I'm new here, but am looking to hear about other folks' experiences with band slippage. I got my band a year ago today, and have a couple of problems. Right off the bat my port incision developed a nasty penicillin resistant staph infection and after 6 weeks of antibiotics had to be removed. It was replaced about a month later and things were fine. However, after my second fill I started having severe reflux. My doc squeezed me in the next day and took about .3ccs out. Things were better. 3 months later I had another fill. I think it was .15 ccs. About a week later I started having INTENSE pain in my band area. It lasted for hours and there wasn't a painkiller in the world (or at least in my medicine cabinet!) that could touch it. I went back in the next day and he took another .3 ccs out. He had me come back in today, a month later (and coincidentally my "bandiversary") for a barium swallow just to check on things. Sure enough, it had slipped. He emptied me out today and scheduled me to come back in in two weeks for another barium swallow.

I'm totally freaked out. I am terrified of gaining the weight back. I've been in tears off and on all day because I'm so afraid it's not going to correct itself and he's going to want to remove the band. I *can't* go back to being that fat and out of shape again. I didn't realize how much I had become a recluse until I lost the weight and started doing things again. I kept wondering why no one was noticing I was losing weight, but then realized it was because at my heaviest I had pretty much quit doing anything social. I left the house to go to the grocery store and Target. I don't want to feel like that again.

Anyway, if anyone has some stories of postive outcomes after a slip, I would really love to hear them.

Thanks.

Jeanne

12/4/06

247/234/170/150??

Mrp333

Wow, that sounds bad. I don't have it like that now. I'm unfilled completely and can eat anything in moderation.. Which in itself is kind of scary! My very first throw up with the band was bacon.

That's good you are getting surgery though! I don't know why they have never heard of that about unfilling so the band re-positions itself. I do believe it is pretty common.

So, what amount of cc's do you have in your band? They should have unfilled you completely before scheduling surgery. I would think that is one of the first things they would do.

I have 5 1/2 cc's. I called and ask another office the same thing and they said surgery is the only way to correct slips. He took 1 cc and then orderd the Upper GI so I have been back in the office. They probably will unfill it before then. I have not had any problems with bacon. I haven't eaten it very much though. I kept all of my food down from this morning. I just drank some water and it came right back up. I ma having some pain in my back as well. I don't want to start all over and be completely unfilled again. I don't want to have surgery again either.

I know, it is frustrating. I guess a true slip surgery only might be the answer.

I am a self-pay and if I need surgery it is going to be rough for me. Are you a self-pay?

I feel for ya, surgery is a huge inconvenience and all. My problems before being unfilled were mainly with liquids. MMM, well I guess I'll find out soon if I need surgery too. Hope not though!

I am not a self pay thank goodness. After my last post last night, I threw up really bad. My arms and back hurt from it. This morning I was having problems with liquids so I called the Dr office back. She told me if I keep having problems with liquids to go to the emergency room and they would probably do emergency surgery. I then ask if it would help to take some fluid out. She didn't realize that he hadn't "unfilled" me yet. I am getting ready to leave work and head over there to see what is going on.

I hope you don't need surgery. I am not looking forward to it. I am not wanting to be totally unfilled again. I don't want to gain any of my weight back.

Let me know what you find out.

Just left the Dr's office, now I am totally unfilled. He said it might make me sicker, it has done that to some other patients. He showed me the X-ray of the Barium going down, it was barely going through. My stomach has come up through the band and formed a bigger pouch. That explains why I couldn't lay down. He said he has tried doing a total unfill on 2 patients with slips (not as bad as mine) but it didn't help and they ended up having surgery anyway. Now if I have anymore problems, I will need to call them and probably do emergency surgery.

My heart goes out to you Jeanne, and mrp, with your slip stories. My first band was removed last year after being filled and unfilled a couple of times; I was unable to tolerate even .25 ccs of Fluid near the end. I think my band (the original 4cc size) was too small from the start, and that's ultimately what led to it slipping.

When they diagnosed my slip it wasn't actually an emergency, but I had surgery within a couple of days. Luckily, and thank goodness, everything is OK inside and I healed right up. Four months later I had a new band installed, the new APL type, and have had two fills so far. Haven't lost any of the weight I gained since the band was removed, though, but I'm hopeful I will find the control again that used to be second-nature.

Fingers crossed that you both have total healing and great success!

