What is YOUR Second Option for WLS?

[Mita 2]

The thought has crossed my mind alot and more so lately. I would not do any other surgery.

[rachele 0]

I always thought I'd have my band or nothing, until faced with the reality of a non working band (blocked by scar tissue). I lost from 350 to 235, got pregnant and lost my fill. After the pregnancy, my band was no longer functioning. 7 months after the baby I stepped on the scale to see 330. I had gained back up to 300 during the pregnancy and an additional 30 in the 7 months after.

My point is, being at 235 and having a touch of "normal-ness" in my life, then gaining it back was enough. 3 years of fighting for what I did acheive was lost in 16 months. And I was back 20 pounds from where I started.

I'm not going to get into head hunger/ food control issues. To the people that can overcome it, I wish I were more like them. But I'm not. So I choose to have the DS/BPD (11/17/05) I figured while the band was coming out, which was not an option, I was ready for something more permenant. I don't want to go through that again. And I refuse to "live" my life as a fat woman. Period. I will not do it, and if I had to get diced and sliced, so be it. It was worth the risk of dying to me to acheive the quality of life I wanted for myself and my family. Without that quality of life, I just sit and watch life pass me by. Yes, I was torn, and terrified. But I am a child of God and I know when it's my time, it's my time. I could get killed walking to the mail box if He wants me.

I NEED a tool. I CANNOT do this on my own. So I went for the smartest thing I could. I tried with the band and it did its job while it could. My body just doesn't want it in me.

[Dragonwillow 0]

I'm not sure. If I lost my band and started gaining weight, I know my depression would be bad. I've seen first hand what rearranging the insides can do medically to someone (my mother who died at age 55). I know that this does not happen to MOST, but it has effected me first hand. It would be really hard for me to choose to do any type of gatric bypass, but faced with regaining my weight I think I might. I like who I become when I loose weight. I become more confident, more alive and just generally more at peace with myself. I don't think I can handle the blow of becoming larger again now that I'm starting to get closer to the more confident me. Right now, since I don't have co morbilities I would no longer qualify for any of the surgeries...so not sure what happens in those cases.

Melissa

[Parvathi 2]

Its a hard question to answer. Until I'm in that situation, I can't say for sure. But I'm 26 pounds from goal, so I'd hope that I could atleast maintain without having another surgery.

I chose the band because to me, it sounded like the safest risk, so to speak. I'm very grateful for what I've been able to accomplish with it physically, as well as how its helped to change my mental outlook on things.

I can pretty surely say, that I wouldn't go the way of GBP, should something happen to my band. However, if I were unable to keep the weight down and ballooned up again (like I have so many times in the past), its possible that I would look for other alternatives.

[paula 4]

Rachele,

AMEN! I can truly understand where you are coming from. I *with the most sincerety* wish you over and beyond success.

BTW - welcome home! Glad to see you coming by for a visit

Right now, since I don't have co morbilities I would no longer qualify for any of the surgeries...so not sure what happens in those cases.

see? Thats my biggie too.

In reality - I probably would go back to diet pills (yuck). We all know that just a temp fix.

And as for me getting another band? I cant imagine doing this all over again. I mean, if the first one went wrong, why wouldnt the second?

And for the most part, we are poor people - I cant afford the maintance that seems to be lurking with bandsters.

[rachele 0]

Thank You, Paula.

It's pretty tough to eat your words, which is what I've had to do, but as soon as I'm off puree's, serve it up, I'm ready to eat them. (Because I swore anytype of bypass was the DEBIL!)

["Just" Paul 1]

I thought about this really hard before getting banded, and the band was the only way I'd have done any WLS.

That's not to say in the future they may come up with something else, but from what is out there now...no.

I guess I'd hope to have gained good habits from my band that I could consciously try to maintain after removal.

I dunno. Hope I do not have to cross that bridge.

