Hello all,

I am approaching my 2-year bandiversary. My highest weight was 330. Today, at 5'8", I am at my goal of 165. Woo hooo!!

On December 8th of 2005, I had an abdominoplasty and a bi-lateral mastopexy with augmentation. It was an 11 hour surgery. I have healed wonderfully from the PS and I can only marvel at life without a stomach that hangs down to my thighs and boobs that hang down to my navel. I didn't find recovery to be that painful or difficult.

HOWEVER, this surgery set into motion a series of health issues that I am still combating to this day (6 mos later). First, due to the Fluid that my body retained after surgery, my stomach tissue became swollen. My band got too tight, my stoma got irritated and I became completely obstructed. I ended up in the hospital on I.V. hydration and a barium swallow study showed my band had migrated and that my pouch had a dilitation. I had to go on 6 weeks of fluids. Even though the migration was resolved (Thank you, God!), we are still battling my adjustment level. 10th's of cc's make the difference between too tight and too loose. (I'm at 0.15 cc's in a 4cc inamed band)

I also developed a raging sleep disorder after 11 hours under anesthesia. I can get to sleep just fine, I just can't stay asleep. Most nights, I get about 5 hours of sleep. I am a VERY high energy person. 5 hours is not enough. I crash about halfway through the afternoon. So, my PCP has worked with me trying every sleep strategy and sleep medication known to man. Nothing has helped me get more than 6 hours of sleep per night.

Between the anesthesia, the migration, the grey New York winter (I'm a Georgia girl), the liquid diet and the sleep disorder, I developed major depressive disorder (single episode) and am on an SSRI. Fortunately, the medication resolved the depressive symptoms. But, for a few weeks I was sliding down a hole that I didn't know I could ever climb out of.

NOW I am struggling with what may be a partial bowel obstruction, adhesions or an illius. I have a full abdominal CT scan on Wednesday to determine if any of those conditions explain why I am in pain 30 minutes after I eat in an area below my navel.

The plastic surgery went fine. The dominos that keep coming down are about to drive me crazy. I'm 44 years old and feel like I have "lost" the last 6 months of my life. I've gone from doctor to doctor, and as much as I adore my team of physicians, I grow weary of being "the patient." This whole episode has had ramifications in my personal life, my spiritual life, my married life, and my work life. Being sick and tired all the time puts a strain on all of those relationships.

So, I thought I would write and share my experience. I truly believe that I am on the road to recovery... it just seems that road is much longer than I ever expected it would be!

Hi Julie!

You look absolutely beautiful & you inspire me. I will never forget when I first joined LBT, I saw a post from you where you posted pictures of you when you hit your year mark. You had your cute hat on & looked so beautiful!! We are about the same height & I really looked to you as what I wanted to be when I hit goal. THANKS!!

I am so sorry you're having these issues. I am just wondering about something. You said that your band migrated & that your pouch had a dilitation. Can you explain what a dilitation is?!? Is it kindof like a slip?!?

I also retain Water during my period & can hardly drink. If I ever get a reduction, I'd like to stay safe.

Thanks Julie!!

Thank you Diane! Yeh, I love that picture too. It was at a tea party that some ladies at my church had. The hat was part of the garden atmosphere.

A dilitation is just a fancy word for swelling. A healthy pouch/band/stomach picture should look like a very small hour glass without much expansion above the band. My picture looked like a dumbell. The pouch was enlarged and rounded, the band looked like a belt that was put on too tight, and the stomach below the band was swollen too. My band was oriented improperly. It should actually be at a slant, at about 2:00 and 8:00 on a watch face. My band was at 3:00 and 9:00 - flat. Flat is not good.

As it turns out, the swelling had displaced the band without damaging the sutchers. So, when the swelling went down, the band rebounded back into it's proper orientation. I was VERY, VERY fortunate that I didn't require a surgical intervention.

If you have monthly tightness, please be sure to have this discussion with both your bariatric surgeon AND your plastic surgeon.

Hugs,

Hi Julie,

I also had PS after a 154 pound weight loss with the band. There are problems associated with an unfill too. I had a full TT and medial thighplasty. Two surgeons worked on me so I was under for only 4 hours instead of the 8 hours associated with these two procedures. IT was rough. I had some of my fill taken out by my plastic surgeon only to find out 6 weeks later that all my fill was taken out instead. I have gained weight, cant seem to get the proper level of restriction and my fill doc said that that my band seems a little bit off from ideal position. Nothing terrible, but it might be what is causing my lack of restriction. If we cant resolve this, I might need another surgery. He said another unfill might do the trick, more fill might do the trick. I dont think they really know what to do about me. i do not have all the other post op complications you describe and i am sorry to hear that this has been as difficult as it has been for you.

