If anyone is interested in seeing it:

http://thebanddoctor.com/messageboard_BB/viewtopic.php?p=184#184

Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. C:

Thank you for all of your posts. They are very helpful. I am in the early stages of considering a LAP BAND. Today I watched a video from Hartford CT showing the entire procedue. I also read the FDA fact sheet about the procedure. The FDA fact sheet (from 2000) said not to suture the band -- that erosin could occur. However, it seems like slippage would not occur if its sewn in place. If 3% slip (1.5% for you), is suturing wrong? Am I missing something or is this a consideration when choosing a surgeon?

Aboslutely I would pursue it. The easiest thing would be to get a sleep test done. Our insurance coordinator Tracy is the best in the land, if there is any way to get it done, she'll get it done.

Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio

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DISCLAIMER: If am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Hi Dr. Curry...

As of last week I contacted my insurance and they will pay for lapband if you meet their 4 requirements. I qualify for all but one....the one is a comorbidity. I dont have high blood pressure or diabetes. I have a bmi over 45 which is what they wanted. I am 310lbs and I would have to show documentation over my attempts at weightloss.

I was just wondering if it is worth even tryin for insurance to pay since I dont have comorbidity. SHould I just stop right now and not persue it since I dont meet all 4 requirements? I have PCOS and asked if that was considered one...and they had me call someone else and then that person said to call my insurance back. So I dont know. lol

I basically want to know if I should proceed on. Also you were the one of my two choices to come to if this all works out!

Thanks alot!

Also..how long after you have lapband can you get pregnant?

Dr. C,

Thanks for the pictures. After being banded since April 2006 and losing 40 pounds, my band obstructed and my stomach herniated up through the band and began to necrotize. I lost my band and two-thirds of my stomach. It's been a tough recovery. If you're curious, you can read the whole sordid tale in my "Catostrophic Slippage" post. Thanks again for your info.

Thank you DrC for your comments and pictures....your presence here certainly will help keep us on our toes and following LB guidelines. Dreamer

Leatha,

It looks pretty good to me, I don't see any evidence of slip there, but not being able to see the live fluoro puts me at a disadvantage.

Dr. C Cincinnati, Ohio

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DISCLAIMER: If am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Just thought I'd add my swallow pics from today. I'd like your opinion on what you see, Dr C. My fill doc says a bit of stomach is above the band yet AGAIN. I slipped in 2004, had my band replaced and it has never been the same since. I've filled and unfilled, swollen, let it rest, the whole thing, over and over and can't seem to find any comfort level again. Today, the doc says let's unfill AGAIN and wait 2 weeks and start over. Honestly, I'm really tired of this merry-go-round and my esophagus seems totally lax. I had 3.1 fill before he took it out today.:faint:

Dr C

I am thinking about having the surgery done. what is the Bandster rules. and what is the chance of having a slippage

thanks

Good News! I'm back from TJ and the band is fine...no slippage. The Doc said that the fills and unfills I had done caused my stomach to move a tiny bit so that the band was around a thicker part of my stomach. So the 1.75cc fill was actually tighter than 2cc's was before.!

Thanks for all the support.

What are the symptoms of slippage? I am 4 weeks post op and doing fine however the last couple of niight I have what seems like indigestion pain when I am lying down and trying to sleep. Everythign seems to go down fine but I have had mostly liquids today.. At times I burp in the evening also when I ahve the pain. so I am not sure what is going on, I try to drink something but that doesn't seem to do anything. So of course I start thinking that the band has slipped or something dreadfull..

I can tell you from experience, once you start reflux, throwing up than that is the first sign. Get to the dr and let out some fill. I had my band since 2002 and did wonderful the first 2 yrs...than I started throwing up, and terrible reflux. I would get it unfilled and wait about 6 weeks. All the while, my dr would suggest I get an upper GI and I would ignore the advise. Then go back to him after 6 weeks and get a small fill. I was totally to blame, from not following the instructions. Dr., could have insisted that I get the upper GI or no fill. But he never did. Now, in 2006 I had signs of slippage and as a result of the slippage I also am batteling a large hiatal hernia. My insurance just now agreed to the removal. I am too scared to get it repaired. I do not trust myself at this point. But from my experience: never drink while eating....or even after eating...wait at least an hour. Eat SLOW and chew to puree. I could never tolerate, bananas, fruit with skin, bread products, beef. When I did follow the rules, the band worked. However, I never worked on the true reason for my obesity - which is what I am working on now. No amount of surgery is going to help you for the rest of your life unless you are willing to change your reasons for eating. The band works if you don't try to get around it. You are just cheating yourself. Also, I did the whole thing alone and never asked or got advise - until recently when I found this site. Just stay true to yourself and know that what goes in must go down or back up. And going back up is not fun!!! Right now, while I wait for surgery I take an empty glass to bed with me every night to throw up in and down about 4 rolaids or tums throughout the night to keep the bile at bay. I am past the point of blaming myself now though. Been there! I am now working on the inner-me...knowing that I will fight this obesity one way or another or a combination of things...but will not let allow myself to play the blame game any longer. What is done is done and I am ready to move on.

Hope some of this helped. It is so important that once you start throwing up, etc....go to the doctor. Don't be shy...that is why they are there. To help you!

Dr. C,

Recently I started having a pain on my right side. It has now spread accross my back. I am worried about gall bladder issues. Does this sound like it could be gall bladder related?

My biggest slippage fear has to do with the stomach flu, which makes its rounds in my house fairly violently every winter. Argh. There's not much you can do to avoid that.

So the band is supposed to be above rather than below that big bulge (which I guess is the stomach) in the first picture? Sorry, I have watched the video of the band being placed, and this looks so much different, it's confusing to someone who knows nothing other than they have been banded.

Dr. C, Wow those pictures are great. I often wonder if I will know if mine slips. I have no reflux or regurgitation. Sometimes I think I can eat more than at other times, but that may be due to what I eat. My question is: Are there any new news on the band? My friend said she thought that on the news the other night they talked about a new complication that they were finding with it. She couldn't remember any details. Great, huh? Have you heard any such things? If so, what? Please advise.

I'm not aware of any "new" complications. There is a new band out caleld the AP band...there is some info posted about it on my forum.

Dr. Trace Curry Cincinnati, Ohio

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DISCLAIMER: If am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!