Re: Re: Band has not been successful for me.....

February 8, 2011

Hi Charline

I thought I'd put in my experience of the band. I was banded in 2007 and in

many ways wish I hadn't! I've never been happy and comfortable with it.

What amazes me is that each person I read about or speak to has a very different

experience - some just seem to up and run with it, whilst others really

struggle. I am not sure if it is the surgical technique/expertise, the

individual's psychological profile/history and/or the sensitivity of the

stomach. And yet medical personnel speak to us as if " one size fits all " which

clearly is not the case. My medical practitioner became increasingly irritated

with me, so much so that I dreaded going back and in fact haven't been back for

months. My band is very lose now and I am gaining weight, the worst investment

of £7,000 i ever made. I can eat virtually anything - sandwiches being my

favourite!

I lost around 70lbs mostly through vomiting and being unable to eat. I was

filled and unfilled over and over again with tiny amounts. I was too lose then

too tight. Too tight was horrible, no matter how much I chewed my stomach would

react the moment the food hit the pouch and I'd been in pain and have to vomit.

Too lose and the inevitable would happen I'd be hungry constantly. I have been

unable to lay on my right side since the op because of a burning sensation,

which I can only assume is acid - although it is a different feeling to acid

reflux that I'm used to. No matter how much I described my symptoms and

difficulties the doctors and nurses just scratched their heads and suggested a

fill or unfill. I had understood that my op included life time care but after

two years they now want a nominal fee of £50 for each fill or unfill (around

$70), I'm unemployed at present and can't afford their nominal fee, let alone

any investigatory fee.

Still - I'm still around 50lbs less than I was when I started. Despite what

I've written above I do now take responsibility for what I eat, I don't rely

upon the band to do it for me, so in many ways I'm back to square one, but 50lbs

lighter.

I do feel for you - it sounds awful and I think the " experts " sometimes attempt

to override our experiences which just adds to the feeling of frusration.

Good luck to you.

Sheree

From: charliwe@...

Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 01:03:27 +0000

Subject: Re: Band has not been successful for me.....

Thanks Moon shadow,

I have told you about the situation where I live in Canada. There is one doctor

who does bariatric surgery plus he does general surgery. I have the choice of

waiting or going to the ER & having to deal with doctors that don't understand

the band. I have had good & very bad experiences at the ER.

As for not seeing a doctor in the UK, I have been told by my doctor, that if

anyone but his team or the ER at his hospital touches my band, he will no longer

treat me, Since he is the only game in town, I didn't go see anyone while in the

UK. He may have understood, the position I was in, but I was going to chance it.

It was my doctor that said that must have been a small bubble in the band,

possibly from when it was out in. Pressurizing a cabin does not stop gases from

expanding at altitude. If you doubt this, take a bag of chips on your next long

distance fight.

I am booked for a flouro on Feb 24, I can't get in before that.As it is I am

being fitted in. I have had flouro several times since my troubles have started,

but nothing was ever noticed. Why would this one be different?

Since I have to wait so long to see my doctor, I was hoping someone

could tell me what the possibilities are.

Charline

> >

> > I was banded 2 years ago this month. The first 6 months went very well. I

reached a very nice level of restiction after 3-4 months. Weight loss was a

breeze. I ate all I wanted (because I was easily satisfied) & exercised more &

mors as I lost weight. I love getting outside & being active. Then in Sept we

went to the UK. Apparently I had a very small bubble in my band and it expanded

in the flight. It stayed expanded & for the entire 2 weeks away I was only able

to eat mushies. I had an unfill as soon as I got home. Since then I have had 3

major unfills. I would have small fills, but as I would be closing in on

restriction, I would get too tight after a few weeks. Before getting the fill

that ends up being too tight, I am wide open. Just after the fill I don't feel

much restriction but 3 weeks later I get tighter. But it does not stop there. I

keep getting tighter until I can only drink liquids. It has been about 10 weeks

since I had a 1 cc fill. I have been on liquids for about a week. The acid

reflux does not allow me to lie down. I have slept in my lazy-box for the last 5

nights. I have a floroscope scheduled for Feb 22. What do you think my problem

is ? band slip? hernia? something else? Have any of you experienced something

similar?

> > I have been in close contact with my Dr's team, but if I want an unfill

before the scope, I have to go to the ER. Forget that, one of the times I did

this, the radiologist completely drained my band, including the prime that was

put in during surgery. I live in a rural area of Canada & I can't go to another

doctor, so please don't suggest that. There are short comings to social

medicine, just different ones from an HMO system.

> > Thanks for reading this

> > Charline

> >

>

February 8, 2011

by the way

LOVE my band

On Feb 8, 2011, at 12:58 AM, moonshadow.sandy wrote:

> Charline, I have in the past (sadly) taken lots of bags of chips in

> planes. Since the cabin is pressurized, there is no change in the

> inflation in the bags. similarly, no matter how high a transatlantic

> flight is, the cabin pressure remains the same - at the pressure of

> about 1000 feet altitude.

> I've flown all over the world in the 8 years since my banding, and

> have not had a bit of trouble if I remained very well-hydrated.

>

> I've been in the OR to see lots of bands placed, and there is a

> procedure the surgeons are to follow to carefully remove any air that

> might be in there, before the band is inserted. This " flushing " is

> very important.

>

> Then, there is a check to be done with fills to again be sure there

> is no air in there. even though there still may be a tiny bubble, it

> does not expand or contract enought with pressureized altitude changes

> to make a difference in the band. THis was discussed at a recent

> Bariatric conference I attended.

>

> Good luck with your fluoro - I sure still wish you would be seen

> sooner than weeks from now.

> Always your choice, though -

>

> Sandy R, RN, MN

> group co-owner

> banded 8 yrs

>

> > > >

> > > > I was banded 2 years ago this month. The first 6 months went

> very well. I reached a very nice level of restiction after 3-4 months.

> Weight loss was a breeze. I ate all I wanted (because I was easily

> satisfied) & exercised more & mors as I lost weight. I love getting

> outside & being active. Then in Sept we went to the UK. Apparently I

> had a very small bubble in my band and it expanded in the flight. It

> stayed expanded & for the entire 2 weeks away I was only able to eat

> mushies. I had an unfill as soon as I got home. Since then I have had

> 3 major unfills. I would have small fills, but as I would be closing

> in on restriction, I would get too tight after a few weeks. Before

> getting the fill that ends up being too tight, I am wide open. Just

> after the fill I don't feel much restriction but 3 weeks later I get

> tighter. But it does not stop there. I keep getting tighter until I

> can only drink liquids. It has been about 10 weeks since I had a 1 cc

> fill . I have been on liquids for about a week. The acid reflux does

> not allow me to lie down. I have slept in my lazy-box for the last 5

> nights. I have a floroscope scheduled for Feb 22. What do you think my

> problem is ? band slip? hernia? something else? Have any of you

> experienced something similar?

> > > > I have been in close contact with my Dr's team, but if I want

> an unfill before the scope, I have to go to the ER. Forget that, one

> of the times I did this, the radiologist completely drained my band,

> including the prime that was put in during surgery. I live in a rural

> area of Canada & I can't go to another doctor, so please don't suggest

> that. There are short comings to social medicine, just different ones

> from an HMO system.

> > > > Thanks for reading this

> > > > Charline

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

February 8, 2011

hi

I'm having an unfill tomorrow and now wonder if my fill doc check for

air bubbles you talk about with flushing? the pumping of the syringe?

this is to check for air bubbles?

8 years later and this is news to me. can u tell me more?