any other failed vbg's? i had vbg 1991

has anyone else had a vbg years ago that failed? looking for support.

Right here, Casey! In August 1999, I had an open VBG and lost a total of only 60 pounds. I'm currently researching a revision but don't even know where to start! Plus, I'm Canadian and apparently there have been huge cuts to our health care funding so I'm not sure if the cost of this surgery is even covered anymore! Argh!

Is there an explination as to why it failed? Im curious if you dont mind sharing...thanks

I would like to know the reason's for failure also! I always here about this, but have never seen anyone post exactly what caused the failure?

Casie, I am truly sorry to read of your experience with VBG. I will share mine. 1987 uncomplicated open VBG, lost 110 pounds in just under six months. 1988 the pouch outlet became obstructed, rendering further wt loss impossible. 1990 to emergency with nausea, vomiting and epigastric pain. admitted surgeon did a endoscopy which showed early band erosion. assured me this would not cause me any problems 2000- 2001 pain around the breast bone when eating. severe pain, nausea and periodic vomiting. to gastroenterologist.... several endoscopies reveal that the BAND not only ERODED but has falled down from the placement outside the stomach and has eaten into the wall of the stomach. In Endo pics you see the band inside the stomach by 75 percent, Docs percentage statement, it looks like a U in the stomach wall, the remainder is in my adominal cavity. I have Systemic Lupus Dx in 1995, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Overgrowth of yeast, the band was biopsied and revealed that it contains huge amounts of yeast fungus. To teaching Hospital for evaluation of Gastroparesis. Dx with SEVERE GASTROPARESIS Have a Surgical Needle that was left in my stomach that shows up on the Endo pics . Gastroenterologist says that I will have to undergo and open abdominal operation for removal of the band. Seen by Surgeon feb 2004. In the process of having preliminary work ups to get me as ready as possible for a partial gastrectomy( removal of a portion of my stomach) I suffer from Chronic Gastritis The Gastroparesis means that my stomach doesnt empty properly, food can sit there for days, food particles have been picked out by Endoscopy on several occassions. I have severe Constipation with Impactions even though on prescription medication to stop the constipation....Suppositories, enemas, and expensive meds are a way of life for me today. I am NOT AGAINST VBG . I have done extensive research and this is a complication that is a possible risk of WLS.A individual has to weigh those risk and benefits for themselves. I do think WLS is glamarized in the media over recent years, we do hear of some complications. I have read far too many stories of people who have complications like mine. Since December of 2003 eight trips to ER for fluids and pain meds, two five day long Hospital stays for Dehydration, Nausea, Vomiting and Severe Abdominal Pain. I am very sad to say that my Dear Friend Gail died after a RNY , She was in the Hospital for over six months in critical condition before she died at 50, leaving a Son, Daugher in Law, Grandchild and many neices and nephews to lament the loss. Gail wanted that WLS more than anything. She was at total peace going in for it. SHe did great until day three when she had a leak into the gut, they reoperated but had to leave the abdomen open due to extensive and severe periotonitis. She suffered miserably thru packing and dressing changes. She wanted to come to a Hospital closer to home, when the started to get her out of bed to prepare her for transfer, they found that she had bed sores accross the entire hip and buttocks area, deep as the Doctors fist in some places. These wound required four dressing changes per day due to massive infection. Gail was on and off life support and finally her body could not take anymore. For anyone considering a revision or a VBG. PLEASE, check your surgeons credentials out very well. Know that the potential risk are verses the benefits. Today I am sick, Disabled and very overweight at 327 pounds , 5 ft nine inches tall. I am very torn about the issue of WLS. I know that Obesity kills, I am Morbidly Obese... I dont want to continue with the wt that I am at. I fear WLS. The Surgeon who will do my Gastrectomy is a Bariatric Surgeon, he shared with me that he has taken as many eroded bands out as he has put in... now the ones that come to him for removal are patients that were under other Docs care such as I was according to my understanding. I wish everyone reading this post well. Make your decision with Prayer and Knowledge. To Thine Own Self Be True Hugs, Beverly Ray

I had vbg in 1998. Initially I lost 110 lbs and then gained about 20 lbs back which I was estatic with. Last year I had a sudden pain in my stomach while caughing because I had a severe bronichal infection. I felt as if I had torn something. I started gaining weight slowly after that but didn't realize what was going on because I wasn't eating right. I stated having some stomach pain and had an egd. The egd showed that I had staples loose in the side of my pouch. It is all I can do to keep from gaining weight since. I cannot find a surgeon to talk to me about revision and my insurance says they will not cover without extensive review if I do find someone to perform it. The health problems I had before surgery are beginning to come back....arthritis, asthma, blood pressure, not to mention that I am very depressed. I have 2 friends that have also gained weight back after vbg but have not investigated to find out why. The only good thing I can say about this whole ordeal is that I am lucky that when the staples came loose that it didnt tear to the outside of my stomach which is common with the RNY. My husband and family don't want me to even look for revision which is also a major obstacle. Please feel free to email me with vbg in the subject line, I would like to hear your story.

