I'm Now Bandless

[KathyJ]

This all happened so fast, my head is still spinning. I was having trouble for several months with reflux and pain, etc. Went in to my clinic, they couldn't access my port to put in fluid, nor take it out... so went to see my Dr. who ordered upper GI. Band had slipped or was positioned oddly he thought. So I went in for total unfill to give it a rest and hopefully it would heal itself. If not, we'd proceed to other measures he said. Well, nobody could access the port for the unfill. The nurse that usually did it for me was no longer working there. So a week later I was asked to go to hospital for fluoroscope. Went in Tuesday thinking that this would be a simple procedure. Radiologist Dr. (I think that's who he was) had trouble getting anything to come out or go in, so he struggled a bit and pushed it in and was able to fill it up.... only problem was he couldn't pull anything out of the band. Turns out there was so much scar tissue built up around the port. So, I drank barium to see if anything would go down. NOTHING,,, he had closed up the opening totally. The lapband nurses who were there with me, called my Lapband Dr., and he ordered me to surgery floor to do surgery right away. I was in sooo much pain I was shaking like a leaf, and I was begging for morphine. The band had to come out. I had so much scar tissue wrapped around the little bugger that it had kinked up near the band and the band was twisted, plus scar tissue was covering the port area. Dr. was going to try place a new band in for me, but he had to cut away alot of tissue to get the band out in order to put new band in he would have to scrape and cut more tissue, tissue that was on my left liver lobe and stomach and he felt it was too dangerous and didn't want to risk hole a in stomach or liver, etc. He also felt that because I'm a heavy scar tissue producer, this would happen again. So out it came. He was able to get 11 cc out of the band and it's a 10 cc band!! no wonder I thought I was dying, the pain was so intense. Soooo, in a matter of hours I became unbanded. What they have been able to piece together is that my first fill went well several weeks after band placement (before scar tissue build up) they had put in 5 cc's... and for 18 months that is what I had, 5cc's, even though I went in for a fill 4 more times and we all thought I had 8 cc in my band, because they had so much trouble accessing it, they're thinking nothing went in those other 4 times. The nurse that said she got the fluid in is no longer there.... So the dr and nurse at my clinic talked with me afterwords (sorta a peptalk I think) about how proud they were that I had lost 85 lbs with 5 cc's.... that my dedication to the rules and walking faithfully every day had accomplished a great deal of my weight loss.. They've made me life time member of the clinic, I can come in as often as I need to for weight, dietitian, PT consultations and they will continue to provide the support that I need, but without the band. I'm still in a state of shock, recovering from the surgery, sore as all get out right now, hating my ted hose and sipping broth for a few days to let my opening heal.... 85 lbs is a lot and I'm happy with that, the other 30-50 lbs I'm hoping will come off too with the same strategies that I used with the band. From now on it's really a head game for me.....

[Ready2succeed]

Wow what a story! You have done amazing! And to think that you have done it with out the lapband & didn't realize it! So you can do the rest also! How scary to be so closed up and then rushed to surgery. Thank goodness its all over now! Keep up the great work you can do it!!

[Mloukas143]

That is crazy, yet so scary. I am so sorry you lose your band. I would be in a state of panic if I ever lost my band. You are so brave! The scariest part is that this can happen to anyone...scar tissue is a natural occurrence when you have a foreign object in your body. that is SO frightening to me...I am praying for you, really I am.
I hope you kick those last 30-50lbs in the butt. You did a great job losing 85lbs!

[chrispygal]

I am so sorry Kathy! What an ordeal! You are right that it is all in your mind now. I encourage you to find some local support and to continue to come here. We are all fighting to win the same battle - band or no band.

[supergirl]

This is very frightening to me because I too have had past issues with scar tissue. I agree with the head thing, kind of like a placebo affect, and if you continue as you did I think you will do fabulous. I wish you a speedy recovery.

