desertmom

hi.I added 600ml to my fluids and the headache left. Thanks for the input,you really helped me a lot. xxo

I am doing this blog so that when newly sleeved patients ask me questions some time in the future when I have forgotten all the details,I can use this as a reference. Us humans have the amazing ability to remember things,lets say in a more positive way,rather than the way they actually happened.I have found this a few times this week when asking some questions.Somehow we either make things worse than they were or so much easier/better than they were.The drama queens make them worse and the "can do's" makes everything seem so much easier/better than they were. This will be a true reflexion of what I experienced and experience as time goes by.Another thing that I will try to do is update every now and then....long after the prosess of losing the weight is over...also so that people who is doing research can see how Im doing years into the future...good intentions right?LOL Having surgery is always hard for me.Either the aneasthetics makes me nauseas or the pain meds does.I had pethidine when I came out of surgery and that caused some of the most agonizing moments of theday...the dry heaving was terrible.Moment number one when all I wanted was to undo what I've done to myself...and I couldnt.The rest of that day and night passed like a nightmare..but it passed. The next morning at 11 they took me to the x-ray dept for the fluro leak test.Number two moment I wanted to just go back a few days....and couldnt.It was just one big swallow of fluro (unbelievably bitter) that I had to take..and it fell like a lump of clay going down a few centimetres down my throat and got stuck....they kept on saying swallow,swallow,swallow....and the next moment some of it just came back up.The radiologist then said to wait as it was delayed...whatever that meant.I waited for 15 minutes and had to go back for another x-ray....we repeated that about 3 times till they said,yes,its moving....you can go.So result: delayed but normal,again,who knows what that meant. So now they told me to start sipping....and the nightmare started.I was very nauseous since surgery but the drinking just made it worse.the pain was crazy whenever I tried to swallow anything.And that is the way day 2 passed as well. At this point I started thinking that this is it...as good as its going to get because this dr cut off too much of my stomach or I am one of the unlucky people with some crazy complication and my life was ruined...hehehe!It is really scary when things just dont live up to ones expectations and you dont know if the way things are happening is exceptable for where you are at that moment.And no one seems to be clear about things at all. I was discharged on day 3 thinking my life is over...and battled all day to swallow even a few sips of hot water. And then,in themiddle of the night,after I slept for a few hours,everything changed.All of a sudden I could swallow and drink.The pain disappeared and I could drink.

Hi Nadz I am a South African expat living in Dubai and will be sleeved on Tuesday. You seem to be doing great...hope the tiredness goes away soon. xxo

I need to ask this as I am constantly thinking about it. People that are 2 years and longer post-op,if you counted your calories,how many calories do you eat per day? I know that while losing weight the dr's want the 600 to 800 calories,60 -70grams of Protein ratio but how many calories can you eat a few years down the line when you are now a thin,healthy, well adjusted, normal person? I can imagine living on such low calories for a period of time (have done it as I am a failed bandster...lol) but I remember how little energy I had for doing sport like playing squash,running,spinning class. Can you ever eat like a small,normal person and not gain weight? My adult daughter is very tiny,loves food,healthy food and she is a snacker,mostly fruit...she has treats when she feels like it but there is no emotional component in her relationship with food....food is not part of the fun in life..lol. See,I ask this as I am dreaming of a day that I can go to that restaurant and eat half a sandwich and be satisfied...or eat half a slice of birthday cake and enjoy it tremendously but recognize when I feel full and then stop as I am satisfied.Well,I'm dreaming! xxo

