Deja Vu & how do you record this? & ?

 I had a very large hiatal hernia repair and Realize Band on 4/26/2010.  The first few months went very, very well.  My original Bariatric Surgeon (BS) believed in making things tight very early.  So although the company recommended the first fill not go over 6.5 cc, mine was 7cc.  The next fill was only a half cc, but enough to put me in lapband hell.  From that point forward, being tight mean vomiting, partial unfill then total unfill.  I kept being told my esphogus must be relaxing and not pushing food forward.

I avoided seeing my 1st BS for 6 months after my last unfill, when I was very angry.  Although I was still vomiting/PBing, he told me that my esphogus needed a 3 week rest and then a fill.  After that fill, with the first vomiting I would get scoped.  My internal reaction was "oh hell no, I am sick of vomiting--I won't be back."  Although I could still eat more.  I still had frequent periods of vomiting and things gradually became worse.  I am almost back to my prior pre-op weight.  

Finally, I asked to see the other BS as a consult on the advice of my daughter.  (She works in teh office.)  He looked over my record and said he would not fill my band period and ordered a simple upper GI.  Supposedly I have a small hiatal hernia, but my lapband is there.  This hurts much worse than before the first surgery.

I went back to see my 1st BS who said I needed the hiatal hernia repair and a new lapband.  (Apparently the particular Realize Band I have is almost impossible to unbuckle and replace.)  He told me that I also had to get myself ready for gastric bypass since I had regained my weight and the lapband had not worked and bypass was what I needed.

 Following this visit, I became depressed and angry.  I could not stand the thought of an excellent surgeon not listenting to my problems and mismanaging my band again.  I had suffered for 19 months and could have gone on a few more years of fills and unfills as his other patients have done.  My band had been accessed 11 times in 2 years.  Also, I felt the first time I had been set up to fail.  (No, he didn't feed me ice cream, but when that is what you are most likely to hold down, then you eat that after vomiting.)  I decided to switch to his partner.  As a nurse, I know nurses who have seen each doctor.  I know my new BS is more conservative about fills, his patients do not get rushed in and out and the whole picture is not ignored.

There are two reasons I felt pushed towards the lapband.  One from the beginning the first surgeon would repeatedly say he prefered gastric bypass surgery because he could control the patient and the weight loss.  He tried several times to talk me out of the band.  Second, the deliberate overfills has been linked to esphogeal problems.  Third, my insurance is managed by BCBS Highmark which after 4/10/11 will only pay for one bariatric surgery for life.  I need the weight off and was very tempted to have the lapband totally removed.  The bariatric surgery that makes the most sense to be is the Vertical Sleeve, but you have to have a BMI of 50 to qualify.  So I had to say I was working towards a gastric bypass just in case  . . . although I am excited to have a chance with the new band & am very determined to make it work.

I know my new BS prefers the lap-band brand device.  So how do I register this on the site . . . 1st band surgery 2010, 2nd band surgery 4/12/2012?  I am very much starting all over.  I also will get the hernia repaired with mesh this time.  And is hiatal hernias really a frequent side effect of the lap-band as you loose weight???  To me, that is totally illogical.

So I am an oldbie/newbie.  Do I get another surgery buddy? . . . jk.  Any advise?  Anyone else went through this all twice?

Personally I would never ever go for a second band considering that the first one never worked and all the things I keep reading about serious issues developing after 2-4 yrs. Myself I had mine emptied because of all the problems with too tight, too loose and finally it just kept tightening. Also usually once you've had problems with a band you will continue to even if you get a new band. Some of our bodies just don't like it. I would push to get the sleeve or even the RNY or DS idf I had to, but never would I get another band. I wish you luck whatever you do!

 I know too much about RNY to give it serious thought.  A vertical sleeve is very expensive.  

~I know my new BS prefers the lap-band brand device.  So how do I register this on the site . . . 1st band surgery 2010, 2nd band surgery 4/12/2012?  I am very much starting all over.  I also will get the hernia repaired with mesh this time.  And is hiatal hernias really a frequent side effect of the lap-band as you loose weight???  To me, that is totally illogical.~

The HH does seem to be a frequent side effect of the band, but not b/c of any weight loss. It occures in bandsters that have had no significant weight loss also. As to *why* this occurs..........I am totally clueless. There was a thread on the failed band group a couple of months ago about how so many of them got HH's after banding.

I realize you are aware of the problems with RNY, but VSG can be not that much more than the band. A lot of bandsters get revisions in Mexico. There are some here in the states that are reasonable as well though.

Getting another band is just asking for more problems. More than likely the new band would need to come out in the next few years. Do you ever read on these forums? There are bandstes posting EVERYDAY with new band complications! And it is extremely rare to find bandsters that make it 5 years out with their band! One lady I was chatting with on FB last night is on her 2nd band and now will be revising to VSG. Her friend is on her THIRD band and needs a revision also. You might want to have a look at the failed band forum and the revision forum!!!

Sounds like you got really screwed from the beginning with your original surgeon.  Was he out to prove a point by placing such a large fill in the beginning.  I am very sorry you have gone through all of that.  You have not had a very good band experience at all.  I am coming up on my 4th anniversary with my band, and (blessings above) have had no problems whatsoever, but I tend to keep my band on the very loose side and try very hard to maintian my weight with diet and exercise.  I dont want to lose my band from being too tight. 

Whatever your decision, it has the be the right one for you and no one can make that for you.  Good luck on your new adventure, come what may.

Theresa

 So sorry you've had a bad experience.  I honestly do not know what I would do in your place.

But, I do know (via the internet) two people who've had their bands more than 5 years.. going on 12 years as a matter of fact.  One was part of a study about banding and the other flew to europe to get hers placed.  One of these bandsters posts on the DFWBandsters list and the other on the Smartbandsters list (both yahoo groups).

I'm 3 years out with a lapband, have had very little problems (an overfill one time.. which was fixed by removing the amount put in .. waiting 2 months and then readding it) and very good weight loss.


Best of luck to you.