2muchfun

Hummus goes down OK although I'm not much of a fan of the food. Sushi can be problematic. I can eat rice and sushi but only in small bites mixed with other veggies. I guess that's why sushi works for me. But, the problem with sushi is trying to eat small bites. Rolls are very difficult to consume since it's hard to nibble on them without the disintegration of the entire piece. Also, it's so darn good, it's hard to not eat too fast and too much. Stuck episodes just around the turn. tmf

We're about the same height and weight pre op and I can recall how great it felt getting down to the 190's. I seemed to stall there for a while but I found a paleo diet with extreme exercising that helped me drop 10 lbs the next month. I know once summer comes and you can walk/run/bike/golf you'll keep dropping lbs and reach your goal. Well done. tmf

Bandarella, You missed this one from the same page you quoted. The surgery is much more effective now than in the first 10 years. OBJECTIVE: BACKGROUND: METHODS: RESULTS: Ann Surg. 2013 Jan;257(1):87-94. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31827b6c02. Long-term outcomes after bariatric surgery: fifteen-year follow-up of adjustable gastric banding and a systematic review of the bariatric surgical literature. O'Brien PE , MacDonald L, Anderson M, Brennan L, Brown WA. Abstract To describe the long-term outcomes after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and compare these with the published literature on bariatric surgery. Because obesity is a chronic disease, any proposed obesity treatment should be expected to demonstrate long-term durability to be considered effective. Yet for bariatric surgery, few long-term weight loss data are available. We report our 15-year follow-up data after LAGB and provide a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature for weight loss at 10 years or more after bariatric surgical procedures. We performed a prospective longitudinal cohort study of LAGB patients using an electronic database system (LapBase) to track progress, measure weight changes, and document revisional procedures. The evolution of the LAGB procedure was recognized, and revisional rates for 3 separate periods between September 1994 and December 2011 were described. In addition, we performed a systematic review of the peer-reviewed published literature collecting all reports that included weight loss data at or beyond 10 years. A total of 3227 patients, with a mean age of 47 years and a mean body mass index of 43.8 kg/m, were treated by laparoscopic adjustable gastric band placement between September 1994 and December 2011. Seven hundred fourteen patients had completed at least 10 years of follow-up. Follow-up was intact in 81% of patients overall and 78% of those beyond 10 years. There was no perioperative mortality for the primary placement or for any revisional procedures. There was 47.1% of excess weight loss (% EWL) at 15 years [n = 54; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.3] and 62% EWL at 16 years (n = 14; 95% CI = 13.6). There was a mean of 47.0% EWL (n = 714; 95% CI = 1.3) for all patients who were at or beyond 10 years follow-up. Revisional procedures were performed for proximal enlargement (26%), erosion (3.4%), and port and tubing problems (21%). The band was explanted in 5.6%. The need for revision decreased as the technique evolved, with 40% revision rate for proximal gastric enlargements in the first 10 years, reducing to 6.4% in the past 5 years. The revision group showed a similar weight loss to the overall group beyond 10 years. The systematic review of all bariatric procedures with 10 or more years of follow-up showed greater than 50% EWL for all current procedures. The weighted mean Display Settings: Abstract 1 Author information PubMed  Long-term outcomes after bariatric surgery: fifteen... [Ann Surg. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI Page 1 of 2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23235396 2/23/2014 CONCLUSIONS: PubMed Commons home How to join PubMed Commons at maximum follow-up for LAGB was 54.2% EWL and for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was 54.0% EWL. The LAGB study from 1 center demonstrates a durable weight loss with 47% EWL maintained to 15 years. This weight loss occurred regardless of whether any revisional procedures were needed. A systematic review shows substantial and similar long-term weight losses for LAGB and other bariatric procedures.

No, there are several people here who had a slip and had all their Fluid removed and it went back to working again. Also, several have had revision surgery with success too. But, it is true that once your band slips the odds that it will return to as it was before are less. I can't say how much less? Maybe 10% or higher of revisions may not work as well as before but the odds seem to be in your favor. I can't back up any of these assertions with any studies fyi. It's going to depend on damage done by the slip, the expertise of your surgeon and the type of slip? Good luck and keep us notified how it goes? tmf

You must mean your 6 month pre surgery nutritional evaluation? It's called many things but we usually call the 2 weeks before surgery the pre-op diet and it's usually liquids or atkins? I had to go on the 6 month nut eval and didn't lose weight and they still OK'd me for surgery.

Everyone is different when it comes to healing. I'd say if you don't feel some kind of relief by tomorrow you should call your doctor to take some out?

Banderella, Yes you did post something untrue. Your figures are for patients who had surgery up to 19 years ago. Recent studies indicate it's closer to 12% but you knew that? I've already heard all the negative stories about the band over and over and all of you band deniers use the same studies and claims from patients who had surgery many years ago. It's just the sleazy way you present your opinions that concern me. You make it seem like 50% of all patients are going to come down with what you experienced and again, we don't know if the band failed you or you failed the band. food addictions cause many people to say things to mask their own inabilities to deal with losing their pacifier. Your over the top portrayal of the band's efficacy causes one to question your virtuosity to the facts. BTW-You never answered my question regarding your participation in the Facebook site, "failed lapbands and realize bands" ??? Are you a member or one of the admins?

