GET THIS THING OUT OF ME!

[Angelita33 2]

I am now on the same boat as many of you....I am waiting for this thing to come out of me. I had my band done in August 2009...worked great the first year and lost about 60 lbs...then the weight loss stopped, my port started hurting me, I couldn't find the right spot where I would either throw up everything or eat everything. In August 2012, I started getting this sharp pain in my port, and then my port actually broke my skin and I was able to see it...I went to see my doctor and they were amazed and started taking pictures. I went into Emergency surgery and had my port removed and placed somewhere else.

Now I am gaining weight, my new port is hurting, and I have horrible heartburn/acid reflux. Yesterday I went to see about revision with Dr. Roslin in NY. He sent me to get an upper GI on the spot...and the results are...my band has slipped!!! What else can go wrong?? He said the band was too tight even though I could eat all I want, but the tightness was what was causing the acid reflux. As soon as he removed all the liquid from my band...the acid reflux went away. His suggestion was to wait 3 weeks, and do another upper GI to see what the shape of my stomach was then. Once he sees what damage was done, by the band he will determine if he can do removal of the band and the sleeve in one surgery....I am praying to GOD that he can do everything at one. I am a little concerned about my insurance and what the process is to have the surgery covered.

[tigerbelle 328]

I hope all goes well for you...hang in there!

[Angelita33 2]

Thanks Tigerbelle!!

[LuckyT 58]

I am with you in that boat! I have my lap band removal date set for 03/19/13 then have to wait 3 months before my surgeon will do the sleeve I have faith it is worth the wait though. I hope all goes well for you, just don't give up.

[Angelita33 2]

Thanks LuckyT!! I am really hoping I don't have to do two surgeries!! Don't want to be out of work so much...but whatever the doctor thinks is best....good luck to you also! I am sure it will be worth the wait

[LuckyT 58]

Thanks! My doctor says taking it out is much easier than putting it in and recovery is usually only a few days. His point about waiting is that he feels it lessens the risk of a leak if you allow your stomach to heal from being banded. Even without any complications from band the stomach will be misshapen so he wants it to go back to "normal" I trust him cause if I had listened to him the first time I wouldn't be in this boat! This time around I am really listening to him. Nice to chat with someone who is going through something so similar. I will keep you in my thoughts!

[Angelita33 2]

Yes I am also listening to my doctor!! If I would of listened I wouldn't be in this boat either...let me know how everything goes! Best of luck to u!

[Kristina J. 581]

So sorry to hear about all your band issues!! I've been there... Well, I AM there! Lol I had a severe slip in 2005 after 2 years banded and 100# down. When they went to surgically adjust my band, ("simple procedure") they punctured my stomach. My band was removed and I was in the hospital for 9 days. Then I couldn't get approval for replacement from my ins and no one was really talking VSG back then. I saved money and self payed to reband in 2006 after gaining it all back plus some. I never lost more than 40# with the second band and now it has slipped some and my pouch is dilated! Ugh!!!!!!

I am scheduled for revision on May 11th. I am unfilling tomorrow in hopes that it will really let the dilation heal these next 2 months and aid in successfully revising in one surgery since I'm self pay again!! But, if the doc says I need two surgeries, so be it. Oh but fingers crossed I don't! Lol

I'm with you... Get this thing out of me!!!!!!!!!!

[Angelita33 2]

Sorry to hear about ur band horror story!! Good luck on ur new journey!! How much is it self paying?? I am concerned about my insurance not covering it

[Kristina J. 581]

Sorry to hear about ur band horror story!! Good luck on ur new journey!! How much is it self paying?? I am concerned about my insurance not covering it <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Unfortunately the best price I could find in my area (Phoenix, AZ) was around $27K for the revision (IF they could do it in one surgery) and the surgeon had only done "less than 20" revisions.

So I started looking into Mexico (on the forums here to start) and found that a lot of the revisions had used Dr. Fernando Garcia in Mexico. I did some more research on him and decided he was the one for me. Self pay for me, because of the revision is only $5500, and that includes an endoscopy and upper GI to help determine BEFORE surgery if he thinks he can do it all in one procedure.

Not everyone is comfortable going out of the country and I definitely understand that, but for me, I am getting more experience at a quarter of the price. They include one night pre-op in a hotel, 2 nights at the hospital and 2 nights post op at the hotel. I would love to have picked someone here, but my ins doesn't cover any bariatric at all.

[NewKristen 356]

Unfortunately the best price I could find in my area (Phoenix' date=' AZ) was around 27K for the revision (IF they could do it in one surgery) and the surgeon had only done "less than 20" revisions.

So I started looking into Mexico (on the forums here to start) and found that a lot of the revisions had used Dr. Fernando Garcia in Mexico. I did some more research on him and decided he was the one for me. Self pay for me, because of the revision is only 5500, and that includes an endoscopy and upper GI to help determine BEFORE surgery if he thinks he can do it all in one procedure.

Not everyone is comfortable going out of the country and I definitely understand that, but for me, I am getting more experience at a quarter of the price. They include one night pre-op in a hotel, 2 nights at the hospital and 2 nights post op at the hotel. I would love to have picked someone here, but my ins doesn't cover any bariatric at all.[/quote']

Omg. This is crazy! I sure hope it is as easy as possible for both of you!

[Kristina J. 581]

Omg. This is crazy! I sure hope it is as easy as possible for both of you!

Bands are evil! Lol

[Angelita33 2]

I am afraid of going out of country......but it could be an option if my insurance doesn't cover it!! I am hoping for the best ...for all of us going through this journey.

[NewKristen 356]

Bands are evil! Lol

You know I started this process originally thinking I was interested in lap band. As I researched and got more information I started sliding towards the sleeve. I am blessed that I figured it out on my own, because I didn't find this group until I had already had surgery. So I didn't really have any expert testimony to compare. If I had found this forum, I would have made the decision much faster. Ha ha.

[Angelita33 2]

Yes ur lucky u made the right decision! My doctors kept recommending the bypass...but I was adamant about the band because it was my first time under anesthesia and it didnt cut anything in my body....gosh was I STUPID!!! Well we live and we learn!!