I don't know what to do...

I met with my surgical team today and I get MORE confused the more I meet with surgeons.

I am devastated at the news they told me, first they told me my lap band MUST come out whether I revise over to another procedure or not...I am OK with that.

What I am NOT OK with is that they are trying to shove the Sleeve down my throat whether I agree to it or not.

The new surgeon is very easy to talk to, he goes on to say that the lap band will eventually be phased out and they are slowly transitioning longer term band patients and revising them mostly  to the Sleeve or bypass, IF they want a weight loss surgery.

Then he tells me that I know that you have become comfortable with your band over the years and many patients mourn their bands and don't want to part with it, he mentioned he can understand that, but he says they are not good long term for the health and they will eventually remove all bands at some point...the surgeon that I consulted with earlier in the week did not tell me this, I am getting more and more confused. Or maybe the surgeons did not tell me this because I did not ask them to fix my hernia -- yet.
 
He said that when the band was approved, they did not have much clinical data long term in the US and now they do, and most lap banders over 5 plus years out are getting it removed due to long term problems. He also mentioned patient request to get new bands have declined significantly in the last 2 years. He also mentioned that they will still band people if they want it but eventually the band in the US will no longer be a viable option and surgeons are no longer going to install them.

He says I am having "issues" even with no slippage or erosion...DUH? I have a freaking hernia that is causing this problem, I even told him where my pain was and he told me -- yep that's the hernia, but why can't he just fix it?

He did go on to say that they will still have some surgeons that will still do fill adjustments to those remaining patients that still have bands and leave those bands alone as long as patients are not having problems, but as he suggest ALL bands probably will have to come out sooner or later. this is where I get confused.

Now this was BIG NEWS to me since my surgeon ONLY DOES BANDS and has been a band advocate for years, they are now merging up with the Sleeve surgeon and the nurse is "retiriing" from the band surgeons office and starting a new job as a consultant with the Sleeve surgeon.

Now this surgeon is a TOP surgeon in the entire Mid-Atlantic DC region and has many articles published with the NIH, so I guess it was hard to stomach this from someone so credible.

Now we got into a heated debated on the demise of the lap band because I told him there are just as MANY or MORE problems associated with the bypass than the band and many live with chronic problems because you cannot always revise the bypass and the Sleeve.

He agreed that the Sleeve has its own set of problems too, but not as many complications that the band does and he strongly believe that the Sleeve will eventually take over the bypass as well and be the 'new standard' but the bypass will still be needed for certain situations.

I let him know that my FEAR of the Sleeve is that it reminds me of DEJA VU.. because I remember when the band was SO popular, it was glamorous, kind of remind of how the Sleeve is NOW and when problems cropped up with the Band long time ago, MANY people shut them up and many did not disclose any REAL problems they were having until more and more people started to have problems.
 
I told them my father had a partial gastrectomy years ago due to ulcers, and someday I may need my stomach and that may put me in a bad situation. So I will have to really thing long and hard before I make a final decision.

SO.... what did my surgeons office greet me with ?  A big phamplet of Getting Prepared for the Sleeve surgery, I have not made up my mind yet.

Then they tell me...repairing my hernia will not do me any good? But if I remove the band I will feel SO much better...WTF?

So...here is what they are suggesting I do...remove the band ONLY in two weeks and wait for about 2 months and get the hernia repaired and Sleeved.

Why can't they just repair my hernia and remove the band? Will he NOT fix my hernia if I don't get the Sleeve? I will call their office tomorrow and tell them I don't want any other surgery at this point I just want them to repair the hernia since this is very easy and quick to do and remove the band. I am waiting for them to tell me that they cannot do this....

I told them I am feeling 90 percent better, no more pain while eating and the burning is pretty much gone and I don't have the feeling of sickness and shortness of breath after eating.

Then he says that's OK, but I will not be able to get the band filled any longer and it will not do me much good, so bottom line he tells me that at SOME point the band must come out whether it's in 2 weeks or 2 years because long term the esophagus no longer works well with the band and can damage it.

He says the band works great for many the first 2-3 years but after that the problems start and patients most patients have to repeatedly get unfills and refills and this becomes a annoying very costly issue.


I told my husband about my visit today and he was very angry and said I should not be forced to get a revision to nothing if I don't want it and he wants me to go to Pennsylvania tomorrow to get yet a 4th opinion

I am so freaking tired of running around to these freaky money HUNGRY surgeons that want to revise me -- they don't look at me as a patient in pain -- they are only looking at me like a dollar sign and want to revise me to another surgery when I am not ready for that yet...why can't I just get my hernia fixed and if they have to remove the band so be it?

