Almost 5 years post op

Hello,

I am almost 5 years post op and some days I love my band and some days I just don't.  But I am ALWAYS thankful for the restriction it gives me.

My surgeon now requires his band patients to have can upper GI every year to check on the band placement. 

I can't get another fill (which I really really need, I'm starting to gain and it bites!!****il the upper GI is completed. 

I'm scheduled for Thursday morning upper GI and followup with surgeon (and hopefully a fill) on Friday afternoon. 

Please send prayers my way.... I will admit... I am scared... When I first had my surgery I was thankful for all my weight loss and thought if anything happened to my band I would be ok with a revision... But... the thought of having to go through the revision process is a scary and daunting thought.... The upside is that if all goes well on Friday I will be getting my arms done in a few months.

 

I'm sending good vibes your way. If you haven't been having any symptoms (like reflux) or eating problems (other than eating too much), chances are your band is just fine. I think doing an upper GI once a year is a smart practice. It's so much easier to fix a problem when it's caught early than when it's caught late.

Let us know how it goes.

Jean

Hi Jean,

 

I remember you from this board way back when I first had surgery :-)  Thank you for the good vibes... It really helps :)  No reflux or eating problems for me :) Band is pretty lose since I went in for a fill, practitioner took out all the fluid to check the amount remaining since it had been over a year since my last fill and as soon as she did that it felt like I had too much restriction when she re-added the fluid so I actually had to have it unfilled a bit a day later... This time I wont let them take out fluid unless they are doing a unfill :-/

Good luck on your UGI.  I have had one every other year. So far, everything in its proper place. Just had mine at the end of June.  I have gerd, but controlled with ppi for a few years. As soon as my daughter goes back to college(she is post op sleeve), I'm going to get a little more fluid, too. I have not had a fill in at least three years. I have been totally off program until recently, and gained, but doing better at getting back on track. I, to like my band but am more aware of problems with it.  We are self pay, so revision is not really in the future. Good luck with your arms...I was never brave enough for plastics...saw three or four different one's...but just couldn't do it.

Hi Judy,

It's good to see someone that had the band before me.  So many I see are revisions or no longer active on OH. 

I had my first round of plastics done a year after my band and it was painful but after the initial healing I have not regretted it one day since... Its the best $ I ever spent on myself :-) 

Thank you for the well wishes,,, like I said its so good to know there are still bandsters out there working their weight loss tool.  I know what you mean about getting off program.  Its like after a year or two you just deal with life and issues with that and I go days without thinking about my band...My son is considering the sleeve. I am also aware of problems with the band. :(

My daughter is happy with her sleeve. Doing fine. She is 20 and diabetic, type 1 and type 2 also. I have been back on the boards for about four months and doing lots of research on all the forums...rny, sleeve, ds and revision. Also looked around a few wls  FB sites, too.  Lots of info out there....on the various procedures.....from  the great, the very good, good, bad and ugly. My daughter had the choice of sleeve or rny due to diabetes(type 2). Her and her surgeon settled on sleeve. My doctor said if I were to revise, he recommended the rny due to my gerd history. So for now, I'm working on what I already have, but now more cautious due to all the problems others have had. Let us know how you do. There are a lot of bandsters new and old out there...lurking maybe? lol   Best of luck!

Judy that is so interesting... My son just turned 18 and he is a type 1 diabetic.  He is on over 125 units of insulin a day (via pump) and the endo is considering a small dose of metaformin to keep him from insulin resistance which we will find out about very soon.  Thanks again for your kind words... I appreciate it :))

I tried to find you to add as a friend. My daughter was on over 150 units via pump....a1c went from 9.2 to 7.1 since May...just did it yesterday. I almost fell off my chair. Try to add me as a friend and we can discuss. I have two diabetic kids with no family history...go figure. Elena got diabetes at age 13 MONTHS, my Son at age 8. We tried Metformin, Symlin, Byetta...everything other than burning feathers...lol...been there! 

Hi Judy, sent you a friend request and a message with my Facebook info if you are on there? Would love to chat.

I am a DS patient, on here doing a little research for my sister in law that is considering the lap band.  I just thougt I would chime in about gerd with the DS.  I had it before my DS and I have it after.  I still take one prilosec a day, accept for a two week period where I took it twice a day.  I wouldnt let that stop me from getting the DS over the RNY.....