I had my vbg in 97, lost apx. 65 lbs in about 6 mo. then leveled off. After that I had an unplanned pregnancy with c/section. After that I could pretty much eat what ever. It was like I had never had the surgery, other than an occasional piece of chicken sticking, but we all know how to get rid of that. I think the biggest reason for failure is the fact that the vbg doesnt provide the malobsorbption like the RNY does. The calories are still able to be absorbed into the system. I wish I could **talk to someone else who used Dr. David Hall in Lubbock TX.** cause the story I have is probobly a malpractice case. I was in intensive care for about three days with the drain down my nose. I remember the first thing I asked them when I woke up was, "What went wrong?" I remember being combative in the O.R. My blood pressure stayed at about 55 over 40 for two days. I finally got the strength to call my mom (in alabama) and she flew out to help me come home. Can you believe they let me come from AL to TX to have open VBG by myself. I had NO NO NO idea what the recovery was going to be. I felt like a train had run over me for a month. Had absolutely NONONNO support from the DR office after I left. I dont even remember them calling me to check up. Just sent me home on the plane with a big ol rap around my midsection. All that to lose 60 lbs. My sister has recently had a much better experience with the RNY. So believe it or not I am considering a revision. I feel like I was cheated out of the success I was so assured of the first time around. Hope to hear from others who have similar experience. Well not that I hope others have had a similar experience, I wouldnt wish that on anyone.

I Had Dr. Hall also, but no complications initially. I am in Alabama with you in Jacksonville. I am going to try to email you so that we can talk one on one.

I had a VBG about 3 1/2 years ago. Initially I ONLY lost about 50lbs. I had no aftercare with my doctor. Heck I didn't even know there WAS aftercare. My doctor was not very attentive. I did what I thought was good. Chewed my food. Ate protein. Which was HORRIBLE. I still can NOT eat meat unless it is very very very finely chopped and even then it is terrible. I ate alot of salad believe it or not. I could not drink sodas. I did not eat junk food. But I did hit a major plateau after 4 months. I never came down off of it. A year later I was looking for my doctor for a revision---he could NOT tell me what happened (he didn't care either). I had an endoscopic---nothing showed up. At the time I began to have all these tests (and he began to set me up to see a doctor in Pittsburgh--he decided HE could not perform the RNY which was the surgery now the we had decided I needed done--DUH!) I began TO LOSE WEIGHT. On my own---I lost a total of about 70 lbs.---remember though I had put back on that 50lbs I had originally lost. I thought WOW this is great I won't have to have surgery and then BOOM! I began to rapidly put the weight back on. I went back up. I am not totally back to where I was but I am getting there. My diabetic doctor was like WHOA! We can't do this again--find a doctor in Pittsburgh that does gastric bypass surgery and begin the process again. So that is the stage I am at yet again. It is crazy. I am hoping that the Upper GI I had done several weeks ago will SHOW SOMETHING out of place. A REASON for ALL THIS SCREWED UP highs and lows. I can honestly say that in the last few months I have increased my JUNK FOOD eating. BUT NOT when the weight began to come on again. It has been crazy. When I went in for my UPPER GI the tech and I were looking at my stomach. We were actually trying to FIND MY BAND---we couldn't locate it at all. So I truly DO not understand why MY VBG failed. We believe that ONE reason for the first gain was a medication---one of the medications they put me on was VERY WELL KNOWN to cause nasty weight gain but beyond that we simply don't know and my first surgeon could've cared less to try and find out the reasons. He was NOT a TRUE BARIATRIC SURGEON which is what EVERY PERSON SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR WHEN HAVING THIS SURGERY DONE. ALWAYS FIND A DOCTOR WITH A GOOD AFTERCARE PLAN IN PLACE--always. SO I go next week to find out what is what and if my insurance will cover this new open RNY surgery. It should be a hoot. Becky