Hello,

I posted here way back when I had my surgery in 2006 but I haven't been back in years. I tried talking to some folks at OH.com but.... not too helpful there.

Here's my story and question. I will try to make it short and sweet.

I got banded in July, 2006 with the 10cc band. I lost 130 lbw in the first year and got down to a size 6 (from a 22!). I still love my band and I am happy with my decision to have it but the last few years have been bad to me. I lost my job and insurance about a year after having the band. I was able to self pay a few times to get into my doctor for check ups but after year 2 or 3, I could not afford to go back. In that time, I gained 70 lbs back and I have had horrible acid reflux with aspiration.

I was recently able to get on the state funded insurance program and upon telling my PCP what was happening, she referred me to a local bariatric surgeon (not the same that did my surgery) I had to jump through a bunch of hoops with them to get in as an "adoption case" as they weren't the ones who performed my surgery and my appointment is today.

This past weekend I ended up in the ER not being able to eat, drink or even swallow saliva. It was very all of the sudden and I hadn't even eaten anything that day, only had coffee. The ER I went to was clearly inept at handling band patients but by the guidance of my former surgeon, they did unfill me under flouroscopy and that is how we saw the slip. I think I already knew just going by my syptoms for the past 2-3 years and the weight gain and the increase in amount of food I can eat.

The band is supposed to lay horizontal or point up towards the shoulder. Mine angles down towards my hip bone. They also found I have a hiatial (sp?) hernia.

I did get in with my former surgeon and he said I definetly need surgery. He recommends transitioning to a bypass or sleeve but my insurance wont cover that and I don't have 25k lying aroung.

He indicated that after repositioning, there is only a 50/50 chance that I will lose the weight again. That scares me. I am thinner and healthier than I was, but not where I want or need to be. At 5'8 and 224, I am considered obese now.

So my question is, has anyone else had their band sugically re-positioned and still managed to lose weight as they did before? Or did you just continue to have problems?

Im on my way to the other surgeon right now for his imput but any comments or sharing your experiences would really be helpful.

Thanks so much!

Kayla

Well, obviously not many folks here have had a similar experience but we want to know how this works out for you? Keep in touch?

Be positive, you've been successful before and you can be on the positive side of the 50/50!

tmf

HI Kayla,

We sort of have the same situation. I was banded in 2008 and was 10 pounds short of goal when I began having problems with vomiting, sweats, rapid heart rate. I had a really bad experience one night that brought me to the ER but I took some Pepcid and GasX and by the time I got to the ER the pain was beginning to subside. Went to my dr's the following day and told them I want the band removed. I figured it caused me enough problems. I was schedule for next Weds. and was thinking about bypass.

I decided not to have it removed. I gained .4 pounds and finally came to the truth with myself I cannot do this alone. I need support from others that have been there and it seems some of the "rules" changed from when I had it put in.

I had my fill today and so far so good. I do feel some restriction, but we are starting back at square one where I don't have much of a fill. I'm scared to do bypass as when my girlfriend had it done, she almost died. She was in the hospital for 2 months and she has gained every pound back and more!!! Don't let anyone push you into anything. It's your body and even though they say bypass is reversible, it's a major major surgery. Sorry to go on..

Thank you both for your responses. I went to another dr today. This doc is obviously not a fan of the band and suggested I justtake it out. He had me do a barium swallow and then did a total unfill. He said if I just go on the liquid diet for two weeks, the slip will fix itself? Now I'm really confused. And scared to death that I am going to gain even more weight.

I'm sorry that your going through this,I'd hope that things can be resolved but the reality is that it probably Won't. I'd get the band removed rather than risk more complications. Reflux, and aspiration are NOT NORMAL. And you don't HAVE to have ANY other WLS, just because your surgeon does a particular surgery. And yes I know about the emotional roller coaster ride you'll be on if you choose not to revise. BUT I believe your STRONG enough to do what is needed. Don't risk your health further.

I've copied some literature about slips.

Complications associated with adjustable gastric banding for morbid obesity: a surgeon’s guide

Anterior slip results from upward migration of the anterior wall of the stomach through the band. This can be due to insufficient anterior fixation and disruption of the fixation sutures. The second cause may be related to increased pressure in the pouch due to early solid food, vomiting, overeating or early (< 4 wk) band fill

Posterior slip is defined as a herniation of the posterior wall of the stomach through the band. This is usually related to the surgical technique but is less frequent now with adoption of the pars flaccida approach instead of the perigastric approach

In both types of slip, the patient usually presents with dysphagia, vomiting, regurgitation and food intolerance. The diagnosis is made by upper gastrointestinal series. Complications related to band slip include gastric perforation, necrosis of the slipped stomach (type-V prolapse), upper gastrointestinal bleeding and aspiration pneumonia.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038361/

I am going through a similar thing. I was banded in Dec 2009, I lost weight slow but steadily for a total of 125 pounds and I was at my goal weight and very happy. Then in Nov of last year I got food poisoning and I was so sick and I couldn't keep anything down. When I got over it I still had problems keeping food down but not all the time. I would be fine for a few days and then have a bout of vomiting and this keep happening. I lost 20 more pounds in a few months and for the first time in my life I was being told I was too thin & I was getting scared.

I went to my gastroenterologist and he tested me for everything from parasites, Crohn's disease, cilliacs disease, food allergies and I had a colonoscopy to rule out everything....... I mean every test known to man and then he told me he thought it was my band and so I had an EGD and he couldn't even get the scope through even though my band was completely empty. This is the part that ticks me off, I went to my surgeon to have my band emptied for the EGD & he knew I was sick but he said it wasn't my band. It took my gastro Doc going to him and showing him the pictures (from the scope) and convincing him that the severe vomiting from the food poisoning probably caused the slippage but it was definitely the band nd noting else. Low & behold I had an appointment with my surgeon and was scheduled for surgery the next day. He discovered a severe hiatal hernia due to the band slippage (and from 5 months of vomiting) and he removed my band (he said it was defective) repaired the hernia and was told to recover for 8 weeks. I'm scheduled to have a new band put in June 4th.

I am so scared of regaining all the weight I lost. I HAD to put on 20lbs to be at a healthy weight and to help the anemia but now I can't stop eating. I don't know if its nerves or the fact I can eat now, but I can't stop eating. I have a few weeks left til my surgery and I can't wait to have it done and over with but everyone keeps trying to talk me out of the surgery but I am going to do it. I wish you luck, I wish us both luck, lol....Cindy