306 lbs the day of, and was wearing a size 24 jeans. I am now down to 190 lbs and am in a size 14 jeans. I havent been this size since 7th grade. I never want to go back there again. I'm very scared, but everyone keeps telling me I'm definitely making the proper decision, for health reasons. Losing weight was great for my health, but constant infections are more dangerous...one infection can sneak into my heart or somewhere else and kill me. I'm not going to let that happen. I just hope this all works out for me in the end. My surgery is at 1:00 this afternoon...here goes nothing!!

[tym4me 206]

Health always comes first!! My thoughts an prayers are with you.

[ellendeette 1]

I agree with the post before me. Health comes first. You have a young child that depends on you. I was a single parent before and I know and have felt that responsiblity.

It sounds like you have had numerous complications with the band. I have too. I had my first band put in May 2008. It slipped and I had to have it removed in July 2008. I had another one put in. Last week, my band was too tight and I also had Fluid and swelling above the band. I went to the ER because I could not stop vomiting. Luckily, taking Fluid out helped tremendously. Not getting an infection under control is very scary.

Good luck to you in surgery today! I thought taking the band out was a much simplier and faster surgery than putting it in (I have had two put in and one taken out).

Please post again and tell me how you are doing after surgery.

[elcee 3,343]

That is horrible. I wonder what started the infection - it can't have just been spontaneous. Maybe the port got infected at the time of surgery but it was a slow infection. Or the other possibility is that it was infected during a fill.

To have gone through 2 surgeries already only to have to have another one to have it removed would be awful.

Sending lots of hugs your way.

[bunkie68 6]

Kimberly, how are you doing?