band slippage symptoms???

I'm having a problem here. Lately it seems as though every thing I eat goes right down to the lower stomach and doesn't stay in the pouch at all. Is there anyone that can tell me the symptoms of a slipped band? This feels different than just a loose band and also sometimes I feel like it is up higher than it used to be. If my band is slipped will I need more surgery to fix it?

Hi Sue, I've been checked for slipped band several times, but it's always non-band related issues like hernia, stress, infection, stress, reflux and stress (related complications). This doesn't mean that slips don't happen, but I'm just amazed after 2 years, seven surgeries and a period with an open wound that my band has survived. A couple of times I've come close to losing my mind, but I've not lost my band. Are you empty or do you have a fill? I know things are quite stressful for you right now and a few times I've had to choose sanity over restriction. I've released my band fluid so I wouldn't lose it. A slipped band is first treated by removing all the fluid. Some bands will shift back to the right position after slippage. If that doesn't happen, they are fixed with surgery. Here's a long (long) report on slippage that I've swiped to give you further info. I wish you well and I hope we can continue to talk, pray for each other or trade emails because we are both bandsters "in the fire." Onward, sister, Frances _______------------------------------------------------------------------------___________ What is a slipped Band, and what causes it? There are two types of slippage; anterior and posterior. This refers to whether the front or back side of the stomach slips. There is something else called concentric pouch dilation, but this is not the same as slippage. Slippage or prolapse is when the stomach slides up through the Band, making the pouch bigger. If this happens the Band usually becomes too tight, and patients experience symptoms of reflux (heartburn) as well as nausea and vomiting. This is because the amount of stomach being "squeezed" by the Band is increased, thereby obstructing the Band. There are several causes. Posterior slippage was more common when the Band was placed by the "perigastric" technique. With this technique the back side of the stomach was free to slide up through the Band. These days most surgeons use the "pars flaccida" technique, which was developed to prevent posterior slippage, and has more or less eliminated the incidence of this problem. Anterior slippage is when the front of the stomach slips up through the Band. We try to prevent this by suturing the stomach below the Band to the stomach above the Band, "locking" the Band in place in the right spot. In spite of this, slippage still occurs. It can happen because we haven't placed enough stitches, or they haven't been placed in the right place. Slippage can also occur if patients eat too much and vomit frequently. How is a slipped Band diagnosed? Fortunately, this is very easy. Often the diagnosis is made based on the history alone. A patient who has been going along fine, with no problems, and then suddenly develops reflux symptoms or symptoms of a too-tight Band will most likely have a slipped Band. The diagnosis is easily confirmed with an x-ray and barium swallow examination. Endoscopy is rarely necessary. How is a slipped Band fixed? A slipped Band needs to be fixed with an operation. The Band has to be dissected out, all the sutures removed, and the position of the stomach made right. Some surgeons remove the Band and place it back through a new tunnel. Others just straighten things out and re-suture the stomach over the Band. What happens if the Band slips again? That's a tough one. One could certainly try to fix the slip again, but my personal view is that, for whatever reason, the Band is just not working for that particular patient, and ought to be removed.