ted12345

sorry i meant scalp not calp my speling is bad but not that bad lol i have a appointment in Jan i dont think i can get to see the consultant before the 9th of Jan

Austrailia Has the best of all results i have a link some were in my faverates ill see if i can find it, I think personal opinion Austrailia Have the best results due to cliamate and easier availablity of fresh healthy produce and a out door lifestyle. America is well known for its junk food and huge huge protions England also is a tiny cold Island and relies on imported foods its bloody cold so we eat lots of hot stody carby foods to see us threw the winters and cold summers. Europe (mainland) has been doing this type of surgery a lot longer than the US and UK so they are seeing the long term results that we are yet to see. And they just dont look good Many US surgeons wont do banding prefering to stick the the RNY as prefferd most popular choice. The UK is slowly catching up. But i stand by what i say the theory of the band and how it works is flawed and while it may be good for vo#solume eaters who have a fairly healthy lifestyle. I dont think it is good for junk eaters at the end of the day the band does not make the choices of food and if us junkies and comforteaters could stick to diets and the band regeme we wouldnt have needed the band anyway. The band is just best suited to some people more than others and even then i think long term its heading for a bad reputation. Ill have a look in my faves for the statistics i found.

So sorry it has come to this other than illness and slippage did you lose any weight??, What second WLS would you have if it was a option

I don't dounbt i am over filled, Or too tight but i dont understand how when i firt had my band i had 4 mills in my band and had no retristction then had another 2/12 mills and that when i got pnumonioa had complete unfill to revocer and now i have only 2 1/2 mills and im too tight how can i be too tight with less than before were i had no restriction? My scalp is horrendusly sore its red rore and flaking and my fore head and sides of my face look like iv been scolded, Do you thinks it has anything to do with poor nutrition or stress or somthimg. Im reluctant to see the Dr if its not related? I feel like its the least of my worries.

How does putting you to sleep for a few hours and having a band fitted impact so much on your life, For example do you still try and eat the steaks that pre band were a small snack for you? Have you tried and struggled learnt your mistake and not gone back. Or have you just never tried? What i mean is there are foods i cannot eat like sausage and grapes and pinapple i like them but cant eat them the band really does not like them so you know what i never eat them now? I just wish the band had the same impact on the crap i eat i know that band is restrictive and does not make food choices. But it's not 100% restrictive because it allows some food to be consumed easier than others. So say for exapmple i experienced the same thing i expereince when i eat a sausage when i ate crisps and other crap may be i wouldnt eat them??? But i dont so i still eat them and will power is not strong enough to stop me just like it wasn't enough before my band if you get my meaning. There are loads of foods i no longer eat because i cant because the band kicks in. But then i find i am eating more of the crap my downfall. Im being honest im admitting it i cant be any more hnst im honest with myself and every one. I am not a fool and i am not trying to fool any one or myself by making silly silly excuses. I know my band will work if i made the changes but for some me included the changes are harder to make because i didnt volume eat pre band never have i was and still am a comfort eater and i eat crap. I mean can you see my point we all failed thats why we needed WLS but for some the band has more of a impact on the pre op diet of the patient like if my downfall was sausages and chips i would propabbly be a success because i cant eat them now. But my down fall isnt and my comfrt food is still band prrof and easily passable. If i had the will power and self controll to stick to diets and lifestyle changes i would never have needed the band!!! I just think this is a great exapmple of how people can fail with there bands and why its prob not always the best answer.

I agree we don't have to eat untill full, But i think if there are general food problems over a period of time that feeling of hunger can grind you down and leave you felling pretty grotty, With reguard to the streak i take it you mean post band the band helps to restrict your ability to eat a steak now were as pre band you could manage one and some! But what about the people who were not really volume eaters i mean i could never eat a 10oz steak pre or post op i was never a volume eater i am a comfort eater and eating is kind of done suncounciously like biting my nails. Agreed its a problem wont argue with you. But comfort eating is a responce to a emotion and emotions are far more complex to deal with than purly rectiticting the amount of food one can eat when they make and have made bad food choices for a very long time. I think for some people the band can be as hard to work with as say a diet pre op we all failed at that and some have success with a band and some dont.

