wishin4

Hi Teri, Wow! I think $11,999 is a great price. My lapband surgery was $23,000 so I figured the sleeve would be around that amount. Maybe I will call and check it out. Thank you for the info. When I first had the band removed I still ate the small amounts but gradually my stomach enlarged and I could eat more. You should be alright since your surgery is in January. I think the biggest obstacle will be the holidays and all the tempting food for you. If you can watch how you do during the holidays you shouldn't gain much before your surgery. Hopefully, I will be able to meet up with you on Verticalsleevetalk.com.

Hi Teri, I want to wish you the best on your upcoming surgery. I also had to have my band removed last year. Since then I have been struggling to not gain weight back and it's not working. I attempted to have the vertical sleeve surgery but my insurance company would only pay for one surgery also. I never inquired as to the price of the sleeve surgery because I couldn't afford to pay it. I don't know if they have some kind of loan you can apply for or if you just have to find a loan outside the hospital to pay for it. I have gained back 50 of the 97 pounds I lost and I am so frustrated. Does anyone know how this is done? I guess I should call the bariatric center and ask them. Anyway, I wish all the banded and formerly banded a Happy Holiday. kathy

I had my band removed six months ago but I am wondering why you have to go on liquids for 48 hours and then mushies for a couple of days. Does your doctor have you do that after each fill? My doctor only had me go on liquids for 24 hours and then I could resume regular eating. Funny how different doctors have different ways of having us do things with the band.

So sorry to hear about your devastating year Lynn. I know you can get back on track and lose what you have gained. Come back on here for our support and don't give up hope. Try the 5 day pouch test if you can't get a handle on your eating. It always helped me when I got off track. Kathy

Hi Everyone, I am so jealous of you all. I wish I still had my band. I am struggling to stay on Weight Watchers and even when I do I am pretty much maintaining my weight. The minute I go off my plan I gain again. This is why I went for the band in the first place. I had my band removed last October because I had a dilated esophagus caused by the band being too tight or actually too small. I had a 3cc band and even when it was unfilled it was too tight for the esophagus. I cried when the doctor told me I had to have it removed. Even though I had no fill for a year before it was removed just having it there gave me enough restriction to keep me from gaining. I have considered the sleeve but I hate the thought of another surgery and I don't know if my insurance would cover it. I am so frustrated. Christine hang in there, I hope your RNY goes well for you. Those of you who are still struggling try the 5 day pouch test and that always seemed to get me back on track. Best wishes all of you. Kathy

Stellabella, I am happy to hear you got an adjustment. Most times that is all that is needed to get you back on track. Keep up the good work. Your losses are enviable. Now that I am not banded I have to just do it the old fashioned way. Have fun shopping your closet and the stores for new clothes. Kathy

Hi Christine, I am sorry to hear you are joining the ranks of the Formerly Banded. I am sure your surgery will go well and I wish you all the best in having Gastric Bypass. Please keep posting on this forum so we can follow your progress. I still get the updates here even though I am not banded any longer. I am maintaining but not losing so far. I started back on plan (WeightWatchers) this week and have been really keeping on track. Hoping to lose the rest of the weight I need to lose without another surgery. I at least lost a net of 70 pounds so I don't have that much more to lose on my own. Looking forward to hearing about your surgery and your next chapter in weight loss. Kathy

Hi Stella, I know once you are filled again you'll do fine. I was unfilled for a year and gained back 20 pounds and now that I am unbanded I am trying my hardest to not gain any more. I am working out 5 days a week and trying to make good choices when I eat. I feel like since I lost the bulk of my weight with the band I can maybe maintain or lose the remaining weight. What a struggle. I thought my days of struggling with weight were over once I was banded. Who knew I would be in this situation 3 years down the road. Hang in there and keep active on this board, it does help. Christine, any idea how long your doctor will keep you unfilled? Sounds like Special K and Fenton are doing alright, at least it seems that way. I hope they are and anyone else who hasn't checked in here in a while. Kathy

