Hi November Nymphs,

Time for me to come out with my problem, too. Sades and I have been in touch with each other as we have each had similar problems of lack of restriction, still have hunger and eat too much at one sitting.

Last week, I had an x-ray and the Dr. says my band is unlocked. He wanted to go in right away and fix it, but my schedule did not allow me to go back into surgery until Aug 5th.

Like Sades, I am sad that I have to be cut open again, go through the anesthesia and the gas pain from being filled with gas, not to mention the recovery again.

Since Sades has found out her problem, I plan to meet with the Dr before my surgery to try to be sure I have the right diagnosis. If my band is unlocked, was it locked at surgery or did it come open? If it came open, will it again and I guess then it could happen to any of us with the same type band.

I knew I was not losing weight fast enough and wondered why it was such a struggle for me. If it were not for the walking I've been doing right now, I would have gained weight back.

Anyway, I just wanted my friends to know in case you ever have a problem, this would be one thing you'd know to check out. I will post in the complication section to try to help anyone else that does not have restriction and feels the band is failing them.

Judy

Shalee, you are dilerious. I have to lose more than 20 pounds to catch up to you. you are NOT a slow loser. ;o)

I'm starting to get nervous, my fellow slow losers all have something wrong with their bands.... I guess I better buckle down and go get another fill and see what happens. It's going to be lonely here in slow loser land after Sades and Judy start racing ahead.

Foofy, do I have to tell you the story about the turtle and the hare? Your day will come, my girl, don't worry!

Oh, but I didn't mean that all the hares on here will finish last! Yeah Hares!! Hmm, I'm tired and I'm sticking my foot in where it's not meant to be stuck. Y'all know what I mean, right?

Well, you're right, that's a GREAT accomplishment. If you can do that well with your band not working properly, then you're going to do great when its all fixed up. What a pain for you though, I'd go out and kick something (soft!).

I guess there's a bright side in that this is a completely fixable problem, there's no damage to your stomach and it should be good to go for rebanding.

Judy, think how skinny you will be after two weeks of liquids and two weeks of mushies. Niiiiice.

Hi November Nymphs,

Time for me to come out with my problem, too. Sades and I have been in touch with each other as we have each had similar problems of lack of restriction, still have hunger and eat too much at one sitting.

Last week, I had an x-ray and the Dr. says my band is unlocked. He wanted to go in right away and fix it, but my schedule did not allow me to go back into surgery until Aug 5th.

Judy

Hi Judy,

I am so sorry to hear about your band complication. I hope the doctor will be able to give you answers and fix the problem. Good luck I’ll keep you in my prayers.

Marie

Thanks everyone, I am feeling a little down about the whole thing. It just feels like one more battle to face in the war of losing weight.

If I feel I understood how this happened, then I might feel better about it.

I have yet to see one other person anywhere on the forum talk about an unlocked band, but my Dr says this is his second. Is that an excuse he uses to go back in and fix a different problem that he did or does he just forget to lock some bands? Very confusing for me and he has made light of the second surgery, like it's no big deal. Yeah, well for him, it's not.

I have the appt to see him and ask questions on Thurs. so hopefully I'll have more answers and feel less doubt about this whole thing.

Hey Judy I was thinking about you today. I'm sorry that you're feeling down about this. It's definitely not an easy time and as you say these drs minimise the stress of having surgery. I guess it's a job to them, in and out, next. We go through the stress prior to the surgery and the pain and suffering after the surgery so of course it's a big deal to us. I hope he answers your questions on Thursday. Is there another dr you can talk to? Just to see that he's not giving you a bum steer.

Sades, It's not as easy to get a second opinion for bariatric. Once you are someone else's patient and have had the surgery, other Docs aren't really interested in the problems you might have that are caused by another Dr.

I am going to get a copy of my x-ray though and if I am not happy with the answers I get on Thurs. I will decide from there on how to proceed.

You were lucky your Dr. was honest with you. Mine MIGHT be telling me the truth but until I can alleviate any doubts, I need to keep asking questions until I understand this whole mess.

Sounds like you're doing fairly well, all things considered. I'm glad you're not having a terrible time of it and hope once my turn comes, it's easier the second time around.

Thanks for checking in with me. Judy

Hi Judy,

It is infuriating when surgeons act like surgery is just another day at the office. Of course this is a big deal for you. This should not have happened. Perhaps you only need 1 or 2 insicions over the existing ones. He doesn't need to place a port or remove the band, right? Is he just going to lock the one already in there? Maybe that makes it easier than the original surgey and thats why he's acting like its nothing. Still a big issue for you and he should know that.

Cindy, that is what he implied, but when I e-mailed the PA, she explained that he has to do the "wrap" all over again. That is when they suture the band in place. I'm sure that extra step must cause extra pain/ swelling etc.

This extra step also requires me to follow the entire post op diet all over again, requires me to have all the same four incisions again. the only one that he should not have to do is the port incision.

My smaller incisions are getting so small and light pink, so it is annoying to have them become bright red again. So other than the port incision its like having the surgery all over again. I never really had port site pain the first time anyway.

My concern remains the unknown things, like scar tissue where the band is already sutured, will that be a problem? Things we won;t know until he gets in there ( and I'm asleep). I also truly need to understand how a band gets unlocked along the way or was it ever locked. If he goes in and the band lock is defective and broken, then will he place a new band and will that require a new port incision?

Hoping my doubts and questions will all be answered on Thurs.!!!

Hey Judy,

I found this post on Obesity Help from a woman who had her band come unlocked. She didn't have it investigated for 2 years (because it never occured to her that such a thing could happen). Unfortunately, in that time the band eroded into her stomach and had to come off. She converted to a gastric sleeve.

I don't send this to scare you, but to give you someone you might be able to contact. Also, to let you know that it is so good that your problem was discovered relatively early. I am sure all will be well!

Warm thoughts.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/board_id,5463/user_id,291583/a,messageboard/action,memberPosts/

Thanks Foofy, I have been trying to find someone else that this has happened to. I posted on obesity help and did not get any response. I'll check it out.

It does not scare me to find other people that this happened to and is actually re assuring ( not the part about the erosion, of course) but I am so early in this banding thing, I'm not yet worried about erosion.

I just want to understand how this can happen and it seems to relatively few people, as far as I can tell.

Judy

Judy, my dr removed my old band and put a new one in in case he damaged the old one. I had the same fears about about scar tissue and how it would affect everything. I think the reason I was so scared going under (cried like a baby when I was being wheeled down to surgery) is that they would go in and find something wrong and have to cut me open or do a sleeve. All those things are on the cards when they do this surgery, even if it's a 1% chance. I'm sure you'll be okay but be prepared for having to do the post op diet again and having to hold off on the hard exercise... that's the hardest part for me so far.

Judy,

I found that link after a lot of googling. I think you are right. It is a very rare complication. Most of the unlocked band hits are related to intentionally unlocking a band in a revision surgery, not having one come undone (or never having it locked to begin with).

I hope it's useful.