Health degenerating post lapband

[megan71 0]

This is my first post, and I am hoping my first attempt to get some help. I have been banded since OCT 2006 starting weight 126kg getting to my lowest weight December 2008 which was 75kg. I am 5ft10inch I have never been able to eat properly with my band only being able to keep down fluids with most solid food coming back up. I for over 3 years vomit any solid food I eat. Over the past 12 months I have gained back over 10kg of my lowest weight even though my calorie intake would be lucky to exceed 600 calories a day (unless I binge on chocolate!) My daily intake of food is lucky to be a V drink and 2 freddo frogs with the occassional handful of nuts or sometimes I can keep down some Cereal with yogurt. I can't go back to my surgean to have fill taken out for 2 reasons. firstly I had some further surgeries with him that didn't go well and I don't trust him and 2 I am scared if I get fill taken out my weight will go up even further! I recently went and had some tests done and have been diagnosed with something called Adrenal Fatigue, my thyroid is no longer working my Iron along with most other nutrients is dangerously low and they class me as having malnutrition...In short I am killing myself... I know this in my head, I am a smart person, a mum, a successful business owner... but I am petriefied of being fat again (even thought I look at myself at the moment and class myself as extremely overweight since gaining the 10kg) I am booked into a specialist to work on the adrenal fatigue and thyroid but just don't know what to do with regards to my lapband... Please don't come on here and be agressive with me that is not what I need, I need to speak to people that understand me and can help me... My husband is worried (no one else knows I have even had the band done) I cover my fatigue and general unwellness very well but am suffering daily with these chronic symptoms.

Sorry for such a long post, I have woken today feeling exceptionally unwell and realise I need to do something before its too late..

[BetsyB 9]

If you are unable to eat nourishing foods--and instead are relying on sliders that are putting on weight--you need to bite the bullet and get a partial unfill.

It WON'T make you gain more weight. It will permit you to eat the solid Protein and vegetables your body needs to be healthy and lose weight.

Find another doctor---you don't need to see someone you don't trust. But please---get this taken care of before you do serious damage to your body.

Vomiting all solids for three years is ....outrageous. You have very good reason to doubt the judgment of any doctor who has not addressed this!!

[ladytru84 23]

im so sorry ur going through this. the band is supposed to help u maintain a happier and heathly life. i cant imagine what ur going through. but i think going to a nutritionist is a great idea.. i have heard of people having the lapband removed and doing a diffrent procedure like the sleeve, and having better success. well i wish u luck on ur journey

[Lillie24 2]

Megan,

I am concerned for you. I have not had the band yet but I can say that I can only imagine how it would feel to lose all or most of my weight and start to gain. But at the risk of your health? That can not be worth it. First you have to address the vomiting and other health issues then address the reason why the band isn't working.

I work in the medical field and having a doctor you trust and have faith in is another key to success. Find another doctor. One that will help you get through this.

[OnTheWay to Thin 0]

I totally understand your fears, but you have not been living in a healty state. It almost sounds like you have the kind of fear of weight that a person with anorexia has. You need help, medical and emotional to address this. Your band is too tight, that is why you cant eat nourishing foods and instead are eating stuff that is easy and probably not healthy and has empty calories. Please find another bariatric doctor ASAP, go in and explain your fears and concerns, any good doctor will understand and work with you to get you back to health again. You should be able to eat healthy meats and veggies and get your vitimins and minerals from them, if you cant something is very wrong. You are so young and have so much ahead of you, get the help you need ASAP.

[LeighaMason 19]

I got a fill and I was too tight, I couldn't eat more than 500 calories a day. I finally went for an unfill but I was scared of regain so I kept on with the 500 calories a day. I started gaining back, so my friends on here convinced me to start eating 1000 calories a day last Tuesday, I have lost 2 pounds in 4 days by eating quality foods at 1000 calories a day. Plus I am no longer suffering from cold skin and fatigue.

