giveyouthemoon

Seven years in, and I think about the band every day. I also obsessed about it a lot at the start, and it does quiet a little. It becomes less about the band and more about "oh, no, I can't eat that." You get to a point where you just know if something will work or not. So while that's not, per se, thinking about the band, having a band does TOTALLY change your relationship to food and eating.

And then there are the days when I wish I didn't have a band. Lately I've been wanting a good old fashioned hamburger. With fries. And no, having a patty and no bun doesn't fill the crave. That's how I eat a burger (occasionally, when the band and I get along) but it's not the same. And sandwiches. I miss the ease of eating sometimes.

That said, I don't for a moment regret getting the band. Totally worth it.

You are too tight. If you are getting bile in your throat, you could be aspirating it and that causes coughing too. Tell your Dr about these symptoms and at the least they should take some Fluid out of your band.

Keep an eye on this, that burbling bile could be the first small signs of a slip. Don't fool around with it, get it checked.

So sayeth the lady who has a slipped band and a revision surgery in two days.

That's awesome you were able to maintain a loss, despite the difficulties. Best of luck with the new band!!

Hi Andrea - you know what's funny, at this weight (at about half my "excess weight" lost) and a slipped band, I'm still considered a band success by the Drs and the standards of the LapBand people. I've kept more than half off for a long time. This is why my new Dr really wants to fix the band and not take it out. I think if this new band goes in nice and I rededicate myself to being a well behaved bandster, this could really be a good thing for me!

My Band, Part II. The reckoning.

LOL!!

Wow!! Good luck with the up coming surgery, I hope you love the new band. Were you able to tell that the band had slipped? What were the signs?

Yes, I knew something wasn't right. Don't know if that makes sense, but it just didn't feel right. As the slip progressed, it made eating really tough and really awful reflux. My band dr kept taking more and more fill out and it didn't help. In 2010 a slight slip was diagnosed and all fill was taken out. But that didn't fix it.

I have to say, to all who have a band, watch the PB's. I got into a really bad patch for a while where I decided I just wanted to test the band. Over and over. I PB'd a LOT and sometimes really hard. And now I'm paying the price.

Lots of big lessons learned.

Best wishes for a quick surgery and speedy recover! Keep us posted.

Hi Cocoabean! Thanks.

Crazy days, indeed! I never thought it would happen to me as my first surgeon told me that slips were rare.

My current surgeon showed me the xray, the band is now parallel to my spine. Whoops.

Well, the good news is that an endoscopy showed my esophagus is in good shape and in two days I'm having a revision surgery. While the good dr is in there, he's going to put in the updated band which is supposedly is better for fills and tweaking amounts. I never had more than 1 cc in my old band and that was way too tight.

Totally looking forward to having the new band. I really hope that things improve. Living with a slipped band isn't fun.

Overall, I don't regret getting the band. I'm still 65 lbs down and that's really something.

HI Heather! Thanks for that. It helps. I figured since they don't have to replace the port and tubing for me, they are just putting in a new band, that things should be a lot less painful this time. That port site was a bear for pain on my first surgery!

I'm also thinking it will go easier because I already know how to eat smaller and sip liquids and stuff.

And like you, I'm SO ready to have this darn band fixed. Every day this slipped band gives me troubles. I'm totally bummed about the slip but so grateful to have insurance to cover the surgery this time.

I am an old timer who was banded in 2005. This year would be seven years, but this band won't make it to my bandiversary in June.

I have quite a severe slip. Since Kaiser is now doing Lap Band surgery, I have moved over from Dr Cirangle in San Francisco to Kaiser since that is my insurance.

On Wednesday (March 7) I am going in for a revision. Dr Alami is going to take the old style band out and put in the new (and from what I hear, better) style band in.

While I'm going to be very happy to have a fixed band, I'm also kind of sad that I have to have surgery again. I have to remember how it was seven years ago and start all over.

I'm kind of sad that I have to start over and yet very relieved that my insurance will pay the bill this time.

I originally lost about 110 lbs and have since gained about 50 of that back. I hope I can have the new band installed and I will feel that sense of fullness again, and that sense of control over food. I hope....

