Need Help Making a Decision to Revise to The New Band

t's been a while since last post.

I was banded in 2006 so I'm going to make a long story short.

I have not lost any weight with my band. Some of it's my fault and some of it is because the band didn't work with my anatomy or something is wrong with it. The after care with my first surgeon wasn't that great. I had no fills for many, many months due to insurance issues.


So...after I moved to a different town a few years ago, I found a great new surgeon *****ally took me under his wing. Fills every 6 weeks. I started to lose weight  Then in December...I started to really work out a lot, weight was starting to slowly drop, then my band just felt like it "opened up." I could eat anything, didn't have to chew, taking in two cups of food under 15 mins. They have tried to fill me and it wasn't tightening. They also felt a lot of resistance and pressure in my port. Now they can't even draw saline OUT and are reluctant to put saline in. It could get too tight and they would have no way of unfilling.

So after bariums and xrays, all seems fine with the band and pouch. They think it may be the port, the tubing or a leak. Doctor says instead of just replacing the port, let's replace the whole thing with Realize band, especially since the old band doesn't seem to work great for me. He said he has seen it work better for some people who have had issues with the old.

They have me scheduled for March 1st and I'm really scared and not sure if I should do it.

Pros:
I could finally lose this weight if it's my band. I'm starting to get high blood pressure due to my family history and weight.They want me on meds for it.
I have a hianal hernia they can fix while in there.

I can't lose weight on my own. I know this, that is why I risked the first surgery. Could I finally get to my goal now??? Maybe?? Perhaps?? That would be awesome and very important to my life.

Cons:

I don't do well under anesthesia.It takes me a while to climb out of the fog of it and I get really sick.  Back in 2000 I had a surgery that they had trouble waking me up and kept me overnight. So I'm really scared. Really scared.

Other than not losing weight and having no fills, I have had no issues with my old band. No slips, no issues. It's just kind of sitting there. Maybe I should just leave it alone.

What if it's my body and this new band doesn't work either? All of the surgery and the risks for nothing.

Really need some support on this. I'm about ready to cancel, but I go back and forth. My friends and family don't know how to advise me, so I thought you wonderful folks would be the best to bounce this off on.

 

I don't know how to advise you either! I am known to be pro-band but if the original band didn't work, I wonder if a new one would? I have the old 4cc band as I assume you do and for me it seemed to work in the same way people say the newer, larger bands do 

it seems rather odd they cannot say if there is a leak.  Unless it is a very slow leak, and the way you describe it doesn't sound slow, leaks can normally be seen if dye is injected under XRay. And not being able to draw saline out seems to show there is a leak and so no saline left in the band. So if your doc cannot see a cause, repairing can't be done so removal or replacement sounds necessary. 

But as to which, no-one on here can advise you! None of us know your cir****tances. I love my band and if it had to come out would hope for a replacement. But I am sure others will come on here and tell you a very different perspective.

Has to be what feels right for YOU after discussion with YOUR doctor!

I have the Realize band and I still had a hard time losing weight. I don't think the Realize band is the wonder band to me it's basically the same band as the other band. Have you read the statistics on them, they are virtually identical in all aspects as far as numbers go. At least the last time I read them (which I admit was awhile ago).



Even still I struggled I have 9.8 ccs in my band and I watch what I eat very carefully. I workout 6 times a week 60-90 minutes a day. I earn every pound I lose. Not this band. I agree with Kata if you have trouble with one band I think you will with the new one. But maybe it's worth a try. If your doc thinks its worth it??? But expect to work your butt off. I do.

I have lost 175lbs but it wasn't easy!!!

I can't give you advice, either, except to let you know you have another option. You could have the tubing and port replaced, only, or you can revise to a vsg. It is restriction only, like the band but no fills. While I loved my band and would have kept it forever if possible I could not keep mine. I knew I couldn't do it without a tool so I revised to a sleeve. I will not say that you should absolutely do that but think about it. Since it is permanent you don't take a chance of having leaks, etc. and now Allergan is saying that their band was never meant to be in place permanently. That has made many of us furious, to say the least.

Only you can decide for you. The band is an awesome tool but some just plain have trouble with it, others never have a bit of trouble. I wish you luck either way.

