In another thread someone was talking about band problems. It got me to thinking that this might be a good place to discuss the problems of banding we had.

When I was banded I'd get stuck on Water some days. Thankfully I live in the desert as walking/heat helped me when I was stuck. I'd have to go outside in 110F temps and walk around the block a few times to get unstuck. I did it so often that I had a routine. I'd go out walking and call a friend of mine and we would chat while I walked.

I was thinking recently about those days. Walking, hot temps, IV supplies in my house and calling my RN friend to come and start an IV on me, the drugs I tried to stop stoma spasms, inflammation, stashing plastic bags everywhere so I always had something to barf in, in a pinch... I'm shocked at how it all became so normal. It became a way of life. I just got used to it. I had such a hard time deciding between revision (and the fear I was making my problems permanent) or getting fat again. I knew I couldn't do the band forever.

I didn't realize how severely the band impacted my life until I was sleeved and my life returned to normal. It was gradual and in my mind if I wanted thin I could either figure out a way to work the band or become MO again. Being MO was not an option and I didn't want Bypass.

Now that I have my life back in looking back some of it is kinda funny but a lot of it was not funny at all. It just makes me realize... the things we do for weight loss. (Slowly shaking head.)

A band gone bad affects every single aspect of your life as I wrote previously. It affects your employment, personal relationships, private life, health, everything. Absolutely every part of your life.

I was banded Oct 1, 2008. The complications started the day of surgery when a nurse held my ankles and made me reach above my head, grab the bedrails and pull my butt into the hospital bed. I had a shredding pain spread across my abdomen. No big deal they said, hit the pain pump. The next morning I woke up to an enormous bruise that was about 7" wide by 10" long across my abdomen under my port site sutures. I was scared. . .But was reassured that nothing was wrong with me.

Fast forward 10 days, suture removal, the bruising has now spread to my side and down even further my abdomen. The port site suture could not be removed because of swelling. The nurse dug around in one of my lap sites to remove sutures, and she couldn't get them out. YAY. 2 weeks later, I had cottage cheese consistency, old blood spewing from the lap site, it's now the size of a lima bean, and I see all the way to the pink layers of my abdomen, right through the fat. The infection is now tunnelling through my tummy. YAY YAY. They didn't seem too concerned, just keep it clean. Okay, off I go, 6 weeks later, the little hole is now getting smaller, it closes one day, but to my surprise there was something growing behind it. LOVELY. Prescription of Levaquin should resolve that. . .

I quit having restriction around Thanksgiving with a total of 2.5cc in my "band", in the tubing really. Was told to just stick to the diet, and to remember I am ahead of the game with 25lbs gone. December rolls around, not restriction, can eat more than I should, trying to be good. Called office about not having restriction, am told that it may take 25+ fills to get restriction and I need to accept it. REALLY?

I'll throw out this and it maybe TMI for some. But, our sex life suffered substantially because the port area was so sensitive, sex was sometimes impossible. . . Even though my husband is the most understanding, loving, and supportive husband in the universe, I hated feeling that we could not be intimate because I hurt so badly.

Okay, now fast forward end of Jan. Lost 1 pound in 2 months, YAY. I have a lot pain in my port area especially about my monthly cycle. Told surgeon, he looks dumbfounded. Manipulates the port for 15-20 minutes, I get 1cc finally. Thought I had restriction, yeah, not really. February, port pain is becoming more and more noticeable. And when I say pain, I mean pain level 6-8 on a daily basis. I go in for a fill even though they don't want to give me one, and he can't get to the port after 20 minutes of gouging around in my abdomen. It's swelling, bruising... I ask about the bleeding, and they finally agree to test me for R5 factor, reaction to Heparin. I am NEGATIVE. I received 5cc of heparin over a 30 hour hospital stay.

