Unfinished LAP-BAND^® Surgery?

Thread Starter  

I was scheduled for my band on March 6th. I went in, was put under and woke up with five incisions and no band. Does this happen often? My surgeon told me that one of the instruments couldn't make it through my fat; it kept bending.

I was okay with this at first, but as the days go by and I am on a super strict liquid diet to drop 30 pounds in about 2 weeks I've become kind of depressed. I feel like a failure.

I know I have lost 60 pounds since September. I know that I have lost a total of 72 pounds since I started all of this early last year. I have done what I was told to do, albeit perhaps more slowly, but I got there. I got to my required maximum pre-op wieght. 330-340. I was 330 before surgery.

I am now tired, frustrated and feeling like this is much harder than it should be. And I'm wondering how many people go under the knife only to come out unbanded? I hope this is my only complication.

I can at least say my surgeon chose my saftey over my disappointment. I will survive this. I just wish it was a smoother ride...

That had to be a terrible disappointment after all the hard work you've done.

What does the Dr. say is the next step?

__________________



Banded 11/27/07
Band removed 8/5/08

Wow, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I'm actually surprised, though, because they do LB surgeries on people much larger than 330 lbs. Maybe it was an equipment failure rather than your body; that seems like a really unlikely situation.

__________________

Follow me on my journey:

hi,pandagirl
this just shows how, patient and understanding you are, things will go wrong and we need all the patients in the world to deal , with so many problems, but, in the long run , you are the winner, in health and emotions. for what is to come ahead. just give us an update as to how you are doing, and how you feel , it helps , to keep you going an other week or month.
----------------------------------------------------------------
margie
band 4/5/04
emergency removal 1/23/2008
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WERE ARE MADE OF, UNTIL WERE'RE PUT TO THE TEST.

Thread Starter  

Essentially, I've been placed on a very strict liquid diet. If I stick to it 100% I should be able to drop the wieght by the end of the month. (30 pounds)My other liquid diet was 2 shakes and a salad with lean meat. I lived for those salads...It's kind of hard doing nothing but the liquid. Assuming I lose the wieght I will have the surgery next month or at the end of this one. Hopefully, they can finish it next time around. I'm not sure how I'd handle it if they told me they couldnt do it for a second time. *crosses fingers*

Thread Starter  

The Dr. said the upper portion of my body was just fine. It was the area around my belly button that was said to "carry the fat towards the core of the body". As I understood it, there is more fat agaisnt the abdominal wall than can't be seen from the outside. The fat there is harder somehow as well, while the rest of me is kind of fluffy. I dont know...I am apple shaped, thin legged, thin armed, thin upper body, fat center. I guess I have a pot belly or something.

Thread Starter  

----------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the support. I was doing fine over the weekend, but sitting at my desk yesterday and today has given me lots to think about. The one thing I am certain of though is that barring any complications, my recovery will be easy. I have very little pain from the incisions. I think once it actually happens it will be the food intake and the soreness of the band that causes more trouble.

If you could lose 72 pounds, you can lose the thirty. Just keep focusing on the prize at the end. There is always someone on the forum going through the pre-op liquid stage, so always someone to commiserate with around here!

__________________



Banded 11/27/07
Band removed 8/5/08

I just started the liquid phase today! I already have a headache. I will make it through. =)

Chubby

__________________
So Happy to get healthy!

Best wishes and lots of love to you today. We are all with you on this journey. You have done so much already, 30 ponds is no match for you, you will do it.

__________________





Dr. John Marsden-DFW
Surgery 3-14-08

Thread Starter  

When I started if I got headaches I would have a cheesestick or a bite of a chicken breast, an ounce or something like that. (Kept it low cal and only one time per day.) It seems to help at first and after a couple of days of that, just straight liquid protein wasn't so bad for me.

Thread Starter  

So true! Though....egad chewing is a great thing.

Thread Starter  

Thanks bunches, every pat on the back helps.

I don't buy that for one minute!!!!

Laprascopic would be choice...but he should have went in and made an incision thru that fat he claims his instrument wouldn't go through.

Something else happened! I can promise you that.

Thread Starter  

You're not the first one to wonder why it couldn't be done and not believe it was the fat issue. The Doc said they thought about making a larger incision, but thought it wouldn't make a difference. I don't know. I feel fine. I didn't have any issues post-op ( other than not having the band) I was on my period during surgery??? Gosh, I don't know and if it was something else they aren't going to tell me.