Bye, Bye Band

[Guest guest]

It feels very weird for me to say it out loud, but my band is

gone..finally! I feel very ambivalent about the whole thing. I'm

very happy to not be in pain and having problems anymore, but I felt

very much " attached " to my band and felt it was very much a part of

me for the last 6 years. I identified myself as a " bandster " and

wanted very much for this to work for me. I actually asked my

surgeon for my band back so I could keep it, lol!

I was very recently converted from a band to a bypass. The surgery

was VERY difficult and took almost 4 hours. Most of which time was

spent trying to remove my band. It was placed WAAAAY too high on my

esophagus and I had no pouch at all. I am still recovering and I

expect it will take me a while longer to feel back to my old self

again.

I have decided that I shouldn't define myself as

a " bandster " , " bypasser " or whatever cute name we think of to call

ourselves. My main goal is the same as it always was and I'm sure

it's the same as most of you. To be healthy and live a quality life,

free of morbid obesity.

Let my situation be a lesson to everyone that wants to keep their

band at all cost. The last thing I want to do is to put fear into

anyone. However, I want you to be aware of possible issues and

symptoms and to know when it's time to let your band go. Mainly, if

you have pain, something is wrong. Vomiting, loss of restriction,

poor weight loss, etc. Even after following instructions given to me

by my surgeon, I still had problems.

If your surgeon (or anyone else) tries to blame you, then SEE SOMEONE

ELSE! If you follow treatment instructions and still have problems

and/or pain, it's NOT your fault and you need to be treated.

Contrary to popular belief, more and more is known about

complications and their causes. Most of which are NOT the patient's

fault. Your first priority should be your health and not keeping

your band! Don't forget that! I have forgotten that at times during

my own journey.

I thought of my band as the end and the " cure " . It was neither for

me. I had other options. I just wasn't ready to see them. I was

even thinking about giving my band another try while in pre-op

waiting for my conversion surgery! Then I came to my senses. It's

not worth risking more serious complications or even death, just to

keep your band. That is NOT why any of us decided to be banded. The

reason we decided to be banded was to help us lose weight and get

healthy. THAT'S IT!

I consider myself a success. To me, a success is not giving up and

finding a surgeon willing to help me and get to my ultimate goal of

health and quality of life!

Always make sure you keep your priorities straight and if you're

having trouble, seek not only medical help, but also emotional

support. Whether it is on one of these boards or somewhere else. I

guarantee that someone else is going through the same thing you are

going through. So decide to be the brave one and reach out.

I hope none of you ever go through what I have been through, but the

fact is that some of you will. Please listen to your body and never

ignore it's voice

I wish all of you the Best of Health!

Sandy ston

Patient Care Coordinator for

aLighterMe

Dr. Salvador Valencia, MD, FACS

Dr. Mark Pleatman MD, FACS

[Guest guest]

Sandy,

so sorry you have to let the band go. I do not know the specifics of the issue

but I heard your words. We do not want to be in pain that is for sure, something

may be wrong. Hope your journey is successfull now, keep in touch!

God Beless,

Lidia

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[Guest guest]

I apologize for not reading the posts carefully enough, because I don't know why

you had been having problems with your band. I feel anxious now because both

you and Sandy McCoy are having some serious medical issues after doing well for

years. Is 4-6 years all the time we will safely have with our band?

[Guest guest]

Sandy, we missed you and your proposed talk at the Seattle Bash. i

knew you were having urgent surgery, and hoped it would turn out well.

good luck to you !

I'd like to know more, though, about the Band being placed " way too

high. " It is supposed to be placed very high, barely below the

junction of the stomach nd esophagus, to leave a pouch barely golf-

ball sized. There really is not even a pouch at all, until fills.

you did well for a very long time...so it doesn't seem that there was

a problem from the atart.....what changed all this?

Hope you recover well and quickly!

the best to you -

sandy r

>

> It feels very weird for me to say it out loud, but my band is

> gone..finally! I feel very ambivalent about the whole thing. I'm

> very happy to not be in pain and having problems anymore, but I

felt

> very much " attached " to my band and felt it was very much a part of

> me for the last 6 years. I identified myself as a " bandster " and

> wanted very much for this to work for me. I actually asked my

> surgeon for my band back so I could keep it, lol!

>

> I was very recently converted from a band to a bypass. The surgery

> was VERY difficult and took almost 4 hours. Most of which time was

> spent trying to remove my band. It was placed WAAAAY too high on

my

> esophagus and I had no pouch at all. I am still recovering and I

> expect it will take me a while longer to feel back to my old self

> again.

>

> I have decided that I shouldn't define myself as

> a " bandster " , " bypasser " or whatever cute name we think of to call

> ourselves. My main goal is the same as it always was and I'm sure

> it's the same as most of you. To be healthy and live a quality

life,

> free of morbid obesity.