Hi Cheri This is great to hear.I hope that I will be able to eat like that...sounds balanced but not too much. It is great to hear from people whose life is now normal. xxo

hi Thanks for both replies.It does help.I am also a person that until very recently still played squash and ran...even though I was already very overweight.I love sport.With my band,when I was very low cal I just didnt have the energy I needed to do all I wanted to though. Anyway,I will have to get brave enough to stop worrying about all the detail and overcome this fear of failure and of complications.(coming from years of being sick with the band and still feeling like a failure because I am fat again). xxo

hi I have finally gotten together enough courage to get a date to remove the band.I had the endo and barium and everything still seems just fine..as always.No matter how much pain or discomfort I have or the fact that sometimes for no reason I cannot eat or drink anything,and this while the band is completely unfilled. I just want to know a few things from those of you that had your band taken out. How long before you were allowed to 1)Drive the car 2)Exercise My date is the 19th of June and it is a very busy time just before summer holidays when we will be travelling.I am trying to figure out if I should postpone it with a week or 2 until I dont have to be a taxi to my girls all the time. Thank you

Hi Had the surgery on sunday and tried to drive on tuesday..to quick.I was super sore that night.I also seem to have crazy restriction,something I NEVER HAD WITH THE BAND!Not painful,just tight. Anyway,I am happy its over and done with.Now for the next chapter of my life,without struggling with the band.

More than 50% of band will come out for whatever reason.50 % is stats for 5 years.It is way more for longer. The doctors are ruthless as the band is a great money maker.Imagine: 2 surgeries guaranteed,endless fills and unfills at who knows what cost....I was so sad and ashamed while I was in hospital.There was 4 very obese young people,2 young men and 2 girls that,on differnt occations saw me walking after surgery and came up to me so excited as they thought I had the band surgery...wanted to know how it was and did I have pain...I just didnt have the heart to tell them anything other than I did not have band surgery but that surgery wasnt too bad. God knows the truth and intention of every man and everyone will be judged for that one day.I am convinved that dr's by now know that the band is not a success.As the anethetist said to me before surgery:the band is implanting disease into your body. Finally,I dont care what people think or say about my opinion on the band.This was a nightmare in my life for a long time.I have not needed asthma meds since the day of the surgery nor have I needed any PPI's.My blood pressure,that got out of control high after the band is still low 4 days after removing the band,without meds. People are desperate when they go see surgeon to help them with weight problem.When you get told the band is 1.the safest option 2.surgery that can be easily reversed 3.is less expensive than other surgeries ect ect. of course a lot of us believe that this is the answer to our prayers.It gives one hope. I am not anti band per se.I am anti anything in life that takes advantage of peoples desperation.Thank God it doesnt kill people the way the JIB did years ago,it just costs a lot of money and it steals time from people,time that should be used to get to a real,permanent solution to obesity. Now,if i lose all my weight i will need extensive plastic surgery to look normal where as 7 years ago i was much younger and my skin was way more elastic.I might need another surgery to lose the weight anyway to start with...... I JUST WISH ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT WAS ON THIS BOARD WITH ME 7 years ago would tell us where they are and what happened to them.I have come across a whole lot of them on other boards like sleeve and RNY forums. Anyhow,who cares.everyone must make there own mistakes.People just dont listen,they have to feel to learn. Keep telling people about your band experience.If it can save one person the trouble we havegone through,it is worth being flamed for. Love Alta

Hi, Just a few questions. How long before you can drive a car after just band Removal and how long before you can exercise again? Thank you

No,it seem no one knows or if they do they ar not saying...lol.I will ask on sleevetalk where everyone already had their bands out.I will let you know.

