Let's be honest....please!

[willbaskinnygirl 1]

Let me start by saying, I am very happy for those of you that this procedure worked for!

It could be that I had a low BMI and needed to lose only 40-50 pounds which doesn't seem like a lot to some of you but I seriously have battled with my weight the same way as you. Was called fat in grammer school, and by my sister growing up. I am an emotional eater or just say an eater. If I can get it down the pipe I am going to consume more than I need to.

The only way this band worked for me is by getting it filled tight enough so nothing but liquid could get down and I would vomit every time I would eat. I tried the proper tightness but like I mentioned above If I can get it down I will eat till the cows come home!

After my band was in and I started to get my fills and I would go back with no success, my doctor would say to me, well are you eating the right food and exercising? I thought to myself, you moran if I could do that I wouldn't need the band now would I?

So what I am trying to say is this band was NOT a success for me and they should have a forum on that however most of the unsuccessful people are eating right now and don't really care about this forum.

Again, the only way I was succcessful with the band was to get it filled to the degree only liquid would stay down (and that took a lot of fills to get it just right) and if I did eat I would vomit it back up! Going out on a date was always a disaster, "oh will you excuse me I have a problem with my esphogus" and I would leave the table to go puke. Lukily, I never got to thin where they would suspect bulimia.

Thank you for reading and I am happy for the ones that are successful!!! My next procedure will probably be the sleeve???? That will be when I can get save up enough money to do it being that I probably spent almost 20K in surgery and fills, etc.

I would love to hear from anyone that has had the same experience as I have. I do know one thing when I told my doctor I wanted the sleeve he said, I've been hearing that alot!! So be sure this is the right procedure for you.

[mafiamamy 2]

hello i sad to say your story is just like mine, but i have a lot more weight to loose than you, yes the band does not work for all, i totally agree with you, i was also self pay, but i would not have any more surgeries for weight loss at all, even though i have had a slow weight loss with this darn band i am going to make it work for me even if it takes me 10 times more time to get to my goal, for me it has been very difficult to eat good food wen all that went down was junk food, i wish you the best in any future surgeries and with your weight loss....kisses

[zrfhnbc 0]

Let me start out by saying how sorry I am that the band is not working for you - I know it must be very frustrating! One of the things my surgeon made me really think about before choosing the lapband was whether my problems with food were emotional or satiety. His opinion was that emotional eaters will find a way to eat around the band and most likely need a more drastic surgery.

That being said, I'm an emotional eater! The band has helped me by allowing me to get full faster and forcing me to eat foods that are better for me (breads, carbs, etc. make me feel awful). But I also decided that, in conjunction with the band, i wanted to take up a lot of exercise and strength training to make it work. Even with all that, I stalled out for over a year+ (pregnancy and baby stuff) and am now losing again. The band is certainly not the "easy" way out!!

Unfortunately, for some of us, the band won't ever really work right. I really hope the sleeve is the procedure that does the trick for you - I hear only good things from those that have it!

Good Luck!!

[Ohm 0]

I am so sorry that this procedure has not worked for you. I was very lucky in that my surgeon made me change my lifestyle and eating habits beforehe would agree to fit the band for me. I lost 70 lbs by myself between consulting my surgeon and having the band fitted about 9 months later.

At one of the first consultations he told me to lose weight first and I said that I hadno problem losing the weight - my problem waas keeping it off. His response was that if I couldn't change my lifestyle and eating habits before the procedure then I wouldn't change them afterwards and just havinga lapband fitted is not enough to ensure weight loss.

The lapband is a tool. You will only be able to make optimum use of it if you use it with a certain degree of knowledge and skill (my husband can't use the electric drill for the same reason - he doesn't have a DIY clue).

I would never presume to judge the seriousness or triviality of anyones weight problem - if it is a problem to you then it is a problem - but it sounds to me as if the band is just not the right treatment for your weight problem.

Incidentally, my surgeon also told me that having your band too tight is just as likely to cause weight gain as as having no fill at all. No fill usually means minimal or no restriction which allows for overeating, wheras too tight a fill means that you can't eat any food and are more likely to drink your calories, which is likely to mean that you drink more calories than you need - the satiety factor of most liquids being very low andthe tastiest ones being most calorific - I'm thinking milkshakes and stuff here.