It wasn't that i didnt want the band, I knew from research what the band needed to work, And for me it would still mean a strickt diet and so one changed i knew i would find hard to make. Just like people make the wise decisons not to have bypass because for what ever reason. I knew from research i would strugle with the band and strugle to make the changes.

I agree to be honest. I think the Poll is contradictory and not very specific or clear. i totally agree with Kare, i mean ok the UK is part of the european union but in mail land Europe were Lap Banding/Gastric Banding has been performed for the logest period of time. They just don't do it any more its long term re oprative rate is high as high as 49% standard 30%. And that just the actual rate who go one to other surgerys. How many is there who cant addord to correct there band problems and revisonal surgery. I mean granted here in the UK we have the NHS but surgery isnt easy to get and revisonal surgery is nigh on impossable i mean they will pay for one op but your damd lucky if they pay for two. But America and the UK are not catching up with the european surgeons and are stopping doing it. What about all those people who have had bands fitted but cant afford to have them replaced. They wont count on the statistics. My own personal opinion is that if you are unfortunate enough to experience band problems. the band communty tend to shun you and make you feel quite bad. I think for those its successfull they cant or wont accept it can fail and the moment they do it then makes them vulnerable the a risk of faliour. The ticking time bomb is spot on give it time and i bet we will be seeing more and more bandsters needing revison.

I was told 12 week's sloppys post band, And i stuck to that and still didnt get my first fill untill 18 weeks post op. Just because he can eat normal food so early does not mean he should and i am talking from experience i am almost two years post op i know how hard it can be. But he is trying to run before he can walk he should at leat try and stick to the instructed diet at this early stage. While he feels he can eat the regular food he may be doing the band damage and im sure he does not want that. A week is no time to be honest and its not normal to have a fill just yet and he has to try his best to get by untill he is ready. The band really can be a walk in the park for some people the actual operation i mean. i know it was for me i was out of bed and dressed in a couple of hours. But all sorts are happening inside and that takes a little longer to sort out. Unfortunatly will power and god given streth will have to get him by untill then. And even after his first fill he may not get the restriction he wants or needs. Its triel and error im afriad,

It is a moderated group so you couldnt post untill approved membersships. I have accepted you now you should have no more probs. xxxx Welcome abored

I have taken the bull by the horns and started a MSN struggling bandsters support group, I know i am low so will only offer moral support i am not a medical profeccional but if you are struggling i have walked a mile in your shoes. lests support each other. http://groups.msn.com/StrugglingBandsters Every one experiencing problems is welcome to join and moan and groan with out feeling they are abnormal or a burden.

Thats just the thing i never wanted to be banded, I knew what the band needed to make it work i still know what the band needs to make it work but i cant make the changes and stick to them. And on top of that the band dies not respond as i was told it would. I was never a volume eater i was and still am a comfort eater. and to say deal with your self is as diffucult than it would be if we took the bands out of all the successess and said maintain on your own. We all failed pre op and we all have the same issues only the band just does not work for some. For me to make this band work i would need to go on a strickt diet and stick to it and i failed before and i am failing now i am failing with my band for every reason i failed on diets before my band. i begged my surgeon not to fitthe band on me i was deverstated when he said the band or nothing. And if i chose to walk away i know i would always be asking myself what if!. I also don't think all my probs will go away once im slim i never said that eather. what i said was i dont feel like that vulnerable child any more inside i feel i am over that vulnerablity. But being big piuts limitations on my life mobiliys and fashin choice and but also the social exclusion and isolation. All these things i am no longer wanting to be part of. what i was meaning was as a child i was happy to suffer them because they hid a real truth but that issue is no longer a issue so i no longer have to hide. But because i cant take of the over cost of fat i am still experiencing the difficultes if that makes sence. I am ready to live life most of my life has been unhappy and ironically i am now ready to live life. Its like ive woken up out of my sleep to find this im rid of one issue to deal with another. This weight was a symtom not a cause. This has been almost five years now 2 1/2 years on a waiting list to be told i would be banded only when it was my turn to have the op. Had i have known earler may be i would have fought my health authority to referre me to a differnt surgeon one who did all the op's. but i didnt want to have to start again on another waiting list thats only if they would referre me i ran the risk they wouldnt. So i went ahead and had the band i will be 2 years post op in May and im just over a stone down. Mot enough to effect my mobility and in still in size 22 clothes being only 4 ft 11 i look bigger than say some one else who is 5ft 7 or 8 and a size 22. The weight loss has had no impact on the quality life imorpved mobility or body shape. I am deeply depressed now because it seems i have invested almost 5 years to loseing weight for nothing. Its gone beyond the point of dissapointment,

