So Sick... asking for Removal!

[mnmnakoff 1]

I had my band placed in July 2009. I initially felt great and lost 60 pounds. I couldn't eat the meat and Protein requirement. I vomited all the time. A few years later, I was extremely constipated and nauseated for months. I had a colonoscopy (nothing showed) and endoscopy. The endoscopy showed I had developed Barrett's Esophagus. So, I had acid reflux after the band but never had heart burn or obvious symptoms. This turned my bottom esophagus into the lining of my stomach. The dr also said I had IBS. In another year I had a hiatal hernia. It's now 2015 and I am nauseated several days out of the week. I gag randomly throughout my day. I get sick very easy. My stomach is sour on a regular basis. I am never regular. I get faint. I have gained 30 pounds back. Has anyone been through this? Do you think it's enough to get it removed. I was self pay then, has anyone had luck with insurance paying for removal?

[hiddnstar 167]

HI!

Im so sorry to hear how sick you are. I don't know what the criteria is for band removal with insurance covering it.

My band was removed due to rejection and it was covered by my insurance company. I went to a surgeon who did a series of barium exrays to see how my band actually functioned ---whereas my original surgeon would do that to only see band placement. He could see my band was not functioning, that it had migrated up, and was apparently causing me a lot of discomfort and weird symptoms.

He determined it needed to be removed and there was no argument from the insurance company.

I don't know if the surgeon needed the test for proof so the insurance would cover it, or if he really wanted to see what was going on before deciding what to do.

It worked out and Im glad the band is out of me. I have gained some weight back, but feel so much healthier than I ever felt while the band was in.

I hope this helps.

~hiddn

[gail10 17]

Has your band been loosened or do you still have restriction. I had a lot of the same issues (I was banded 2010) and got it emptied. I kept it empty for 18 months, I've just started getting it filled again & so far so good. Don't get me wrong I've put a lot of weight on in the time it was empty but all the pain, discomfort, acid reflux & heartburn eventually stopped.

Good luck whatever you decide to do x

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I had my band placed in July 2009. I initially felt great and lost 60 pounds. I couldn't eat the meat and Protein requirement. I vomited all the time. A few years later, I was extremely constipated and nauseated for months. I had a colonoscopy (nothing showed) and endoscopy. The endoscopy showed I had developed Barrett's Esophagus. So, I had acid reflux after the band but never had heart burn or obvious symptoms. This turned my bottom esophagus into the lining of my stomach. The dr also said I had IBS. In another year I had a hiatal hernia. It's now 2015 and I am nauseated several days out of the week. I gag randomly throughout my day. I get sick very easy. My stomach is sour on a regular basis. I am never regular. I get faint. I have gained 30 pounds back. Has anyone been through this? Do you think it's enough to get it removed. I was self pay then, has anyone had luck with insurance paying for removal?

With Barrett's esophagus I would get that band out in a heartbeat even if I had to pay for it myself and then I would address ways to get rid of the Barrett's.

My husband had Barrett's and developed and died from esophageal cancer. And he was being monitored yearly. It is nothing to take lightly. I know that most Barrett's esophagus doesn't turn into esophageal cancer but that is small comfort if you are one it happens to. My husband's was caught early and it didn't make a difference. Esophageal cancer is very difficult to treat.

Get the band out and get the Barrett's addressed. Not meant to scare you- just some advice from someone who's been there.

[mnmnakoff 1]

Yes, it is loosened! I made an appointment for April 6th. I know- I have to get the Barrett's scoped yearly- no changes. My GI dr told me it is irreversible.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Yes, it is loosened! I made an appointment for April 6th. I know- I have to get the Barrett's scoped yearly- no changes. My GI dr told me it is irreversible.

Barrett's is irreversible but there are currently treatments for it. Please google treatments for Barrett's and discuss with your doctor. It seems like the medical community is still in the "wait and see" mode with regard to Barrett's. Yearly endoscopies (which my husband was getting), biopsies, etc.. However my husband's didn't progress from high grade dysplasia to cancer. His progressed in one year from NO dysplasia to cancer. And they told him it was caught early, they would remove his esophagus, pull up his stomach to form a new esophagus and he would go on to live his life. Eleven months later it had metastasized to his liver and became terminal at that point. He died a year later.

Again, this is not meant to scare you. I know the statistics show that most Barrett's doesn't turn into cancer but the "wait and see" approach proved deadly for my husband.

They are making progress all the time in treating Barrett's - please look into it. Also, using PPI's does not decrease Barrett's - only the symptoms of GERD.

Best of luck to you. Take care.

[mnmnakoff 1]

Thank you for the information! I appreciate your honesty. You did not scare me. I am going to look up more about it and talk to the band dr and GI dr!

[BarbL 0]

Had my band removed last Wednesday , one week ago. I'm sore but I'm so relieved to get it out! I never felt good. Port area was tender, I regurgitated constantly , had diarrhea or constipated. I'm sure it's not going to be easy , trying to eat right and not gain a ton of weight, but I'm optimistic! Having the band was no way to live. Constantly uncomfortable! So I'm crossing my fingers.