too swollen for band to work?

In November I went into the hospital with Cytomegalovirus (cyto=cells, megalo=big, big cell virus)

After that little stint, I started throwing up most of what I ate. I estimated I was able to keep down about 600 calories a day which threw my body into starvation mode and I have gained back every single one of the 50lbs I had lost in the past year.

I had 8.5mL in my 10mL band. I ended up having to have every drop of that saline taken out.  Even now, with nothing in there, something will get stuck once a week or so.

I'm not sure what to do!  I've started the wheels for a revision to RnY. I'm not sure that's what I want but I wanted to get it started just in case.

Has anyone delt with this virus or something similar?

I'm sorry you're having this difficulty. I didn't have the virus you mentioned, but I was never able to successfully have my band filled. My stomach would swell and I'd be unable to as much as swallow water. At times it was hard to even swallow my own saliva.

I had my band removed 2 years ago because it was placed incorrectly and caused much damage to my system. I haven't had a revision for fear of further damaging my body.

I wish you the best with your revision surgery. I hope it works well for you. Have you looked into either the Duodenal Switch or the Gastric Sleeve, as well? Not to say that the RnY isn't the best choice for you, of course.  

Good luck Laura.

Nicci

Hi.
I am scheduled for lapband surgery but am now thinking I want to change to gastric bypass.  Can u tell me all your problems with the lapband surgery?  Thx so much.

Dianegrace, there are quite a few long term banders that have never experienced the problems indicated here.  Not all have those problems.  I have had mine only for about six months and I have had no problems whatsoever, now I know that could change but I do not regret it at all.  Try the lap band forum for more information from people a lot further out than me.

Theresa

Hi Laura!  It's Alyssa (former bandster, now with RNY).  I didn't have that virus, but my band basically got too tight, caused too much inflammation... and turned out in the end that it slipped and I had a hiatal hernia.  Fixed both, still too tight.  Threw up most solids, so I went to slider foods and gained back all 145 pounds that I lost.  It's heartbreaking to do that, but I was hungry, deprived of real food and ended up eating milk shakes, milk, and oatmeal.  Not good... but that is how I survived.  My surgeon, for a year, told me it was in my head.  The surgeon that fixed the slip and HH thought all would be wonderful.  Nope.  I saw another surgeon (moved to a new city) and that surgeon said the band must come out.  It is not normal to only eat soft foods and throw up anything solid (aka healthy).

Now... I can tell you I truly regret my RNY at this point.  I am just over 2 months post-op and am constantly nauseated, have been hospitalized for intractable vomiting, and I had to take a medical leave from school.  So, I moved up to Michigan to stay with my dad while I "recover".  Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, etc.... not fun.  I lost 53 pounds so far (out of 206 pounds to lose), but I can't celebrate it just yet because I feel so sick that this is the worst way to lose the weight!

Anyways... hope this helped in some way.  Feel free to PM.  I know several band to bypass people... and so far all of them LOVE their RNY... me... having a harder go at things, but I was also sick for well over a year and had so much swelling and scar tissue from the band surgeries.

Well, Talk with you soon!

Alyssa!!  I'm so sorry to hear that the RnY is giving you trouble. I sure hope everything settles down soon and you'll get to enjoy that SLIM fun life soon!!