I guess what I am saying is that I wish they never unfilled me and left everything alone, but it is possible that if they hadnt, maybe I might be having some of the problems you are having as well. Hang in there and I hope things get better.

Babs in TX

334/180 ish

-154 ish

Hi Babs,

I am so grateful for those of you who have put a different experience than mine, as it relates to the fill. I think it is helpful to people who are thinking about PS to know that there are options. I guess the key is that we each have to know our own body, and we each have to advocate for what's best for us.

Now that I know how my band reacts to abdominal surgery, I will ALWAYS have an unfill before surgery. I'm sorry that you've had trouble getting back to your sweet spot. It has been a struggle for me as well. I'm not sure why we can't just go back to my pre-surgery fill level. But, that doesn't seem to be what I need. I have a teensie little fill now and sometimes that is too tight. I think that even though my migration resolved, the band is not exactly in the same place it was before.

Hugs,

Julie,

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I had no clue that being under for a long period of time could wreck havoc on your sleeping patterns.

I wish you some peace and quiet. My husband just suggested acupuncture or hypnosis. He has bad insomnia although not from athe same problem.

Hopefully the bowel obstruction will be solved quickly.

However, you are an inspiration. I haven't been banded yet (JULY) but truly you are a success story. You should be so proud of yourself. And your picture is beautiful. Keep us posted.

Julie,

I'm so sorry to hear this. Hugs...

Hope you are doing better.

KarenA

It was because of your post that I decided to have the fill in my band COMPLETELY removed, not just partially as some suggested. I am 8 days post op tt, mr, lipo....

again thanks....

It was because of your post that I decided to have the fill in my band COMPLETELY removed, not just partially as some suggested. I am 8 days post op tt, mr, lipo

Alice, you are so welcome. So, how are you doing at 8 days post op. If I remember correctly, I wasn't walking upright yet.... lol.

By the way... I have a new band now. The domino effect finally got to me. I had another crisis & unfill two weeks ago. The surgeons decided to do emergency surgery and give me a VG band. I'm recovering nicely. Although, I MUST say, going through the post op regimine AGAIN, is a pain... lol.

Hugs,

Wow Julie, I loved hearing your story! So sorry to hear about your complications, and I hope getting this new band will solve a lot.

I would love to see any before and afters you have. You are a real inspiration!

Hi Julie

I had a TT and BL 3 months ago and at the suggestion of my surgeon didnt have any fill taken out. The explanation I got was similiar to Newsho. I found about 8 weeks out even with no fill out that I had lost pretty much all of my restriction. Something to do with the removal of fat and skin and rapid weight loss after the surgery made my band loose???? Who knows if its true.

I was wondering with you having your band replaced after your TT did it mess up your TT at all? i was wondering about this myself the other day. Did your Dr also find he couldnt pull your skin down as much as he does with other patients because of the port?

I am amazed at my results and I am so happy, no apron to the mid thighs anymore. I am in 3 mth swell hell again this week and it has me hunched back over at night, cant wait to get passed all this.

Anyway hope everything works out for you and congrats

Hi Julie

I had a TT and BL 3 months ago and at the suggestion of my surgeon didnt have any fill taken out. ...

I was wondering with you having your band replaced after your TT did it mess up your TT at all? i was wondering about this myself the other day. Did your Dr also find he couldnt pull your skin down as much as he does with other patients because of the port?

I am amazed at my results and I am so happy, no apron to the mid thighs anymore. I am in 3 mth swell hell again this week and it has me hunched back over at night, cant wait to get passed all this.

Anyway hope everything works out for you and congrats

Hi Kellie! Again, the decision to take fill our or not is individual. I will take fill out for ANY abdominal surgery I have from here on out. The results were too catrophic for having not done it this past time.

My bariatic surgeons were extremely careful with the plastic surgery work that had been done on my abdomen. In fact, they consulted with my PS in order to determine the best placement for the instrumentation. They worked hard to put new scars near or on top of existing scars. So, they did not damage my abdominal reconstructive work at all. Additionally, if they were required to convert my lap procedure to an open procedure, the plastic surgeon was willing to come in and close me up so that he would put me back together the way he wanted me back together.

I have excellent physician watching out after me. I could not be more please with the healthcare I receive!!

Hugs,