Revision in My Future?

Feb 01, 2013

I don't regret my band.  It helped me lose 55 pounds.  But then the complications set in.  Acid Reflux, vomiting, nausea, lack of weight loss...

I finally went back to see my surgeon to ask him for an unfill.  I needed a break; every time I traveled (which is frequently), my symptoms got worse, until I had a hard time keeping water down.  He removed almost all of the fluid in my band and sent me for an upper GI.  The radiologist asked me to swallow the barium...then another swallow, and then again.  He finally said (with surprise), "nothing is getting through", meaning that even the barium was remaining in my esophagus.  He left to call my surgeon, who showed up immediately.  

The rest of the band has been unfilled, and the surgeon strongly recommends that the band be removed.  I have a small hiatal hernia and he believes the band has slipped.  He also believes that I will rapidly regain my weight unless I have a revision to VSG.  So we're waiting to see what my insurance company says.  If they don't cover it, I'll be out around $10,000 minimum.

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