[bunnygirl6969]

Sorry to hear about all the complications, but you have done great with your band
and you continue to do so without it . Keep a positive mind frame and keep doing what u where doing with the band and you will be successful
Good Luck in all your weight loss endeavers

[nightnurse]

will you ever be able to have another band placed?

[KathyJ]

no I won't be a candidate for another band in the future, because of the large amounts of scar tissue, Dr. said this would repeat it self if he place another band in...

[newlifeat57]

Wow what a journey you've had. I pray that you don't get lost in that head game. I worry for the same reasons. On the outside I get keloid scarring. I worry that it will happen on the inside. I have issues that affect my stomach, so i get a flouro at least 3 times a year just to make sure. Keep your head up, use everything that clinic has to offer, don't give up, join a support group, and keep the faith. Blessings to you on your next part of your journey.

[maggieD]

kathyJ... I too was banded in 10/2008 and recently lost my band to excessive scarring that twisted and changed my band location where it was eroding into the stomach. I struggled for months with excessive coughing mostly at night constantly taking meds thinking my allergies etc had caused broncitis...not until I would have fluid on my pillow did I ask my LB dr if this could be related to band issues. That was at least 8/9 months of dealing w/ issues. I blamed myself for not losing weight and getting discourage with the whole process. I struggled with it constantly looking for answers. My surgery was July 12 and It has taking a while to get to feeling better. Physically I am getting better so now I need to get there mentally. :) I am the poster child for "self sabatoging" myself. I make a plan and don't follow through with it... so I am working on my head games.

I wish you well with finding that new way to acheive your goals. Sounds like you are on your way with a positive attitude... Take care!!

[KathyJ]

Dear sweet Maggie..... wow we're like twinners on this issue. I think the only reason I wasn't having much trouble till this summer is that they think I never was filled over 5 cc. This summer we had tons of kids/grandkids visiting us off and on and I know that I wasn't paying much attention to the band the rules and it seems that is when my trouble started to get out of control. How have you been doing since July 12th? Are you fully recuperated yet? I'm surprised that I have pain in the stomach area and as of this AM, I've lost about 5 lbs as I cannot eat anything, I'm still sipping broth, cream of wheat, mac&cheese in small doses as my band area hurts if I eat more than 1/2 cup right now, although an Arby's Jamocha shake goes down nice :nod: I'm gonna try and go to work today, but if yesterday is an indication, I was dozing in the chair off and on all day.... Keep in touch and we can provide the support we'll need as we move through this bandless journey... God Bless you today and always

[maggieD]

I think I am still healing. It has been a fight with infection and 2 rounds of meds after the surgery and a CT Scan to prove that all is in order. I still get queasy from time to time but can eat anything so now my issues are finding that new way to eat that will help me achieve my goals. I have an endocrinolist that I have to see every 3 months and hopefully on my next visit next month we can come up with an action plan that will assist me. I need constant help in that department. If I could do it alone I would never of had the surgery to begin with... I am thinking about gastric bypass but that seems so much more radical and to be honest I just don't feel that my body can handle it at the moment. I will definitely stay in touch.

[Fifi]

What a story! It sounds like you have a very good attitude -- so just keep up the good work! You can do it! Good luck.

[nightnurse]

i would do gastric bypass all over again .....even though it only lasted a 8 years. Was a great 8 years.

[Mloukas143]

Elizabeth did you gain back the weight from GB surgery, what kind of complications did you have from it?

[trainingwheelz49]

I am so sorry for the discomfort and fear you endured. You did a great job losing what you did. Before I was banded I successfully lost weight by watching what I ate. At the time I too heavy to do more than walk a bit. But boy it worked. And I wasn't starving.
I love my weight control doc as much as I love my surgeon.
1200 calories a day. Your protein grams should be about 10% of that number. ex: 1200 calories, 120 grams of protein. Keep carbs and fat lower than your protein. Eat two 250 calorie meals a day and then have 100-150 calorie mini meals about every two hours. You can substitute a protein shake for a mini meal. Drink plenty of water.
I lost weight at a good steady weight and wasn't starving. Godspeed bander friend.