Lapband Removal

In the last week, I have had three friends have their bands removed.

1st had her band since 2007, kept it overfilled the majority of the time. Not by her choice, but her doctor did fills under ultrasound and he decided how much each fill was! She had so many unfills! Her stomach is now permanently damaged, esophagus dilated and permanent decreased digestive mobility.  She was banded at a Center of Excellence 

2nd had her band since 2009, constant pain in the last year. Permanent damage to stomach - wanted to revise to Sleeve, but doctor said it would be impossible with the amount of scar tissue - band was imbedded in her stomach with so much scar tissue. Banded at Center of Excellence. 

3rd had her band since 2007! Has permanent Vagus nerve damage and a diagnosis of a neuro disorder caused by the Lapband. She now has seizures. Surgeon at Center of Excellence says this was caused by the Band.

All were successful. Between the three of them they lost over 500 lbs. all of their excess weights. Not one abused the band. Not one is able to revise to the Sleeve. All three different surgeons at three different Centers of Excellence.

If you have reflux, pain, sliming or stuck when you have not had a fill in over a year, DO NOT ignore it!

 

Hello, Are the 3 of them seeking medical help from different sources now?

Nothing more they can do.  Their future with WLS is over.  The one with the Vagus nerve damage is seeing a neurologist.  I feel really bad for her.  Her life is changed forever.  The other two are recovering from their Band removals and they will learn now to live without their WLS tool.

The damage that is done - is done, there is nothing to do to fix it.  The decreased digestive mobility is not something that will change.

A great reminder that this is happening more and more frequently.

Do you mind sharing whether your friends were at their lowest weight when they started to have problems??

I really wonder if we are seeing more issues due to people having a well-adjusted band ..... And then gaining weight, but keeping the band 'set' at their lowest weight ...... Just like we need fills as we lose weight, I believe that we need unfills if we have reasonable weight gains ...... But people are too embarrassed or shamed to go back for the adjustment.

 

I am so sorry for your friends.  It must be frightening and heart breaking to lose your tool and also be told that you don't have an alternative surgery available ......

I  learned early on that Center of Excellence really means that the facility has paid a lot of money to be certified and that they can now take additional patients due to insurance coverage..makes them busier, not necessarily better.

It's interesting how all three were at their lowest weight, started having trouble and then had unfills to try to fix the frequent sliming and discomfort.  They were all seasoned Lapbanders who had lived by the rules and lost their weight in the first year after banding.  They were all beautiful women who were active and loving their lives.  One got married again and was doing great!  The other hadn't been obese in years.  I actually, never knew her as an overweight person.  After the unfills they started gaining as they were going through the insurance process and other tests to try to see if they could save their bands and see if they could do anything to fix the situation.  The one with the nerve damage has been through so much testing.  The stories I am witnessing here online and in real life are almost carbon copies of each other.  The scar tissue builds up and they begin feeling great restriction even if they haven't had an adjustment in years. 

I agree about the Center of Excellence.  I mentioned it because there are some who say that "IF they had their surgery at a COE vs Mexico or another hospital, they were probably given poor care."  I don't believe that.  My surgeon didn't practice at a COE at the time, he placed my Band.  The hospital is now a COE, however.  My surgeon was excellent and very supportive, but even some of his patients are now seeing complications.

I posted this not to bash the band, but to warn seasoned banders that it is not good to ignore the subtle signs of sudden restriction and discomfort.  We can sit here on our butts thinking that we will keep out bands forever and be healthy and happy.  It's not always the case.  We can follow the rules to the letter and be successful with weight loss and still suffer with complications. 

It's so unfortunate! But again these Tools. No matter the surgery type. It now will mean putting into practice the habits they'd were working on in the beginning.
I just saw my doctor this past Thursday, I had a gain, and I passed on getting a FILL, because when I got honest with myself it was my head getting in my way. Anyway I went in to see her for Accountability. We discussed the other WLS. She shared that it is about the new habits you need to work on when we are in our "honeymoon" stage. She said that the other WLS have their windows of opportunities and in time they do begin to feel hunger again. But what it comes down to is " what have you learned and what habits have you Come into owner ship with."
Not saying your friends created this. But when I look back at my "slip", I had to get honest with myself, no one really knows what people do behind closed doors. I had kept my band too tight. But didn't realize I was counting on my band to do the work.
My doctor also reminded me that , with our Bands it it is to " dim" our appetite. And that is a foreign concept to many obese people. Anyway she went on to tell me, it's okay to get a little hungry, normal people get hungry. And reminded me that hunger is felt in he stomach, not our mouth. If its coming from our mouth it's probably a craving.
I have to wonder what the rate of problems are abroad? Is it better or worse? Is it partially culture? Education?

My doctors wife use to run weekly support group meetings, and while she was never obese she knew how our obese minds worked and thought. She was great at getting to the underline problem to the questions we would ask.
Anyway ,
Keep us posted on how they are doing,
I pray that they get into counseling and come out on top of it all!
Prek3

I had my LapBand removed and I had followed all the rules.  I lost the weight and still had major issues.  My Band  had to be dug out of my stomach the scar tissue was so bad.  I feel so lucky that I was able to revise to the Sleeve.

I think it's time that we stop trying to look for blame with the Bander and start to admit that maybe the LapBand is to fault.

I have never been a LapBand Basher and I won't be, but it bothers me when I read a post that makes assumptions that problems were caused by behaviors.  I totally agree that many do not follow the rules, they keep their bands too tight or they constantly overeat and push the limits.  I do not think everyone who has problems are to blame.

We do not know what happens behind closed doors with others, but in my case, I do know what happened in my life.

I thought I would miss my LapBand.  I was sad the day it was removed.  I cried.  But I have since wiped my tears and am back on the losing track, eating my 5 tiny meals a day and living my life without one slime episode!

BTW, I have lost the 42lbs I had gained after my band malfunctioned and I am only 12 weeks post op Sleeve Revision.

Good job!  That gives me hope.  My surgeon did warn me that he won't know until he gets in there if the sleeve will be a go.  It will all depend on if all the damage and deformity can be undone.  It would be wonderful if I could lose 42lbs in 12 weeks as I would be at my Personal goal it not at a normal weight. 

No I agree with you. Sorry lil sleeve if it sounded as an insinuation (sp?) . It's unfortunate that because it is a "tool", there are no warranties for bad parts or malfunctions. My friend lost her band last year at this time. She too had to have her band dug out as well. She was a self pay, and she is currently trying to figure put how to get another WLS procedure. And the thought comes back to haunt her, " what if she has different problems with another procedure, just no gaurentee.

I know in the back of my mind I worry about any future problems, so I better address any head issues, just incase.

How long did you have to wait before getting another wls procedure? And if you don't mind me asking did your insurance cover you for it?
Prek3