You seem to be painting this picture there's a grand conspiracy by doctors who want to install bands only to revise them later so they can make more money? That's such a stretch I can only laugh! I do agree that all patients perform their due dillegence as you suggest and some of your questions to docs are appropriate. Many of your other claims such as how much weight can be lost isn't as definitive as you portray it. Many reach their goal or within a few lbs of their goal. "(Re operation following Lapband is upwards of 50%) any claims of lower % might mean your doctors patients are seeking help elsewhere when problems arise." Or, it means that your doctors patients have a very low % of revisions and re-ops?? Other than a study of patients having surgery 15-2 years ago all new studies are closer to 5-12%. Your other silly assertions regarding achalasia, gastroparesis, adhesions of stomach to liver are rare, few and far between. But for those of you who worship at the Facebook page "Failed Lapbands etc" I understand this is your method of fear mongering and bullying. It's unfortunate that you had so many problems and we'll never know if these problems would have happened with or without the band will we? I have one question? Are you one of the admins on the FB site or just a crusading member?

Don't know of anyone who didn't feel the same going into this. It's a normal emotion since everyone who's had surgery failed so many times before with diets. I saw this quote the other day from Michael Jordan: “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ― Michael Jordan

Did you click on the search for surgeon links at the bottom and top of this page?

It's different for everyone. I had very little pain but I do read other posts from people who suffer for up to 2- weeks. I think it does taper off as the day go by. Hot pads seem to help I'm told.

Being banded, recovery was quite easy for me. I went back to work in a few days. I do read where some struggle for up to 2 weeks but I think on average it's 5-7 days before we all felt like we were getting back to normal(considering we have 5 holes punched in our abdomen). I cant speak to the sleeve recovery time? tmf

I'm a Bandster and I'm 25 lbs from my goal(ok 35 ) and for me it's going to be calories in and calories burned from here on out. It's the staying away from the food distractions that seem to betray so many of us. You'll just have to commit yourself from here on out as all these surgeries can be eaten around. tmf

One of the sleeve members(butterthebean) had this link on his signature line and I always suggest new patients read it because it's so true: http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

Many bands are not primed but the mere fact that you have the band around your stomach is still a limiting factor. I felt from the gitgo that I could and did eat less but I felt no restriction. The stoma(opening between pouch and stomach) is much smaller than the pre-band opening was, so food does go past the pouch slower once you start eating more solid foods.

No cheating!!!

If your doctor is relying on a fixed BMI figure he could be mistaken? But, there are other factors that go into a doctors judgement? Such as, how did you get to 60+? Does he/she feel you can control those cravings and urges that got you to this place? The band is much less forgiving than other surgeries and in most cases cannot deal with overindulgences. Serious complications can arise with the band for patients who can't control those cravings and/or portion sizes. I'm not saying that very high BMI patients can't do this, but some of the underlying reasons(psych eval?)that got you to this place must factor into his/her reasoning? tmf

Usually it's your body/stomach saying that's enough food? At least it is for lapbanders. It's one of the satiety signals that you've eaten enough for now. tmf

It's all good. I didn't even look at your profile to see what kind of surgery you had. We also get these kind of complaints on this forum too. But I don't recall seeing anyone with only 25 ozs of Water? That's dangerous and I hope you find a solution? tmf

This is a loaded question and few here want to go down this path so don't expect a large body of comments. Both are good choices. We banders will tell you we didn't want to have 80% of our stomachs removed which is a legit concern eh? Sleevers don't want a foreign object in their body. The most recent studies show there are slightly higher rates of complications with the band. The band is much less forgiving than the sleeve. That means if you don't follow the rules your band could slip or erode into your body. You can lose weight with either one but if you feel like you can't control your hunger cravings the band could be a problem just like your friend experienced? Here's a very large study on many patients over many years and not just one from 15 years ago. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/291785-new-jama-surgery-study-shows-weight-loss-surgery-is-getting-safer-and-more-effective/

Someone always bails out with surgery so make sure you get on his wait list so you can take someone's place? Lots of reasons why people bail, but illness, family emergencies, cold feet, failure on pre-op surgery, hernia's and other anatomy problems cause quite few cancellations. But, it might mean you're on a constant pre-op diet unless someone bails a week out? tmf

You know the old saying that if you keep doing the same thing and expect different results? I think it also applies to metabolism. I always found that increasing my caloric intake by about 500 calories for a weekend and changing up my exercise routine caused my body to react differently. Theoretically, your body leaves the starvation mode behind which increases your metabolism and doing something different exercise wise, works different muscles making your body try to repair the muscle fibers you tore down. Sometimes I'll just go an extra hour on my bike or try to hit some hills really hard and that breaks down more muscle which makes your body try to mend. Also, if you're exercising as much as you say you are, maybe you're replacing fat with muscle? Do your clothes fit looser?

I occasionally have a drink of Water, beer or wine with a dinner. I seldom ever have any fluids with Breakfast or lunch. I like to have water handy when I'm eating leftovers or some other dry foods to help keep the esophagus wet. This is about the only time I allow myself to drink and eat simultaneously. Otherwise, I might have a few sips of wine/beer with a meal but I usually don't use the Fluid to wash or aid food through my pouch. I think eating and drinking is OK as long as we aren't using the fluid to wash a fresh good meal through our bands so we can hurriedly shove another bite in our mouths. tmf

I've seen you post before and thought you were banded already. Well, now you get the honor of understanding what we speak of now? If you go back to work make sure your boss knows you may have to leave early occasionally? tmf

Joanne, so many newcomers are young and they utilize Ipads, Iphones, Galaxy, Kindle Fire etc. It's impossible for some of those smart phones and devices to enter that info. I used to make the same request till I signed on with my Kindle one day. But I agree it would sure help. tmf