Well, So Much For That Endeavor.

[Meduseld 29]

Just a quick note before I begin: I'm not trying to scare people who are looking to get the band. I did lose over 120 pounds with it, so it's not like I'm resentful or anything.

But guys, I've got some bad news.

My band is gone. Completely out.

I wasn't eating well for about a month and came to the point where I wasn't keeping anything down, so I finally went to the doctor two thursdays ago. I thought I was going through a "phase" where the band was a bit tighter than normal, which has happened before, but eventually it went on too long so I knew something was wrong. My surgeon removed some Fluid from my band and sent me home. Long story short, I was miserable and suffered the entire weekend. In addition to not being table to keep anything down, I started to have some serious pain in my diaphragm and it hurt to breathe. I still sucked it up and couldn't keep anything down for over 4 days before I was taken to the ER that monday.

My surgeon was on vacation for two weeks and his stupid butt didn't get anybody to cover his patients. No one. He just left me there to suffer! And to top it off, most of the bariatric surgeons in town were off at this bariatric convention that my doctor went to, so I was left in tons of pain for hours getting all kinds of tests with the general ER doctor because there was no bariatric surgeon to help me. They were on the phone with my surgeon in San Diego trying to get him to call another surgeon, and he wouldn't give me up as a patient and call another doctor, and neither would his office. I don't know if it was the money or what, but he really left me hanging. Needless to say, he's gonna get an earful when I get home.

They gave me an upper GI and determined that my band has slipped. When I still couldn't keep anything down, they tried to take out the fluid in my band. Unfortunately, the only one there was the general ER doctor. He didn't know how to do it real well, didn't have the right needle, and messed around in my port so much that I literally bled through a Band-Aid! Finally the radiologist had to use an ultrasound to take out my fluid. They thought the problem was solved, gave me some Gatorade (which I kept down, shockingly), told me to see my doctor in two weeks when he got back, and sent me home.

I threw up the Gatorade on the way home.

I went home anyway, but had to go to the ER the next morning, starting my week-long hospital stay. Finally, a bariatric surgeon was found all the way in Dallas (one of the very few left in town!) and, bless his heart, he drove all the way to my hospital just to see me. I had my band removed that same night it was so urgent.

My band had slipped downward, and not only slipped, but had actually eaten a hole in my stomach (erosion). There was a large prolapse where liquid would stay for a little, which explained why I could hold liquids for a while and then throw it up half an hour or an hour later. Apparently erosion is super rare, but so were gall stones, which I got taken out in December.

Basically, I sat in the hospital for a week with absolutely NOTHING to eat or drink. I was so thirsty! You guys have no idea! I had all kinds of IVs, a drain in my stomach, and a line that went through a vein in my arm to my heart, which I reacted to badly. They literally stitched the outer port into my skin! My arm is still swollen even though I'm home and there are bruises all around it. I haven't been so miserable in my life, I don't think, sitting in that uncomfortable hospital bed for a week with nothing to drink. I was in so much pain and had so many stitches, staples, and medical contraptions I couldn't take a shower and could barely brush my teeth. I mean, I attached a picture of me holding my "meals" that came through IV. You can just see how dang miserable I am. That was two days after surgery.

Needless to say, I'm incredibly disappointed. Not in the band itself, but the whole situation. I definitely don't regret getting the band at all! It did help me lose over 120 pounds. But anything that could have gone wrong, did. Gall stones, slippage, erosion... I know they say that only 20% of people need surgical intervention to fix their band, but the covering doctor who did my surgery said that it is starting to be over 50% and many doctors are no longer performing the band due to the complications that come with it. His partner no longer does the bands. I have had three surgeries in less than a year and a half and how my stomach is absolutely riddled with scars.

I was kind of expecting some sort of slip sometime or another, but not barely a year out! I mean, come on! My scars are barely starting to fade when they have to cut more!

I'm just really upset. Now I've been thrown back into my previous situation, with nothing keeping me from eating. And honestly, I'm scared to freaking death that I'm going to gain this weight back. And to top it off, I have to be on liquids for at least another week. I haven't a solid, good meal in about 2 months. I went 2 weeks without drinking anything because I couldn't keep any of it down.