Once again, I am so sorry for your bad experience with the band. Perhaps a malabsorptive op would be a better option for you, but you might find ithard to find a surgeon who will perform a malabsorptive procedure for you when your weight is at the current level. Having said that, and I make no judgement on this one (who am I to judge?) but there are people who are deliberately gaining weight to a BMI of 40 (35 if they have existing weight resultant medical problems) just so that they will be eligible for free bariatric surgery on the NHS.

Just for the record, I started out with a BMI of nearly 50 and had my surgery at around BMI 35.

[rainbow_runner 1]

Your intro says it all ... "Let's be honest... please!". Before you have any other surgery you DO need to be honest - with yourself. As an emotional eater, unless you can wrap your head around the fact that in order to lose weight you are going to have to eat properly and exercise no matter WHAT surgery you have, you are never going to succeed. I know people who have had RNY and some of them have gained a great deal of weight back after losing because they could not overcome their emotional response to food and found ways to circumvent their smaller pouches by eating and drinking high-calorie foods like ice cream and chocolate. If you are not willing to make the lifestyle changes necessary for this surgery, or any other surgery, to work, you will never succeed. Before spending money on another surgery like the sleeve it would be beneficial to see a counsellor about your food addiction so you can wrap your head around and commit to the steps necessary to be healthy once and for all. I really wish you all the best.

[curiousinoh 0]

You're profile says you had suregery 3/2010. That must be a mistake. Also at 170 PREOP you have to know it would take you a lot longer to lose. You only had 40 to lose to begin with. Most have 140 to lose so that last 40 is very slow to come off. I agree with the previous person no surgery will help if you don't make some healthy changes.

I know how you feel, I had this thinking I'll just eat like I did before but not as much. WRONG!!!!!!!!!! When you are restricted you find eating bad stuff isn't worth it. My habits changed out of necessity and now I am losing!

Good Luck!

[Ravyn 0]

Thanks for sharing! I find this all very interesting and helpful. I'm an emotional eater and my weight is 195 lbs. My BMI is about 33, so I'm assuming that my weight loss will be very gradual, provided I can change my habits to make it happen. Luckily I enjoy fruits and veggies. Unfortunately they just don't seem to sustain me and I reach for other things that may not be so good for me. I'm hoping that the slow absorption of food will help me stay full longer with the fruit and salads, and keep me way from the candy bars, chips and ice cream. I also love to work out, but since I've put on so much weight my stamina has decreased greatly, which affects my motivation. I'm hoping the LapBand will help to jump-start me back to the way I was 5 years ago.

I know it's a tool and I'm hopeful that I'll be able to make good choices. However, for those moments that we make bad choices, does it still help to keep the caloric intake down?

I wont be able to cut out ice cream permanently, but I do make a lot of good choices in between my ice cream habit.

Thanks for all the helpful information. I think it's important to hear the stories of those who weren't successful, as that information can help other's to make better informed choices.

Thanks again and best of luck to all!!

Ravyn

Edited March 28, 2010 by Ravyn

[DizzyLizzy 21]

Sorry to hear that this is not working for you, but like any diet or surgery, it doesn't work for everyone, and it doesn't work the same for everyone.

I am self pay as well, and am not losing as fast as many other bandsters, but I am losing better than I was without the band so I know it, rather my doctor's weight loss program, is working. I say weight loss program as opposed to the band because my surgeon, and I, recognize that the band does not work on it's own. To get optimal results, you have to change your attitude towards food and exercise as well.

Before banding, I used to LOVE food...oh this was sooo good and that was sooo good. Now I don't care. I have gone from "live to eat" to "eat to live". I have my meltdowns, where some flaming hot cheetos are in my face and I can't resist, but that is where the band helps, when my will power gives out, my band takes up the slack. But you can't totally depend on the band to do that. You HAVE to have some sort of willpower or you will find a way to get around the band. And the same goes for any bariatric surgery, gastric bypass and sleeve. I know people who've had GB and are bigger now than they were before. None of it is a gaurantee for anyone.

So, it's not just about getting the band, it's about your working with the band.

[redi123 0]

Hi my name is Linda and I was banded 8/15/08 and lost 10lbs and have gained it back. I think like you if I could only eat 4oz a meal 3times a day I would not need the band. I want to give it another chance. I dont want to give up.

