Lapbandster

I am also having issues with my band. What I find interesting is how OVERLY CONFIDENT the surgeons are when discussing a surgery that there isn't THAT much research on. (I think we have maximum 15-20 years of research, and we didn't have real reliable data until about 10 years ago since it was such an uncommon surgery. That's my opinion at least) My surgeon was so pumped for me to get the lapband and minimized the risks -Now I am reading that 40-50 percent of lapband patients get the bands removed within 10 years (easy to believe based on the amount of posts in the complications forums) -It is linked to esophageal dysmotility - Scar tissue builds up around the band making the removal surgery much more complex than the insertion - The scar tissue can build up so much that it can cause permanent restriction even once the band is removed I went into this thinking that it was GREAT because it can be "reversed" if needed. That is not the case. I personally doubt I will recomend this surgery, and am hoping to get my band removed because the more i read the more I feel that my band is a "ticking timebomb" and that something will eventually go wrong. Why wait until it becomes an emergency?

Interesting! I think it has to do with scar tissue buildup putting pressure around your esophagus Hopefully it will go away but if not it might be. Blessing lol. The benefits of restriction without the complications of a band

May I ask why it was removed? I'm curious because I'm having issues as well And I think we got banded around the same time

Hello Donna, You have restriction and you gained? This is after lap band removal?

Personally, if I were you I would get a complete unfill and then SLOWLY scale up until you find your sweet spot If you're still not feeling well then I personally would have it removed- but not before arming me with the proper tools for weight loss. These include 1)a support system 2) a nutritionist 3) a counselor to help you modify your eating habits If in a year you cannot keep the weight off/gain weight THEN I would start thinking of other surgeries, but as you said you can't remember what it feels like to eat normally and I don't think you can bounce to another surgery so quickly if you got banded so long ago at such a young age Take time to rediscover your body in a healthy, you just might like it

I've seen worse than people eating hot dogs in a swimming pool, and it's kinda nasty. One time there was a girl eating (more like shoveling down) a burger (the bun looked like mush because it was wet, omg) Anyhow- the tomato slipped out and off the plate right into the water- instead of tossing it out she Fished it out and ate it. The lifeguard should have made a rule about not eating in the water because it's kinda dangerous

My new surgeon personally advocates for bypass because he said it's been shown to be safe for 40 years. The newer ones are ok but not really any long term data on them. As per the recommendation of my old surgeon, I did the lapband and can say for sure that had I known about all the possible complications years into it, I wouldn't have done it. That surgeon ONLY does lapbands, so either he REALLY believes in it or he's getting kickbacks from allergen (the lapband company) for every surgery he performs. Might need to get mine removed, and I will not be getting a revision. Too scared

Wow so sorry to hear that. Yeah the part about feeling like a failure is something I can really resonate with. Despite the fact that I followed the rules ( I wasn't one of those people who kept the band too tight intentionally just to expedite weight loss etc.) For a long long time I pretended like the band was working- I never wanted to admit that I was a failure but looking back it truly never worked. It never abated my hunger and I NEVER felt satiated. Either I felt stuck/uncomfortable pressure in my chest or the food went straight through he band leaving me at square one. I would tell this to my surgeon but he would always assure me I was in my "sweet spot" every time I left his office. I was ashamed it wasn't working but now I'm gonna have to come to terms with it.

Thanks for sharing, really appreciate that! I'm so so frightened to get the band removed because I keep reading stories about permanent phrenic nerve damage, scar tissue, but worst of all: Permament tightness around where the band was. I did NOT know this going in. I was assured that removal was an option in the worst case scenario. No one told me that scar tissue builds up around the band making removal much more complex than putting it in

Thanks for sharing Yeah, your story sounds familiar. I haden't had a fill in 18 months and suddenly heartburn. Got some Fluid out and still not better. I am terrified of surgery to get my band removed but even more terrified of having serious complications. Many people opt to have a revision done at the same time they get their bands removed. Ask your MD because I completely understand the fear. I am 50 lbs down (at one point was 70) and am terrified to see the scale go much higher

Thanks for sharing!! Can you tell me how the removal surgery went?? Glad your doing better!

