Question on Slipped Band

VEEJEE07 · June 3, 2009

Hi, My doc thinks that my band has slipped. I went for a Bariium Swallow and although the slippage didnt show during the test, the doc says that my other symptoms indicate a slippage. I went in 2 days ago and had an complete "unfill". We're hoping that the stomach will go back in place from the loosening of the band, but will wait a week to be sure. My question for anyone who has experienced something similar is that I'm still really uncomfortable and have had little to no relief. Does anyone know what to expect 2 days after an unfill? I'm just trying to get an idea of the possibilty this not working and going back in for surgery.

Thanks:unsure:

tyman311 · June 3, 2009

What are your symptoms?

Betty Lue · June 3, 2009

My band slipped on May 24. I was very sick. Throwing up everything! I could not hold my head up. It was really bad. I have had my band for almost 3 years. My doctor was able to save my band. I feel great now just having to start over with the liquids and etc. Trust me if your band has slipped you will know it...Good luck to you!

laceysmom67 · June 5, 2009

I have a slippage I found out yesterday with herniation, and I had no pain at all. My only sympthom was reflux that continued to escalate even though I was taking 2 nexiums a day(Per dr instructions) and only went to my surgeon to have some Fluid removed yo see if it resolved reflux. So it is possible to not know you have a slippage. I have read a lot of threads with people who had reflux, so I just thought it was because of a recent fill. If you have reflux, do not think it is normal, it is not.

VEEJEE07 · June 5, 2009

Thank you all for your replies and info. I ended up having emergency surgery and needed to have the band removed. It wasn't a slipped band but worse... my body rejected the band and causing many problems but thanfully nothing permanent. The only permanent thing is that I cannot have the band. I'm dealing with it but pretty scared to do without it. Any, Thank God the surgery went well and we caught it before there was any erosion. Although my symptoms started out as first a band that was too tight or a slipped ban( throwing up, not getting food down) they became different when the pain was under my sternum seconds after I ate anything even liquid. Also pain in my left side under my rib cage.

Anyway... morale of the story is that you always need to listen to your body and thankfully I did and I have great doctor who was also listening to me.

thanks again

Vee:frown:

Betty Lue · June 6, 2009

I'm so sorry about your body rejecting the band, but thank God you caught it in time. Good luck with everything.....

Jaffa · June 7, 2009

Hey, we are seeing a trend of doctors saying the persons body rejected the band.

Either it is a brand new phenomena, after 20 years, or it is a brand new excuse for infection that doesn't get the doctor sued as often?

I'm not saying which, but it is one or the other.

WASaBubbleButt · June 8, 2009

Thank you all for your replies and info. I ended up having emergency surgery and needed to have the band removed. It wasn't a slipped band but worse... my body rejected the band and causing many problems but thanfully nothing permanent. The only permanent thing is that I cannot have the band. I'm dealing with it but pretty scared to do without it. Any, Thank God the surgery went well and we caught it before there was any erosion. Although my symptoms started out as first a band that was too tight or a slipped ban( throwing up, not getting food down) they became different when the pain was under my sternum seconds after I ate anything even liquid. Also pain in my left side under my rib cage.
Anyway... morale of the story is that you always need to listen to your body and thankfully I did and I have great doctor who was also listening to me.

thanks again

Vee:frown:

Per the FDA there has never been a reported case of someone rejecting a band.

Did you have an infection as a result of the band?

VEEJEE07 · June 8, 2009

Yes there was inflamation and infection but I was told that my body had rejected the "foreign object". That is interesting information about the FDA not having a reported incident. I am so into gathering information on this because I am trying to understand what really happened. I've kept myself extremely healthy throughout the entire journey, before,during and after and I cannot figure out what or things went wrong. The more info I can gather, the more I can offer to others.

WASaBubbleButt · June 8, 2009

Yes there was inflamation and infection but I was told that my body had rejected the "foreign object". That is interesting information about the FDA not having a reported incident. I am so into gathering information on this because I am trying to understand what really happened. I've kept myself extremely healthy throughout the entire journey, before,during and after and I cannot figure out what or things went wrong. The more info I can gather, the more I can offer to others.

Infection and rejection of a band are two very different things.

Did you have a fill within a few weeks of the problems starting?

Please understand, we all believe you that you were told it was rejection. I have no doubt about that. But I think the FDA would be most interested to know there is a case out there... if you get my drift. ;o)

VEEJEE07 · June 8, 2009

Hi, My last fill was in Feb. When I went for an appt in March, I was given the option for another fill ( this would have been my 5th) but I wanted to wait cuz I felt comfortable where I was. Beginning of May, I started to have problems getting food down, so I went back and they had taken out 1/2 cc as we thought it might be just too tight. I also had a barium swallow that was normal. After about 1 week I began to feel too tight again with pains. Went back to the doc had a complete unfill with the expectation of feeling relief. With no relief after 2 days, I called the doc back and that's when I went to the OR.