[Nanook 2]

willbaskinnygirl,

I've personally seen these types of discussions become very emotional here at LBT. Some people have success with the band and some don't. Doesn't mean they're weak or not dedicated or have enough fairy dust. To analyze why it works for some and not for all would take too much time and sometimes a lot of judgement goes along with it and some of that judgement is self induced.

To me it looked good on paper put band on stomach, tighten band, makes stomach smaller, eat less, lose weight. It looked and sounded good but in my reality that didn't happen as I had thought it would.

I gave it my best shot and after almost of year of just starting to gain back the weight I lost on my preop diet and started having pain from GERD which sent me to the ER my band was then removed within two weeks after that trip.

I felt like a failure because I had it in my head that it was alllllll my fault, once a gain another failed attempt at losing weight and not only that my diabetes II was worse than ever, developed HBP and high cholesterol. Not things that are condusive to a healthy life. Because I felt like a failure I decided not to revise to any other surgery I was really down about it. Problem was after they removed my band the weight really came back on and fast and I was up to an even higher weight my highest ever, go figure. Isn't that what happens when you diet and gain weight back it usually comes with a few extra pounds just for good measure?

Anyway so I change my mind after that and started the process of revising to gastric bypass. My younger daughter had one previously and had dropped 140 pounds and I thought what the heck I didn't go through all of this for nothing I deserve another shot. Went through a whole gamut of tests again and another pysch eval, which was more painful than the first one, and was finally approved and had my Gastric Bypass in June of last year. I think it's finally tapered off for me now, the weight loss I mean but I lost a good chunk of weight and am happy where I am now.

I know what it feels like to feel satisfied with a set amount of food and can't eat around the bypass like I could with the band. Even drinking while eating for me is impossible because it only makes me fuller. I also cannot tolerate high sugar foods which is also something that I really needed with a weightloss procedure and was lucky enough to get!

Anyway don't beat yourself up. I know it's difficult when you're on a site that caters mainly to lap bands and you feel like you're the only one not succeeding but believe me you aren't the only one. They just don't hang out here very long! So know there is a right procedure out there for you! Nothing is perfect but you should expect to at least get some positive results! Take care and good luck to you with your revision, Nancy.

Edited March 29, 2010 by Nanook

[jre1974 0]

Please don't take offense, because I say this will all seriousness and support....but it sounds like you have some emotional issues that need to be worked out before you spend more money on another surgery, that will probably be no more successful than the band was for you. I know we hear/say it all the time in these forums, but the band is just a tool, and if you don't use it correctly, it isn't going to work for you. So I'd say that it wasn't the band that failed you; it was you that sabotaged yourself. Once you come to grips with whatever emotions you're dealing with, you're going to be in a better place to make WLS work for you.

Good luck and God Bless...

[123crod 170]

Counseling, counseling is all I can say. It works. Find yourself a good counsler and go talk about your emotional eating and find out what is behind it. You put your life on the line when you went to surgery. You made a big investment, now spend a small amount more and get to the root of the problems I wish you luck and hope things work out for you! We all could benefit from counseling!! I have!

Cheri

[DANMARLEY 0]

Hi, i had my band in January this year, and I too have not lost any weight apart from when i count calories and use willpower! I am yet to feel the "full feeling" that is suppose to tell us to stop eating. Can you tell me exactly how much you have had put in to get you to lose the weight.

[redi123 0]

I dont think I really understood the concept about the band. I thought I would feel when I was full. The things I need to eat are the things that dont go down. I am having a hard time with 3oz 3x a day. I really have a problem there. I know it will help if I talk to someone. I know the problem is me not the band. What I want to know how do I get started and make it work. I appreciate any help. Thanks Redi123

[kfstinson 0]

I'm curious...your surgeon performed surgery on you when you didn't have that much to loose? My BMI is 43. I had to meet a very stringent criteria before my PCP would even refer me to a surgeon. I also had to go to a counselor 3 times before I could even set a surgery date.

I've only been banded since March 29th, 2010...but I've known from the beginning that this was not a cure to my obesity. This is a tool. I still have to do the hard work.

I hope that my experience is not like yours and that I am successful in this journey.