I'm just cranky as hell, I guess. And I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do. I'm petrified. I don't want to be fat again. I was just so happy with my life and thought I had finally sound the solution to my weight problems, and then somebody came and just whacked me right across the face.

[Allison0927 329]

Oh my! Terrible story! Any chance your insurance will cover another surgery since had to be removed?

[Meduseld 29]

It's possible. I haven't discussed it yet. However, the surgeon said that a lot of insurance companies make you gain the weight back before they'll give you another surgery because you are now technically too thin to qualify. So I'm just like "hell no" at that prospect.

Plus, it's another surgery. That would be my fourth. I'm barely 19! If I have to get one, I'd like to wait a while.

If I am going to get another, I'm gonna get the sleeve, I think. I'm done with the band at this point. It's hasn't been more trouble than it was worth, but it definitely has brought me some serious discomfort and I'm tired of being in pain. I'm grateful for the weight it has helped me lose and I definitely think I made the right choice by getting it, but at some point I have to call it quits. My mom had the sleeve and didn't have nearly any of the freaking problems I had.

[Allison0927 329]

All makes sense I agree sleeve v. Bypass

[Grandma3 73]

Elizabeth,

So sorry this happened to you, you have had a lot to endure in the last year.

I hope whatever you decide in the future works for you.

I have read this so many times, so just a reminder to fellow bandsters.

Do not wait when you are not feeling right, go to the doctor now.

Never assume this will get better.

[bigenuff 302]

Really sorry that happened to you.:-( I'd recommend that you try to stick with your new eating and exercise habits and see how that goes.I would not recommend another surgery at this point.just as you have seen and read Many successful band stories and u got all the complications.Your mother was successful with the sleeve but that doesn't mean u will be.and from what I have researched sleeve complications are more common and more detrimental than band.I think you are 19 you have a fresh start by being 120 lbs lighter.make the best of it try stay active and eat healthy !! I know it's easier said than done but your body has already been through a lot surgically.I think you can do it ! Goodluck !!

[Mommy2Ps 4]

Wow- you poor thing. I can't even imagine being in that situation at a young 19.

I am, however, going to be facing something similar at 30-something though.

I was just told on Wednesday that after two years, my band needs to come out. Keep in mind, like you've I've done great. Lost 93lbs and would consider myself a LB success story (that is now becoming a less than successful BAND story. ) I've had three slips and this last one was pretty bad. So bad that they asked me if I was in pain and/or vomiting a lot. Nope, nothing. No complications. It's all on my blog if anyone cares to read it.

I'm scared that so many people like us, successful weightloss stories, are now having complications with the band. Out of four people I know personally with the band, 3 of us have had slips and 2 of us need it to come out. We've all had it less than 2yrs. WTH?! We've all lost a good amount of weight, so it's not like we weren't following 'the rules'.

My surgeon talked to me and he said he was recently at a convention (maybe the same one yours was at) and he said they are all appalled by the sheer number of patients having severe issues with the band. In fact, I really think he's discouraging new patients from getting the band in his office because of the fail rate with this little piece of plastic. It's heartbreaking because today is my two year anniversary of having the band and I should be celebrating my accomplishments instead of dreading what tomorrow might bring and TERRIFIED that it might all come back. That is scaring me!!!

Anyway, enough of my story. I just wanted to say that I'm with you and I hope and pray that we found the strength within to keep up with the lifestyle that we've had for the last year or two, and not revert back to our old unhealthful ways. *hugs*

[Meduseld 29]

It really is unfortunate. I was talking to the surgeon and he rarely performs bands anymore and his partner refuses to do them completely. They try to persuade their patients not to get them strictly because of the complications. Every person I know who has had the band has had to have it taken out. There are tons of pluses to getting the band such as teaching Portion Control and making you aware of when you are full, but there are tons of successful people who are starting to go downhill fast with all the complications.

I don't know. It's a good surgery if you know the risks. But you gotta be able to handle any complications.