After 7 Years, I Join The Slipped Band Club

[Birdie1973 23]

Crazy days, indeed! I never thought it would happen to me as my first surgeon told me that slips were rare.

My current surgeon showed me the xray, the band is now parallel to my spine. Whoops.

Well, the good news is that an endoscopy showed my esophagus is in good shape and in two days I'm having a revision surgery. While the good dr is in there, he's going to put in the updated band which is supposedly is better for fills and tweaking amounts. I never had more than 1 cc in my old band and that was way too tight.

Totally looking forward to having the new band. I really hope that things improve. Living with a slipped band isn't fun.

Overall, I don't regret getting the band. I'm still 65 lbs down and that's really something.

[Birdie1973 23]

Good luck with your surgery. Sorry to hear you have to go through surgery all over again.But I'm sure the 2nd time around will be a lit easier for you. At least you know what to expect. What happened that your band slipped ? Is it currently unfilled ? What do you eat while it' s unfilled ?

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Good luck with your surgery. Sorry to hear you have to go through surgery all over again.But I'm sure the 2nd time around will be a lit easier for you. At least you know what to expect. What happened that your band slipped ? Is it currently unfilled ? What do you eat while it' s unfilled ?

Hi Birdie. Thanks for the good thoughts!

I think a combination of eating too much at meals and vomiting caused the slip. It's hard to know the exact cause, but for a few years, I wasn't a very good bandster.

Yes, it's unfilled now. That was tough to have zero fill and I am hungry all the time. In some ways, this slipped band is way worse than a too tight band. I have a really hard time eating solids at all. That tilt to the band makes it hard for food to go down. So I'm VERY hungry (no restriction) but can't eat much (slipped band). It's a bit of a living hell, really.

I also have violent acid reflux. It keeps me awake at night.

Just got a call from the hospital. I'm on deck for 10:30 tomorrow. Send good thoughts and prayers if you got 'em!

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Whew, I'm back from the hospital. Things went a bit rougher than I'd hoped. Dr. Alami got inside and found quite a bit of scar tissue on my stomach since I'd had the slip for so long. The surgery ended up going a bit over two hours because he had to remove a lot of scar tissue then decide if everything was in good enough shape to have a new band placed.

The very good news is that yes, I have a new Realize band. Yay! But I'm in quite a bit of pain. The Dr said that since he had to do so much work on my stomach, I'll be swollen for a few weeks.

This time around I have MASSIVE pain in my left shoulder. I didn't have that last time. Anyone have any good suggestions about easing that pain? It's far worse than the pain from incisions!

Anyhow, it's good to be back home and happy to still be a member of the band club!

[andrea0121 28]

I had really bad gas pain for about 2 weeks post-op. Everyone told me to walk and take gas-x strips. It just kind of has to work its way out (gas-x and walking didn't really alleviate much of the pain).

Glad your surgery went well!!

[xavier 153]

Do you know if your new band is sewed in place? My doc sews all his down and has never has a slip. I have thrown up a lot the first year and never had a problem...

[giveyouthemoon 4]

I had really bad gas pain for about 2 weeks post-op. Everyone told me to walk and take gas-x strips. It just kind of has to work its way out (gas-x and walking didn't really alleviate much of the pain).

Glad your surgery went well!!

Hi Andrea, thanks! I did start taking GasX and it helped some and I'm now walking A LOT. This shoulder pain is crazy!

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Do you know if your new band is sewed in place? My doc sews all his down and has never has a slip. I have thrown up a lot the first year and never had a problem...

Hi Xavier - Yes, my first band was sewn in. I believe it's called fundiplication. While having that done greatly reduces the risk of slip, it doesn't eliminate it. My case is a prime example.

Word to the wise, don't take the fact that the band is sewn in for granted! Take care of your band and if you do vomit, be extra, extra careful.

[xavier 153]

Hi Xavier - Yes, my first band was sewn in. I believe it's called fundiplication. While having that done greatly reduces the risk of slip, it doesn't eliminate it. My case is a prime example.

Word to the wise, don't take the fact that the band is sewn in for granted! Take care of your band and if you do vomit, be extra, extra careful.

You are absolutely right! I wish I had not been such a slow learner. I know two things now:

1. I love and need my band

2. I know how to eat right and not throw up!

[giveyouthemoon 4]

You are absolutely right! I wish I had not been such a slow learner. I know two things now:

1. I love and need my band

2. I know how to eat right and not throw up!

Right on, Xavier!! I'm learning it all again, as if I am banded for the first time. Good stuff, you are doing great!!

[xavier 153]

The last big thing I learned is kind of funny. I always drank with meals if I felt like it and it never seemed to make any difference in staying full...but the one time I ate two oreo Cookies (reasonable, right?) and then had some gatorade...I got very sick/stuck! I finally realized that those bready things puff up when wet and they puffed up on me...I never did that again and havent thrown up since.

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Ooooh, that drinking with meals thing...that's my super bad habit. I got really bad about it in the past few years. I was so good at first, but then just got lazy.

Awesome reminder! Thank you!!!

[Birdie1973 23]

I'm glad to hear that you are healing from your surgery. I'm sure that you're happy that it's over with. I'm happy for you. A few weeks ago I had to rush to see the doctor because I was throwing up

[Birdie1973 23]

I'm glad to hear that you are healing from your surgery. I'm sure that you're happy that it's over with. I'm happy for you. A few weeks ago I had to rush to see the doctor because I was throwing up

[Birdie1973 23]

Hi Andrea, thanks! I did start taking GasX and it helped some and I'm now walking A LOT. This shoulder pain is crazy!

I'm glad to hear that you are healing form your surgery. I hope that your shoulder pain has lessen. A little over a week ago I had to rush to see the doctor because I was throwing up everything and couldn't even drink Water. I thought my band had slipped. I couldn't stop crying on the way to see the doctor. I imagined the worst. Thank God it was only a minor slip, which somehow fixed itself once I was unfilled and once the stomach irritation subsided. I have no restriction now and have eaten like there's no tomorrow. I've put on about 5 pounds in one week, which is terrible ! I go back to see the doctor in 3 days. Hopefully he will fill my band enough to feel some restriction. I love my band, but I think I "abused" it by not treating it well and I have to admit that I broke the "band rules". The fear that it had slipped was like a wake up call. I'm just mad at myself because I have eaten so much with my band unfilled. Hopefully by Friday evening I can have more control over what I eat, after the doctor fills me up a bit. I can image how you felt before your revision surgery. It's a scary thought to have a slipped band. I wish you the best in your healing process. When do you back to see the doctor to fill your band again (like at the very beginning of your lap band journey?) Best of Luck to you, Adriana (a.k.a "Birdie" ).