can't get a fill

i had lap band done in may 2008 and was doing ok. then is happen may 2011 they over filled and i when to the hospital  and they couldn't unfill. so the i went to my fill  person and she unfilled me and said that i couldn't be filled ever again? so what to now?

First you need to find out why she says you can't be filled again. Is the port flipped or bad in some way? If so it can be replaced easily. If the band itself has a problem that too can be replaced. If you are interested in a different surgery the VSG is very good. There is something wrong or missing with her evaluation of your situation.

Get the band out.... 
Go read my story, I had mine put in May 2007, then unfilled for the last time June 2008.

One month ago today I had major surgery where they had to untangle the band from my "dead" stomach and liver.  I ended up having emergency surgery where I ended up getting a partial gastrectomy, leaving me with somewhat of a vertical sleeve, the worst part, I had NO choice in the matter.  That is all they could do to save my life.  I was not a typical bariatric patient, I was in ICU for a day and a half, in intermediate care for 2-1/2 days, and in the hospital for a total of 7 days.  I now have over 100k in my share of medical bills for which I do not have insurance anymore (this was being given a big discount for charity).  I still have a feeding tube in my side which I can't get taken out for a little over 3 more weeks.

Anyway...  I hope you choose to take it out.  I would not wish anyone to go through what I have just went through.  And if you can't get it filled, then why leave it in...

That just scares the hell out of me since I don't have insurance either! Hugs!

SerioulyDoubtful, I am sorry to hear about your story, it sounds horrible, but I think telling someone to "Get the band out" is a strong statement, when you don't know what all is involved with this person.

All weight loss surgeries have complications, there are MANY posts on the VSG forum of where people require TPNs, feeding tubes etc.   Just do a search at the top of the forum and type in "VSG and TPN" or feeding tube.

,I think you are being a bit misleading in your post, your VSG is causing you to be on a feeding tube NOT your lap band complications.  I have heard of cases where the patient lap band slipped so bad it damaged the stomach in such a bad way they had to get a "Sleeve gastrectomy" and remove most of the stomach.

Again, I am sorry to hear about your ordeal and I hope you heal and recover well.

NanaB..  I am not meaning to be misleading.  They said that they can NEVER have another fill.  That means there is a problem somewhere.  I want them to know what can happen if they do not do something about it and just leave it.  I just left mine as the doctor suggested and almost 4 years later I almost died.  Not because of my "VSG", I actually don't have a VSG.  They did a partial gastrectomy which left enough to compare it to a VSG.  My feeding tube was put in because of the complications of the band.  The band destroyed my stomach.  If you have heard of cases where the patients lap band slipped so bad it damaged the stomach, that is exactly what happened in my case.  I have the operative report to prove it. 

Thank you for your well wishes and sorry that I offended you.  I just advise anyone that is having problems to take full note.  Do not risk your life and hope that things will get better on their own.

Check into a revision! VSG, RNY and DS are all MUCH better options than the band!

Good luck!!

Mind if I ask why you say these are a much better options than the band? I have been searching and reading about the band and the vsg and they both seem to have good and bad. One of the things I didn't like that I read was that the VSG was considered the first part of a two step procedure. The second step being gastric bypass. I don't want a GB, but am very interested in the lapband and VSG.

You've got things a little confused there. The VSG actually started out as the first step of the DS (Duodenal Switch), not the GB. Two completely different procedures! If the person was at an extremely high weight and it was deemed too dangerous for someone to person to undergo a full DS, then it was sometimes down as a 2 part procedure, then when the pateint lost a significant amount of weight, they would later operate again and do  the "switch" (intestinal) part of the DS.

Eventually they started doing just the VSG portion of it. VSG is a great option if you don't need malabsorption.

While the VSG does have negative as well, the band seems to have more so. For instance about 20% of bandsters never reach restriction. And if u never reach restriction.....it's like you had the surgery for nothing!

A lot of bandsters develop leaks, slips, port problems, esophageal dysmotility, etc. Many bandsters lose no significant amount of weight. And if you have noticed..........you very seldom see a bandsters that has made it 5 years out with their band! And if you do, they have generally had to have a 2nd surgery.

Since you are interested in VSG go on the VSG forum and chat with them. They can tell you a lot more about it. And they can give you an accurate comparison of it to the band since so many bandsters have revised to VSG.

Good luck!

The VSG is the first part of the Duodenal Switch procedure, but that doesn't mean you HAVE to have the Duodenal Switch. Many people have the VSG as a stand alone procedure.

The band causes a LOT of referred left shoulder pain due to its proximity to the Vagus nerves that run through the diaphragm. Google---- Lap band- left shoulder pain- Vagus nerves--- any combo of those words... and you'll find how common it is. And it ranges from severely, debilitatingly painful to just annoyingly uncomfortable. If you're one of the very unlucky ones (like I was) you'll wake up in pain, spend your day in pain, go to bed in pain... and no pain medications help it.  It was the worst time of my life when I had the lapband.

The lapband usually requires subsequent surgeries, as well. With that, you run the risk of adhesions.  The more adhesions form, the less likely you are to be able to revise to another surgery, should the need arise. (And it often does with the lapband.)

Read the Revisions forum before making a decision and good luck to you.