I truly to appreciate the info you are offering as this is all so new to me. My post op follow up is in 2 wks and I will have many questions for the doc at that time. Of course we don't think of these questions during the "urgency" time, so thanks for sharing your info.

rnally05 · June 23, 2009

All very interesting posts. I've had a lot of problems with the band being to tight, excacerbated at times of stress. I find if I am stressed, everything tightens up. In May I went in to have some Fluid removed as I was having a lot of difficulty getting anything but mush down, an xray was done and indicated a slight shift in the band. Completely unfilled to let things rest, will be xrayed again this week and possibly refilled. I've had many adjustments in 4mo time and will choose to go at it quite slowly from now on. I have discovered I need to be on the lower side for fills and be happy with it. I've been a month without fill and no wgt gain, thank goodness, so........ I can do it. Interested if anyone else has had similar problems.

AZnikki · July 24, 2009

I have a slippage I found out yesterday with herniation, and I had no pain at all. My only sympthom was reflux that continued to escalate even though I was taking 2 nexiums a day(Per dr instructions) and only went to my surgeon to have some Fluid removed yo see if it resolved reflux. So it is possible to not know you have a slippage. I have read a lot of threads with people who had reflux, so I just thought it was because of a recent fill. If you have reflux, do not think it is normal, it is not.

Hi there...I was reading this thread and I saw your post and thought I'd contact you. I have had an almost similar situation. The Reflux was getting worse regardless of anything I took and I had EXTREME pain in my chest like behind my sternum that sent me to the ER 3 times. Of course, I never have any luck at the ER when it comes to LapBand issues, so they kept treating it like it were something else...can't remember all the details. I finally went in to see my lap band doctor. He took action immediately. He unfilled me--well, took 2 cc's from the 4 that were in there. I immediately felt relief. I finally got an upper GI done and they just got the results. They called today. now they are doing an EGD (while I am under). I asked the nurse, "Does this mean that my band has slipped? and she said, "The report shows that the stomach may have herniated through the band." I'm not sure what that means. So, I repeated, "Does that mean my band slipped?" and she said, "Yeah." Anyway, I still don't really understand and I don't know what I should be anticipating as the "next step." What did they do for your slipped band??? Any info that can be provided would be so greatly appreciated!!!

laceysmom67 · July 24, 2009

Luckily mine had not slipped but they could not tell because of the herniation, until I had a complete unfill and waited for a month. After a month, my dr did a refill under floriscope and said it had not slipped and the herniation seemed to have corrected itself. He said it prob herniated because it was to tight, He only put in 3 cc in my 10 cc band and I am going back in Aug to have in filled to to 4 cc or maybe a little less, since I don't seem to tolerate higher amounts. I have stared losing weight again, something I had not done in almost a year, and am down abou 2 1/2 pds since my refill.

The way he explained it to me is that a herniation is not a slippage, but a pouch that forms above the band. the food was sitting in the pouch and that is why I was having reflux, it was not going to my stomach and when Iaid down, acid was forming and making it come back up.

I ws having pain also, but just thought it was because I tend to eat to fast, and think that had something to do with the herniation, makes sense that if I crammed food and it had no place to go it made another pouch. I havenot had reflux or pain of any kind since my refill. Hopefully you will have the same outcome. I have been trying to slow down my eating, but still catch myself gobbling food down, which is how I been eating for years, because while I worked we only had 15-30 minutes to eat lunch, and I just got used to eating as fast as I could so I could do other things if I had to on my lunch break.

I had 2 upper gi's a week apart 1 before they unfilled and 2nd to see if it looked like a slippage, but I am not sure what EGD is, just looke dit up, says it is scope of stomach, and did not have that. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

If you have any more questions let me know. How long have you had the band?

rnally05 · July 24, 2009

Hi there...I was reading this thread and I saw your post and thought I'd contact you. I have had an almost similar situation. The Reflux was getting worse regardless of anything I took and I had EXTREME pain in my chest like behind my sternum that sent me to the ER 3 times. Of course, I never have any luck at the ER when it comes to LapBand issues, so they kept treating it like it were something else...can't remember all the details. I finally went in to see my lap band doctor. He took action immediately. He unfilled me--well, took 2 cc's from the 4 that were in there. I immediately felt relief. I finally got an upper GI done and they just got the results. They called today. now they are doing an EGD (while I am under). I asked the nurse, "Does this mean that my band has slipped? and she said, "The report shows that the stomach may have herniated through the band." I'm not sure what that means. So, I repeated, "Does that mean my band slipped?" and she said, "Yeah." Anyway, I still don't really understand and I don't know what I should be anticipating as the "next step." What did they do for your slipped band??? Any info that can be provided would be so greatly appreciated!!!

I had an unfill after similar symptoms in May, went approx 5wks with no fill to let things rest, had a repeat xray which indicated the band looked good. In May, my symptoms were reflux and pain in substernal and upper back. I was under a lot of stress which may have contributed to the problem. The xray in May showed a slight shift in the band, ? was it truly a slipped band, I don't know but they took the fill out and it relieved all my symptoms immediately. I am up to 4.5cc now in a 10cc band and feel I could use just a bit more, the MD is approaching very cautiously, which is fine. I wish you luck.