becky

I did have one of my fills under fluoro (last December) at the advice of the fill provider, since I was having so many problems. They confirmed at that time that the band had not slipped. Also, after the surgery when the doc came in to talk to my family, one of the first questions my husband asked was if the band had slipped. The doctor said it was not a slip, that it was implanted incorrectly. I don't know what else I can say. I was told that it was not slipped and that the symptoms I was experiencing were a result of improper placement.

The surgeon that removed it, who has done thousands of lap bands, said it was put in too low and at the wrong angle. It is not something I did via diet, since it was sewn in too low. Even he said that my case was very rare, which I understand, but please know that if you are the one that has to go through it, it doesn't matter how rare it is over the general population. I am not trying to degrade the band or the doctors, just stress the point that good aftercare needs to be available to you in case of an emergency. I just want everyone to know that there are real risks and even though there is a good track record with the band, things do happen that are out of the patient's control.

I certainly did understand the risks, but like everyone else, I thought I surely would not be the one to have problems, since we are told that it is approximately 1 in 100. It really changes your perspective when you are that one. Like I said before, I did everything I could do to make the band work as advertised, but the complications were completely out of my control, since it was implanted incorrectly. I am only posting this to advise everyone to have good local aftercare arranged before deciding to travel to get the band. It is essential.

Thank you. I ended up only losing 20 pounds total. I had 90 to lose, but with all of the problems I was having I only managed to lose 20. I agree with the health need to lose. I am just wanting to STRESS the need for good (close) aftercare. I know that had I been able to return to OCC, they probably could have helped me, but unfortunately that was not an option, especially in an emergency situation where I wasn't able to even keep any fluids down.

Dr. Ortiz put my band on. I called OCC Wed morning and they instructed me to go to the hospital immediately. I could not fathom the idea of going under anesthesia pregnant in a foreign country. I think I did the right thing by going. Thank you for the kind words.

I want to give everyone a precaution about my experience with the band. I had it put in on 2/13/07, and have had nothing but trouble. I followed all of the doctor's advice, and got my fills done at approved providers, but they could never get the fill right. 6 months ago I got pregnant and had all of the fluid removed. I could still feel restriction but no discomfort until 2 weeks ago when it began tightening on me, again. It got tighter and tighter until I was unable to get any food or even liquid down. I spent all night throwing up my own saliva that would not even go down. I went to the ER for fluids on Wednesady morning. My OB was so concerned that she called in a local bariatric surgeon to consult. He accessed the port and was unable to extract any fluid, verifying that the band was in fact empty. He ordered a barium swallow, which showed that the band had been placed too low on my stomach and at the wrong angle. This had been causing all of my problems and misery for the last year and a half. Less than 3 hours later I was on an operating table going under general anesthesia, 7 months pregnant, having the band removed. I must say that there was very little pain when I had the band placed, but having it removed is nowhere near the same. I am in EXTREME pain at the 6 incision sites that he had to make. Now I am facing recovery from this surgery only to turn around in 10 weeks for a c-section. I know that not everyone has a bad experience with the band, and it is very successful for some. I wish I had never wasted my time, money, energy, or risked the health of my unborn child just to lose the 20 pounds that I am down total. I believe that if I had adequate aftercare, they would have caught the problem with the band much earlier and could have had it fixed or removed/replaced prior to my pregnancy. I would not recommend having the surgery more than a few hours drive away from where you live. I live in Tennessee and had the surgery at OCC in Tijuana. Not exactly convenient. I am not an opponent of the band, because, as I am told, my case is rare, but to me it is not rare since I am the one it happened to.

I am going through the exact same thing now. I got my band in Feb. and had it filled to 2.0 in May. I have been doing ok until last week, when I started PB ing and couldn't get anything down. Today I am in the bed because I am in so much pain. I can barely get liquids down, and I AM SCARED. It is not just when I eat or drink, but all the time. I can't get back to TJ easily and the nearest fill center is 4 hours away and only accepts fill patients on Fridays. I just want to know if this gets better or if there is a serious problem? PLEASE, ANY INFO WOULD HELP!!!!!

