It was suggested to me that I post here regarding my complications with my Lap-Band.

I haven't checked to see which LBT member has had a Lap-Band the longest amount of time, but I am sure that I am up there.

September, 2002: Weight = 327

Today: weight = 232

But that is the good part.

The bad part is:

#1. I lost from 327 to about 260 by the end of the year. I then fluctuated between 265 and 245 until April of this year.

#2. I started having very bad gastric reflux problems and in a attempt to self-cure myself, I am now down to 232, but having problems which could be life threatening.

Let me explain (I will do it in chronological order rather than in order of importance):

Everything was going fine until the second band adjustment in November 2002. Then I had my first PB attacks. I was told that it happens sometimes.

The frustrating thing about the PB attacks is that I have no way of gauging when they will happen. I can eat x amount of food y one day and get the PB's. Another day, I can eat 4x of y with no problem.

PB's can so debilitating, that I spend my concentration on avoiding them rather than losing weight or eating healthy at times. I was told to drink a cup of Water about 30 minutes prior to eating and then no liquids until a minimum of 2 hours after the meal. Whether I drank the water before the meals or not, I found that PB's happened too often. I also found that warm liquid sometimes shortened the PB attack.

Eventually, all my meals were soupy type stews. I know I was defeating the Lap-Band's effect by washing food from the upper pouch to the lower stomach, but if it kept the PB's away, I was happy.

I would listen to the doctor's advice on PB's, but usually after a month of failure, I would go back to my own methods. Positional changes, liquids, etc were tried. I did what I had to do. I will try the method suggested in the Possible Solution for PB's and restriction pain thread when I get a chance. Hopefully, I'll never need to have to check it out.

I had the surgery in Brooklyn, NY. I moved from Brooklyn to Florida about 14 months later. The closest doctor that takes my insurance is 101.64 miles away. I say takes my insurance, but there is a problem there. When I had the surgery performed, I was on COBRA, now I am retired. The insurance paid for the surgery, but the retirement plan claims that I am not covered for Bariatric surgery or complications. It is the same plan, I say, but they disagree. That means for a band adjustment, the insurance will not pay, but they will pay for the endoscopy. I went from February 2003 until January 2005 without seeing a doctor because of the insurance and distance problems. My fill-port is difficult to find, so they do it in radiology which jacks up the price.

Since going to the doctor in Florida for the first time in January 2005, I had had two band adjustments and an endoscopy Until this April. Whenever I had a bad PB attack ("bad" defined as over 2 hours before I stop regurgitating), I found that PB attacks were more prevalent in the next few days, so I would use the same eating regiment as if I had a band tightening and then after about 2 weeks, I would start eating normally. Normally for me though is over-eating for a Lap-Band patient, though not eating like I did before getting the Lap-Band. My wife and I usually share one meal in a restaurant (plus we don't eat the bread or desert). Prior to the Lap-Band, I would eat one meal and then finish what would have been my wife's "doggie-bag" from her meal including bread.

My big problem weight-wise is that I get the munchies at night. If I am doing things on my PC, I can go for hours (or days) without eating, but once I sit down to watch the TV, I wear a path between my recliner and the kitchen.

I started having gastric reflux attacks about 18 months ago. I am now taking two Nexiums per day. But recently the attacks became more prevalent and stronger. It got to the point that last Saturday, I spent the night sitting in my recliner and I was still waking up with my mouth full and sometimes there was Fluid coming out of my nose. Tums and Pepto Bismal were used alternately and continually. I went 4 days without eating. I would drink 8 oz. of soymilk in the morning, 8 oz. of V8 juice around noon and a cup or two of water during the day. And I still had the reflux problem. I called the Bariatric clinic that is 100 miles from my home and they said come in today (Monday, June 5, 2006). They removed all the fluid from my band and I finally had 2 nights without reflux.

Tomorrow, they will do an endoscopy on me.

NEWS FLASH!!

the women flocked around a mystery man named BIG.

