Scuffy

I had my band placed five years ago with great success. I’ve had it too tight, not tight enough, lost and gained. It’s a journey we’re on. Please don’t be disheartened. My band enabled me to lose 120#, diabetes and high blood pressure. I had to have some fill removed due to illness, which was totally unrelated to the band. I’ve gained 10# probably due to no exercise and poor food choices. I’m working now to get that off. Good luck!

The surgeon that put in my lapband five years ago is now doing the sleeve. He was very strict on having his lapband patients come in monthly. He felt it lead to their success, and I agree with him. I’m not sure if he is only doing the sleeve now, but I know he does LOTS of them. As for me, I have a love/hate relationship with my band. But I have NO regrets!

I’m restarting the journey too! I had lapband five years ago and lost 120 pounds. I moved, saw a different bariatric physician and he removed FIVE cc’s from my band. All I had to do was think about food and I gained. So, after gaining back close to fifty pounds, I went back to see my lapband surgeon. He slowly got my band filled back to where I started losing again. I’m 15 pounds from my goal weight and am really struggling. I’ve got lots of stress and an emotional eater. I am asking for support, and will gladly return it. I’ve gotten my Leslie Sansone walking DVDs out and have exercised the last two days. I know that’s not much, but it’s a start. Thanks to anyone that read this long post :-)

Hi everyone! I'm hoping to get a word of encouragment to get myself motivated again! I've stalled out and am gaining! Almost 3 years ago I had the lapband with plication and lost 120lbs. I was very active, walking 4 miles a day. My band was very tight, and although I didn't count calories, I don't think I took in that many. I threw up every day--multiple times. I would have fill taken out, then put back in. Seems like I never got into the Green Zone. Well, last July I took a full time job, which is a sedentary job---yep, no time in my schedule now for a 4 miles walk everyday. Plus I'd had some fill taken out because I just couldn't throw up anymore. So, I've gained over the last six months 20 pounds. I think about my weight every day, just like I did before surgery. I"m so sick of it. I"m going to start using myfitnesspal and try to keep my calories at 1200 per day. Part of me thinks that where my band was so tight for so long, and I didn't take in many calories that even at 1200 per day, I'll continue to gain. I have been walking every day, but only have time for about 30 minutess. I"m thinking of pulling out my old Jane Fonda workout and trying it. I"ve thought about T25, but have a knee that troubles me. Anyone know much about that exercise program? I"m a mess and could use some encouragement and will offer the same to anyone else! Thanks, Scuffy

I need my arms done and a TT too. I had a C-section, 28 years ago....wonder if that still counts? I haven't even looked into what my insurance will cover. I still have 20 pounds to lose to get to goal; my surgeon tells me probably 5-7 pounds of that is skin....yuck.

I've had the band for two years and have had two small unfills, one of them being yesterday. I told my doc I was throwing up every meal, and he said, "well something was staying down, you lost 3 pounds in the last two weeks, but if nothing had stayed down it would have been 6-7 pounds." Little does he know that I had been surviving on slider foods or it would have been 6-7 pounds lost in just the two weeks since I'd last seen him. I still have a sore throat from all of the vomiting. I won't do that again! I love my band and it has been a great tool to help me regain my health and happiness, but when it's too tight it's miserable. Hope you're feeling better soon!

Pre band, I was on two blood pressure meds and two diabetes meds. Now off of all those meds. My BP runs around 100/50 and my last Hb A1C was 5.6; pre band it was 8.9. I was banded two years ago and have lost 122lbs!

Congratulations to both you and your daughter! My daughter and I both were banded within a month of each other in the summer of 2011. She is at goal, and I'm about 40 pounds away---but I'll get there (just this month I've gotten into Onederland!!) Anyway, my daughter and I have always gone to out appointments together, and it has been a great experience! Take Care, Scuffy

Hi all! So since my last post about this, I have seen my PCP twice and had an MRI. I'm now on 400mg of Neurotin at night which is helping a great deal. Last week I saw my lapband doc and talked about this sciatica problem with him. He told me he's had about 10 of his lapband patient's have to go to PT because of this. He thinks it is related to weak core muscle strength and recommended "crunches," and stretching exercises. He said when I see him next month if I have no improvement, he'll refer me for PT. I still have not purchased the 2000.00 dollar bed my PCP recommended; if I could afford a sleep number bed, I would give it a try though! Hope everyone is well!

Hi there everyone! So I had my lapband w/plication end of July 2011. I've lost 71 pounds (!) as off today, however I've gained sciatica in my right leg and it's getting worse. It started out as numbness and tingling, but has now evolved into burning, stabbing pain in my right (lateral aspect) thigh. The pain is worse when I am in the bed, but it is beginning to bother me more and more when I'm up moving around. I went to my PCP and he told me to buy a sleep Number bed; I can't afford a two-thousand dollar mattress. I'm not sure whether to go the route of seeing a chiropractor, or a neurologist. All I know is the pain is worse every day---I can't sleep because of it. I google "sciatic nerve pain after WLS" and was surprised to see that many people have reported this same thing--has to do with weight distribuation changes, increase in activity. I'd love to hear some feedback and suggestions please! Thanks, Scuffy

So I still feel like my band is a tad too tight, but I did take the advice of drinking something warm/hot 15-20 minutes before eating and that is making all the difference. It's almost like I can "feel" the band "relaxing," if that makes any sense. I am still sticking with soft foods for now because these past two weeks have been so bad, but am doing much better; only pb'd once today! Thanks for the advice :-)

I'm struggling with eating slow too. I've had several fills, but this last one nearly two weeks ago is kicking my butt! Seems like nothing much is wanting to stay down, and I'm PB'ing several times a day. I have started taking some liquid Motrin about 30 minutes before I eat and that seems to be helping.

I was not hungry at all the month of July, actually I think the band was a little tight. Now, I'm like you and hungry most all of the time. I even wake up in the middle of the night hungry! I go to the doc next week, but am only going to ask for a small fill.