I don't think I am testing the band, since the very first thing I consume is giving me the stuck feeling. I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach (no pun intended) that there is something not quite right. I am going to call tomorrow and see what they say, however, I had trouble getting the docs to return my calls a couple of days post-op when I was having major pain in the port site. My husband, who has been very supportive and positive about this whole thing, told me that he is now regretting me getting the band. He sees me starving and sit down to eat and I can't even get 3 bites down.

I think that sounds reasonable. Do you think it is possible that my band was placed too high, and there is very little stomach for what little bit I am eating to go? I just want to have a normal experience with this thing. I am not asking for miracles, just to not be inpain every time I try to eat something.

I had my surgery with Dr. Ortiz on Feb. 13, 2007. My pre-op weight was 244, and I lost to 240 by the surgery. By the end of my 3 week liquid phase I had lost another 12 pounds. At 8 weeks, I had a fill done at the Farmington, MO Fill Centers USA. I had gained back up to 240. Madonna was GREAT! She made me feel comfortable and got the port right away. I got a 1.4 fill. After the 4 day liquid/mushy food phase, I had no full feeling. Some of the foods I ate would get stuck, even when I chewed and chewed them, but I never felt the full sensation. The only thing that let me know the band was there was the occasional stuck feeling. This past Friday, I had another fill. (I am up to 241.5) She extracted only .8, so the other .6 just disappeared, I guess. She put 2.0 in this time, and while I was only on liquids, it was fine, but now that I am eating mushy foods, I am getting the stuck feeling again, and no sensation of fullness. Is this what being full feels like with a band????? I am really scared that my band is not functioning properly. I am really terrified to eat anything because I have never pb'd (almost once) and don't want to. How am I getting a stuck feeling on mushy foods??????????? Please, any insight?? I am 3 months out of surgery and weigh exactly 2.5 pounds less than my pre-op weight. I am really frustrated and disappointed.

I felt great. I couldn't feel the band at all. I could feel the port and the incisions. I was sore for a few days, too. The most uncomfortable part was the air pain in my chest, but that was gone the next morning. You shouldn't feel anything at the band site until you drink something, then you should only feel restriction. That was my experience anyway. Good luck!

FYI- I have called every bariatric surgeon in the Memphis area and none will touch someone who they didn't operate on. I will be going to the Fill Centers USA Missouri location in a copuple of weeks for my first fill. It is easier to drive 4 hours and pay to have the fill done than fly all day back to TJ and have to stay overnight.

I am sure that the pain was port related. It has subsided now, but I can feel the port under my skin and that is definitely the source of the pain. It almost feels like I ripped one of the stitches loose that holds the port in place. My kidney stone passed in 2 days, ao I was very lucky. Come to think of it, I probably wasn't drinking enough water, so that may have been part of the problem. I am with you on the pain thing. Labor was a little worse, but not by much, and you don't get the beautiful baby at the end! I still haven't heard from any of the doctors, which really concerns me. I left messages yesterday, and my husband even called for me, but after being told that someone would call within 30 minutes, I never heard a word from them. I hope this isn't one of those deals where once you leave and they have your money, the service level goes in the potty. Surgery is a huge deal and I really expected better follow-up care. On a good note, I have lost 17 pounds!!

I am 2 weeks out of surgery. I am having a piercing pain in my lower abdomen where the port is, but only when I move around. I have called and left messages for the doctors and no one will call me back. Has anyone else had this??? It feels like I have ripped something inside around the port. Also, I had a kidney stone last weekend. ( I thought I was dying) Is this common after the surgery? VERY PAINFUL!!!

I appreciate the words of support. I did split a drinkable yogurt with my 14 month old yesterday, and it helped a lot! I felt full and the hunger sensation was gone. There is hope after all! The weirdest thing happened when I got home. I was so use to the action of eating that I found myself going to the refrigerator and the pantry without even consciously doing it! That lets me know that I really do have a problem and that I definitely made the right decision.