Hi It is so wonderful to have found this forum.I really need some perspective and think this is the place to get it. In 2005 I was banded and started having problems almost from the start.I had incredible heartburn and pain in my midrif area front and back.The struggle with the fills was crazy and there was either total restriction or NOTHING. I lost a lot of weight low carbing just because I was too embarrassed not to.I exercised like a maniac and well got pretty close to my goal weight. After 3 years I decided to completely unfill the band and start self medicating to get my life back.The dr didnt want to remove the band as he believed nothing was wrong and his motto was:no pain,no gain. The band has been empty for 3 years.I have had some stuck food at times but other than that no problem.I also regained almost all the weight. In 2010 I started seeing a therapist and learnt (for the first time in my life) how to eat normal.Normal food,normal portions.Not cutting out anything but controlled with everything.I lost 70 pounds in 9 months.I was preaching NORMAL to everyone...lol In December 2010 I LOST NORMAL....how crazy is that.I just gave myself permission (a conscious choice) to eat whatever I want for one week.AND NORMAL WAS GONE.I have not been able to get back to eating like that again and the therapist says it is an emosional issue,hehe,which one I dont know or understand but I am back to square one.I have only regained about 5 pounds of the 70 in the past 6 months so regaining is not a big issue for me at this point.I know how to maintain. My band is sceduled to be removed on the 19th of June as I had a fright a few weeks ago where it just closed up on me and I couldnt swallow for 24 hours.Dr still insist it is nothing,not possible...had a scope and band seems fine.After arguing with the surgeon he will now remove it.(I hope he doesnt kill me) I WANT THE SLEEVE SO BADLY BUT I AM SO SCARED OF FAILING WITH IT.I am scared of a leak,I am scared of the pain...I am just so anti surgery that it contradicts saying I want the sleeve but I really do. I am a big eater and a snacker and an emosional eater.I just dont know if I will even survive another failure...I will have to move somewhere where no one knows me...lol.Now I read the research papers that is slowly coming out on the sleeve as a standalone surgery and the regain rate is so high in the 5 year studies,something recent sleevers dont really seems to worry about at all. My BMI is 36,8.I weigh 240 pounds.I am still 75 pounds lighter than at my first consult for the band but that is little consolation. How do I get over this fear of failure?The therapist suggested I remove the band and make no decicion for the next 6 months but my head says do it all in one shot,right now...be brave.(and then I just laugh at myself as I am a coward at the moment) Can the sleeve work for me in the long term? Any thoughts,insights,ideas will help me a lot as I feel stuck right now.I've seen a surgeon that will remove and sleeve at the same time but will have to decide in the next well,2 days. Thanks for your input.

Nichole Thank you for your advice.This is exactly what I am going to do.The band will come out on Sunday and I will speak to the sleeve surgeon while on holiday in South Africa.I will get a date and plan my life so that all this doesnt cause my whole family stress,which it does at the moment as it has not been planned in advance. In the meantime I will work on my food issues with my great therapist so that when I do the sleeve I will be well prepared and not scared anymore.I am so happy that you are doing well with the sleeve.Reading all the happy posts does a lot to restore my faith that the sleeve will help me with the portion control that I so desperately need. I will follow your progress and hope that this is the journey the band was suppose to have been...transforming. xxo

Again, I am so greatful for all the replies. Madison,I was also abused as an older teenager and have lived my life (not consiously) to protect myself...it could be me that wrote your post. To the world I am this "can do" person but well,it took losing the "normal" to figure out that situations that makes me feel physically unsafe and threatened makes me deal with everything 100% effectively and then come home,withdraw and eat.I am working through all this with therapist but heaven knows I am a "pull yourself towards yourself" kind of person and always thought if you have forgiven, the situation is dealt with,move on. So,here's the thing because of all this I struggle to trust people and this poor dr. That will remove the band is no 1 on the paranoia list at the moment. He is here in Dubai and I will just have to cancel this surgery with him should I decide to sleeve as well.Then I have to make arrangements to go abroad to have the conversion to sleeve in a few weeks time. I started writing that I will take the band out and wait 6 months then i will sleeve but that is not rally what i want to do even though I realize that is most prob what will happen. Thanks again for your input and insights.I find I admire all of you so much for doing what needs to be done and moving forward.That feels like the most important thing one can do when you battle with a huge weight issue like this. Xxo I will have the band removed

