sounddude

I had my first band placed on June 5 2006. I woke up in recovery and began vomiting with the first ice chip. Two days of this and they decide the inamed band is too small. Back to surgery I go and they put in a VG band. This time I wake up in ICU with family crying all around me. I had aspirated on the table. I had pneumonia and ended up in the hospital for 8 days and went home on oxygen. When I finally healed Well it has been 4 years since surgery. I technically have lost 8lbs, but I can go up and down that much daily my whole life. I originally had the inamed band put in and when I woke up in recovery it has been my worste nightmare since. The band was too small and I had to have surgery #2. #2 was the VG band. I woke up this time in ICU after aspirating I thought things would be better. After my first fill the doctor left the practice (good ridence I was done with his arrogance any way), but the doctor that took over for him had virtually no experience in fills. So fill number 2 she had me sit on a table with the needle in my gut and drink water as she added and subtracted until I could get water down. LOL I felt like a side show act and when I left had no restriction, but have had ravenous hunger every since.

I decided I was not going back to that practice even if they paid me to do so. Three years go by with no sucess and every time I would start a meal I would PB, and sometimes flat out vomit. I would always party after the puke and be able to eat as much as I ever have, until my shoulder hurt.

Fast forward 3 years and my primary care doctor recommended me to UC bariatric group. I had to pay an up front fee and then they began taking my insurance. I had the flouro upper gi done and they said everything looked fine but I have a small hernia. The diagnosis was lets fill it.

I went back multiple months with fills happening each time with little to no restrictions. I have approximately 9.5 cc in a 10 cc band. About 9 mos ago my appointment for a fill was canceled and I have never rescheduled it. I can eat like a horse, (ie... full burrito bowl from Chipotle with a bag of chips) I can guzzle diet coke, water, eat bread, steak, pretty much anything I want. I no longer have the PB every since I started getting it filled again, but no restriction.

I am at my wits end. I spent a lifetime of dieting with no sucess, and when I finally go for help it almost kills me and the tool does nothing but make me more hungry than I ever was before. So the only way to lose weight is diet and exercise, and the tool is no help, so why have it? I am depressed all the time now and medicate for that. I am not sure what to do, gastric bypass is probably not an option because I had the band and I am sure insurance will say no.