Well...it's over now. I had my band and gall bladder removed yesterday afternoon. I must say that my new surgeon is amazing and this recovery is much easier than I anticipated so far. I'm sore, especially on my right side where my gall bladder came out. My reflux is GONE, the horrible port pain GONE :confused_smile:

I was banded in May, 2007. I was not diligent and chose a doctor based on very limited information. I did not have much pre-surgery testing done because I was self-pay. I have UHC insurance and was told even though my policy had a weight loss surgery exclusion, any complications would be covered.

What a year! I spent the first six months throwing up constantly. My poor kids were always there ready to grab me a plastic bag, it was just a fact - if I ate I would throw up after the first few bites. My doctor finally did a total unfill due to pouch dilation and that self-corrected according to them. I was also told that my stomach was hyper-sensitive and each time I had a fill my stomach would swell shut for a bit. Keep in mind, that I actually only saw my surgeon once after surgery. He was never available, never returned a call in a timely manner - best case scenario was 10 days. I was followed at a large surgery center with multiple doctors.

I was in so much discomfort that I found a highly-recommended new surgeon that would see me. He sent me for tests immediately, I was found to have duodenal spasms, gastritis, esophagitis and gall stones. The insurance company is still fighting paying for lapband removal.

But....it's over and done now. It is amazing how much better I feel than with my initial surgery - I think it's because my new surgeon is so much better. It was found that my band had been incorrectly placed and I never had a true pouch - the band was on my lower esophagus. UGH.

Looking forward to moving on from this.

Sondra

Sondra

I am sorry to hear you have had so much horrible trouble! I am glad to hear you have a good Dr now. I hope he continues good care! Good luck to you on your road for recovery!

Great that you found a solution and that you are finally feeling better. Speedy recovery.

Choosing the correct Dr is KEY in this process. I think that quite a few of them simply do not know what they are doing, or just don't give a damn.

Best of luck in your new "bandless" life.....And, keep in mind that you CAN do it without the band, or any other WLS. The solution is out there for you, you just have to keep looking to find out what will work for you!