Sue

Hello and thank you for the thoughtful posts.

I have been doing some research all day and I see more negative than positive in terms of people's experiences, especially on Youtube. Does anyone have a long term success story?

To be honest, I'm going back and forth and leaning to not having it revised.

I spent last night doing some research and I am reading that most long timers seem to have had to have multiple surgeries with the band. Surgery is dangerous and again, if it's elective it's something I avoid. If this thing must be operated on, then perhaps I will have it either taken out to avoid future surgeries or replaced.

But then again....losing this weight that is harming me is a lure. But there are no guarantees a new band will do that for me. I can eat about 1 1/2 -2 cups of food in 15 minutes.Can you folks do that? If you can than maybe it's time I really think that it's me, and no matter what I do, unless I get tough with my eating, nothing will work.

My surgeon said to replace the port I'd be under anesthesia anyway, so let's just replace the whole thing.. But I heard it can be a local. I'm going to ask him again.

Ugh. I just don't know. I am torn and confused and it shows.Later today I could change my mind and go for it for a healthy weight. I envy people who just do these types of things without much concern.  Fear is a terrible thing. 

 

I just got off the phone with the surgery coordinator  who was rather exasperated with me, it seems. It was the first time I ever spoke with her. I understand she must schedule this stuff constantly, but there are real live beings here with concerns. It's not deciding on what vacation to take.

I wanted to ask her if we could replace the port under a local, and see where that got us first. She  responded with "He wants to replace the entire thing" in a dismissive, impatient tone.

I told her I am leaning to canceling this surgery and need the perspective of my surgeon to help me make my decision.

After I spoke with her, unless something really comes through that changes my mind, I'm not going to have the revision. If something happens to the band (other than not working anymore) I will have it taken out. But of course, later today I'll probably tell myself to do the revision..and so on and so on! LOL

I am so happy for those who were able to achieve long term goals and success. Really. Kudos to you because I know to have surgery, we hit a wall. It was a last resort. But for me, after 7 years and no weight loss, it was unsuccessful. Not all the band's fault either. I mean, there is a reason I'm fat and if it was just about food,I wouldn't have a problem.

I would love to hear some success stories. Most of what i read are not. Then again, if people are not having an issue, they are out probably living their lives and not on forums? I could be wrong!  

 

There are lots of success stories! See my own signature! But very few post on here. Some are, as another poster says, off living their lives, others post on a private OH board, others went to different boards. 

I see conflicting reports on re-op etc. but for some reason this is more of an issue in the US than in the UK or Australia (see Stroh and Manger 2012, Europe and the University of Monash, Australia 2012). But I had a leak repair in 2009 so have had second op myself.

I've been on these boards for over 5 yrs. and 9 times out of 10 a second band rarely works long term, If you have issues with one you will no doubt eventually have issues again. I would strongly suggest revising to the sleeve rather than dealing with the band again. However the final decision is up to you.

I agree with Hislady.  I don't know if there are any conclusive studies.  But from what I have seen here on the boards once you slip, it's a problem forever.  I don't think your surgeon would steer you wrong, ask him about re-operation stats on people who have had slips on their first bands.  Not just his stats, but stats on all bands in general.  If he doesn't know ask him to research it.  he is your doctor and he WORKS for you...you pay him to give you care.  Make him earn his pay.  Tell him you heard that once your band slips, that it will most likely slip again or there is a very percentage of people that slip again.  See what he has to say.  go in there with a list of questions and don't leave until you have your answers!!!!   

Again, thank you all so much for taking the time to respond.

I have to clear up that I do not have a slip. There is no slip. They think it's a leak, but are unsure about that either.

My surgeon is on vacation so I told the snippy surgery coordinator that I need to speak with him. I'm going to tell him if he can fix the port under a local and sedation, then that's fine, otherwise I'm not going under anesthesia again. Not right now.

I am deciding on NOT to revise and just let this non working band sit here until it has to come out, which judging by the posts I read, is a "when" not an "if."

If I saw more long term success stories I'd think more on it, but I don't see them. I wish I did!  Even then, my going under just scares me too much.

 

 

I'll let you know what he says when I speak with him.