I feel for you BKgrandma, I know what you mean you are very articulate about discribing the sensation of how it feel's when something is stuck, Other bandsters can seem to have a band and lose no probs but i can't i am astonished they can eat meat, pasta salad and i cant i cant manage any meat struggle with egg's sometimes anything fiberus in texture things i used to love like pineapple grapes, stodgy foods like banana just go down like a ton of bricks. I cant eat bread or toast. Soup makes me feel bloated and sick. If i do as i am advised and eat solid food i throw it uo. I chew i even eat with a small spoon so i know my individual portions are not big. I do the protine first. I literally can only eat a bit or two and thats it i know if i eat more ill throw up. But if i stick to this after 4 or 5 days im ill week and irritable just feel so hungry, then i will eat something that i knows go's down just to feel satified if i dont eat ill faint i just know it. And im told its a tool use it wisely i mean i try and use it wisely but its just not working the way i was told to expect it too work. I feel ashamed i cant keep at it the not snacking the will power not to eat the foods i shouldnt. For some people it just does not seem that hard they seem to be able to eat most things even a small meal. I can't and i feel so ashamed of my self its like im stopping myself from loseing weight. i keep hearing that just stick to the rules and it will work. But the rules are harder to stick to than any diet pre op at least pre op i could make healthy food choices. Its a barbaric as electric shock treatment this band and pycologically its cause more damage than anything iv ever experienced, As a child my child abuse was not of my doing but this band and its sucess is solely down to me and i cant do it. Why in gods name would i sabotage myself like this and torture myself. How many times have i heard "god you cant even lose weight with surgery" and oh how much have you lost now, You can see these sheer glee that its not worked that im still fat its how they have always known me and im sure they couldnt bare it if i did succeed they would not have anything else to humiliate me with. As a child being fat was my protection i was bulled because i was fat and i liked it that way. I would rather be bullied for than than have people tease mebecause i was in care because i didnt have a mum or dad. Because of many things people knew about me. they couldnt see past my weight and i was glad i could bare the digs about my fat legs but not when they said i wasnt loved not even your mum loves you. that i couldnt handle so i stayed big to protect myself from that. And now i am 31 and i dont need to hide behind the weight i just want to lose it and be the real me rather than the scared timid me, And the same old feelings of rejection self hate and so all come flooding back with a vengence that i am failing with this. i know it sounds paranoid but i feel karma is at work that i had a crappy childhood because i was bad mum didnt want me cuz i was bad and now im fat cuz i was bad this is my punishment and this is how its gonne be no matter how i try and defete it. See its screwing me up and deep down i feel the inner me is better than this better than them feeling better than what i beleve i am. But i cant let go while the anchour is still weighing me down the out side isnt reflecting what the inside feels. and while the outside stays like this its supressing my real me inside. God give me strenth because i know life can be good and i know life is worth living.

