Hi, I went for a routine check-up the other day and I'm having very frequent heartburn. My doc said I have to have an upper GI to see if my stomach has prolapsed up through my band--he said it's common? Has this happened to any of you and is this due to something I did?

I go in the morning. He said if it has come up through the band he'd unfill me for a month to let it go back down. I'm very concerned please talk to me if this has happened to you. Thanks!

If I understand his terminology correctly this is the same thing as a slippage. Either the band has slipped up or the band has slipped down. Either way an unfill can get things back to normal.

And yes it is common to slip.

Yes, this is the same as a slip. Sometimes surgeons (myself included!) are reluctant to use the word "slip". No use fretting until you get the test, even if you are slipped it's easily fixed.

Good luck!

Dr. C

Cincinnati, Ohio

877.442.BAND

Hello, does anybody have a home remedy for painful Spams in port area had some pain 3 weeks ago so sharp i ended up at the ER. this week Ive been having painful spasms again I have to lay down for hours, its so hard when u have 2 small children running around, WHAT SHOULD I DO? IS THIS NORMAL????:help:

You will see my post on here about my slippage. Sometimes they can fix themselves and sometimes not. Try not to stress about it, I think most of them will fix on their own if you give it the time and proper care it needs. Good luck to you!

Dr C. I need your help I had an unfill May 25 and my Dr removed 1.00 cc(I was at 2.8). I went back on JUne 6 to get a fill and he put back .6cc(took me to 2.4) well I was still able to eat everything but the kitchen sink so I went back last thursday and he filled it another .2cc (took me to 2.6) well I am still eating alot. I am going to go back to get my 2.8 back and pray that will do it. I have heard you can stretch your pouch what does that mean and can it be fixed easily? I really don't want to go back and gain all the weight Ive lost. I had lost 123 before the unfill nightmare now I've gained 9 of those lbs back . Help me please. What can I do?

Is it really so common? What does "common" mean in numbers? I thought the statistics were 1-3%. At least my Doc stats were low.

Why don't the surgeons anchor the band to prevent common slippage. I have read that many times when the band slips, they go back in and anchor it, so why don't they do that the first time? It seems it would save a lot of pain, and money for those paying for the surgery. Can and will you answer this question? I am not banded yet and the reason is the money involved and the possibility of a second and third surgery due to slippage. I am not sure the insurance will pay for it. I am fairly healthy though I am overweight. The woman answering my questions at one doctors office said I needed to gain 10 more pounds if I don't have at least two serious health problems due to my obesity. Do I really want two serious health problems on my record for insurance purposes? Will they consider health issues in the family? My mother had diabetes II and heart disease.......but I don't yet. They are getting ready to grade us for health insurance just like they do for car insurance. I know my weight will be a factor in that grading..........

I can not afford a slippage for any reason if I get this surgery. Even if insurance pays for the majority of it, I can not miss that much work. Can they anchor the band the first time? What can I do to make sure they do this? Why don't they automatically do this?

Thanks

Yes, this is the same as a slip. Sometimes surgeons (myself included!) are reluctant to use the word "slip". No use fretting until you get the test, even if you are slipped it's easily fixed.

Good luck!

Dr. C

Cincinnati, Ohio

877.442.BAND

Stretching your pouch happens when band patients are too tight (meaning lots of PB's and reflux) for a long time, or if you stuff yourself to the overfull point all the time. If it happens, it's a problem, so take it seriously. However, if your aren't losing weight and you can eat too much, you shouldn't be too tight. Make sense?

Dr. C

Did you really read what I wrote? Because you did not answer my question. I am not even banded yet............

Thanks..........

Stretching your pouch happens when band patients are too tight (meaning lots of PB's and reflux) for a long time, or if you stuff yourself to the overfull point all the time. If it happens, it's a problem, so take it seriously. However, if your aren't losing weight and you can eat too much, you shouldn't be too tight. Make sense?

Dr. C

Why don't the surgeons anchor the band to prevent common slippage. I have read that many times when the band slips, they go back in and anchor it, so why don't they do that the first time? It seems it would save a lot of pain, and money for those paying for the surgery.

The surgeon that will do my banding does indeed anchor the band when he puts it in. That does help. But also, when people talk about slipping, I think sometimes they are talking about the stomach coming up through the band. Which sometimes can be treated with an un-fill for a time.

Lisa, who is your doctor? Where is he? I want one that will take every precaution possible. Thanks for your response. It makes some sense. I am just now in the research phase of this possibility. Tell me as much about your doctor as possible. I don't mind going out of my geographical location for a good doctor. Heck I just got back from a 2600 mile trip and will be taking two more trips similar in distance within the next few weeks. So, I don't mind traveling at all for the "right" doc.

Thanks

Lisa, who is your doctor? Where is he? I want one that will take every precaution possible. Thanks for your response. It makes some sense. I am just now in the research phase of this possibility. Tell me as much about your doctor as possible. I don't mind going out of my geographical location for a good doctor. Heck I just got back from a 2600 mile trip and will be taking two more trips similar in distance within the next few weeks. So, I don't mind traveling at all for the "right" doc.

Thanks

My Dr. is Dr. Montgomery at the NWWLS in Everett Wa. He banded my husband almost 2 years ago, and I'm really impressed by him and the clinic. He and his partner have done something like 1400 bands between them, it's now all they do at their clinic. They have great support staff and I liked their approach. They do their best to make sure all your questions are answered, that they have explained the pros and cons of this surgery. They take their time and really listen to you. They offer good after-surgery support. Fills for the first year are included in the fee, they are always available by phone and in person to answer questions, and they have a monthly support group that meets at their clinic.

They also now will cover their fees for any additional procedure that has to be done on a self-pay patient, which I am. That doesn't cover fees they have no control over, for example the anthesitologist(sp?) or other facility fees, but that made me feel better. They have confidence in their work to back it up.

My best advice is to talk to a lot of people about their experiences, and go to seminars and talk to surgeons.

Sorry, I was responding to DCPrincess. The lack of threading on this board makes this process very confusing.

Dr. C

Did you really read what I wrote? Because you did not answer my question. I am not even banded yet............

Thanks..........

All surgeons to my knowledge anchor the band at the time of the first surgery to prevent a slip. It just isn't foolproof. No insurance companies that I know of take into consideration your family history when looking at approving you for banding.

Dr. C

Why don't the surgeons anchor the band to prevent common slippage. I have read that many times when the band slips, they go back in and anchor it, so why don't they do that the first time? It seems it would save a lot of pain, and money for those paying for the surgery. Can and will you answer this question? I am not banded yet and the reason is the money involved and the possibility of a second and third surgery due to slippage. I am not sure the insurance will pay for it. I am fairly healthy though I am overweight. The woman answering my questions at one doctors office said I needed to gain 10 more pounds if I don't have at least two serious health problems due to my obesity. Do I really want two serious health problems on my record for insurance purposes? Will they consider health issues in the family? My mother had diabetes II and heart disease.......but I don't yet. They are getting ready to grade us for health insurance just like they do for car insurance. I know my weight will be a factor in that grading..........

I can not afford a slippage for any reason if I get this surgery. Even if insurance pays for the majority of it, I can not miss that much work. Can they anchor the band the first time? What can I do to make sure they do this? Why don't they automatically do this?

Thanks

All surgeons to my knowledge anchor the band at the time of the first surgery to prevent a slip. It just isn't foolproof.

Dr. C

I wondered about that, it seemed like something that a lot of surgeons would do.