Special K, I think we all have to keep following our own hearts in this matter and not try and please anyone else but ourselves. I am doing pretty well. I am continuing to eat the same amounts I ate when banded. I haven't had any fierce hunger pangs which was my biggest fear. One of the best things is I have no heartburn and no reflux. Halailujah!! That was really a rough thing to deal with all the time. I now know for sure the band was causing it. I haven't lost any weight but I am working out 5 days a week again. My incision sights are still a little sore for two of the four. Once they stop hurting I can wear my jeans again. I have been living in my workout pants. I go back for my post op on Nov 1st. I am pretty sure I don't want to go with another band. If I do anything I will shoot for the vertical sleeve. But I stiill have to research it. Kathy

Hi all, I had my band removed yesterday. I am feeling pretty good today, other than soreness at each incision site. My throat is sore however from the tube that was put down it during surgery. Somehow they caused my uvula to swell to twice it's normal size. I feel it hanging in my throat and it's pretty strange feeling. I guess in time it will be alright. I am going to attempt to continue eating the same portion sizes I've gotten used to these past 3 1/2 years and hopefully I can continue to lose weight. This may be wishful thinking since my hunger may kick back in and then I will be starving all the time like I used to be. I will continue to count my calories and go to the gym (as soon as I am healed). The doctor told me that my stomach looked good (in fact he gave me some pictures of it) and I can either go with another larger band or the vertical sleeve when my esophagus is healed. Kathy

No Christine I have a dilated esophagus and it's all stretched out. When I swallow the barium or whatever the liquid they use now it doesn't go right through my band. It sits there and barely trickles through. I am not sure why and I am hoping the doctor will be able to see what is going on when he does the operation. He said it would take 6 months to a year for my esophagus to heal. I don't have a restricted diet befpre my surgery. However I am only eating 1200 calories a day. Thanks for your good thoughts. I will make an entry here after my surgery.

I am sorry to hear that your band has slipped Christine. I know you must be feeling like I do right now. If they are able to repair it without replacing it would that be okay for you? I know many people who are switching to the VSG but like you said, sometimes the insurance won't approve that. I will have to wait approximately one year for my esophagus to heal before another surgery can be considered so I am thinking that I need to really start counting those calories and keep going to the gym every day. I don't know what the future will bring but I do know that every day counts so good luck to you on your surgery and please post here so we can keep up with you and how it goes for you. Kathy

Kathy, I would like that very much. I am having my surgery on Monday Oct 17th to remove my band. I am still not really happy about it but I have no choice at this point. I went for my pre-op appt yesterday and when I saw the surgeon he said he would check out my stomach during surgery and if necessary he would do something to it preparing it for a future surgery of possibly a vertical sleeve or another, larger band. I never went to any of the support meetings after my surgery since it was 75 miles away and always in the evenings. I didn't want to have to travel that far at night during winter weather. I'm sure I would have gotten help in those meetings but they just didn't have any closer to my home. They have started having appointments at our local hospital twice a month where the surgeon comes here which is nice. I am going to try and eat healthfully and not have any tempting foods in the house. I refuse to gain any more weight back than I already have. Initially I lost 97 pounds but I have put back 20 pounds. My jeans are tight and I will not get a larger size. I am back at the gym five days a week. I had two months where we were in our rv and I couldn't get to the gym but things have gotten back to normal now. I think it is so great that you've lost 127 pounds. I think it would be great to have a buddy who was banded the same day I was.

Yes that is true. I was only able to eat a little bit around the band when it was filled and I was satisfied with small amounts. But since the band has been unfilled I gradually eat a little more than before. I am hoping that this will all work out for the best. I am trying not to eat between meals and using a small plate and trying to eat the smaller portions. The 5 day pouch test helped me with these.

