Lap band to ???? Not sure if slipped yet!!

I have not had any type of revision or if I even need to but I'm just looking for someone who has had to have their band removed because of a slip to tell me if my symptoms relate to a slip.  Because if I have a slip, i think I would like to revise to another type of surgery.  I am able to eat a little but I continually burp up some of it (guessing PB right).  I'm having sudden severe reflux so bad that I'm waking up 3 or more times a night choking and inhaling it into my lungs and coughing it out.  I have a lump in my throat and have had some chest and back pain that resembled gall stones but I've had my gallbladder removed.  I've been eating tums for the last couple months like candy and then prilosec daily.  But lately it's gotten BAD.  I had my band put in March 08 and my last fill was Nov 08 which is why I don't think it's a "to tight" situation.  Can anyone give me some advice.  I do have a dr appt tomorrow but you know how it is...you want answers NOW!  I'm having to sleep on the couch propped up just so I don't choke.

Thanks for any info you can give me:)

Well, I can tell you I had the exact same thing happen to me. I had my band put in back in 2003 and lost over 100 pounds, then one day....bam....all the symptoms you have. They thought I had a slip and did surgery. (This was a new doc)....When I woke up, they said the band was fine, but I had a huge hiatal hernia.....started to get fills again, and the same thing happened all over again. I've been unfilled for pretty much a year, and I'm terrified to get filled again....I've gained about 45 pounds, and am looking to have RNY (with  a doc I trust) over the holiday when school breaks..and get rid of the band.
Please post after your appointment and let us know. I'm still a mystery, and really have no idea what happened. My original doc had moved, and I think I ended up with a pretty crappy one who just wanted some cash in his pocket! It's a mess!

Sounds very much like a slippage........the only way to know for sure is to do a barium swallow.  If it's a slippage it can often be corrected by going on liquids for a few weeks (yes, you can do it.....I did!) to give the tissue of the lower stomach an opportunity to go back down where it belongs.

I was told that once you have a slippage the chances of haing a second one are greater.....and that's what happened to me.  When it happened the second time, I just had it emptied and then (because of other issues and life in general) I had to wait 18 months to have it removed.  At that time I had it replaced, but things didn't get any better......after 7 months I was still not able to get down solid food even tho I never had a fill.  

Three weeks ago I had the second band removed......another slippage. The surgeon just called it 'a mechanical failure'.  (different surgeon this time).  I revised it to a bypass, something I said I'd never do.  But I've kept off the 160 lbs I lost the first year and a half and regain my health and my life........I was so fearful of gaining the weight back that I just didn't want to take the chance, so I agreed to a bypass.  It has not been a fun experience and feels so much different than the band experience.  But I'm sure things will get better.  I've got to make it work this time. 

Please see your surgeon as soon as you can......don't live the way you are now.

Hi I would really like to talk with you about your experience. I found out yesterday that my band has slipped and I'm debating in having a new one placed if needed or having a bypass done.

Hey Gayle, You're the only person besides myself that I heard that had two bands and then a bypass.  I just had my 2nd band removed and revised to a bypass one month ago.  well good luck to you.
maryjo

I wont offer any advice, because I'm the same situation currently.  I went for what I thought was going to be just a reality SMACK IN THE FACE, haven't really been having probelms with my band, just had'nt been loosing weight and hadn't seen Doc for over a year and had no fills for almost 2 years, so went, he requested a GI and sure enough I have a slip, I was in shock, but then again not, I think I knew in my head something was wrong, I am entering week 3, yes week 3 of LIQUIDS only, and you can do it, just make sure you get your vitamins in and then we'll be doing another GI to see if my stomach has gone down into place.  I too have heard that once this occurs you are prone to it, so thats why I'm on this board.  My ONE PROBLEM, I know so many people that have had RNY and gained their weight back, so I would be looking into either the SLEEVE or the DS as a revision if I go that route, otherwise I will need to just accept the fact of people a HEAVY PERSON again and pray I dont get back to the 300lbs person I was, I have NO INSURANCE to cover anything and just would not be able to pay for anything at this time!  Its wonderful to read peoples story and see that I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE!!!  I do often wonder WHY life has given me this lump in the road, but I guess it could be worse!  I have to try and be THANKFUL!!!!  I'm going to do research on the DS and sleeve.  Thanks for listening

Hey Candi,

I too had a band slip in Spring and had it fixed.  I chose to keep my band in and not have the RNY. So far, so good.  Although I gained 25 lbs. back in 4 months. After getting fills every 2 weeks from my AWESOME surgeon, I'm finally at my sweet spot.  I was at such a bad place mentally after having my band unfilled and open. 

My question for you (and others that have had the same experience) is do you know why your band slipped?  I do. I was selfish and knew my band was too tight but wanted to keep it tight b/c of the great weight loss I was experiencing.  During that time, I ate something that I didn't chew enough and it got severely stuck and I was actually throwing up (not PB'ing) to get it out.  I knew at that moment my band had slipped.  The pain was horrible. 

I'm putting this out there to help people realize that yes, this can happen to you!  I didn't think it would to me and I was wrong.  Listen to your band people! 

Yep, this sounds like band slippage.  I had the same symptoms including PB'ing even in my sleep and severe reflux... slept on 4 pillows just to get some relief.  My band was removed last August, but I still have class C GERD, so things still haven't healed up properly.  Have your doc do an endoscopy to see what's really going on.