Slipped Band Waiting Game..

[Dmariemtz 0]

So this is my first post on here and i guess ill just start with my current issue. I got a fill in July of last summer and things went very well! i was at 197 lbs. and by Dec i was down to 170 lbs. But in Jan i felt very sick and was not able to keep anything down.. not even Water, i assumed it was because i had a sinus infection and the drainage was causing the issue. I returned to the dr. and he unfilled me from 8cc down to approx 6.5 cc, and all was fine... fast forward to june 13th. i had gained 20 pounds and decided to return to the Dr. And after a shameful return i was filled up to about 7cc's. at first it was fine but a week into it i was hardly eating a thing and water was an issue again.. i felt super nauseous.. even swallowing my own spit was an issue. i called the dr.'s office to see what they thought i should do. come in or wait? Perhaps i was just swollen because of the summer time heat or maybe it was allergy related. they told me to come in as soon as possible.. mind you my dr is about 4.5 hours away so i made an appt for the next day. i get to the dr.'s office and i down to 169. i feel tired, weak and very thirsty.. he sends me for an upper GI and i seem to have a slipped band. The solution he completely unfilled me and I'm on a liquid diet for 2 weeks then i move on to mushies until my next appointment on the 30 of august. Im somewhat scared that maybe my band won't go back in place... I'm just overall nervous. Anyone else ever been in this predicament? Any suggestions?

[marfar7 1,528]

I feel your pain. I've had my band almost 3 yrs now, lost over 100 lbs (was within 11 lbs of goal) and my band slipped about 7 mths ago. I didn't do anything about it cuz I was afraid he'd want to take it out. The only symptom I had was severe reflux. I could still eat and drink like usual. After 4 mths of nightime hell, my husband talked me into going to the dr. After an xray, they found a slip. So the PA took out 1/2 of my 9cc fill and let me rest for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks of sleeping like a baby (and gaining a few lbs) I went in and had 1cc fill (without a follow up xray to make sure it was in place). I don't know why I didn't insist on it. Well, the 1cc still let me sleep like a baby but I also had no restriciton. So 2 weeks later, he put another 1cc in. Restriction is back - so is the reflux.

So I figure either it slipped AGAIN or it was never corrected in the first place. Now I have to start all over again (and my dr is also 3 hrs away - and $160 each visit) and see him numerous times to get this fixed. The nurse said that my next visit would be free (my husband insisted on that since they never did a follow up xray). I'm so scared that they're either going to unfill me completely and I'll gain even more than the 14 lbs I've already gained, or I have to have surgery to reposition it. In one way, I'd rather do the latter. At least I'd KNOW that it was corrected and my insurance would pay for it!

So I know exactly how your feeling. Nervous that my band will never be the same again. Wish the plication surgery had been in available in 2009. Then I wouldn't have to worry about slips again.

Good luck to you!

Marci

[janey2 0]

I have had a similar experience. I have my band for 2 yrs. It never felt right to me. I vomitted all the time and had loads of swelling. About 6 months ago I began having reflux that responded to absolutely nothing. After nearly 6 months of endoscopies and esophograms, I went to see my surgeon to say--I need to take this out--I am done! After seeing my seriousness--they then determined that the band likely slipped. With only 1 cc in my 10cc band for more than 3 months, it never went back into positon. I had a band revision last week with plication. I understand the plication helps to hold a slipped band in place. One week post op and I have absolutely no reflux and have experinced no vomitting. This is new for me. I'm encouraged that revising the band and doing the plication were the right way to go. I don't think I will be too quick to fill the band. I feel as though I will have a certain degree of restriction without fill and that combined with the plication might be the best solution for me. I encourage you to be your own advocate and have a serious conversation with your surgeon. You should not have to live with reflux and a slipped band.

[ICUnurserachel 17]

I just had my band revised 2 weeks ago after a slip in May. I went through 8 weeks of hell from the pain and reflux. I ended up with 4hrs of surgery , hiatal hernia repair, pouch dilitation repair, tons of scar tissue and replacement of the band. I had to wait 4 weeks to have the surgery so the swelling could go down. I had to do a month of steriods and prilosec.

My surgeon was very proactive and told me all along the way the process would be. This has been the most miserable I have ever been in my life and wouldn't do it again. I am doing better now but it has been hell. I would encourage you to seek a second opinion if you feel your surgeon isn't being proactive. Band slips have a process you have to go through to get prepared for surgery if needed. The reality is only 25% of bands return to normal postition after a slip. The event that caused the slip, the swelling all cause complications that I never imagined and had to have surgery.