Fenton, that is so great!! To be able to see what is going on and avoid a backslide is such progress. I am happy that you are losing and gaining the momentum to stay focused. As for me, I had my barium swallow on Tuesday morning and when I drank the liquid it flowed down and stopped at the band and barely trickled through. Now, my band has been unfilled since last October. The doctor had turned the televison screen toward me to allow me to watch along with him and the lab tech, he said "Well, it's doing the same thing. I'm afraid we'll have to take the band out." I asked him if that is what it's done the last 3 times I had this test and he said yes. Now, I am not a medical person but in my way of thinking, if you remove the saline from the band the liquid should flow through without stopping. Why is it stopping? So, I am not just having this band removed without some answers as to why and what has happened with it. Also, I feel he should have had me to his office for a consult on my options such as possible conversion to another form of weight loss surgery or even a larger type band. To stand in an xray room and tell me he'll have one of the girls in the office call me to schedule the removal of my band was unfeeling of him. I"ve lived with this band for 3 1/2 years and I just am not ready to give up on my dream of losing this weight. I have no idea if my insurance company would approve another surgery but I've scheduled a meeting with him and my husband wants to be a part of it.

So far so good, I weighed in this morning and lost another pound. I am more mindful of my eating now and plan on trying to stay with it as long as I can. I also haven't had any heartburn during the day like I was starting to get again. The best part is my clothes are fitting better. This gives me incentive to keep going. Sounds like you are doing the same thing. Keep up the good work Fenton. No hunger pangs really makes it easier. Now if I could just turn off the head hunger.

Well, I finished the 5 day pouch test and lost 6 pounds in the process. I now have a tighter feel when I eat (even though I am not filled) and am more conscious of what I eat. My appt is on the 16th and I would like to be a few more pounds down and have a successful gastric swallow this time. I am trying to eat more like when first banded, rather than eating like before banding. It's a little hard since I am married to an overweight, poor eater who loves mexican food and slider type foods. Not impossible though just more work. Sigh!

Hi Everyone, After reading Fenton's post last week I decided to try the 5 day pouch test too. I've never done it before and today is my 2nd day. I am keeping myself busy so as not to think about food. But other than that I am doing fine. I am facing the prospect of having to have my band removed. My doctor has mentioned it a couple of times. I started to get heartburn and terrible reflux after about a year of being banded. My original surgeon was no help, he kept saying he didn't know what was causing it. He left the practice to go to another area and my current surgeon, who is a banded patient himself, has taken a more proactive interest in my case. At first he hust slowly started refilling my band and I didn't go back to him but was in horrible pain from constant heartburn and reflux. I had to sleep in either my recliner or with several pillows propping me up in bed. I took Prilosec twice a day and still had the problem. Finally, when I stopped losing weight, I went in for another fill and my husband told me to be sure and tell the doctor about how I have to sleep. When I did, he refused to give me a fill. Instead he set up a gastro swallow test for me. He met me there the next week and when they viewed me swallowing the nasty tasting liquid he said, "I was afraid this is what it was, you have a dilated esophagus" At that point he removed all the fill from my band. He told me to come back in 3 months and we would do the same test. That was last October. I've done the test 3 times more and I have another appt on the 16th of this month for another. Each time there was no difference and he said I still have a dilated esophagus. I am so frustrated over this. I asked him if something I did is causing this and he said no. He said it was caused by being too tight for too long. Needless to say, with little restriction I have managed to gain back about 15 pounds. So I thought maybe if I did the 5 day pouch test I would feel tight again and get back to where I felt restriction again and begin to lose weight . He has told me that he thinks he'll have to remove the band. I am just sick over this. I don't want to go back to where I was before I began this journey and I don't know if my insurance would cover another surgery for a vertical sleeve or a larger band ( I have a 4cc band). He thinks the band being small is part of the problem. Have any of you experienced what I am going through?

