Un-Banded 11/15 :(

[lindsaybhill 1]

Soooo..... I was banded 9/10/2013 and things have been going great. I had my second fill 11/5 with no problems. I woke up 11/10 (My 25th birthday ) with alot of pain around my band... I chalked it up to a rough fill. Well the area around my port over the next 4 days grew in size as well as pain. I went to the ER on 11/14 and was un-banded 11/15. My band had eroded into my stomach (after only two months) and I had an abscess the size of a softball in my abdomen. After many MANY tears about losing my band, I was down over 30 lbs already and so excited for the future. I went BACK into surgery 11/18 because I couldn't break a fever of over 104 low blood pressure high heart rate... come to find out there was still a hole in the back side of my stomach that was leaking Fluid. So now I'm two surgeries in over one weekend and BAND-LESS... what happens now?? I did ask about doing either the sleeve (which the Army Insurance will not cover) or a full on bypass. But I was told he had to reconstruct my stomach. I am just at such a frustrating place like I failed before I even had a chance to play the game. But has anyone had anything like this happen?? ANY advice is welcome!!!

[No game 14,436]

I'm not a bander so I'm of no help. But I wanted to tell you how horrible to have to go through everything you just did! I know that it must seem like such a waste right now to have gone through all of that to not even have the tool that is supposed to help you achieve health

The good news is that this was caught and you are alive and well. Let you poor stomach heal, then I'm sure the doctors can help you if you chose to convert to another surgery..

[terrydumont46 1,954]

this is just horrible. i haven't heard of anything this bad yet. while the doctor is in there reconstructing your stomach ask if he wouldn't reconstruct a smaller stomach. from your posting i feel as if you are more upset with the band being removed and your chances at losing weight diminished. it wouldn't be far fetched for the doctor to do this and the military would cover a reconstructed stomach due to complications wouldn't they? just an idea

[ErinMarie 186]

Im so sorry about this!!! Sadly some people's bodies don't take well to foreign objects in their body. Focus on healing and do as much research as you can in the meantime in which revision might be the best for you!

Do you think you could find a stipulation in your tri-care to get the sleeve instead of rny?

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I can't make this better for you, just know that you have every right in the world to be mad and feel like your body has betrayed you. While my story isn't nearly as traumatic as yours I am also a failed band. Mine prolapsed and I had to have emergency removal, once inside he found I had started to erode as well. I was supposed to revise to RNY but once he was in and saw how much damage I had he felt it unwise to do the revision at that time (I did get a revision 6 months later). For weeks I was an emotional wreck. I was mad at my body, felt totally betrayed by it. Talk it out, cry it out, scream it out....what you're feeling is completely normal.

[KAATNS 1,473]

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[PrettyThick1 1,860]

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. But please try to remember that you didn't fail - things happen sometimes, it doesn't mean you did anything wrong to make it so.

Good luck.

[RavenClaw779 2]

Not going to downplay your experience - that's just awful and you're so young - but...

*I have several friends who've had similiar experiences(not as early on as you) - it's not as uncommon as you might think.

*My surgeon - who'll be removing mine after three miserable years - has told me numerous times that he's taking out more bands than he's putting in! If that's the case, why even put them in?

*Your complications were so serious, it's a blessing it was caught as quickly as possible. Give it time to heal before jumping on to a different procedure. Do some research, get a second opinion and call your insurance company claims department directly. Take notes and get a confirmation number or email especially if you get the okay to move on to a sleeve or RNY.

Hope you're feeling better and thinking positive thoughts! You are not alone!