I was banded in Sept. 08. First fill Nov. 08. Second fill - January 09. After the second fill (total of 3cc in a 10cc band) all my problems started. I developed reflux at night - not necessarily heartburn - but liquid coming up. I quit eating at least 2 hours before bed. Didn't matter. My surgeon ordered an endoscopy. I had it yesterday. The first thing the gastro doctor said afterward was that he thought my band slipped upward. And I said how could that be resolved and he said my surgeon would have to reposition it. Then he said my surgeon might have deliberately placed it high if he wanted me to lose more weight (my BMI was under 35 before surgery). Anyway, he said it was higher than in most he had seen and I also have a hiatal hernia. He said the pouch is high, small and tight and there is no place for the food or liquid to go but up. So I got the whole sheet on hiatal hernia care - elevate the bed, no alcohol, no chocolate, blah, blah, blah. My husband suffered from GERD, hiatal hernia and eventually barrett's esophagus than turned into esophageal cancer. He died of it 3 years ago. So I could write the book on treatment of all these conditions. The lap band was supposed to reduce my hunger. It hasn't. It was supposed to make me feel satisfied with a smaller amount of food. It hasn't. I have changed the way I eat - I eat my Protein, then a little later a veggie, then later a fruit. My eating is spaced out over the day. Same foods, same calories - and it seems to help some with the discomfort that was happening when I ate. But the reflux remained. I have a LOT to discuss with my surgeon. I want my last fill removed for starters.

So, since I got the band I have developed a hiatal hernia and reflux (I didn't have them before). Anyone else have this problem and if so, how did you and/or your doctor solve it? Thank you.

P.S. My gastro doctor and surgeon work out of the same hospital and refer patients to each other and I doubt he will write anything in his report to second guess my surgeon. You know how that is.

DownInSocal: I called Allergan to get one of those wallet cards that lists your band type, cc fill level and doctor. They told me I would need to know the letters for the band - AP, V . So I called my doctor's nurse and she called back and said the doctor says I had an AP Standard 10, when what I really have is a #10 which means 10CM (4cc) NOT 10cc. I had the operative report and it said #10 but I thought that meant 10 cc, too, so when she told me I had an AP Standard 10 it made sense, until the second doctor opinion. Then I called Allergan again and was given the catalog reference number for the #10 band and for the AP Standard band and then I called medical records at the hospital and requested the catalogue reference number and serial number for my band. When I got the results, I again called Allergan with the information - just to be sure - and it is the 4cc band. Not used much anymore and I will probably never know why he used it on me. My new doctor is unlikely to second guess my former doctor - you know how that is. I did have a $15 co-pay for each office visit but my insurance covered the rest.

OMGosh, I thought I was the only one to experience this. I had the band done on 04/17/2009 Seven days later I was in surgery having the hernia fixed/removed. I feel like I am hungry all the time. And, the things I am going for i should not be. My follow-up appt is this Wednesday. I will keep you posted.:smile:

Go to the gastric sleeve section of this board. It's down at the bottom of the board if you start at forums.

The sleeve is where they just make you a tiny stomach. There are no fills or unfills and you have restriction right from the beginning.

There are many , many, banded people getting their bands removed and getting a revision surgery to a sleeve. There are also many people getting the sleeve now instead of the band after reading horror stories of band problems.

I wish I had known about the sleeve before I got the band, but I didn't and now I am just glad that band is out of me.

Edited May 4, 200917 yr by Oregondaisy

OregonDaisy, I understand the search for a final solution, for the band can be frustrating. however after looking at the sleeve, to me this is drastic, they are stapling or removing part of your stomach. unless, I don't understand??? I would think this would be a drastic step and it also states like any other wl surgery you can gain your weight back. I know my doctor would not do it if I failed with the band, unless in no way was it my fault. This is just my opinion. Good Luck.

DownInSocal: I called Allergan to get one of those wallet cards that lists your band type, cc fill level and doctor. They told me I would need to know the letters for the band - AP, V . So I called my doctor's nurse and she called back and said the doctor says I had an AP Standard 10, when what I really have is a #10 which means 10CM (4cc) NOT 10cc. I had the operative report and it said #10 but I thought that meant 10 cc, too, so when she told me I had an AP Standard 10 it made sense, until the second doctor opinion. Then I called Allergan again and was given the catalog reference number for the #10 band and for the AP Standard band and then I called medical records at the hospital and requested the catalogue reference number and serial number for my band. When I got the results, I again called Allergan with the information - just to be sure - and it is the 4cc band. Not used much anymore and I will probably never know why he used it on me. My new doctor is unlikely to second guess my former doctor - you know how that is. I did have a $15 co-pay for each office visit but my insurance covered the rest.

