Enoscopy done...now what??
Well, I had my endoscopy (and then something else to see the band) today...I have what they call "disphasia," or a narrow espohogus and my surgeon found out my band has eroded. We've been talking revision, but now I have reasons--physical ones, not just "work your tool" advice--so now what? I'm undecided between the RNY and Sleeve...anyone out there *****vised to either and has an experience to share? All are welcome...thanks!
Barbara 
I would highly recommend that you educate yourself about the anatomical difference between a bypassed stomach and sleeve stomach. I would stay far away from rny. Bypassing the stomach means you will have a pouch instead of a functioning stomach. Also check out www.dsfacts.com. the sleeve is the first stage of the ds surgery.
dysphasia (difficulty swallowing) is a common lap band finding, narrowing of the esophogus is not a lap band finding, it is actually megaesophogus both these complication will increase linearly over time. there is a difference between your band eroding into the tissues or erosion caused by the lap band, the first is an emergency immediate surgery, the second is preservation. you will get a 50/50 mix of who wants what rny or sleeve post lap band., Seek out professional help deciding from a GI specialist who can help you decide with you esophogeal health, and speak to patients who have your complications---good luck in your revision search
abandster
on 5/5/11 4:01 am
on 5/5/11 4:01 am
Unfortunately, you are going to have to have that band removed. If it is eroded, it has to come out. That's a very dangerous situation.
I'd be talking revision too. In fact, I am. But in your case, I definitely would be. I'm thinking of the sleeve.
I did my homework for a couple of years before I was banded but band and RNY were my only choices back in 2005. Now there's the new, safer Realize band and the sleeve.
So, just do your homework. Like I've told everybody who'd listen....be SURE of your type of surgery and be SURE of the surgeon you choose. They are about to become very important parts of your life so choose wisely.
Good luck with the revison and hopefully it can be done when the band is removed. Its a nightmare to have one thing undone and wait for your body to heal before you can fix the problem. I did that with port removals. Bummer.
abandster
on 5/8/11 7:45 am
on 5/8/11 7:45 am
No revision at this point. I don't have my head in the game and I know that until I do, no wls will work for me. I'm a professional at eating around the band and when nothing else goes doesn, I know I can eat ice cream.
But currently, I have a band on my stomach and tubing going across the front of my body to a spot where my port used to be. There's no port there. So, no fills and no restriction. There's no fluid in the band.
At just over one year out, I got a port infection and the port was removed in the doctors office. It was left out for 6 weeks and was supposed to be put back in on the other side of my body during an outpatient procedure. By the time the 6 weeks was up, a new calendar year had started and my insurance company no longer covered bariatric surgery so I had to appeal their denial and won.
I had the port replaced on the other side of my body and with a smaller port so that it wouldn't be visible as I lost weight. But about 3 years later, for some unknown reason, the tubing started coming thru the incision in the middle of my stomach right over my belly button. So, outpatient surgery again.
My surgeon said he was going to remove the tubing and was fairly sure the port had been infected and that it would probably have to come out as well. When I woke up, he told me he took the tubine out and cleaned it and put it back. He said the port had been compromised and that he needed to take it out so as not to take any chances.
I WAS LIVID. I can't imagine that he cleaned that tubing well enough to leave in there and not replace it with new tubing. Well, I was right. It took EIGHT MONTHS for that incision to heal. It would scab over, turn red, be sore, burst open, GUSH infection, clear up, scab over, turn red, be sore.....well, you get the picture.
I had to pack the incision daily until it healed enough that I couldn't pack it anmore and one time the surgeon actually but the incision open a little further (in his office) so it could drain better and be packed for a longer period of time in order to clear up the infection. That didn't help a bit.
So, I'm not going back to the band. The more I read and study wls, the more I know that the band is not what it was originally thought to be. RNY is too invasive for me so I'm looking at the sleeve. There no surgeon anywhere around me who does the switch and I don't know much about the other surgeries. But I've seen so many people in my "studying" time that have had all sorts of surgeries and some who gained and some who maintained so I really don't know what to do.
Bottom line here is that I have to do something. The weight is killing me. And it always comes back a whole lot faster than it went away.
LaWanda
But currently, I have a band on my stomach and tubing going across the front of my body to a spot where my port used to be. There's no port there. So, no fills and no restriction. There's no fluid in the band.
At just over one year out, I got a port infection and the port was removed in the doctors office. It was left out for 6 weeks and was supposed to be put back in on the other side of my body during an outpatient procedure. By the time the 6 weeks was up, a new calendar year had started and my insurance company no longer covered bariatric surgery so I had to appeal their denial and won.
I had the port replaced on the other side of my body and with a smaller port so that it wouldn't be visible as I lost weight. But about 3 years later, for some unknown reason, the tubing started coming thru the incision in the middle of my stomach right over my belly button. So, outpatient surgery again.
My surgeon said he was going to remove the tubing and was fairly sure the port had been infected and that it would probably have to come out as well. When I woke up, he told me he took the tubine out and cleaned it and put it back. He said the port had been compromised and that he needed to take it out so as not to take any chances.
I WAS LIVID. I can't imagine that he cleaned that tubing well enough to leave in there and not replace it with new tubing. Well, I was right. It took EIGHT MONTHS for that incision to heal. It would scab over, turn red, be sore, burst open, GUSH infection, clear up, scab over, turn red, be sore.....well, you get the picture.
I had to pack the incision daily until it healed enough that I couldn't pack it anmore and one time the surgeon actually but the incision open a little further (in his office) so it could drain better and be packed for a longer period of time in order to clear up the infection. That didn't help a bit.
So, I'm not going back to the band. The more I read and study wls, the more I know that the band is not what it was originally thought to be. RNY is too invasive for me so I'm looking at the sleeve. There no surgeon anywhere around me who does the switch and I don't know much about the other surgeries. But I've seen so many people in my "studying" time that have had all sorts of surgeries and some who gained and some who maintained so I really don't know what to do.
Bottom line here is that I have to do something. The weight is killing me. And it always comes back a whole lot faster than it went away.
LaWanda
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