Okay, March 3rd, went in for a fill under fluoro, yep port is flipped, he digs on me for another 20 minutes, 5 different sticks, and can't get it under fluoro. I'm devastated. . . I ask him "why do I hurt everyday?" his reply " I honestly don't know ". . . Hmmmm this is not good.

6 days later, I show up for another attempt under fluoro even though they tell me it is to be done the next week. He agrees to try again, I get to radiology, and he says " have I accessed the port since repositioning it?" Ummm I was just here 6 days ago, and NO you haven't repositioned my port. He chuckled and said "oh dear, I've forgotten your chart." The fluoro table is at a 25degree angle, he manipulates the port and is able to give me 1cc, and tells me "see ya in 60 days". . . And off he went.

I left feeling like I was just ridden hard and put up wet. It was horrific. . . I called a week later and spoke with his nurse who proceeded to tell me " you haven't been happy since the beginning" I argued and said " No I haven't been happy since I have been ignored, and brushed off, and having complications that are trivialized by you and your husband." I told her I wanted my chart, and it took me driving down there and waiting an hour and a half to get my measley chart. She proceeded to tell me " you should of had gastric bypass like I told you". LOVELY.

I am not sure if I would of been successful with the band, but I know that I am so glad that I am getting the revision. The PB, sliming,getting stuck on crystal light was just too much for me to tolerate. I followed the rules, I worked my butt off for that 1lb loss between Thanksgiving and January 22nd. I truly feel like I was set up for failure by my surgeon, and I am so grateful to have the approval that I need to have the band removed and revision to the sleeve in June.

I was one of those ecstatic band patients until I had problems. Couple that with lack of concern and aftercare from my surgeon, I don't regret my choice for the band initially, I am sad it took me this long to get the hell away from my original surgeon.

Yay! We are all going to be happy to have another happy sleeved sister join our group!

I was banded Oct 1, 2008. The complications started the day of surgery when a nurse held my ankles and made me reach above my head, grab the bedrails and pull my butt into the hospital bed. I had a shredding pain spread across my abdomen. No big deal they said, hit the pain pump. The next morning I woke up to an enormous bruise that was about 7" wide by 10" long across my abdomen under my port site sutures. I was scared. . .But was reassured that nothing was wrong with me.

Fast forward 10 days, suture removal, the bruising has now spread to my side and down even further my abdomen. The port site suture could not be removed because of swelling. The nurse dug around in one of my lap sites to remove sutures, and she couldn't get them out. YAY. 2 weeks later, I had cottage cheese consistency, old blood spewing from the lap site, it's now the size of a lima bean, and I see all the way to the pink layers of my abdomen, right through the fat. The infection is now tunnelling through my tummy. YAY YAY. They didn't seem too concerned, just keep it clean. Okay, off I go, 6 weeks later, the little hole is now getting smaller, it closes one day, but to my surprise there was something growing behind it. LOVELY. Prescription of Levaquin should resolve that. . .

I quit having restriction around Thanksgiving with a total of 2.5cc in my "band", in the tubing really. Was told to just stick to the diet, and to remember I am ahead of the game with 25lbs gone. December rolls around, not restriction, can eat more than I should, trying to be good. Called office about not having restriction, am told that it may take 25+ fills to get restriction and I need to accept it. REALLY?

I'll throw out this and it maybe TMI for some. But, our sex life suffered substantially because the port area was so sensitive, sex was sometimes impossible. . . Even though my husband is the most understanding, loving, and supportive husband in the universe, I hated feeling that we could not be intimate because I hurt so badly.

Okay, now fast forward end of Jan. Lost 1 pound in 2 months, YAY. I have a lot pain in my port area especially about my monthly cycle. Told surgeon, he looks dumbfounded. Manipulates the port for 15-20 minutes, I get 1cc finally. Thought I had restriction, yeah, not really. February, port pain is becoming more and more noticeable. And when I say pain, I mean pain level 6-8 on a daily basis. I go in for a fill even though they don't want to give me one, and he can't get to the port after 20 minutes of gouging around in my abdomen. It's swelling, bruising... I ask about the bleeding, and they finally agree to test me for R5 factor, reaction to Heparin. I am NEGATIVE. I received 5cc of heparin over a 30 hour hospital stay.

