Esophageal dilatation and the band--???

Last week I had all the fluid removed from my band due to esophagus swelling.I had been unable to keep anything for what seemed like months.My weight went down to 25# below my goal.I was feeling ill and puny.

I went for a barium swallow and was very distressed to hear them say my fluid was all coming out.! I felt tearful and very insecure.

So it wasn t my choice.

I will NOT let them remove my band.! I fought long and hard for 5 years with this way of life.

I m currently on liquids and having a LOT of chest -jaw and shoulder pain...not cardiac because eventually my prevacid and tums takes it down.

My problem with the whole situation is ......I am not Obese now-if they remove my band -I know they won t give me another tool unless I gain all of the weight back. How can this be right.??!!

Maybe the fundoplication.? Wonder if Insurance will let them swap out in the same surgery?

I caution you to avoid Fundoplication.  The risk for reoperation/complications is high.  See your doctor and explore ALL your options.  I'm having similar issues, the only surgery I would consider is VSG.

I went thru this for 2.5 years of the three years I had the band.  My port became very painful to access also.  It was so painful the last time they were going to just leave the rest of the fluid in until surgery.  I couldn't swallow spit so they had to remove it before surgery after all.  When they removed the  band they found the port was tipped, which we knew, and totally encased in a scare tissue capsule.  It was painful because every time they tipped it to access, they scare tissue was pulling everything it was attached to with it.

I am now sleeved and all the reflux an vomiting is done.  I also haven't had a single flare-up of IBS since sleeved.  I had that before the band and made worse by the band.

I had all the fluid removed at 1 and 2 years out to relax the Esophagus.  The band never seemed to work right after the first unfill.  Spent that second year trying to get to the not so sweet spot that we could find.  Just to have the Esophagus re-flare and caused the second unfill.

My surgeon made me wait 4+ months between un-band and sleeve.  This is to let the stomach heal from the damage the band caused and reduce the risk of leaks.  I was done to the low I achieved with the band at four weeks with the sleeve.

Good Luck with the surgeon.