Anyhow, I'm a little down tonight because I feel in many ways like a failure. I failed the band and yet crazily enough, I got a second chance.

Fingers crossed and all.

Edited to add: I've been happy to read quite a few people posting who said they had a slip, had a revision and were doing great. That gives me hope and confidence. Thanks for that!!

Hi, I'm an old timer, was banded in June 2005, so coming up on six years.

It's not been an especially successful journey for me. It was at first...I lost 110lbs. I'd started at 300 so 190 felt pretty good.

But I have an eating disorder that I was well through with before my surgery. And with the band, it was great for a while, then it got bad. I found the band could be my best accomplice. Eat too much, band won't take it, up it comes. Over and over again.

I'd read everywhere that vomiting is about the worst thing you can do for your band, and yes, it is.

I was able to get back in control of the vomiting, somewhat, but then I started trying to eat as much as I could. As a result, I have a dilated esophagus and a slight slip.

Right now, my band is completely unfilled while I try to figure out what to do. Of course, I gained a fast 50 lbs and I'm struggling and fighting everyday to keep that from becoming more.

When it was good, the band was amazing. Now I'm not so sure. I was self pay since my HMO didn't offer the surgery. Now they do, so I'm hoping to be referred into the program. Not sure they'll take me since the surgery was done elsewhere, but by a reputable surgeon in San Francisco. I seriously want to have the band removed as it's not really doing anything right now. It's not a critical situation to have it out, all is well. It's just doing nothing.

I'm thinking seriously about converting to a gastric sleeve, but I just can't get my head around having a surgery again.

So everyday is a struggle. For those on this board who, with the band, got to their goal weight and are keeping it there...I'm truly amazed and impressed. That's a significant achievement. I wish I could count myself among you.

I suppose that I'm still happy to be 238 vs 300 lbs, so in a way, my band was a success. Given all that I know, I would probably get the band again. The band didn't fail me, I failed the band.

Hi Malia! I used Dr Cirangle too, so you are in good hands.

Be advised, his bedside manner can be a bit funky. He can seem sort of odd or cranky, and it was, for me at first, almost off putting. But honestly, he's a decent guy and a good surgeon. He's done a TON of bands, so he knows 'em in and out.

No, I'm not getting paid by the doctors and I have no vested interest. I just really wanted you to know that Dr. C can be really weird when you first meet him and I don't want that to make you shy away from getting the band.

BEST OF LUCK!!!!! Let us know how it goes!

It took me two weeks. I'm kind of a weenie about pain, so I needed that time.

I work a desk job, but didn't realize how much I bent side to side and twisted and so it was tough, I would get sore at my desk and have to get up and walk around.

Let me just suggest this....after surgery...walk, walk, walk. I don't mean long distances. Walk around the house. Walk around your yard. A slow walk around the block. But get up and walk! It will help keep those muscles and incisions loose and help you heal quicker (also helps get the air out of you after surgery). My surgeon made me get up and walk around just hours after surgery, I was so mad at the time, but realized he was totally right

I have trouble every time I fly, short or small distances. Takes me a day or two to recover.

And when on the plane, while in the air, can hardly eat a thing. I had a wicked PB mid-flight in the bathroom on Hawaiian air. I'm sure you can imagine how utterly disgusting it is to PB into an airplane potty. Ugh!

Just take it easy. And enjoy your trip!!

If you are having reflux, it's a pretty good sign you are too tight. You might need an unfill. You could be inflamed in there and maybe need an unfill for a little bit and then the fill put back in.

Don't let it get worse, ok? Because reflux and aspirating in the night cause serious lung issues.

I didn't heed my own advice and have all kinds of esophagus pain.

Talk to your band doctor, please.....

I was way, way in the red zone for a LONG time and making myself (and my husband) crazy. The reflux and night coughing got super bad. I told myself I just needed to "do better" but really, my esophagus and stoma got way inflamed and it was awful.

So finally I admitted I needed an unfill.

As of about a week and a half now, I have been in the green zone and I feel like a new person. I got my life back. And I'm losing weight again (weird bit of counter intuitive there, you'd think I'd lose like crazy being so tight, but that wasn't true)

So for everyone here....really, really be careful with the fills and if you start to drift into the red zone, REALLY keep an eye on it and don't hesitate to get an unfill if you need it!!!

