Hello Everyone!
This is my very first time posting on this forum although I have been reading it for 5 years. I first got my lap band surgery done on 7/13/07 by Dr. Roslin at Lenox Hill Hospital. I will try to make this as short as possible despite it being a very long story. When I got my surgery I was 229 lbs, 27 yrs old with diabetes, PCOS, in pain, fat, unhealthy and dying. I did tried other forms of weight loss on my own and with medical help and when I didn't have any success I decided it was time to have WLS. I researched the band and Dr. Roslin's name came up & I went back to my PCP to discuss it- she said he was the man she wanted to refer me to and I saw this as a sign... this was my destiny.... (dramatic, huh? lol). Well I went thru all the necessary appts and the surgery date was set for June 26 I believe... but a few days before that I had a terrible kidney infection so it was pushed back- to 7/13- Friday the 13th- my luckiest day. :-) I got the surgery and everything went well, until I got home. Learning to live with the band proved extremely hard for me. Eating less, slower, and NOT being able to tolerate foods I loved (even healthy ones) was horrible. For the first 6-8 months I hated it. I wanted it out immediately after I got it- but I as learned to live with it, change my lifestyle and adhere to the rules, the weight started to fall off and I was successful. Fast forward to Nov 2010. I was laid off from yet another job and I became depressed.... I did little eating and when I tried I found it hard. I had no insurance and I had seen Dr. Roslin in almost 2 years. I went to DR in Jan 2011 and my parents freaked- they'd never seen me so "sick". I was 108 lbs and rail thin. I needed a miracle or an unfill! I found a Doctor in DR who unfilled me. I started to eat better again and gained some healthy weight back. In a few months I was up to 125lbs then 135lbs; I maintained that weight for a year. I ate healthy but never deprived myself of treats. NO real exercise.... at least not in a gym.
Now March 2012- I started to get severe heartburn- worst than my usual heartburn which I thought was just part of living with the band. I'd wake up sick, but I had only been working at my new job 2.5 months & had no insurance. I got the insurance and life and work got in the way of me getting to the doctor until I finally did- Aug 1st 2012. As soon as I saw Dr. Roslin he said: You haven't been here in over 3 years- that means you are here cuz your band slipped. I freaked... No, I think I just need an unfill. He checked it, I told him about DR. He said: that doctor unfilled completely- you have been unfilled for a year- you need to go up to Northern Westchester Hospital tomorrow and get an Upper GI Series- tell them it's urgent. Went on 8/2 got the UGI and surely enough- slipped band. I had to get surgery to either revise or remove. Dr. Roslin immediately suggested a revision- he said most of his patients gain the weight back if they get the band removed. SO reluctantly I agreed to revise and start again. He scheduled my surgery for 8/9/12. I was unhappy. Sad. Even though here I was after losing a total of 121 lbs I felt like a failure... I mean the band is not supposed to be removed- ever! ;-( I spoke to my mom, my friends and then my PCP. I was lucky she remembered me after not seeing her in years and that she was able to see me the next day. She canceled my surgery- it was too soon, I needed time to think. She talked me out of the revision and suggested removal. She talked about how she was NO longer suggesting the Lap Band due to too many people having it removed & that she knew of surgeons who weren't doing the surgery anymore. I saw she had faith in me- the faith my surgeon didn't have. She said: I don't think you will regain the weight- it's time to try it on your own. You are a different person now. You lead a different lifestyle. I agreed. My mom and friends wanted it out- they didn't want to see me suffer. I opted for removal. Surgery was set for 9/6/12.
I had the surgery at Northern Westchester Hospital.... could not have made a better choice! Everyone took such great care of me. I had complications with the anesthesia taking more time to wear off my bladder and I had to be tubed with a catheter twice- (I know- ouch) and stay in the hospital an extra day. It was painful and the incisions are still sore but I have been home since Saturday and I am recovering. It hurts when I laugh or cough- so trying to avoid that. I am eating sensibly & thus far my ravenous hunger has not return (knock on wood!).Only weird thing I have noticed is the incision directly over my belly button is kinda swollen and that area is popped out and hard- I find this strange and will talk more about it at my follow up appt which I will call to set up tomorrow. My plan? Exercise, Eat well, and Maintain a healthy weight. I have made the choice to live withOUT the lap band because at least for me (at this moment in my life) the cons far outweigh the pros to have another one put in or to have any other kind of WLS. Don't get me wrong- I STILL tell everyone what I believe to be true: The BAND saved my life..... but I helped it help me too! If you have any questions please ask.
