Greetings from Ireland again - Well, I guess I'm about due for band issues - I will be three years banded in October - I have a 11cc Inamed band, with a 9cc fill capability - it was filled with 3cc during surgery, and I had one (my first!) fill last year - february 2005 - I had my surgery in Paris, France - and now see a surgeon in England for my post-op care, adjustments etc as the language difference was getting to be a problem.... Anyway, I got my first fill - up to 6cc in Feb 2005 - and everything was going sort of ok - I have lost 92lbs, and then started to put weight back on a little - I have gone up ten pounds as I have been suffering from depression - I got over that crappy 8 months, and decided to go for another fill to re-motivate me and get me back losing - I had purposly left my restriction low for this reason.

I went for a fill yesterday to my surgeon in the UK - he also does gastric bypass, and thinks this is a vastly superior surgery for weight loss - his first question to me was "Do you really think the band works? BE HONEST!" . He does the fills blind, so I lay on the couch thingy and he tried to aspirate my band to see how much of the 6cc he can get out - well, he got out NOTHING - I was thinking - "oh no, I have a leak" - then he had the idea of putting in 1cc and then trying to remove that - he put it in, but again could get nothing out...

So basically he thinks, I coud have a leak ( a big one ) or my tubing is kinked, where saline can go in, but not be removed - we couldn't stay any longer with him as we had flights booked to go home - I am to go get a barium swallow/fluoroscopy deal done and email him the images - how this will show us what the problem with the tubes beats me but that's what he wants. I asked what does he really feel is the issue? He answered (he's Belgian, so add an accent!) "deep in my heart I feel the band is trouble - get it out"

:faint:

Anyone have any ideas? I'd be so grateful :success1:

Hi Bright,

I went back to the original post and noted you have the Inamed band. Inamed is now owned by Allergan. Maybe you can get the Irish docs to call over there to customer service??? they have always been helpful to me.

I know the DS might look attractive to you when you are down about the band, but regain of 10 lbs at 3 years out when you hardly had your band working for you because of lack of fills or adequate restriction hardly seems a good reason to switch hats at this time. Even if it is a kink, it will be a lot cheaper to fix it than to get a DS. And if you go on the DS support boards on obesityhelp, there are people there that also have issues, some very unpleasant both involving food and complications like long term malabsorption, smelly stools and gas etc... No WLS is perfect.

Babs in TX

334/180 ish

I would not go back to a Dr who questions how the band works. Hello you lost around 90 lbs so obviously it worked. Also he sounds like he wants the band out because he want GB. You really need to see another Dr. Good luck...

Newbie curiosity- how much restriction should be there since the barium is a thin liquid. I thought the thin liquids could pass through without too much resisitance. The restriction is for thin liquids as well as solid food?

thanks ahead of time for your patience

hi Vera - doc didn't say anything about the plunger springing back -though it makes sense - if there is a kink in the tubing it would "suck" the saline past the kink but act like a valve and not allow it back down. I had my gp check around the port site (just with her hands, wasn't opened up or anything) and she thinks there is a lot of scar tissue around the port - I'm wondering if the port has come away from the tubing completely, but being held in place by the scar tissue? Would this by why when he couldn't aspirate the Fluid in my band, he then added 1cc to see if he could aspirate that - he couldn't! It's either a pretty big leak or the tubing's come away....? thanks for all your helpxx

hey Babs - the surgeon is definitely biased towards RNY/GB/DS - I almost thought about converting to one of them for a couple of days after the fill incident but I keep finding the same reasons I decided not to have these surgeries in the first place. The gastric bypass in now performed in Ireland, paid for by the national health executives if you qualify etc but I STILL wouldn't have these surgeries. I made my choice at the time and I still feel the band has many advantages. I have spent a long time being very depressed at home - at my worst I gained 10-20 lbs- I am now feeling much better, am about to start full time college :help:, I have rejoined a gym and am feeling much more positive about life in general, not just future weight loss - my eating problems will probably always be around - it's my head I need to deal with - the band helps - sometimes a lot, sometimes a little.

I completely agree with you - no weight loss surgery is perfect

thanks for you advice - I'll see what Allergan have to say - it does some manufacturing in Ireland would you believe!

Shell - thanks for your comments but I'm happy with my doc - I don't need him to support me 100% - just to sort my band issues out!

Gonnabethin - I thought that the barium would go straight through my band - but I expected the flow to narrow at/after my band site - it didn't - the liquid flowed through showing I have little or no restriction. Sometimes people get a very tight fill and the fluoroscopy will show the barium pooling in the pouch, pausing a sec, then flowing slowly out to the stomach - this would be way to tight I feel! hope this helps.

Bright,

Vera or Penni may be better versed in how it works, but it's my understanding that in order to see a tubing/port leak on the xrays, they would need to inject contrast instead of saline into the port itself to see if the contrast showed to be leaking out. It sounds as if they did not do this during your study? Am I correct?

Hi Leatha,

yes, you're right, they haven't injected anything into my port/tubing yet. My surgeon in the UK wanted me to get the barium swallow first (I don't know why) to check all was well with the band - positioning I guess - so after he gets the films of that, he will let me know the next step - I PRESUME he means to inject the tubing with something contrasting? Would this be a fluoroscopy procedure too?