>

> Let my situation be a lesson to everyone that wants to keep their

> band at all cost. The last thing I want to do is to put fear into

> anyone. However, I want you to be aware of possible issues and

> symptoms and to know when it's time to let your band go. Mainly,

if

> you have pain, something is wrong. Vomiting, loss of restriction,

> poor weight loss, etc. Even after following instructions given to

me

> by my surgeon, I still had problems.

>

> If your surgeon (or anyone else) tries to blame you, then SEE

SOMEONE

> ELSE! If you follow treatment instructions and still have problems

> and/or pain, it's NOT your fault and you need to be treated.

> Contrary to popular belief, more and more is known about

> complications and their causes. Most of which are NOT the

patient's

> fault. Your first priority should be your health and not keeping

> your band! Don't forget that! I have forgotten that at times

during

> my own journey.

>

> I thought of my band as the end and the " cure " . It was neither for

> me. I had other options. I just wasn't ready to see them. I was

> even thinking about giving my band another try while in pre-op

> waiting for my conversion surgery! Then I came to my senses. It's

> not worth risking more serious complications or even death, just to

> keep your band. That is NOT why any of us decided to be banded.

The

> reason we decided to be banded was to help us lose weight and get

> healthy. THAT'S IT!

>

> I consider myself a success. To me, a success is not giving up and

> finding a surgeon willing to help me and get to my ultimate goal of

> health and quality of life!

>

> Always make sure you keep your priorities straight and if you're

> having trouble, seek not only medical help, but also emotional

> support. Whether it is on one of these boards or somewhere else.

I

> guarantee that someone else is going through the same thing you are

> going through. So decide to be the brave one and reach out.

>

> I hope none of you ever go through what I have been through, but

the

> fact is that some of you will. Please listen to your body and

never

> ignore it's voice

> I wish all of you the Best of Health!

>

> Sandy ston

> Patient Care Coordinator for

> aLighterMe

> Dr. Salvador Valencia, MD, FACS

> Dr. Mark Pleatman MD, FACS

>

[Guest guest]

, I'm afraid much is still not known about the band and long-

term care. But the rate of eerosions and slips is increasing, and

this is from a combination of inexperienced surgeons and patients who

are either not taught well by these less experienced surgeons. even

some of the Docs who have done many bands still have a very poor

aftercare/teaching program - and this, sadly, includes most of the

MX band surgeons.

There is always the rare possibility of serious problems with the

band - or with any WLS, or any surgery at all. We should be

discussing all these very carefully with our docs, to be sure we

understand and accept the risks.

The big problems are very rare - while the chance of dying early if

we remain morbidly obese is about 100%. I'll risk the band,

personally...

and do everything in my power to minimize the risks.

Sandy r

at goal > 4 yrs, no major problems

>

> I apologize for not reading the posts carefully enough, because I

don't know why you had been having problems with your band. I feel

anxious now because both you and Sandy McCoy are having some serious

medical issues after doing well for years. Is 4-6 years all the time

we will safely have with our band?

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> I apologize for not reading the posts carefully enough, because I

don't know why you had been having problems with your band. I feel

anxious now because both you and Sandy McCoy are having some serious

medical issues after doing well for years. Is 4-6 years all the time

we will safely have with our band?

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Sandy, we missed you and your proposed talk at the Seattle Bash. i

> knew you were having urgent surgery, and hoped it would turn out

well.

> good luck to you !

>

Thank you. I hope to be giving the same talk at the Chicago Bash and

maybe others.

> I'd like to know more, though, about the Band being placed " way too

> high. " It is supposed to be placed very high, barely below the

> junction of the stomach nd esophagus, to leave a pouch barely golf-

> ball sized. There really is not even a pouch at all, until fills.

>

Yes, the band is supposed to be placed high on the upper part of the

stomach, but there is suppose to be some stomach tissue to act as the

pouch. I had no pouch at all.

> you did well for a very long time...so it doesn't seem that there

> was a problem from the atart.....what changed all this?

>

>

It is believed that the band did not move and was there all along.

When a person experiences a slip, it's not the band that slips; it is

the stomach below the band that actually prolapses up through the

band. My surgeons said they have never seen nor heard of a band

actually moving up by itself. They also found lots of scar tissue

with the band securely embedded in that scar tissue.

> Hope you recover well and quickly!

> the best to you -

>

> sandy r

>

Thanks! I am feeling better now!

Sandy ston

Patient Care Coordinator for

aLighterMe

Dr. Salvador Valencia, MD, FACS

Dr. Mark Pleatman MD, FACS

Banded Sept 2002 / Band removed converted to bypass Feb 2008