Recent Posts
When you say revision do you mean getting the band removed or switching it for another surgery like the sleeve or bypass? I would think with severe GERD that the insurance company would cover band removal.
Darn, you've been through it. I really hope they figure all of this out for you !
Yah. My endometrial lesions caused my appendix to be pulled up and behind my bowel. I don't know how that happened either. The doc said he was shocked to see how wrapped up it was. My ovaries were swapped too due to lesions and the scar tissue. It was a very complex surgery. Go big or go home right?
-anyway, thanks for your reply and support :)
Congratulations on your lap band success. I see that you had it placed in 2014. So you would naturally still believe in your tool. Work it for as long as it will work for you and I hope that you and your husband beat the odds and after 5-10 years, are still problem free with no suffering, no extrem pain in your stomach, shoulder, esophagus , sleepless nights of sitting up , inability to swallow your own saliva, Ect Ect ....The veteran banded people do not intend to scare or be negative , just simply try to make others aware that they have lied to us about its longevity and it is not a forever tool. The problems with this tool are real and painful and we just try to support one another in telling the truth about our suffering because even the most compliant lap bander feels like a failure when the band begins to give problems. Good luck with your band and I really hope in 5-10 years you find yourselves with the most elite bariatric health coverage plan you can find . Just in case
also , the band WILL tell you what to put in your mouth and cause people to regain the weight when it becomes a problem to eat a piece of chicken, or fruit and the only thing that stays down is a slider food ....
Unfortunately a lot of us have experienced this. I'm currently fighting insurance for a revision . Good luck in finding a solution. Please keep in mind that a barium swallow will not show all problems that a band might be having. You may also need a egd ( scope ) to get a better look !
Good luck. And try looking into a revision of you believe that's something you would benefit from
I don't see how the port could have been anywhere near your appendix or any other organ for that matter bc the port is subcutaneous and your intestines are in a very protective bag called your peritoneum . Also , your appendix is in the right lower quadrant of your abdomen at the very end of your cecum . This is baffling and I can not imagine how this could happen. I wish you luck in finding the problem. Please update
Oh me too. I feel the exact same way. And now I'm having issues with my port and am considering removing the entire apparatus. This is something I will again have to pay out of pocket. Ugh. I have not met anyone who has had success with a band. So discouraging. But have faith that something will come up that will help us.
Love and light to you.
Hi,
I had my surgery about 5 years ago but since have had one pregnancy and baby, which went well. However, last May I had to have a complete hysterectomy (TAH) and the colorectal surgeon found my appendix adhered to my band port (don't ask me how the hell that happened). Since healing from my TAH I have intermittently had port site issues. Lately it's getting worse. It feels like it's in a new place and it is showing swelling and bruising. I am going to call the center on Monday to see if I can get in to get checked out but wanted to see if anyone here has any insight to help ease my mind. I had some hip X-rays done the other day and my band and port showed up on them and to me it looked like the port line was kinked but I have no clue how it looked before I don't remember. Any help or encouragement is greatly appreciated.
The band caused too much damage for me to safely revise to another surgery. I did speak with a specialist about having the sleeve, but he didn't think it was a good idea due to the diaphragmatic damage and reflux I have. He thought it might be possible to do the DS, but I wasn't willing to take the chance of more referred left shoulder pain since it was so severe when I had the band. (And I still have bouts of it from the damage the band did. And I had the band removed in 2005.)
I don't proclaim to be an expert by any means, but I had my band placed in 2003 and have seen so many people go through misery (myself included)... the left shoulder pain is such a widespread complication. The band's close proximity to the diaphragm is just so dangerous. I can't imagine why I ever thought the band was a reasonable option in the first place. I guess I didn't know as much back then. I agree with you that it's a good thing that surgeons keep the long term success of their patients in mind. I would hope that they'd try to dissuade anyone from choosing the band at this point, knowing the statistics.
I fully admit that I get very upset when I see people still choosing the band. I've tried for more than a decade now to help people avoid the complications that are so prevalent. I get my undies in a bundle over the band, for real. (obviously.) 
Avoid kemmerling, Green Bay, WI
Very good point. Did you revise your's or do you still have it?
i have seen the same with many surgeons, they do not like doing the band and opt for VSG, unless the patient is adamant on having the band. It's good that we do have many surgeons keeping the long term success of their patients in mind. And furthermore educating them. It's rare, but they are out there
FluffyPuff · 2 replies · 1334 views
Member Services · 0 replies · 1139 views