Ugh, Nana DO NOT revise ESPECIALLY if you do not want to, PLEASE!  You are strong, smart, and have choices.  Remove the band and relieve the pressure off your stomach & espohogas.  Your reflux, gastritis or whatever you have will get better just by doing that.

You can, if you decide revise later.

No worries!

Thanks Lelia....strangely now I am feeling better no more problems after 2 months of misery, I can now eat with no pain or burning...but I do need to get this hernia fixed whether I keep the band or not.

Naomi, I agree with Layla. Don't get talked into a revision. You can always decide to have a different WLS later. My surgeon did not even"go there" with me, even at my two week follow up. I broached the subject last week when I saw him and he told me that my focus should be on healing from the surgery and restoring my health after being sick for so long. Your body is telling you that something is not right and that needs to be the focus.....making things right again. Stay strong.

Judy

Thanks sweetie

I would imagine that them forcing you to get a procedure you don't want (sleeve) in order to take a problem you have taken care of would open them up to a potentially huge legal battle.

 

My two cents? Find someone who WILL do exactly what you want: take out the band, fix the hernia and leave the rest of you alone.

 

Thanks Bette! I almost felt like it was illegal of what they were trying to do, they were not  trying to SEE if they could fix my hernia, it was almost as if ...if I don't get a revision to the Sleeve we are not going to attempt to help you with your repairing the hernia.

And he mentioned ..if we remove the band we are not going to fix hernia at the same time, he says it's better to get the hernia fixed and getting the Sleeved at the same time rather than, either fixing the hernia and keeping the band or fixing the hernia and removing the band.

I mean they had a big chart and demonstration of how they were going to remove my stomach and so forth. I am trying to research to see if there are ANY surgeons that have been Sleeved, and I have not yet to find one, but MANY have lap bands, I will not get ANY type of surgery that Surgeons will not get themselves.

As I think about it, I may experience MORE BURNING REFLUX and heartburn if I revised over to the Sleeve, and the opposite of what I want. That was MY MAIN COMPLAINT, BURNING.

I am no longer burning and I am not having ANY more PROBLEMS. My gut tells me that there is NOTHING wrong except that I have a hernia that was probably inflamed and has gotten bigger and all it needs is repaired.

The surgeons mentioned that it will be VERY EASY to fix the hernia as if I will not be worth their time ONLY to go in and fix the hernia, apparently they want a two in ONE DEAL AND MORE MONEY....they will get PAID to remove the band, AND they will GET PAID MORE MONEY to revise me to the Sleeve and fix the hernia since it probably will cost little to nothing to repair the hernia.. 

I HONESTY DON'T BELIEVE MY BAND NEEDS TO BE REMOVED NOW, I am no longer taking Protonix and I am no longer having any type of problems or burning, so I am very reluctant to remove my band if I really don't have to.

if we remove the band we are not going to fix hernia at the same time, he says it's better to get the hernia fixed and getting the Sleeved at the same time rather than, either fixing the hernia and keeping the band or fixing the hernia and removing the band.

IMHO - what a load of horse****! What they are telling you may not be ILLEGAL, per se, but it certainly is unacceptable and improper patient care. I'm not a medical professional, but I can't imagine anyone trying to force a medical procedure on a patient who doesn't want it. You explain the options to the patient, explain the repercussions of each option and let the patient make the decision. Were it ME, I would run far, far away.

 2 weeks ago I went in for a band slip. While in there they found I had a huge hiatel hernia. I was pretty sure going into this surgery that I would wake up without my band, strictly based on what I have read on this board....my surgeon never lead me to believe that. Well I woke up with hiatel hernia fixed and band back in place. I feel better than I have in two years!! I was a little disappointed when I awoke and my band was not out but now I am excited to get the remaining 30 #'s off. Good Luck too you!! I agree with your hubby go to PA for one more opinion:) Just wonder why that can't fix your hernia and put band back in place. I have not had any reflux since my hernia was fixed. Can not wait to find out on my follow up appointment how they didn't know I had this hernia!!

 

Yes, I will be going for another opinion, that's good news that your band was fixed and hernia repaired, I am wishing your much more success this time around. Your  band probably slipped due to your hernia in the first place.