Thanks for the replies.I have been thinking very hard about my reluctance to remove and sleeve in1 surgery.I AM SCARED.Of a leak and of....this might sound stupid...heartburn. Nothing helped for the heartburn i had the first 3 years,nothing.It was aweful and I cannot imagine ever feeling like that again.Unfortunately in my research i have come across a lot of heartburn issues and it petrifies me.The leak is just as scary to me as a friend that GBP after band had a leak and it was a nightmare for her. So,short and long is I am a coward....will think on it hard tomorrow and Friday...I can still change my mind until Saturday I reacon. Xxo

hi A few things that I have learned over the years and that might help a little is the following. Do not try to low carb while you have the issues you have.Eat a healthy mix of carbs and protein with not too much calories per day.When I stopped trying to follow the bandsters food regime (of my doctor)things started improving for me.I then started eating little bits of sweet potato or 2 spoons or brown rice with healthy veg and protein.Eat little bits at a time.Take the meal you would have had and half it...eat one half now and one half 2 hours later... NO FIZZY DRINKS...it causes swelling in my stomach for some reason.And things that use to cause pain was pineapple,to much tomato,and all fruit juices. My band is being removed the 19th.I have about 70 pounds that I have to lose and am considering getting the sleeve.My therapist and I have made a deal that I will not make a decision in the next 6 months and that I will try my best to get back to eating normal like I did all of last year (I lost 60 pounds last year) If I dont manage to find balance again in 6 months I can consider sleeve.O,and my dr just didnt want to hear the word remove...I had to insist this time.Mentally it is hard as he tried to convince me that if I work and fill the band I can lose the 70 pounds in the next 6 months but I had to stick to my decision to remove the band. Good luck with your band.I hope you start feeling better and you will lose some weight while you have this band. xxo

hi If this is posted in the wrong forum please forgive me as I havent been on this forum since its had its new format and that must be ages. I havent been on the forum since 2008.Had the band in 2005 and had loads of complications.Eventually in 2008 I had it completely unfilled and as by then I didnt have a doctor anymore,I decided to just live with the band.And I have.It's been behaving very well all along as long as I didnt take any meds I wasnt suppose to and I always got some restriction because of hormone changes once a month.Other than that I have to eat slowly and usually while eating out in restaurants something will get stuck but will go through with some patience (I think one eats faster when eating out.) Until this afternoon. I have been taking meds that I could feel is affecting the band a little.I started feeling this band again.Well,I started taking Nexium and had no more issues. This afternoon I started eating a piece of fish and voila,stuck.Thing is the fish came up like a projectile and everything after that as well.I have tried sips of warm water...just comes out.I have a pain in my chest..not to bad but I cannot swallow anything and it has been 5 hours now.So,being and old hand at the band but also a doctorless old hand I just dont know what to do now. How long before I should get worried and try to find a doctor to see me? Any advice would be much appreciated. Desertmom

It is a cousins 9cc band. Xxo

hi The point is the band has been unfilled for the past 3 years (longer dr says since 2007) I am doing very well learning how to eat normal.The only limitations I have is when the band closes up for no reason and reminds me of everything that was not normal in my life since the band and .I have to take Nexium every day of my life.My band has been in for the past 7 years and have been useless to me for most of the time.It has cost me a fortune in medication and doctors visits and caused me a huge amount of pain and discomfort.It hardly sounds like something that is not broke and does not need fixing. I am still quite overweight and I know it is not healthy in the long termThere is no dr here in the UAE that does band to sleeve conversions.Not one.I would have loved to do that so I have consulted a few surgeons and they just dont do it .The band has never caused me to lose any weight.Focussing on eating not too much,not too little,doing a whole lot of exercise,enjoying food as it was suppose to be enjoyed and not overdoing anything...that is what is helping me lose weight and become a balanced person. Now,I am a healthier more balanced,happier person that just needs to get rid of the band to put all this behind me .I also believe that,even though no one wants to hear this,at some point most of the bands will have to be removed as this is not a lifetime device they are implanting into people.I do like to not get into emergency situations with stuff but to plan things and now it is just my turn to have mine remove and to move on. Please dont take what I say here personal.I know that for a lot of people the band works.That is super and I really wish everyone with a band just the best of luck with it.Enjoy the proses of getting thinner. I am,however,enjoying more than anything else,being normal for the first time in my life. xxo

