band slippage/rebanding

Thread Starter  

Does anyone have advise for me? I am considering rebanding after my band was removed April 2006. I have gained 27 lbs. ,and each week another 2 lbs. jumps on board. I stayed in the hospital ,and , according to surgeon, almost died because the band hand completly cut off the blood flow to my stomach. I can't stand what's happening to me(weight gain); but I am scared, too. My rebanding cannot be done laproscopically. Advise, anyone!
DDee

You say your rebanding cannot be done laparascopically. Is rebanding even an option, medically? It sounds as though your stomach had some pretty significant trauma.

What does your doctor say?

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~~ Alexandra
banded 8/20/03 -- Dr. Abkin, Morristown NJ
band removed 4/9/07 due to slippage REbanded 8/13/07

340 highest / 210-ish lowest / 255-ish now / 200? maybe?
5'10" -- size 28/30 then, 16/18 now, heading downward once again

DDee...I think that a good number of doctors would consider that a really risky option.

They say things like "the best predictor of future performance is past perfomance." So if the blood flow to your stomach was cut off once...you might have difficulty finding a surgeon who would want to take that chance a second time.

If you are not SMO--that is, if you don't need malabsorption--have you looked into the Gastric Sleeve procedure? It provides a smaller stomach, that's all. The one person I know who has changed from band to sleeve, was just revised recently...but she is making the progress she never did with the band.

I hope you find your answer.

Sue

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:whip: Take your protein, OR ELSE!!!
25 grams of protein in less than three ounces... http://tinyurl.com/lyccw

After being banded for 3 years my band prolapsed. I was banded again last Thursday. I was very sick. I have my own theory on why this happened. Too much fill. I thought I was having acid reflux. i would wake up at night choking. I had some fill taken out but apparently it wasn't enough. The doctor said my stomach was above the band. I don't know how long it was like that. I figured it had to be the week that I thought I was having a heart attack. I almost waited too long. Thank God I had the surgery done when I did. I didn't care if a new band was put back in, I just wanted the pain to go away. So now I am back at square one. Wish me luck.

I forgot to mention that my rebanding was done laproscopically. I just turned 55.

I would be looking into some other opinions from band doctors who specialise in the band.

I just want to mention that my doc was terribly surprised when I told him of all the slips that end up with the band being removed. He was surprised about the removal bit, because he has only ever replaced the band, not removed it (but for one time according to him). He is Professor Obrien who works with Inamed & helps design the new bands & is known worlwide for his work with the band.

It just surprises me that some doctors make you wait 6 months to heal, some refuse altogether & others just replace with no issues!!!!

Well, my band that was replaced at the same time as the old one being removed seems fine. I have a new type of band that is meant to be softer on the system. It still makes you pb, and it doesnt actually feel any different in that respect, but I can often eat fruit & salad which I couldnt before.

I cant understand how you didnt have blood supply to your stomach, can you get clarification about that???

My thoughts are that there are many reasons why bands `fail`. Just because your first one did, doesnt mean it will happen again (for the same reason). Alot would depend on where the band is positioned, the type of band & your eatting habits with the band, and of couse fill levels.

Good luck, I think my doc. would consider banding you unless you didnt have a stomach!!!LOL. He just doesnt see scaring etc as an obstical to banding.

Wow, Curley.
Professor O'Brien really is a giant in the field of LapBanding.
He's known worldwide for his innovation in banding- you're lucky to have him on board.


To DDee:
((( HUGS )))
You're in a difficult predictament, indeed. I also wish you could have had the option of being re-banding (or otherwise repaired or revised) during the removal surgery. I don't wish an extra surgery on anyone. But my fear is (my doc confirms) that like most patients, if something happened that if I had my band removed tomorrow, I would certainly gain all my weight back. :( So eventually I'd be back at Square One.
I know we have some here that have had their bands removed and still maintained their weight. Bless 'em... I'm not claiming to be disciplined or a trooper. Only with this band do I eat less and stay fuller longer. If it were gone, I'd probably be looking for an immediate re-banding or a revision to another Weight Loss Surgery.
Good Luck in whatever next step you take on your journey. ((( HUGS Again )))

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Thanks NewSho,

I agree with everything you said. I put on so much inbetween not having restriction to now that hardly any of my wardrobe fits me anymore. I have jeans hanging up that just exist to mock me. Most of my boots wont even zip up!! I had such a funky wardrobe too from last year at a normal weight. Yes, for me, even a band that works at half capacity is still doing a massive job.