Mr A in Karens case did not fit the band he is purly the Medical Director at the healthy weight Centers. Mr Paul Super fitted the band and did the follow up correctice operations and he never noticed that he A, Initally fitted the band wrong and B. Never noticed it when the numerus x rays were done or even when he had her back on the operating table to fix any of the problems. Second going to The Hopital Group were Anna Diamond had her band wouldnt be much good because Mr Paul Super who fitted her band works there also?? They too don't have the bext reputations And Anne Dimond is free Advertising for them so of course she will get the best of the best. Press is a good Idea also but it has to be factual, Firlty UK press love a sad fatty story so could turn this round and just make Keren look like a sad desperado who has had a operation to lose weight and is bitter because it hasn't worked. So back to the real world. Karen had x-rays the radiologist is saying the band is open but Dr Ashton who phoned her has said the band is fitted on the left ventrical not ther right?????? while admitting he had not yet seen the x rays. But he wants to take the band out! What the for Karen i mean to they remburse her for all the hassle she has had emotionally and the three operations only to end up loseing her band at the end of it or. Will they just leave it at that as she is odviously becoming expencive they probbaly have allready spent any profit they may have maid trying to fix the origional bitch up's. that does not seem fair to me just to take it out and leave her. And if they feffere her to another consultant it will just be one within the same medical group one who is willing to back up the surgon and say it wasn't his fault. Indipendandt second opinion is what is needed and if the Healthy Weight Center had any gumption they would fund it. if they felt that there was nothing wrong they have nothing to worry about would they. In all instances a Soliciter should be consulted AND if you do go to the press contact the many more patients who have experienced a nightmare under this same consultant then lets put a complaint in to the GMC as a group. We are only isolated cases while we do not work together.

Lap Band Poll 1, Date of banding. 20th May 2005 2, Weight/BMI on date of banding. UK weight 17 stone 5lb BMI 47 3, What band do you have. Swedish 9cc Midband 9cc Vanguard Lap Band 4cc or 10cc Heliogast 7cc or 9cc A,M,I soft band 7cc or 9cc 4, What was you own person reason for WLS Cosmetic Health Poor Mobility and suffering low self esteem social isolation and sever depression. 5, Why the band and not Bypass or DS. Choice was not mine surgeon said band or go home. (he only did bands and i could not get funding for any other surgeon at the time) 6, What were you’re expectations about the band. I only expected what my surgeon told me. That i would be able to eat as normal but only child size portions and i would get a full feeling that would make me stop eating. If i over ate i would vomit, I wasn't sure what over ate meant though my expectaions we small meals not small bites. 7, What were you’re expectations about the impact weight loss might have on you’re life. I guess i just wanted to have better mobility be able to walk pain free, And take advantage of age appropreate clothing. improvement in self esteem perhaps enough to take the edge off mu panic attacks and paranoia. 8, What is you own personal target weight/BMI. lol 9 stone or BMI 25 9, What is the realistic target/expected weight loss/BMI. perhap's BMI 28 or ten stone (the two may not be the same) 10, How much was you’re band and how did you fund it. Insurance Re-Mortgage Loan NHS (uk patients) :girl_hug: Savings 11, Do you consider the cost of your band justified or expensive. Here in the UK i think banding is extortunate compared to Europe some of the prices are equal to a bypass. 12, How many fill’s/unfill’s have you had. 4 fill's 2 unfill's 13, How did you have you’re fill’s Blind 3 fill's 2 unfill's Under x-ray 1 fill (i found there not to be much difference to the quality of fill and restriction but had the benefit of seeing my band and pouch when x-rayed) 14, How much are you’re fill’s NHS After care so no cost to me so not sure Blind Under x-ray. 15, Does your surgeon do your fill’s or a fill provider. Have a new consultant now but yes he does the fill's rather than a radeologist or secondry fill provider. 16, If you travelled for your band why did you travel. Wanted a specific surgeon After initial probs with first surgeon i now travel for one who has extencive experience and reputation. Cost. 17, Did you experience any complications/Difficulties. Yea 18. When did the problems begin. 0 - 6 months Problems obtaining fill's build up of stress. 6 - 12 months Asperational pnumonia so was unfilled 12 - 18 months Began fill's again but still no weight loss but have restriction. 18 - 2yrears + Reflux Vomiting costant heartburn another small unfill 2 1/2 mills left in band still no weight loss still vomiting and suffering reflux and now megga depressed. 19, what problems did you experience were they resolved and how was they resolved. Had unfill's to resolve relux and fills to obtain weight loss but still suffering heartburn but no weight loss. 20. Would you be banded again or chose another op. Honestly!!!! No i wouldn't be banded again knowing what i know now i could cope with the hassle but cant cope with the lack of weight loss. I know vomiting may be die to over eating but i can only take very small amounts of food at a time and then i hit restriction. If i didnt eat around my band i surly would be malnurished. Please don’t answer if you feel the question is too personal. And feel free to add any additional questions you would like to ask as a comparison.

