I have been gone for awhile from lapband talk. It's good to be back. You cant beat the support on this forum! This is for Kashia, and all of you others who are suffering form complications from the lap. I have had 2 great years since being banded, with 90 lbs off. I have had some complications over the last year, which have really gotten worse lately. I am in the process of trying to get a lap band revision surgery approved by the insurance, for after having an upper GI, the surgeon thinks the band may have slipped. I too, have tried to understand what has happened, and have at times blamed myself. After much research, here is my conclusion:

I received the adjustable lap band 2 years ago, when it was fairly new to the states, and therefore the stitching techniques were new to the surgeons. I went to a reputable surgeon, who was also the only one in my area approved by my insurance at the time. He did every surgery known to man, including the lap. I found out after the fact, that he had only done 20 lap bands. I am not blaming him, but we all know... practice makes perfect! Anyway, I have found out that MANY lap banders have had a problem with slippage if you were banded in 2004-2005. My new surgeon tells me the stitching technique has now been updated to assist with Band slippage. I have read some guilt stories on this forum where some of you are feeling responsible. I too have had guilt feelings. One thing I KNOW I DID WRONG, ( which I believe is a dirty little secret that many lap banders are too ashamed to talk about is forced vomiting.) Please hear me... I was never bulimic at all before my weight loss. An overeater...YES, but never bulimic. The shear fact is I many times feel I ate the wrong things, or the wrong amounts, and food got stuck and made me miserable, and instead of waiting for food to go down slowly and painfully, I stuck my finger down my throat. Do I think this made by band slip? Well lets just say it didnt help matters! But nobody ever told me to be careful of this... I want to help others of you out there know that this is not good for your band! Lets face it... WE ARE ALL NEW AT THIS! We are all trying to break years of unhealthy habits! The doctors are obviously new at this too. I think band slippage is an individual thing, and it can happen for a number of reasons. I have heard success stories of people getting the band revised and doing just fine. I am praying and staying hopeful and my insurance will approve the revision, and that I will be successful in managing my band better this time. I DO NOT want to lose my band and I AM NOT giving up... for I believe it is a great tool, and has changed my life. One thing I have also learned, is that you have to be careful during stressful times of your life. Your stomach restricts when you are stressed, which can cause your band to be tighter, and I feel while I was nursing my husband back from a near fatal accident, and while I lost a pregnancy and then went through a late in life adoption of my baby, my stress factors contributed to my lap problems.. ANYWAY...I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK OUT THERE FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED WITH SLIPPAGE, ACID REFLUX, TROUBLE KEEPING SOLIDS DOWN< LOSS OF SLEEP DUE TO ASPIRATING FOOD AT NIGHT, SEVERE BURPING AND GURGGLING NOICES... all of which I have had. Thanks for your response and support. If you are expereincing any of these, please dont feel alone....

Lets stick together, and we can get through this! We all deserve the healthy life we are pursuing! Take care~ Bullit143

Wheeler, so you are a fellow Aussie? My computer has been down, so I couldnt reply till now!

Did the Prof. put the band in too high?? That sounds like a big stuff up! Also why did they replace the band, and not just reposition it after the slip?? With all that farting it sounds like a gastric bypass!!! LOL But, in all seriousness, thats just not good enough! Gee, the band is sounding less & less perfect isnt it?? I also lost about 40kgs & it comes back very quickly when the band is not working...for me anyway!!!

Please keep us posted. Maybe we will cross paths at the Ave!

Hi Curley

Yes prof placed it too high, and I understand that my first band was not exactly in the right spot either, or something to that effect and that is why it slipped. I think he replaced it cause the first was a 5ml band and with scar tissue etc needed the bigger one. I understand that in oct when I go in to fix this one he will be only repositioning but who knows, depends on what he finds. I am worried about bad scarring internally so the band wont sit right again, its just a bloody nightmare.

Do you ever go on the aussie band support site called ozbanders? I do but hardly ever post, if you're interested let me know and I'll give you the link. Do you know any other bandsters in Melbourne, I know two and we regularly talk, others that I knew it kinda trailed off. Let me know how you go with prof, and I do hope I see you one day:)

Ety

Cathy, you may want to put your experience in Life after Lap band removal. The more information we all have, the better.

SO Sorry you had to have ithe band removed BUT so happy you are feeling better!!!

Stay in touch. Barbara