Banded 11 years ago and just starting to have problems

[Kingb40 1]

I have had my band for 11 years and love it, I have my good and bad days sometimes it seems like I get sick really easy because my food is stuck. I had the test done where you drink the white stuff and they ex-ray it going down two years ago everything was great. I have not had a fill done in 8 years. Over the last few weeks I feel really restricted and it’s hard to get my coffee down and clear fluids but by evening time (wine goes down great) I seem to be able to get more down, but like I said I throw up fairly often but I have for years so it’s nothing really new for me. We have terrible insurance and everything is out of pocket, I’m just wondering if I should be concerned or not. Nothing hurts I mean I get acid reflux but that’s all. I just haven’t felt this restricted in a long time and since it’s been longer then a day... I don’t know I hope all this makes sense.

[LoveLee 3]

I’ve had my band for about 10 years now. I’ve had close to empty for many years now but after getting sick over the weekend I felt very restricted and stuck even when drinking liquids. I did have it checked this week and it has slipped. Surgery will be needed to fix it but I will most likely have it removed. Long story short, if your vomit often and feel a difference I would suggest getting it checked out ASAP.

[Kingb40 1]

Thank you, I don’t feel any pain just restricted more then usual. I had mine herniated up inside the band the 1st year and that was painful.... I was just worried I guess because it’s not my usual.

[funky_monkey800 187]

I know my restriction levels change quite often.....even things like humidity play a factor.....has anything changed?

[Matt Z 3,769]

I had the band for over 6 years, didn't have any major issues, I got stuck a lot, leafy greens hurt to eat, stalled out with the weight loss really hard. It just wasn't working. The Barium swallow and fluoroscope didn't show any issues, but when my surgeon went to take the band out, it was 100% completely encapsulated in scar tissue. It took them 3+ hours to get it out when it normally takes less than an hour. I'm glad I was revised to the bypass, who knows what would have happened if I left that band in there.

[Kingb40 1]

Can I ask how much it cost, I was a cash patient and I am so worried about the cost to remove it and change to the sleeve?

[Kingb40 1]

Thanks funky monkey... no nothing has changed but Sunday I was finally able to get my coffee down with no problem and have been feeling back to myself.

[Julie norton 2,785]

Seems as if bands have their own ideas for what will agree with them.. and mine is not consistent.
I deal with it every week...
It has been many years, but I won’t give up!!

[lindahol 0]

I was banded 11 years ago too. I lost 120 lbs and felt great. It wasn't an easy way to lose weight. I had trouble keeping food down and I know I wasn't eating enough to be healthy, but it did feel great to be at 160 lbs. Over the past 5 years my acid reflux has gotten much worse. I started eating foods that were easy for me to eat and slowly gained about 50 lbs. back. My lapband surgeon left the area so I went to see another surgeon, I had an upper GI done and everything looked ok, except my hiatal hernia and problems with GERD. The hospital that this surgeon works at doesn't preform LapBand anymore. He wants me to have the lapband removed and converted to a Sleeve. I read that the Sleeve doesn't help with GERD so I don't want to do that. Right now I have very little fill in. I've started using Nutrisystem. It's small portions with added Protein and Vitamins. 3 meals and 3 Snacks per day = 1200 calories. The food isn't great but it's easy to follow. Eating 6 times per day and drinking lots of Water seems to help with my GERD. I feel better. I've only been on it for 2 weeks so I'll see how it goes. I'm not used to eating this much food, I'm not sure my body will lose weight when it seems I'm eating all day long. Anyone else trying to follow a diet plan after lapband?

I hope you get some relief from your reflex problems.

Edited July 28 by lindahol

[stacey8220 2]

Hi! I have been banded for 10 years - and September 13th my band is coming out. I am happy - yet I am sad. It's been in my body for 10 years and I have lost a lot of weight with it until this past year. When I first was banded I weighed 295, I got down to 164 and now I'm at 214. I was rapidly gaining even with fills. I had several barium swallow tests which showed food stuck up in my esophagus. My port has been bothering me as well as its right under my rib cage. Once the band is removed I will give my body time to heal and I will have the gastric sleeve. At first I was against having my band out but now I know I have to get this out as its just causing me more problems

[Kingb40 1]

@Stacy8220 hi there, so your test didn’t show anything wrong with your band? I ask because I just had a bunch of test done and mine shows the band is fine but yet I’m constantly sick and I wonder if it too needs to come out. Are you having any other problems with yours?

thanks I really appreciate the feed back