Hi I have also been here since 2008 before my surgery. I've had lots of ups and downs on this journey and I am still plugging along. In response to your question, when was your last adjustment? Welcome to the board. It's been pretty slow the last year or so as I guess most of us are just living our lives and not focusing on the board that much but when there is a post we do get notified so feel free to post anytime....... Kathy

Hi Maddybrat I was aspirating too. The doctor wanted me to take Prilosec twice a day and after hearing how it can cause your body not to absorb Calcium I only took one a day. I make sure I eat dinner by 6pm and don't eat or drink anything after that time. Also I prop pillows behind me in bed and basically sleep sitting up. That seems to have done the trick. Before I started sleeping this way I would wake myself up coughing at night and the next day I would feel the Fluid in my lungs and I felt terrible. Since I've been sleeping propped up I sleep better and only have an occasional fluid come into my mouth (like a burp) so I keep a cup on my nightstand to spit it into. Sounds gross doesn't it? But it works for me. If I mention it to the doctor he will want to take some of the saline out of my band. I haven't had a fill in 7 months and I would like a tiny fill to be where I was originally but I am afraid I will regret it so I don't ask for a fill. Good luck to you, I hope things get better for you. Kathy

Hi Wow, Thanks for your comment. I am still suffering from reflux. I had the same problem as you did the beginning of last year. They removed all my fill and I stayed that way for months until they could fit me in for a scope test. The test showed nothing so the doctor slowly refilled me. I am not as full as originally and I don't really have the right restriction but once I got to this point I had to start taking Prilosec again. I lost a little weight but over the last few months I've gained back 5 pounds. I admit I am eating larger portions and snacking between meals. I am so angry at myself for this. Once I reached my 2 year anniversary with the band they pretty much sent me on my way. I guess I could go back and get a fill again but I already have heartburn during the day and I am constantly popping Tums to alleviate the pain. I love the band but I don't understand why some of us have this problem. Also, I now have to sleep with 3 pillows behind me so I am on an incline. My husband hates this but what can I do?

Hi Wow, Thanks for your comment. I am still suffering from reflux. I had the same problem as you did the beginning of last year. They removed all my fill and I stayed that way for months until they could fit me in for a scope test. The test showed nothing so the doctor slowly refilled me. I am not as full as originally and I don't really have the right restriction but once I got to this point I had to start taking Prilosec again. I lost a little weight but over the last few months I've gained back 5 pounds. I admit I am eating larger portions and snacking between meals. I am so angry at myself for this. Once I reached my 2 year anniversary with the band they pretty much sent me on my way. I guess I could go back and get a fill again but I already have heartburn during the day and I am constantly popping Tums to alleviate the pain. I love the band but I don't understand why some of us have this problem.

If you have a small amount of fluid removed you may find relief. I had to have all my fluid removed and an upper GI done to make sure I didn't have any ulcers in my esophagus and when it was shown that all was okay my Dr started to slowly refill the band. I started to get heartburn after just a small fill and when he put in my last fill I started the fluid coming up again at night. But I've learned how to control it. I take Prilosec twice a day (just until I reach my goal) and I don't eat or drink anything after 7pm (the earlier I eat dinner the better) I've also found that if I limit the size of my portions I do better also. I keep a cup on my nightstand in case I feel the fluid coming up I can spit it into the cup. It's a hassle but the last few weeks I have had many nights where I had slept thru with no incidents since I've started watching portion sizes. Good luck to you, I hope this helps.

Good luck on the BR. You've done so well with your weight loss!! I sometimes get the same way and it's head hunger rather than actual hunger. For a while I was snacking on Dove candies every afternoon. I would eat up to five of the little foil wrapped candy. I stopped losing weight and just maintained. If I wasn't working out every day at the gym I probably would have started to gain, but I finally stopped doing that and am now showing a loss every week again. I've noticed hardly anyone posts here anymore. That is too bad. I guess our lives are going along fine now that we are "in control" of our eating. Again, I hope all goes well with your surgery. Please keep us posted on your recovery.