Tool is only as good as you allow it to be!!! How do ya mean? :phanvan

I find chicken gives me the same problem. But as you don't normally eat french fries how unlucky was you that the furst time you do this happens. I mean if i tried to tell my surgeon it was the first time id had them im sure he's think yeah yeah!! what ever. It is lucky you was able to go in and get the care you needed here in the UK not many people in the emergancy room would have known what to do even to unfill the band its qhite scary really.

Hi Keren best of luck in Birmingham tomorrow i hope you read this b4 you go, Some advice if you are driving you will need some change heartlands Hospital car park is very expencive. Second, Lock your car door's its a pretty no i mean very rough area just drive steady its like Bayrut round there. Note the shop is called the super shop lol try and keep your x rays or even copies of your x rays being NHS they may not let ya but you can request em later. All in all best of luck keep the faith and remember your not alone and we are here to support you. I wish i could come along and offer some support but i am just not well enough right now. its no consolation that there are others having prob's but least you know when i say i know how you feel i truly mean that. I have and am walking a mile in you're shoes. xxx

12 or 42 unless she changes her eating pattern or has a surgery that does that for her she will regain any weight/fat sucked out of her. I think a short painfull "quick fix" that may lead to sever feelings of self hate when and she will regain the weight. she will hate herself even more for letting her self blow the loss she had. Sadly this is not the fix she feels it would be i think she will suffer long term.

im a grazer and comfort eater How do i stop the grazing between meals when i am constantly hungry because my band restricts me to just one bite of anything per meal. and how do i stop the comfort eating when stressed especially as i am extremily depressesed at the moment due to lack of weight loss and lack of control over my grazing. I cant even seem to moviate myself any more to get dressed let alone to work with my band i am feeling lower now than i have ever felt in my life.

I wasn't quite super size but i was BMI 48 veryging on 49 when i had my band fitted in May 2005. I am now BMI 45 verging on 46 and i can say i am totally dissheartened by this whole process. its been a jurnery full of set backs and complications and i have now reach a stage were i just want it out.

O also wonder out of the people who say there band is fine how many of them are pre 1 year post op? i means how can we messure 1 year post op probs no weight loss compared to fine no probs if the dates arnt being messured the same some peeps could be just a few weeks banded and filling in that section? Statictically the band has a high reoprative rate in later stages 18 moneths to 2 years post op. I just wonder how many of them wer or are also 1 year post op. what were there expectaions of the band. Re Do they feel full Do they have problems with any perticular foods IE fiberus or stodgy or even fruits were there expectaions met were there expectaions realistic to start with If there expectations have not been met how have they not been met. I for instance was told i would be able to eat all foods but that i would feel "full" sooner and i would stop eating. = This has not happened i can bairly eat anything solid and i am never fill just costantlt hungry. I have restriction but even the smallest amount of food is regurgatated. My service provider said i would have my first fill at 6 weeks post op and i would have as many fills as i needed when i needed them. = Again this did not happen he refused any one and every one a fill untill 12 weeks post op but because he has a huge waiting list it was 20+ weeks before you got to see him and then be refferd for a fill only to then sit on another waiting list. a lot differnt than the 2 weeks i was told! I expected i would struggle with the band but i never actually thought no waight loss was possable i thought it would help me even in the worst case cenario.

It depends if you expect a basic standerd of care with fills then no under Mr Super you dont get that. If we expected brass knobs then thats a pretty unrealistic expectation how even the most basic of care under the Heartlands Hospital and Mr Super (super by name NOT super by nature) is not forth coming. Be prepared to fight fight fight for everything even a fill appointment. I saw the light and walked away from him because i couldnt cope with the battle any more,

I have constant heartburn its horrendus, I was told having my band would totally erracate reflux. But it seems worse than ever i am the revers have only a few mill's in my band and the acid is still band the restriction is tight i can only eat very tiny amounts like one bite of something and if i eat more im vomiting and in pain.

I think well actually know the band has huge long term complication rate it has the worse of all the surgerys results and re op rate long term. I agree there must be more of us i however find yahoo diffcult to use the constat re re re its hard to keep track of threads. I much prefer the msn set up at least the threads stay inline and the bord does not come over whelmed by one single thread.