Okay, March 3rd, went in for a fill under fluoro, yep port is flipped, he digs on me for another 20 minutes, 5 different sticks, and can't get it under fluoro. I'm devastated. . . I ask him "why do I hurt everyday?" his reply " I honestly don't know ". . . Hmmmm this is not good.

6 days later, I show up for another attempt under fluoro even though they tell me it is to be done the next week. He agrees to try again, I get to radiology, and he says " have I accessed the port since repositioning it?" Ummm I was just here 6 days ago, and NO you haven't repositioned my port. He chuckled and said "oh dear, I've forgotten your chart." The fluoro table is at a 25degree angle, he manipulates the port and is able to give me 1cc, and tells me "see ya in 60 days". . . And off he went.

I left feeling like I was just ridden hard and put up wet. It was horrific. . . I called a week later and spoke with his nurse who proceeded to tell me " you haven't been happy since the beginning" I argued and said " No I haven't been happy since I have been ignored, and brushed off, and having complications that are trivialized by you and your husband." I told her I wanted my chart, and it took me driving down there and waiting an hour and a half to get my measley chart. She proceeded to tell me " you should of had gastric bypass like I told you". LOVELY.

I am not sure if I would of been successful with the band, but I know that I am so glad that I am getting the revision. The PB, sliming,getting stuck on crystal light was just too much for me to tolerate. I followed the rules, I worked my butt off for that 1lb loss between Thanksgiving and January 22nd. I truly feel like I was set up for failure by my surgeon, and I am so grateful to have the approval that I need to have the band removed and revision to the sleeve in June.

I was one of those ecstatic band patients until I had problems. Couple that with lack of concern and aftercare from my surgeon, I don't regret my choice for the band initially, I am sad it took me this long to get the hell away from my original surgeon.

Did you smack that nurse upside the head? I hate people like that!

I hope you write an appropriate testimonial on OH, did you?

Did you smack that nurse upside the head? I hate people like that!

I hope you write an appropriate testimonial on OH, did you?

Not yet. . . I want to choose my words very careful. One of his bypass patients saw my story, and she was shocked, and when I told her who my surgeon was, she hasn't replied.

I forgot to mention that I've gained back 13 pounds from my initial loss of 27 pounds. I had loss 30, but it wasn't charted at their office.

The husband being deployed isn't helping, but I have found that I clean house instead of eating.

Not yet. . . I want to choose my words very careful. One of his bypass patients saw my story, and she was shocked, and when I told her who my surgeon was, she hasn't replied.

I forgot to mention that I've gained back 13 pounds from my initial loss of 27 pounds. I had loss 30, but it wasn't charted at their office.

The husband being deployed isn't helping, but I have found that I clean house instead of eating.

I'm assuming you have TriCare?? If so, I believe if they haven't yet they are going to start covering the sleeve. Have you checked?

I'm assuming you have TriCare?? If so, I believe if they haven't yet they are going to start covering the sleeve. Have you checked?

They aren't covering it yet. But, I went on base to the Bariatric clinic, met with a surgeon who has done all surgeries, he agrees that a revision would be my best option. I asked about getting a referral to a civilian that I have spoken with, and has done several band to sleeve revisions. He agreed to send me to him which essentially cuts out the approval process for Tricare Prime. Since I went on base first, if they send me off base, I get approval without having to go through all the BS.

Eglin AFB here in NW Florida does the sleeve more than the band. My other surgeon choice is Dr. Althar. I've been in contact with his office, nurse and Tricare liasion since the beginning of March. We're just waiting on a Hematologist appointment since I had all this "mystery bleeding". The on base surgeon wants me to see the psych again just because John is gone, and I feel really defeated by the other surgeon situation.