Hey there! PS 3 years later I do wish I wouldn't have done the lapband, but thankfully I am having no serious complications (Heartburn, that's all) Can I ask why you wish you wouldn't have done the lapband? 3 years and no serious complications is great! Have you lost a lot of weight with the band? What would be the alternative method if you could choose again? I know it's hard work in the beginning but hopefully rewarding in the end...hopefully Well to be entirely honest I wish I hadn't done it because it never worked for me. Did I lose weight? Yeah! I did! BUT If i was entirely honest with myself, the weightloss had nothing to do with the band, other than being a constant mental reminder that I better get my act together. Got my band 3 years ago and went for fills, never felt restriction, everything went down- Except for the rare time that something would just get totally STUCK and I would be in literal agony until it came up. 2 years ago I started having heartburn and my surgeon got very nervous. He unfilled my band and took xrays. Everything looked and he sent me on my way. It was sad for me to have no restriction AND be told I was too tight! After that I got one or two tiny fills and, but while I still didn't have restriction, I was scared of being more aggressive with fills because i was afraid of it becoming too tight. (which is dangerous, as we all know) Suddenly last week I started feeling heartburn AGAIN, out of the blue!! I was so sad! I ran to my surgeon and he unfilled me a little bit and had me chug 12 ounces of Water. The water went down just fine and I went home... but now I'm still having heartburn and i'm so sad Sad that I never hit that "sweet spot" that i've read so much about Sad that everytime I travel (which is about once a month) I am terrified that my band will tighten up and i'll be alone and screwed (actually, when the heartburn started and i was told it was too tight I was lucky I was home because I was supposed to be out of town at that time) Sad that everytime I read about a lapband removal it is usually accompanied by a horrifying story. (permanent esophagus damage, scar tissue, etc) BUT- I am happy I am still down 50 lbs. (at my lowest i was down nearly 70 lbs) I cannot even IMAGINE where I would be without having lost the weight. I would probably be 300 lbs by now- and i'm only 5'2!! And I am trying hard to TRULY not live with ANY regrets!!! So would I recommend the band? not necessarily, but I cannot go back in time, so no point in regretting getting it BTW the reason i'm questioning removal is because if it's not doing it's job anyways, why keep it? Long term there are potential complications that could really compromise my health, so i figure why not just take it out when i'm healthy, BEFORE it becomes an emergency (i'm only saying this because as stated above, i just simply have no benefits from it)

Can you tell me how everything went with your band removal? Was it outpatient? I hear mixed things about it- from it being an easier surgery than original lapband placement, to people nearly dying from it

Here's how I chose my surgeon. I saw two different ones, one close to me and one about 40 minutes away. The one closer to me (which wouldv'e been more convenient) seemed to keep trying to steer me away from the band. I felt like I was consistently justifying my decision of the band vs. RNY His NP (who does fills) was obnoxious as well. She really turned me off! The second surgeon, the one farther out, ONLY does lapbands. He seemed to TRULY beleive in them and believe in me as well. I just got a better feeling from him, which is why I ultimately chose him. Sometimes you just have to trust your gut... Even if it means choosing an MD thats further away. Ironically, its 3 years later and I use the surgeon closer to me (the one who I met with but didn't choose) to get fills. I will NOT use his NP PS 3 years later I do wish I wouldn't have done the lapband, but thankfully I am having no serious complications (Heartburn, that's all)

Better than "Looks like you finally got it together! After all these years of being obese! We've all been worried about you"

Of course people could have this surgery and not lose a single lb/gain everything back! It's depressing to watch it though... they get such a useful tool and then either can't emotionally give up food, or don't understand how to properly use the band Personally, when I got my band it was a "do or die" situation- meaning that this was IT i told myself that if this doesnt work then I'l be trapped in an obese body forever... a horrifying thought! Even though my band isn't properly adjusted (yet) 1.5 years later I have still lost over 65 lbs I've never been happier although I wish my band would start working for me already

Also his nurse practitioner is very very large (around 250-275 lbs I would assume) and kind of condescending about weight issues. Again, I'm not judging at all! Just find it a bit ironic!