PS I avoid weighing myself too often - I try to go by my clothes - if I go up a few pounds I find it really upsetting and it usually sets off a "it doesn't matter anymore...." binge - anyway weighed this morning and I weigh 252 - oh my god - that's 22lbs from my lowest ever....I'm going back to bed.....

aww. I'm sorry Bright. I understand the disappointment and frustration. Please take care of yourself. Try not to stay in bed too long, it only adds to the depression. Try to get out, walk, get some sun, do something that lifts your spirits. Big hugs gf.. Let us know how you're doing!

At the risk of throwing matches on this can of gas, the surgeons who tell patients that they will lose only 50% of their excess weight are NOT "against" the band. They are merely reporting the facts. (AND they should mention that while no one is limited by the statistics eveyone figures into them.)

While I think that it is commendable that we go into ANY wls with a positive attitude, I don't think I've ever encountered ANYONE who says, "Well, my goal is to be among that majority group who lose about half their excess weight." Everyone thinks that THEY will do better. Truth is, over 25% of 5'3" banded people who start at 300 pounds will never get below 225 and they will still be MO...after all the work, all the hoping, all the planning and money, over 25% will still be MO. People need to know that going in the door.

Doctors who encourage this kind of magical thinking are not being honest and should be avoided.

I agree Sue - that's what I'm saying. I don't need my surgeons emotional support or approval - just their skills as knife men! A positive attitude will go a long way to making you one of the lucky ones who lose 100% of your EW - all the great achievers (in any walk of life) didn't aim for "average" - but it is really important to know what the statistics are - while the weight loss stats for the band are lower than any other WLS, there are many advantages to the band too - I weighed it all up - and with straight talking european surgeons who aren't afraid of giving their opinion, I made the band decision.

Bright! How are you doing? I have been MIA for awhile and missed most of this post. I'm right where you are weight wise, if that makes you feel any better. I was down to 223 and now I'm back up to 250 after an unfill and a bunch of messing around. I finally feel like I have a decent fill again and am really going to try hard to get back to 225. I highly doubt that I will ever get past that- for all the reasons Geezer Sue and you both talked about. I was very comfortable at 225 and felt "thin". I also felt like a success. I am lucky that I have a surgeon who asks me when I feel I will be a success instead of dictating a certain weight or weight loss amount.

I hope your full time college gig is working out for you. Good for you! I'm so proud of you!!!!

Megan

((((((((((((((((megan))))))))))))))))))

so great to hear from you - you sound really happy and motivated! Re my band - I went to the hospital and did a barium thingy but haven't sent the films to my surgeon in the UK yet - I know, I'm a disaster! I just don't seem to have two seconds to get anything done these days - I am a professional procrastinator!

Re College - I started this week! EEEk it's hard! I am doing a BA in Arts, hopefully majoring in Psychology in year two and three - this year I am taking Psychology, (5 scary modules!) Sociology (4 vague modules) and Anthropology (3 fascinating modules!). Three of my lecturers are American too! There is competition at the end of first year for second year psychology - only 30 of 180 can go through - highest results! And the psychology is very math, biology and research based in first year - the professor told us to bring in calculators and anyone expecting tissues and the foetal position should leave now!!! I nearly left!

It's full time too which is hard on my little family but I'm determined to do it - I was (actually) going insane at home all day, eating then freaking out - now I'm bustling all over the campus trying to find the right lecture hall - forgetting to eat my lunch!

I am scared to find out I will need surgery to repair what ever is going on with my band so I am kinda pretending nothing is happening - but I guess I have to face up to it - I'll definately post and let you know what transpires!

In the meantime - lots of hugs Megan (and anyone else!) - thanks so much for thinking of me - And bloody well done on losing 85lbs - you look fab in your avatar - you TOTALLY are a sucess - or as my 16 year old would put it - you're a ledge! (meaning short for "legend" - meaning v damn cool!)

I have increased restriction - so doesn't that mean I haven't slipped or eroded?

Bright , I had the best restriction ever when I found out my band was eroded. I was told loss of restriction with an eroded band was a myth. If it were me I would want answers, have you ever had a scope in 3 yrs?

Hi Michelle -

I haven't had a scope in the three years - when I asked my surgeon about it, he said not only is there no need for a scope but it can be detrimental to the band to have them unnecessarily - I'm not awfully keen on the ol tube down the neck procedure so never insisted - do you think it's important in your experience? I guess when I go back to the UK to further investigate why the doc was unable to give me a fill, he may do and endoscopy.

Re the restriction, I don't know if it was psychosomatic or what, but I thought I felt an increase in restriction - to be honest, at this stage, my restriction feels exactly the same as it ever did - since day one of banding. I can't eat much in the morning, but could (and just did) eat two slices of toast slowly later in the day. With a mug of coffee, I can eat about anything (so you'd think I'd stop drinking the coffee wouldn't you?!)

sigh - again I'm writing too much!

thanks for replying to the post Michelle - hope you're well - I'd appreciate any comments you have!

thanks a mil

Hi Bright,

After having my own band scare and having a surgeon tell me I need a new band even though I didnt makes me concerned that you are worrying unnecesarily and an EGD (endoscopy) might give you the answers you are looking for about your band.

If I did not have the endocopy that I had on Monday, I might be under the knife right now or worse be concerned that something is wrong that isnt. THe endocopy was a piece of cake. They knock you out completely. The camera is so small I cant see how it could do damage to your band since they are on the inside, not the outside and the esophagus even on a banded person is more than large enough to accomodate the scope.

I would of course make sure that the person who is doing it knows bands and actually knows what they are looking at, but other than that, why not do it if it is a covered procedure? It turned out that my throat, pouch and stomach are all fine and I have the pics to prove it. Please consider this option.

Babs in TX