My interest in this topic is definately not to gloat about how my doc is xyz etc. I really want to get the info out there that my doc who knows alot, was ademant that he would be rebanding me, scar tissue aside. I was terrified that he would get in there & find things too awful to reband. He seemed almost tickled with the thought that this would ever happen, and he really laughed. But, being the kind & respectful guy that he is, he assured me that this has only happened once out of all the times, and this person was rebanded latter. So it makes me wonder what is going on in the world where one side rarely rebands, and the other almost always does.

My other concerns are that this band is not as strong & perfect as I once believed. I have come to believe that being too tight is the same as saying...`I really want to have a slip`. For me this means I have to put in more work than I would otherwise choose to. Also, I now believe that overeatting & pbing are also strong indications that you are ruining your chances of keeping the band. So I try to avoid this even though its a struggle. I have had the experience of mucking up once, & it takes alot out of you to try to get back on track.

Realistically some of us will still have to fight the deamons full on, just to keep themselves from ruining the band.....which is hard because that is why we have the band!! Also, I have become more concerned about all the things that can go wrong with our fragile systems when the band is too tight, or slipped or eroded or placed wrong. We have to be on our guard to watch out for signs that things are not right. Fortunately some things are reversable but for some there will still be a huge cost.

Curley . . . is your new band newer or differnet than Inamed's 10cc Vanguard band? I am waiting for my insurance to approval for my replacement Vanguard and hoping that a better model available to go in will be the lasted revison. Any insight will be most appreciated. Thanks so much.

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My 1st band: 4/29/04 (LapbandVG -77lbs @ 9cc) from Duke WLS (Durham, NC) after 30 mths out (-77lbs BMI= 27) on 11/3/06 = 100% LEAK (pinhole defect at the intertube of band); so after 12mths +40lbs, self-paid for band #2. My NEW APs band: on 10/17/07 w/ BEST & WORLDCLASS Dr. Voellinger (Charlottle, NC)...+2hr op but not even brused. [As of 5/23/08 fill to 7cc in APS: 206/174/150]. BMI=28
Deut. 31:8 "...do not be discouraged." ...but at times like these, what a trial.

Yes, the model is newer. There seems to be no info about it though!!! But, it is a new low pressure band with a different design. It is softer on the body. When it is filled, the person injecting will notice that the low pressure makes it different to fill. ie the fill does not spurt out when the port is injected. I believe its called AP band, and its by Inamed.

Does anyone know of a doctor in Massachusetts who would do a rebanding? So far the doctors at Brig. and Women have refused to even consider my case. Help.

Thread Starter  

My first banding was done in MX. Had I been physically able to travel back to MX, I feel sure the surgeon there would have saved the band. I had become ill while on vacation with my sister in Hot Springs, and rather than return home, I toughed out the vacation and was deathly ill when I arrived home. A surgeon in MS debanded me, and according to his story, saved my life by doing so. Looking back, I would blame the slippage on too much fill. My fills were being done by a nurse who was herself a band patient. She was the only person in the area at the time willing to fill MX banded patients. I knew that I had a lot of restriction, but I had really started losing weight, so I used poor judgment, and kept the band tight. That's the only thing I can attribute the slippage to at this point. The MS surgeon rebanded me Dec. 8, and so far all is well. He will do my fills, and will always be a phone call away. Two things in my favor. I have a closet full of all sizes right now. I pray each day the Lord will help me to keep this band. It is difficult not to direct a conversation to the banding topic, so I'm glad I have you all to share with.

I would like to offer moral support in the aspect of regain.

Try to remember Obesity is a life long issue and while a band can help even if we unbanded a lot of our great losers a lot of them would regain there lost weight. Thats why the band is designed to stay in for ever and not just untill you are at goal.

While distressing its very normal and to be expected to regain if the band is removed often we have not adjusted sugnificatly enough to cope without a little extra help.

Hi. I too am wondereing if I should try for another band -- or even the
gastric bypass. I have the name and number of a surgeon but wonder
if at 66, he won't want to operate. I had my band removed in June o6,
and have gained over 50 pounds back, and feel awful. I plan to go on
an all-liquid regimne for a few days, using the protein drink ISOPURE that
has 40 grams of protein per 20 oz bottle. GNC carries it. Rather than
surgery again (which my age may prohibit) I hope to shrink my stomach
back down again the way it was just after my band was put in. I've
been making my own (healthy) soups and freezing small batches in prep
for an all liquid few days. I was told that the non-laproscopic gives the
surgeon a much better view of everything and can thus be more precise!
My bariatric support group people have had several variations of surgery
which is very informative. Good luck to you. CJBD

I am having trouble navigating this website.
I never could find the
introduction page when
I first joined... I tried to
find where to introduce
myself and could not.
I wish someone could make
this process easier for those
of us not as computer savvy
as many others are! CJBD