Yes you will do it! just understand that it will take a very long time. It will get tedious at some points... but don't give up!

The lower profile port is an option, and I think i even once heard on here that you can even have it done under local anesthesia Or just have sex in the dark

Haven't been on here in months, can't have chosen a better first post to read! You have been giving me encouragement with your posts for the past 1.5 years and I can't thank you enough!

Hello everyone! Well well.... What can I say? It's been one of the craziest years of my life I am putting this post in the 'lap band success stories" section because on many levels I really do feel like a success! I have lost a solid 60 lbs since august 2012 and am only 40 lbs away from my ultimate goal ! I have: -went from a size 20/22 to a size 12/14 -starting running for 20 minutes at a time (I used to barely do 90 seconds at a time) -stopped having arch pain in my foot and knee pain -started feeling "normal" meaning that I no longer feel like my obesity defines me. Whenever I used to hang out with friends it felt like I was always the "fat one". - Learned who my true friends are. Sadly many of my obese friends are bitter about my weight loss and only try to discourage me. I am learning now that they really are not my true friends after all. Mark twain (i think) once said "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great" I now understand that quote to the fullest extent. I am now seeing that my skinny friends, the ones who used to always intimidate me are the ones cheering me on the most! I have so much to say about my band that I really don't know where to begin... I have really mixed emotions about my band in general... The surgery went really well and I was on my feet back to normal practically the next day... The first fill went as expected and provided me with minimal restriction but nowhere the green zone... The same happened with my next two fills and on my fourth fill I was feeling really great! But a few days after the fill I got some heartburn (ironically still nowhere near the greenzone, just heartburn). Doc said he wanted to do an upper GI to rule out a slip- just the thought of a slip made me nervous! But, alas, no slip was found but he kept my band empty anyhow just to allow the irritation to resolve. Now a few months later I still have no Fluid because 1) I'm nervous about the heartburn 2) I never really liked my surgeon in general- Never really listened to me and was rough around the edges... (and he is about a 55-75 minute drive from me which ruined my entire day)... So I made a consultation with another surgeon in my area (15 mins away) and will be having another fill in a few days! He is such a sweetie and was SO proud that not only didn't I gain anything without any restriction, but that I actually lost weight! He claimed that I was doing really well which made me blush lol! I really can't wait to get started again, because, honestly, with an empty band I am losing weight so slowly that it's almost nonexistent... Overall I DO NOT regret getting the band!! I just wish I had the smashing success that others on here are having (losing 100 lbs in their first year, losing their sensation of hunger... etc). I am hopeful that with enough patience and perseverence I will reach my goal by the spring! Great big shoutout to all members of this forum who have always provided me with the motivation+encouragement to help me keep going!!! (I'm talking to you, mis73 and carolinagirl )

Actually I would not buy a fitbit since there is no heart rate monitor attached... (unless a new one came out that i don't know about...) I'm buying the polar ft7 with a heart rate chest strap.... Then it'll be REALLY accurate

Today is my dreaded 20 minute run.... I'm scared and excited to see if I can actually do it! I am actually doing the couch to 10k program (which is the same as the 5k just a little longer) Remember this: Even if you start feeling tired push yourself to go just a little further because trust me, you'll surprise yourself with how far u can run!

Girl that is awesome!! The second pic was not too much at all! and I see that your port barely shows! awesome!

My doc has zero issues with carbonation However..... I'm trying to drink Water ONLY because I hear it helps with avoiding loose skin (may be an old wives take but it certainly will only help!)