Here are my thoughts (from a four year veteran), take from it what you will.

1) You will PB/Slime/golfball/whatever. It is going to happen. It's pretty inevitable. So get your mind around it, because it's actually, in my mind, an essential part of the process of having a band.

2) The first time it happens...it is scary as heck and PAINFUL. You can't imagine why this is happening to you and when will you get your life back. Mother of god please make it stop sort of bad.

3) If you are a savvy bandster, you will learn from that first time, and rarely, if ever, do that again. You will remember to eat slow, you will sip your drinks, you will stay far away from bread, you will chew and chew and chew. And you will never, ever try mozzarella cheese sticks.

If you are not much of a smart cookie (like me) you will go back to that well over and over and over and over again, PBing in lots of odd and scary ways (including on my first date with my now husband), until you can't figure out what to eat anymore and why you can't keep anything down. I don't suggest this route. It is a road to insanity.

Don't fear the PB. Know that it is the band teaching you a valuable lesson. Listen to the band, heed the advice and keep going.

That band they will give you will create a turning point in your life. Focus on that and GOOD LUCK!!!!

If I am making a powdered Protein shake, I *have* to add a shot of sugar free Toriani Syrup to it otherwise I will also gag.

I like sugarfree almond the best, it goes with both chocolate and vanilla.< /p>

Yummy sugar free syrup

I'm currently into Healthwise shakes where you add Water to the bottle and shake. 70 cals, 15 grams Protein, 1 carb. Fruity flavors. Yummy and they really kill my appetite.

Healthwise shakes

Might try sipping a bit of aloe juice for a few days to calm stuff down in there. I suspect you are still a bit inflamed from the fill (this happens to me). Also, like others said, you may have to change your style of eating and drinking and go ever slower now with this new fill.

I still drink Water to fast sometimes and have PB'd on it. Crazy, I know, but it is too fast for the band to handle and it backs up into the ol' esophagus.

My guess is that it is a blood pressure thing. Since the band, your blood pressure will change, usually for the better, so with all that blood flowing to the good places, you may have had a dip in blood pressure.

Keep and eye on it and see a doctor!

So keep in mind the delayed reaction you'll get because of the band.

You take the pill. It will sit in your pouch for a LONG time before dissolving and taking effect.

This is my guess. I know I have to wait until my band lets stuff through before I feel it.

coffee is acidic so sitting there on your stoma could, potentially cause issues. That said, you'd have to probably drink a lot of coffee.< /p>

Also, caffeine can play hell with your insulin, and given how we can only eat small amounts, best to keep your insulin level optimal for weight loss.

When I started dating my guy (now my husband) after we had "done the deed" the first time I said, "so you are probably wondering about my scars"

"What scars?" he replied. He was serious.

He was having WAY too much fun to notice scars.

I say, don't sweat it. If you have some "fun" with a partner, have fun. If they are bold enough to ask about your scars, then say "oh, I had some surgery, no big deal" and shrug.

If you don't make a big deal of it, no one else will either.

Thanks tapshoes!! (great username, btw!)

I remember when I first got the band, I wished I could see more folks who had been banded for a while. In that first year, the thought of being out at year 3 was hard to believe!

It's still a crazy ride but still TOTALLY worth it for me.

Dr. Jossart along with Dr. Cirangle are with LapSF: Lap Band Surgery by Laparoscopic Associates Weight-Loss Surgery in San Francisco

Cirangle did my surgery.

They are VERY busy and quite crowded these days, so plan fills in advance.

Whoo HOO! Life! Whatta kick!

I know how you feel tho...those stress tests can freak me out in a hurry!

Dionna113, srknepler and Laurinda - gosh, thank you for your kind words. I'm both blushing and getting kind of teary eyed over here!! Ya'll rock!

Mischievous1 - you know, actually saying the words "I'm a bulimic" out loud for the first time was one of the hardest things I've ever done. The secrecy is all part of the eating disorder. The "I'm all right" perfectionist face is hard to overcome. It's a lot of hard work, and slipping back into it was horrifying to me.

And you're right, I've learned the only way to truly step beyond it is with the help of professionals.