Hi thanks for all the replies.What happened was by the next morning I could sip Water and that in itself was wonderful.I have seen the surgeon,had a barium,he still insisted nothing wrong with the band.Why would I not want to fill the band and lose weight?Why didn't I see him more often?blablabla...after just telling me again that the discomfort and swelling must be stress related and that the pain is not real.... That was the moment that gave me courage to insist the band should be removed...and I don't want to discuss this anymore with him.I finally have had enough. In the past year I have learnt to eat normal.I see a behaviour therapist that is helping me understand the relation between food and emotions and it is working.she has also helped me understand that the ego of the dr's here is huge and should be ignored.that they are not always right and not to keep second guessing myself about the way I have felt over the past 7 years since the band. I am having gastroscopy on Monday and then I will get a date for Removal.I am giving myself a year with normal eating and exercise and will then decide if I will have the sleeve.all my friends that had it is doing fantastic. Ok,that is my band saga...xxo

Should have gone to hospital in the pm though,forgot that they work so late...silly me.

Hi After a few years of struggling I gave up trying with the band,had it unfilled completely and started managing it by doing the right things eg.never take meds that irritates it,eating slowly trying to not over eat.I didn't have any problems with it until now. If you read on the boards you will see that my surgeon goes to countries and does the surgery and goes home.There is usually another dr that follows up on patients but mine left the hospital and the new guy that came was just concerned about filling it again and losing weight.Never mind that I have been going out of my mind with heartburn for a few years by then and no meds helped at all.I just stopped going to the dr and started managing my life so that I could have some quality of life again.....and I have been doing great....... I always had the intention of having the band removed and have seen a surgeon at the American hospital here that didn't want to touch me....they want me to get dr de Bruyne to remove the band.....my problem was that I didn't and don't exactly trust him too much after all I had to endure and not being able to see him even once in all that time... Anyway,I don't seem to have a choice now as it is 4 in the morning and it is not getting better.I seem to be getting a bit dry now and I know I will have to go to the hospital....trying to give the dr some time to sleep a little seeing as I just remembered they work till 22:00 in the evening at the hospital. I will be fine.. Will, go just after school drop off this morning...

hi There is 100% no way that I will find a doctor now.It is 21:00 in the evening and this is Dubai.lol.As far as not being able to swallow anything...I remember how that feels from when I still tried to have little fills years ago.The doctor never seemed to be too concerned about it for the first 12 hours. I will however phone the hospital where I had the surgery in (I cant even remember if it was 2004 or 2005).Their website shows that they have a local surgeon that does the follow-up for this dr. De Bruyne that did my band and then abandoned me when I had complications. So,please pray for me as this is the day that I dreaded all along.I just dont trust the doctors here but I seem to have no other option now.Staying calm about this and not feeling like they are going kill me should I need a surgery is the important thing here I suppose.lol Desertmom

Hi I am not sure where to post.Had the band in 2005.Lost 150 plus pounds.Had loads of heartburn and pain all the time.Started pouching in 2007.Unfilled...filled...pouch... Ok,so since 2007 band has been 100% unfilled.I have regained 90 pounds and am biding my time until I can have the band removed and maybe do sleeve gastrectomy. The thing is I started taking Meridia yesterday and felt wonderful all day until I started getting the most intense cramps in the evening.Took half a nexium...still cramping even this morning.I do not intend giving up to easily. What I want to know is this.Is the band and Meridia compatible (as medication)I cannot drink even one voltaren and I get gastritis.Or one asprin and I die for days...I am quite sensitive to most meds... Please, if any one knows if it is an "allowed" meds with the band,let me know. Thanks Desertmom (fat desertmom...lol)

hi Get a script for Nexium or prilosec, a PPI.It will work. As for the weightloss.Until you have proper restriction you will have to count calories and look at your fat and carb intake per day.It doesnt happen by itself unless you are so restricted that you cannot eat too much or cannot eat some kinds of food. Good luck and try to be patient with this.