Does Carrie know??

Best wishes for a promsing outcome. Keep us posted.

Glad to hear everything is O.K. Maybe things will start looking better for you!! : )

Hi T.O.M

I'm glad it's nothing really serious.

I hae gastritis, pretty badly. I've had it since I was in my 20's though. A Pepcid every day seems to help keep it in control. Aloe vera juice soothes the stomach mucousa lining and believe it or not, charcoal capsules.

I don't think it ever goes away.

Certain things really trigger it. Mine are peppers, onions,tomatos, ice cream, chocolate and coffee. Some days tea can do it too.Try to notice what it is for yourself.

For now, maybe, but just like my eating problem, I want it all.

I think you gave yourself the wrong name if you intend to take all of Jack's harem away from him. You might want to give that some more consideration. He has quite a following on here. Make sure you are up to the task :eek:

NEWS FLASH!!

A tired old man and a salty old sea pirate were both arrested today by LBT police for disturbing the peace. Eyewitnesses say the two were engaged in a heated battle over a group of women who cheered them on. When asked for comments, the pirate simply said, "Arrrg!" and the tired old man just yawned. After the two were taken away, the women flocked around a mystery man named BIG. He was last seen grinning from ear to ear and proclaiming "nuff said!".

ROFL!!

And a cowbell was heard...ringing in the distance....

I'm glad to hear that you saw an MD, had a diagnostic test, and that you're on the road to discovery. Take it easy for the next day or so.

I'm glad to hear that you saw an MD, had a diagnostic test, and that you're on the road to discovery. Take it easy for the next day or so.

I will be taking it easy. My throat is so sore from the Endoscopy, that I can barely write this. I can't type without saying (what I am writing) out-load. It means that I either have to write very fast or talk very slow.:cool:

I have to drive home today from my friend's house. It is about a 90 mile drive.:help:

Thanx2all of you4your encouragement.

4the rest of you who boubt my ability2take over Jack's harem, "Why do you think that I am so tired?":clap2:

Practice

Practice

Practice

Hey T.O.M. I saw on another thread that Penni sells some stuff that might help your throat. *grins and cracks up laughing* :pound:

(Seriously -which I rarely am- I'm glad everything's ok with your band and I hope the antibiotics get that thing in your tummy killed real quick!)

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori.

So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

Wow, hang in there, T.O.Man

I've been technically banded just over 5 years (since original FDA study before approval) and I battled severe illness for a long time after banding only to find out that my old-school 2001 band wasn't working properly.

Had the tube & access port replaced in 2005 and my new re-banding journey began then. I'm finally seeing some progress now.

Welcome aboard, mate - and I hope the docs get to the bottom of your band issues.

Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Hey Tired,

I appreciate all your info. I had the same thing happen to me last night. I was sick with a virus last Monday and Tuesday had quite a lot of vomiting and I know that is a bad thing. I took phenegran to control it, but was a little late getting that into my system. I haven't been able to eat anything solid since then except for last Friday night. I was able to get down about 2 oz of prime rib. I did PB a little... but most of it stayed down. Last night I went to dinner with some friends and I ordered Soup and I just ate the broth and no veggies. When I got home a ate a tsp of Peanut Butter, trying to get some Protein. Big mistake. I PB'd for at least 2 hours. I layed down to go to bed and had reflux coming up all night long. I did not sleep AT ALL. I am constantly struggling with fills and unfills and for some reason I will get tight about a month after getting a fill. I had an EGD about a month ago and everything looked great. I am debating on whether or not I need another unfill. I think I am swollen from the virus. I have never in my life had refux and that was just awful. I took a pepsid last night and it did not help at all. I took a nexium this morning and I do feel a little better. My throat is really sore from the acid. I drank some hot tea and then some coffee (I needed the caffine) I know the coffee is not good for the reflux. I appreciate your post and glad you are doing better. I guess if I am not better by Thursday, then I will go back for an unfill. Best of luck on your weightloss.