Did I stretch my pouch?

Siouxperwhitney · March 1, 2008

I was banded July 5th 2007 with a 10cc VG Band. I now have 13cc in there and I have never had restriction. I am down 20 pounds only from the 2 weeks of liquids right after surgery and nothing since. I have been eating just like I did before surgery... fast, big portions. Because of this, did i stretch my pouch? Last month I had an UGI and was told the band was placed correctly.

This is my fill history. Would agressive fills cause any problems?

I have had 6 fills....

1st Aug. 29th 5cc w/fluro

2nd Nov. 21st 3cc, The doctor only pulled out 3cc so he put in other 3cc = 6cc

3rd Dec. 11th 1.25cc = 7.25

4th Dec. 24th 1.65cc = 8.8

5th Jan. 22nd 1.2cc = 10cc

6th Feb. 5th 3cc = 13cc

How do I find out if my pouch is stretched and what is the solution? Will I have to have another surgery? Maybe my band is too big? :confused2:

I am so very devastated and depressed. I cry everyday. My lapband struggle is on my mind every second of every day.

Thank You for any comments or suggestion.

Debbie

KINGFISH1 · March 1, 2008

I think you need to investigate this further Debbie - either your band is too big or it could be that your band is not locked properly which is what happened to me. I had so many fills, they lasted maybe a few days and then nothing. I didn't have a leak, and my surgeon told me I was probably a band failure because with up to 8cc in my 4cc band I had no real restriction. I could still eat salad, meat and sometimes bread and sometimes I felt a little blocked and would pb but this was a rare occurence. I would actually get excited with a pb because I knew that I must have some restriction. To cut a long story short, I had a gastroscopy done last year in September and the pictures showed that my band was open and had eroded into my stomach which meant a surgery to remove the band. If only I had not sat on the fence for so long and if only my doctor had suggested to me that we explore why my band was not working, then it may have been possible to fix it before it eroded. Indigo-ocean has posted recently and has had her band redone after it was found that it was unlocked too. I don't think it is possible for you to stretch your pouch and not have the food backing up towards your throat. My band friends suggested that may have happened to me because I never felt the restriction that they did.

It is better to know for sure Debbie so that you can have peace of mind.

Best of luck

Marion

Best of luck - please check it out further

cindylew · November 15, 2008

HI folks! I rededicating myself to my lap band success of the past. I have sought out a new doc down her in FL now that I am a snow bird and I'm here most of the time. I've had problems for the last year or so that I hope to have resolved. I successfully lost 60lbs pretty steadily after my surgery. I then began to have problems keeping my food down. Some days I couldn't keep anything down . . . even liquids. I had to have my band emptied because of this at one point. I had it refilled and have had trouble losing any more weight - actually I have gained almost 20 lbs - which frightens me. There is no way I am eating enough food to gain this weight because most of it comes up!

My husband and I went out to eat tonight. I got a salad bar which I cut up into very small pieces. After one bite I had to vomit and was unable to keep any of my dinner down.

Has anyone else had this problem?

I'm feeling desperate (ok, get a hold of myself- I'll be seeing a new doc soon). I would even consider having gastric bypass if I had to but I don't think my BMI would be high enough for my insurance to cover it or if they would even cover a second surgery.

Any advice you all can give me, I'm open ears!

Thanks

Cindylew

hpegg · November 15, 2008

Hi Debbie,

I don't understand how you can fill 14ccs into a 10cc band. It sounds like something might be wrong. I would go back to the doctor right away and ask them to really investigate your situation.

Helen