VBG band is now smaller?
I had VBG in Aug 2003 and have been having GERD issues for the last 3--4 years. I recently had an endoscopy done and the doc said he could barely fit the camera through the band and really had to "force" it through. He said that it shouldn't be that small. Since food wasn't passing through the band, when I would lay down, food and stomach acids would come back up. He is suggesting that I have a surgeon look into it and possibly have the band removed. Has anyone had this happen? The last thing I want to do is have my surgery reversed unless it's replaced by the sleeve. Thank you!
I have the VBG, and have GERD, but my bariatric surgeon said that isn't the problem. It's eating too late at night before laying down, and not chewing enough to break the food up. I also take OTC Omeprizole and that does the trick. I'd suggest seeing your bariatric surgeon. If you band is indeed too tight, it can be stretched open a bit farther. Once I stopped eating 2 hours before bed and taking the Omeprizole in the afternoon, I seldom have problems.
i had my surgery 20 years ago, and I've recently had the sensation that my stomach is actually smaller now than it was in the first few years after the surgery. When I had my hysterectomy last year, the surgeon looked at my stomach, and said that there was a lot of tissue grown around the staples. He cleaned up what he could, but said that there wasn't really a whole lot that could be done about removing the staples or revising it, unless it was an extreme emergency situation. Same goes for the band. It's just been too long.
But it does cause me a great deal of trouble finding enough healthy food to eat. I tend to eat small amounts of nutritionally dense (meaning not very good for me) food just to get enough in me.
Jami
I***** I had VBG surgery at the VA Medical Center in Iowa City, IA, making me one of the first to have it through the Veteran's Administration. I weighed an unbelievable 417 lbs. Following the surgery, my initial weight loss drop took me to 141 lbs. Now, of course, I realize that my loss was far and away greater than what's commonly experienced.
Believe me, that was by no means permanent, and over the next 18 years I slowly regained til I stabilized at a more natural 170 lb average weight.
Also, the last 5 or 6 years of that, I experienced what you have--a shrinking of the opening, resulting in serious GERD and an appearance of Barrett's Esophagus. I had to sleep in a hospital bed to prevent aspirating my stomach contents in my sleep! Obviously this is what is commonly considered a 'BAD THING'.
The solution was to go back under the knife for a Roux-en-Y bypass.
Thankfully, the modern methods are much more advanced and I was only in the Gainesville FL VAMC a couple of days (partly because I'm not quite tobacco free--I'm working on it---and I picked up a case of pneumonia. Hey, it happens.).
Anyhow, the surgery worked, the GERD is gone, I can sleep with my wife again, PLUS...I'm back down to 140lbs, and feeling great!
I've not suffered any of the bad side effects, my weight is stable and I no longer have to eat processed foods--My diet is normal. I can eat REAL FOOD...and even digest it!
So, by all means go for it (the roux-en-Y) if you're able. It's definitely worth it.
Just remember to avoid full-sized dinner plates at meal time. I use the 'bread and butter' sized plate, so I have the illusion of a full sized meal while still maintaining portion control. I am NOT gonna be fat again........ain't happening......nope, not never!
NOW, IF I CAN JUST GET TOBACCO FREE........DOWN TO 3 A DAY......EVERYBODY PRAY FOR ME TO HIT ZERO, SOON!!!