I am still in shock that he did not know what he put in your body. I wish you luck with this. You are so much nicer than I would be about it.

DownInSocial: I had a follow up UGI on Monday with my new doctor which showed improvement from the March 19th UGI when I was too tight by my former doctor. I got a slight unfill after the March 19th UGI and feel better. But it still showed that some of the stomach is pushed up through the band. If things don't eventually get to where they should be, I might persue a complaint. But being that my former doctor is a general surgeon at my closest hospital - guess who would probably do emergency surgery on me if I needed it? (like ruptured appendix, etc..). So, I don't want to be too quick to burn bridges. Plus, if I pushed the complaint he would deny that he told me I had the AP Standard, that I misunderstood and that he knew he was agressively filling me. Doctors know how to cover their asses, to be sure. Thanks for your reply.

Cleo' Mom: this is an interesting post and I would like to hear what has happened. Have you had the results of the second opinion? I had a small hiatal hernia before my banding, with the banding it has been repaired. I had terrible reflux before banding too, and that has completely gone as well. Sorry to hear of your problems and certainly hope they have or will be fixed real soon. Sorry about your husband too, that's a sad story.

Cleo' Mom: this is an interesting post and I would like to hear what has happened. Have you had the results of the second opinion? I had a small hiatal hernia before my banding, with the banding it has been repaired. I had terrible reflux before banding too, and that has completely gone as well. Sorry to hear of your problems and certainly hope they have or will be fixed real soon. Sorry about your husband too, that's a sad story.

Cleo's Mom: Ops, not sure how I posted twice. I am still learning how to use this. Just read your posts from 5/3 and 5/4. Gosh that is a small band. Glad to hear you have a new doctor. Hope things improve and you have some real success.

Avrietta - thank you for your sympathy about my husband. That is why you will see me posting here under different threads about the dangers of reflux and heartburn. It is nothing to fool around with or accept as part of being banded. I have another appt. with my new doctor next month at which point I will have the opportunity to ask questions about my band and what is next for me. On Monday, I just saw the doctor briefly in radiology when he was there for the UGI and showed me the results. I agree that I should have been given the AP Standard 10cc band. I don't think my weight at the time of surgery (196) had anything to do with his decision. I know he took over a retired doctor's practice and I think that meant inheriting all supplies on hand and I think he used this 4cc band because it's expiration date was June 2009 (meaning guaranteed sterile) and he wanted to use up current inventory rather than buy new. That is just my theory. I will never know. Thanks again.

I have an update on my situation. I had a gastro upper gi scope last week. The doctor who performed it said everything looked normal. I have been waiting for the test since early August and the doctor removed my fill at that time. Now I have a follow up appt with the Gastroenteroloist on the 27th and then I made an appt with my new Lapband doctor (mine moved away) on November 2. I am hoping all will be fine and they can fill me again. I am struggling to maintain my weight loss since June when the dr took some of the saline out and without any fill I feel hunger and can eat quite a bit. I have been exercising 5 times a week at the gym and that has helped. While waiting for the test to be performed I suddenly stopped having reflux. I get heartburn during the night at times but I only need to take a mild acid reducer. I have stopped taking the Prilosec completely. I was taking it twice a day. I will follow up when I know more.

UPDATE:

I had so much trouble with my band for a year. After my 2nd fill in Spet 08, I was sick all the time, losing too much too fast, throwing up daily, awake all night with reflux, and barely able to eat. I kept going back to the lapband surgeon and he would take some Fluid out, then I would be ok for awhile, then the problems would start again. In May 09 I had my band taken down to 1cc. I felt much better and was able to eat better and function in life until August 09. The problems all began to come back and I barely had anything in my band. After a particularly rough week of not being able to keep any food down, then eventually I could not even keep in a sip of Water, I called the dr's service over a weekend. I was so weak and dehydrated. They admitted me to the hospital and I had an upper GI, then band was totally emptied. It was determined my lapband had slipped and my stomach was herniated up into the band. I had lapband replacement surgery on Sept 17. It took a year for this problem to be diagnosed. While I lost 90 pounds, I was sick most of that time and couldnt enjoy life. I had endoscopies and upper GI's during that year but nothing ever showed up. Somehow everytime I was tested the band was in place. I feel much better now. I go for my 1st fill on Oct 28. My band is empty now, I feel just a slight restriction but can eat most anything except bread. I have gained some weight back, and quickly. Hopefully this time the fills will work like they are supposed to instead of making me sick. Thankfully my health insurance paid for my lapband replacement as well.

Edited October 17, 200916 yr by Rteest