Hi lap band friends....

I NEED YOUR HELP FAST PLEASE.

Here is some background - I have been banded exactly two years. Dec. 2010

I love my band - does it drive me crazy...YES but I can not imagine my life without it.

I have lost weight very slowly but I'm not complaining. I have lost a total of 80 pounds.

Here is my problem - a few nights ago (the 23rd to be exact) I started to have pain in my chest after I ate someting that I probably should have chewed better. It was different that the "stuck" feeling and I was positive that it is lap band related and not my heart. The pain has continued and it was radiating to my back. The first day it was painful even when I was not eating or drinking. I was very reluctant to call my DR because everytime I call them they immediately want to take fluid out of my band and sometimes it is just irritated and switching to fluids and mushies helps the problem on its own. I waited until this morning when although I felt like it was getting better.....I decided I probably did need a little taken out of my band to help with the swelling and irritation. I went in this morning and everything just went haywire. It all happened so fast I don't know what really even happened. I did not see my dr but I saw the Nurse Practioner - of course she asked me some questions and then proceded to tell me that I need to get an upper GI but first I need ALL of the fluid out of my band. I had a hard time understanding why they wouldn't do the upper GI with the fluid to see what is exactly going on but she insisted I needed to take ALL the fluid out of my band. This alone brought me to tears. So, I go for my upper GI with no fluid in my band. The radiologist (?) tells me he really doesn't see anything wrong but that the dr will look at the results and call me later.

A few hours later the nurse calls and says that the NP looked at my films and she is pretty sure the band has slipped because it is horizontal and I need to come in tomorrow morning to meet with the dr and most likely have surgery TOMORROW to get my band removed and not to eat or drink past midnight tonight. WHAT?!?!??!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? I am so incredibly confused. First, when they called me the dr. had not even seen the results - why are they talking removal to me? Second, isn't there ANYTHING else they can try first? Don't I have any other options? It seems I waited so long to get the band in the first place but now they are so quick to just take it out and leave me with nothing? And they offered no other options for me. They said they don't put another one in right away because the stomach needs to time to heal. They said the dr. would discuss the options with me tomorrow and he might suggest a sleeve or another procedure. I don't want a sleeve - I want a lapband! But the clincher is that she said it would probably not be anything they would do immediately because I have not been the best candidate. And that I would probably have to go through another approval process with the "the team." That I have not been great about my appts with the Physicial Therapist or the Dietician. WHAT? I went to all my DR appts the first year and the last one I went to (one year ago exactly) they told me I could start coming every year now. It's been a year so I don't know what they are mad about. I have only seen the Physical Therapist once since surgery and I have not seen the Dietician at all so I guess maybe this is why they are mad but I wasn't having any food related problems. I don't know why this is bad. Clearly the lap band is working for me because I have lost weight and have not gained anything back. What should I do? I do NOT want to get my band removed unless of course it was an emergency situation and I don't think this is the case. I am not puking or dehydrated or having any other problems. And I also don't want to be left with nothing and gain my weight back - I have worked REALLY hard the last few years. And to have to go back through the approval process with "the team" - are you kidding me???? I don't have time for this - I don't know about anyone else but that is a huge time commitment. I already did all of that. I guess I am just so mad that this is all happening and I feel like they are so unsympathetic. PLEASE HELP ME! I am in tears.

Michelle

I would go to your appt and speak with the surgen. Ask questions. I have not had a band slip but I know their are others on here who have and hopefully will be along soon with more info. I wouldn't panic until you talk to the surgen though. As for that pain you had...sounds a lot like the pain I had when I had gallbladder attacks. Not saying that's it but just throwing it out there. I wish you the best of luck!

Sometimes we have to stay positive and hopefully everything will be ok. I recently had all my fluid removed I was banded Sept 2010 and dealt with pain, heart burn and throwing up in my sleep every night due to my band being so tight, food only went down when I took deep breaths... The X-ray tech let me view when I did a barium swallow. I've dealt with this since last thanksgiving and finally I'm feeling better. Of course I was worried because I have no fluid but I'd rather try my willpower and heal and start over. I did gain 9 pounds but I did over indulge over the holidays but I'm still working out and ready to start again... Just a minor set back. Stay positive. I'm like you I love my band it has made a big difference in my life.

Try not to panic to much until you talk to the surgeon tomorrow. If you are not comfortable with doing a surgery tomorrow with what they are telling you, then u might have to get a second opinion. If you are able to keep things down now that they removed the Fluid, then it might not be that much of an emergency. See what the surgeon says tomorrow.

good luck, please keep us informed..