I had two slippages and an erosion before converting to a gastric bypass. I honestly can't recommend the band to anyone. I never got close to goal, but worse was the danger to my health. If you have a slip, perhaps you could get a revision at the same time they remove the band. I did, and it worked out great.

I have the "newer band" that holds 14 cc's. Today was my first day of being unfilled. I think I did pretty good but I am still worried. My dr said he would fill my band after surgery sooner than the last time and he would start with 7cc's. I think we need to remember why we need it in the 1st place. I didn't loose 53 lbs to gain it all back. I felt so much better today being able to eat and drink without the tightness in my chest and then the vomiting.

I feel like I know what to look for this time and will not hesitate to say take some Fluid out if I feel my band is too tight. I think I was probably too tight since November and got progressively worse.

I am a self-pay and if I need surgery it is going to be rough for me. Are you a self-pay?

I have seen many posts on this site regarding "self-pays" worried about paying for subsequent surgery when they have a problem such as slippage. You should all be aware that even though the Lap-band surgery was elective and may not have been covered by your insurance, problems that arise later are very different! If you have a slippage for instance, that is potentially life threatening and MUST be corrected. That means it is required, not elective, surgery and your insurance must pay for it.

Go to the mat with your insurance company, even call the insurance commissioner's office for help if you have to, write the appeal letters and ask your doctors' office to help you if need be, but make them cover it! Don't take no for an answer, and DO NOT put off proper care because you are worried about the cost. Besides, any doctor worth their Hippocratic Oath will do the surgery regardless of your coverage, if your health is at risk.

Please take care of yourself first and the details later.

Ive had the band for 5 years, jsut found out last week that I have a slippage.

Ive been struggling with weight gain for the last year or so. And have always PBed after almost every meal. I started getting the occasional nighttime reflux a few months back and tried anti-reflux tablets...that didnt help much. Then I got another fill a month ago and it went from bad to worse, couldnt sleep the first 2 nights had to stay upright and try not to PB. I felt nauseous. I wasnt completely blocked, but it wasnt good so I got the increased saline taken out plus a quarter mil to be safe. That was a few weeks ago and my nighttime reflux hasnt gone away, just not as bad as it was.

I hope I wont need an operation, mild slippages CAN fix itself if you take all the fill taken out (which Im waiting on my doctor to do next week), but anythign more than that, and it has to be repositioned.

Horrible that it can happen after so long. But then again, who knows how long it has been slipped. My doctor didnt request yearly barium checkups...maybe he should have.

who did you conversion?

I have a slipped band, and am scheduled for surgery later this month (finally). My trouble started over a year ago, when I had a band adjustment that was a little too tight. For the first time, I started having reflux at night, and some heartburn. I ignored it because the reflex only occurred when I ate late at night, and I had read that heartburn was pretty normal.

Wrong!! The pouch was slowly dilating above my band, and also pulling up some of the stomach from below the band. I started popping antacids, and found that eating more often helped me feel better. For a long time I limped along, but a few big meals only helped stretch the pouch more.

Now I have a big pouch overhang above my band -- the band has essentially slipped down my stomach. We tried emptying the band and going on liquids for a week, but nothing helped. It was too far along. And yes, I am gaining weight steadily.

I did not realize ANY reflex or heartburn can signal that your band is too tight. And a too tight band will result in slippage. So please warn people to take ANY symptoms very seriously and don't wait to go to the doctor and get it checked.

Maryland,

My situation sounds just like yours. My surgeon said my slip was probably from being too tight. I had not had an adjustment since November, I was going to the surgeon but did not get any adjustment. Totally my fault, I thought the "tightness" I was feeling was what I was supposed to feel. Once I was totally too tight and didn't really realize it until the next day. I almost had to visit the emergency room due to not being able to drink anything. After I get mine corrected I will not take any chances with being too tight, If I have any doubt I am going to ask to have some taken out. He showed me my X-ray and I saw that I too have a big pouch overhang. I am completely unfilled and can eat pretty much anything. I have no restriction and am gaining weight back quickly. Now I realize how much I really do need the restriction and how careful I will be. Tighter is not always better.

I am kind of worried because he told he was going to start me off with 7cc's this time. My first adjustment to 7 last time is when I almost had to go to the emergency room, but he does mine sitting up now and I know what to look for.

mayland; who did your banding? i am also from maryland. Good luck with your band, i'll be praying for you.

Dr. Pinnar in Reston, Va. He's very good.