I was banded Nov/2011 and have the VG band holding 11cc’s since my banding I have always had issues, my fills are either too much or not enough and once it even took me to the hospital due to a minor sillpage. I have been to my doctor’s office 4 times since Nov 2011 to get my band filled or unfilled. I have spoken to them today (just got it unfilled to 3.6cc) about the options of getting a Sleeve or Gastic Bypass and although I am scared of having surgery again, I am just so fed up with my lap band and don’t even want to get another fill.
My question is, after my unfill today, I went from 6.6cc to 3.6cc, I am feeling nauseous and feel sick to my stomach. I can tolate liquids but wondering why I feel so yucky? I have taken prevecid, should I take nausea meds too? Please let me know.

Thanks-
yvette

I had a Gastric band inserted in Dec. 1996.(I weighed 220 lbs at the time and was 5 ft. 6. in). I now weigh about 170 lbs.) Seven months later (July 2007), the band had to be replaced because there was a defect in the band (the manufacturer paid the costs).
6 weeks ago a barium swallow confirmed that the band has slipped. The chief surgeon wants me to have a sleeve resection. The assistant to the surgeon says I should have a gastric bypass. They are discouraging me from either having the band corrected or a new one inserted. They say the lap bands are not the treatment of choice any more at their hospital.

I live in Germany. I had the surgery done in Belgium and self-payed at the time. In Germany now my surgery would be paid by the national health service. I am wondering how that influences their recommendations. Is the gastric band still being inserted because for many self-payers it is the most reasonable alternative for bariatric surgery. But are the other procedures more the gold standard and gastric bands the poor cousin.

Truly, I would like to have the gastric band repositioned or a new one inserted, I am not yet ready to cut away a part of myself.
I may have to go back to self-pay in Belgium because I am not sure they will do the procedure here in Germany.
At the same time, I want to do the best medically for myself.
I sense that I prefer a phased treatment (trying another lap band first, and if that doesn’t work, considering sleeve resection.
The doctor did mention that because I am 62 (in good health otherwise, I am also active), my age was a factor. For what, I am not quite sure.

What would you suggest I do?
Replacement or repositioning the lap band first. If it slips again, then
Sleeve resection (on which there are no long-term studies).
I’m not ready to do a Bypass. That I am sure about.

I was banded in 11/2010. I had to have a port revision in 2/2011, and a tube replacement in 11/2011. Since the tube replacement I have been losing great, eating right, and being active. I went and had a slight unfill 3/2012 taking me down from 7cc (in a 10cc band) to 6.5 cc. I wanted to increase my activity level and my food intake slightly so that I would have the energy to do the workouts I wanted to do. Since my slight unfill, it has been harder for me to eat. I know wake up some nights (not every night) coughing and sometimes gaging on acid reflux. The mornings after I cough a lot I have pain in my chest but only above my left breast. I haven’t eaten foods that I shouldn’t and I know what having something stuck feels like and this isn’t that. I was wondering if you think I might have a slippage. I really don’t want another surgery.

I got my lap band in Feb. 8th. Everything was going quite well up until yesterday. I had my 1st fill on the 28th of March and seemed to do fine, again, until yesterday. I also have a hx of eosinophillic esphagitis which I have difficulty swallowing. Yesterday, while eating some chicken, I felt as though it was stuck in my throat so I took a sip of water to try and guide it down (as I have done for the last 6 years since the dx) however, it was a very painful experience and afterward I spent about 10 min vomiting, most of it looked bright red, I am assuming it is blood. I was unable to get anything food or liquid to stay down since. Any time I eat or drink anything I spend the next several minutes in the bathroom vomiting. Although, there isn’t any more blood, it is very painful and almost feels like a knife or something is in my throat and chest when I eat. As an EMT, I very hesitant to go spend hours in the ER just to be told I am fine. Any in sight on what this could be would help. I hope maybe I just irritated the esphagus and in a few days I will heal.

That’s my history, but long story short, in approximately 2 years I’ve only had 2 fills. When the weather changes, I still feel it. I get a lot of gas that seems to put ‘pressure’ up on the band, and sometimes I feel like I can’t feel the cold going down. I don’t believe I have overeaten, especially considering the amount of time elapsing between the two fills, but I’m back to not feeling the cold drink going down again.

I’m sorry this is detailed, but I wanted to give you a little history before asking my question which is: If the pouch has stretched to the point of twisting sideways where it prolapses over the band, what happens to the liquids or foods? Wouldn’t it eventually “back-up”? And if it’s not going down through the band, wouldn’t it lessen the trips to the bathroom? The more I drink trying to “feel” the cold, the more I go, so I feel like something must be going through and perhaps I just can’t “feel” it because of the gas pushing up and the constant weather changes we have (I’m in south Texas). I ‘m not feeling nausea, vomiting or heartburn.

I’d love to have your feedback on this.

Thank you so much for answering people’s questions and taking your time to offer your input.

I had my surgery done in May 2011, I didnt have much weight to loose so Im assuming thats why the dr used a 4cc band on me. I didnt get my first fill until July about 2 months later. My first fill was 2cc and from May to February i lost a significantly amount of weight, enough that I was going back in to have a slight unfill because I was unable to eat meat unless it was in very fine pieces or any thing solid without only being able to eat a few pieces or spoons. I went back in this month to get an unfill but when the nurse attempted to take the fluid out, nothing came so that prompted her to do it under flouroscopy. When I drank the barium swallow, you can see I had a small prolaspe or you can say an area where my esophogus on one side was buldging over my band. It didnt look too bad so when she tried again to remove the fluid, she was able to get the 2cc completely out. She told me to come back in two weeks to re-check and to get a fill. I am skeptical of going back in because for one, I am self pay, i had my band placed in Mexico, second the cost for florusocopy is $350 each time and I am still having problems eating anything solid. It feels like I still have fluid in my band when I don’t. I put myself on a 3 day liquid diet because the nurse didnt tell me to go on liquids for the two weeks. I tried drinking/eating very soupy oatmeal and it hurts when any thing with substance pass the area of my band. I am currently in week 3 with the same problems. I am not sure what caused my prolaspe or slippage. I did not have an issue with vomiting at all. Do you think that my issue came from using the 4cc band vs the new band? I was told by others in the US that drs were suppose to discontinue the use of the 4cc band. My friend and i went at the same time to mexico and she got a 10cc band im not sure why i got a 4cc band. What do you think my next step should be? I am considering going back to Mexico to have an adjustment or whatever I may need but concerned about cost. I hate to think I have to pay to have it repaired when maybe the wrong size band was used that may have caused my issue.