My main concern is the adhesions that the on base surgeon believes are on the tubing and port area of the band. That's my biggest worry is that I'm still going to hurt.

Your story is a nightmare and I'm so sorry for all you went through. I promise, the sleeve is going to be so much better for you.

Your story is a nightmare and I'm so sorry for all you went through. I promise, the sleeve is going to be so much better for you.

Thank you so much. . . Because of Wasa (on OH) I finally got up enough courage to get help. I stalked her on OH for months ha ha ha

Thank you so much. . . Because of Wasa (on OH) I finally got up enough courage to get help. I stalked her on OH for months ha ha ha

HA!

The sleeve really is soooo much better than the band in so many different ways. When the band doesn't work it causes all kinds of misery.

The OH band board doesn't like my sleeve/band opinions! Heh... But you know, I don't start topics on the band board about the band but if someone asks I tell them. They shouldn't ask if they don't want to know. :smile:/

OMG -- I'm definitely glad I decided to do more research before going forward with the band and decided upon the sleeve. I can't beleive what so many have been through - how awful.

I do have a question -- what is OH?

Tiff -

If your first surgeon was a civilian, I'd definitely be checking with an attorney as to a malpractice claim -- he care was definitely below the standards.

I wish your husband a quick return home and safety while he is deployed. My nephew was just deployed to Afghanastan (sp?) on the 29th. His wife and 3 young daughters are not handling it well at all, and either is his mom, my sister. We have to place them all in God's hands and send angels to protect them.

Good luck with your revision surgery -- you deserve happiness and a pain free life!

OMG -- I'm definitely glad I decided to do more research before going forward with the band and decided upon the sleeve. I can't beleive what so many have been through - how awful.

I do have a question -- what is OH?

Thank you so very much Obesity Help = OH.

I want to have the revision surgery before I even contact an attorney, plus, I've heard suing doctors in Florida is next to impossible. I'm not a big litigation person to say the least, and don't want monetary compensation, but it will be nice for his a$$ to be black listed by the military, so other military spouses do not have to endure his craptastic care. I have met with a Tricare patient advocate and we are working on what my options are. . . In my heart of hearts, he got a large chunk of the $35,000 from Tricare, and he was happy with that, once I became needy, he didn't want to deal with me, if I would of had bypass like they tried to convince me of, I think he would of treated me differently and I heard he charges $50k for bypass through Tricare. . . It's just scary, because Tricare pays without blinking an eye.

I found that place before this place.

John's been gone for around 6 weeks. We talk once a week via phone. He works 6 days on, 12 hour shifts, so our comm time is quite minimal. Luckily, we do get email 2-3 times weekly.

This is our first deployment as a married couple, one day, I'll share our little love story ha ha ha It's pretty amazing.

I"ll keep your nephew and his family in my thoughts and prayers as well.

Tiff, wow, what an awful story. I am so sorry you had to go through that. Your doctor sounds terrible. I am glad that you are getting things taken care of and going to the sleeve. You will be much happier.

WASa, love that tip. I used to keep the small tupperware bowls that were for fruit in my car for those lovely PB's while driving down the road. You have no idea how glad I am that I don't have to deal with that anymore.

Tiff, wow, what an awful story. I am so sorry you had to go through that. Your doctor sounds terrible. I am glad that you are getting things taken care of and going to the sleeve. You will be much happier.

WASa, love that tip. I used to keep the small tupperware bowls that were for fruit in my car for those lovely PB's while driving down the road. You have no idea how glad I am that I don't have to deal with that anymore.

Ohhh, but I do know how nice it is to give up that lifestyle! HA!

How's it going with solids? Enjoying food again? ;o)

Solids is going great for me. I can only eat a few bites and am stuffed, but am enjoying what I do eat. I am also happy because I am now able to take larger gulps of water, instead of tiny sips, which is definitely helping with my water intake.