[DianaG 0]

Oh my dear! I am sorry that you are going through this terrible trial. You have received some very good advice here and I am glad that you posted.

I do hope that you will go to a good doctor that you can trust and feel secure with.

Don't ever worry about posting on this forum. We are here to help you, if we can, and I personally have received good advice and support here. I also attend a lap band support group once a month. That helps me also. Do you know of a support group near you?

Please do keep in touch with us and let us know how you are doing. We may be a bunch of strangers, but we do care for each other and do our best to give good advice.

Hope we hear from you soon saying that you have found a good doctor and are receiving the help you need and deserve.:frown:

[Gerbera 0]

Hi,

I suffered something similar on a couple of occassions. Mine was more about lack of nutrition and dehydration. I have ended up in Hospital a couple of times. I also refuse to unfill and put on weight. I learnt nutrition was extremely important. I decided to make my normal meals like I do for my husband and vitamise mine. I container it and freeze it in small containers and have at any given time 10 different varieties of foods to eat. Very vitamised and some near liquid stage. Anything From Garlic prawns, Soups, spaghetti bolognese, Mongolian beef with vegetables, savoury mince and vegetables, Risotto, I vitamise anything pretty much and it tastes great. I eat it with mash potato or rice or on it's own. Some of this also came about, because I recently had Teeth Braces put on and that has added to my eating dilema. I hope this helps you some. When I'm thirsty I drink milk or chocolate milk. I eat a small amount of chocolate daily to get my fix, but I am managing to keep the weight off, and feel a whole lot better. I exercise daily walking or walk aerobics for around 30mins. I hope this helps you some :frown:

[megan71 0]

Thank you all so much for taking time to reply to me, it means a lot to me to have found people not only who get it but who I can confide in... My husband is the only person who knows I am banded and what I am going through and he I think is at his wits end and doesn't know what to do with me!!!!

My husband and I took our children out to lunch today and it really hit home to me as i looked around the restaurant how much I am missing out on not only nutritionally but in general. I miss salad, I miss veges... I miss food!!! I had half a piece of fish at the restaurant and had to visit the bathroom 3 x to bring it up! My 3 year old can eat 10 x the amount of food as me. I am home now hungry exhausted and with a terrible headache...as per usual.

Reading that people who have plateaud or put on weight and have gone on to eat more calories or have fill taken out and then lost weight again makes me think maybe after all this time it is time to remove some fill!!!

Please keep any advise or stories coming they are all pushing me closer to makeing the life changing decision I know I need to.. I just need some gentle shoves in the right direction.. Thank you so much to you all :frown:

[LeighaMason 19]

I forgot to add that I only unfilled .3 of a cc so I went from 5.1 to 4.8 in a 10 cc band, you don't have to have a complete unfill to eat better. You could be just .2 or .5 away from being in the perfect spot, so you could find a Dr who would slowly unfill you at .25 a time until you were able to eat. Maybe that would help with the anxiety that you are going to regain weight. And don't forget, if this doesn't work, and you feel you are gaining weight, you can always put it back in. Your not talking about removing your band just taking out some saline. :frown:

[dariasjourney 0]

Sorry to hear about your problems. Perhaps you are hypothyroid and/or were never diagnoseed with same. I just had surgerya week ago, so I am a fresh post-op. I am only on full fluids still, but I am doing well. I have my moments when I would l;ove to be able to try to chew meat again, but I must be patient. A visit to your surgeon is in order, but first attrack the adrenal issue and anemia. If you can, return to the Protein Shakes and sugar free/fat free jellos and puddings and Soups, V8 fruit and juice mixes (the light ones) and increase Water again. Maybe this will work. I do hope that youfeel better and much success.

[shj 0]

Until you can resolve your overfill situation, get yourself some Protein drinks and start drinking them. Start looking for a different doctor. Ask the Aussies on here who they recommend.

Hope you get these issues resolved soon.