My band was removed

jigglypuff · April 22, 2006

Dear Mary Ann-

I am so sorry that your band had to be removed. I'm glad you are back and feeling safe and snug in your home. Please know that I am thinking of you and sending you good thoughts and a speedy recovery.

I, myself, am back from TJ since Tuesday. I did not have to have surgery after all, although my pouch apparently looks the same as when I went in March and had the unfill. I feel like I have rec'd conflicting responses from Dr. Martinez--I was told in March that if the pouch did not go down in size with the unfill and rest, that I would probably need surgery. Then this week I am told that the pouch is the same as last time, but it is normal for pouches to get enlarged after being banded a certain period of time (small enlargement like a plum, not big like an orange) and I don't have to have the surgery.

I could have a fill, but the amt has to be very conservative. He basically told me that weight loss would probably be very slow and I would have to really optimize and work with the small restriction I got--1.4CC. This is even less than my first fill amt of 1.6cc.

I am waiting for the shoe to drop--one of these days, I will really be slipped and have to deal with that misery again and probably have to have band removal. Anyway, you seem like you are such a nice person and I truly wish you all the best.

Barbara

Ana Maria · April 22, 2006

Barbara,

I saw so many people in the waiting room at the surgery center, but being the somewhat introverted person I am wasn't going to go around asking, "ARe you Barbara?" Ha! Ha! I'm glad you're back. Back in January 2005 when I had my unfill my pouch was about the size of a plum. Dr. M and Dr. O didn't say so definitively, but agreed with my assessment that my constant pouch packing and PBing probably led to the stomach being pulled up through the band even more between January 2005 and now. They did say that carbonation WAS NOT the reason. My problem was I didn't have any leeway because there was no more fill to be removed. In your case you have saline left in your band. I think if it was a problem they would have removed all of the fill and left it out, but it sounds like they put back in 1.4ccs is that right? ARe you wide open when your band is unfilled? Do you PB alot or pack your pouch too full? If not, I bet there is an excellent chance that your band WILL NOT slip. If you start getting reflux in a bad way (hell, in any way) get back down there. In the unlikely event that your band does slip I bet you anything they can reposition it successfully. My case was different/unusual because I was tight without any fill. Know what I mean? In any case let's keep in touch about it.

This morning I enjoyed Breakfast out with a friend for the first time in over 3 years. It was such a simple pleasure I could hardly stand it. I ordered bacon, eggs, a pancake, & sliced tomatoes, and hot coffee. My friend was shocked at how little I ate and kept saying, "ARe you sure you don't have that band?" I kept giving her more and more of my food. I slowly ate about 5 bites of the eggs, 2 bites of tomatoe, 2 slices of bacon, 1 small pancake, and the coffee which ended up being about 1/4 of what was on my plate. I felt perfectly satisfied and not overly full at all. I felt like I was out of prison. Afterwards I went into Little Tokyo to pick up something and stopped by the Farmer's Market. I saw a basket of beautiful strawberries. I looked at them and then remembered, "Oh my god I can eat these gorgeous things!" They are sitting in the fridge for desert later and snacking.

I hope I don't sound like I am gloating it's just that I was so miserable for so long and now it's like an Iron cuff around my throat has finally been unlocked and thrown out for good. Thinking about it makes me emotional. I read a John Steinbeck quote recently: "What good is warmth without cold to give it sweetness." What more can I say?" For me, in this moment, life is good.

-Mary Ann