[HeatherGurl 0]

I would try my darndest to maintain my weight, but if I ballooned up to my highest of 365 again I would have the Gastric Bypass, just because I do not want to be miserable anymore!

[DevilMayKare 1]

I'd try to keep the weight off and if I couldn't I'd just kill myself and get it over with.

Am I allowed to say that?

[pati-o 6]

I'm SOOO glad Johndeeregal said it, but I have to agree with her. I'd take out another loan, sell my car, remortgage- whatever it took, and have a RNY, only this time I'd have it in the U.S.I absolutely TERRIFIED of the thought of losing my band. I'm having all of the symptoms that Kathy (the best me) is having- pain, heartburn, pressure after having a horrendous PB last tuesday. I have NO medical insurance until this thursday and then I face the challenge of convincing my family dr to order an upper GI.. then what???

I think I need to take a vacation from reading posts, I'm becoming paranoid!!

[paula 4]

You know, all the fear of gaining any of this weight back has nothing to do with anything other then a having a better quality of life.

1. Having enough energy to complete my day - and all the surpises that it entails (and with 3 kids, thats alot).

2. Having the self esteem to stand up to people that I wouldve just "kept my mouth shut" in fear of it turning into an arguement. (An arguement meant they wouldnt like me - so I would go into a depresion and eat myself to death)

3. Being able to buy clothes in any store.

4. I enjoy not observing if Im the biggest person at a function. I no longer even look at other peoples size.

All these things seem so small to some, but they are big accomplishments (nsv's maybe?) for me. Accomplishments that I do not want to undo. I certainly would/will do what it takes to continue this quality of life.

Like Rachele said earlier...

I refuse to "live" my life as a fat woman. Period. I will not do it, and if I had to get diced and sliced, so be it. It was worth the risk of dying to me to acheive the quality of life I wanted for myself and my family. Without that quality of life, I just sit and watch life pass me by.

I completely understand this.

[the best me 6]

Hold up, Pati-o. It's all good now. After being paranoid my hubby said, "you need a plan" so I made one. I had no REAL reason to get an endo before my one year, so this is what I did. After the PB's from last weekend, I went liquids for a day, then mushy for a few days. Today I ate regular foods. I started taking Prilosec twice a day but feel so much better I'll back down to once a day. I plan on staying there for at least a few weeks. I also bought some Aloe Vera juice. I'm drinking about 4 ounces in the morning and just before bed, after washing out my band with 6 ounces of distilled Water. I quit the Crystal Light Peach Tea binge and went with all clear Water today. I still drink my coffee though. (that's a tough one). It's helping!

All this is really more preventative than anything. I got myself worked up reading posts and got stressed...I de-stressed thanks to the nice folks here. DeLarla's Venting thread has been handy, along with all the others.

I went liquids and mushies and ate canned Soups over the weekend and my face and feet got puffy from all the salt. I'm guessing all of me was swollen from the salt and now I feel like the salt is out of me and I'm soooo much better. No funny tummy feelings, no bloat, and with the Prilosec and Aloe Vera, no more funny band feelings AT ALL. Just my normal restriction, which I don't think is too tight at all.

I think it started with stress (daughter with pneumonia the week before Thanksgiving), then a house full and all the cooking on Thanksgiving, then getting up at 3:45am on Black Friday for shopping, the very band UN-friendly lunch at Chili's and the subsequent PB's, the salt, aaaw lawsy! All at the same time as our LBT family goes into crisis mode all over the board.

So find a way to decompress and do what you can to get your body in sync with your band again and you will probably be all good!!!

Will you plan on seeing Kuri in Jan for an endo? My goal is to go in April for mine. I'll just plan it and budget the flight and the costs. For me, it's cheaper then paying cash for one here, and I really really want one at my one year. I think it's just being a responsible bandster.

So let us know how things go and what you do, okay? Hang in there. We're all in this together. (((hugs)))

[ReneBean 3]

I may never get to experience the Band at the rate I am going - but if I had to do something else, I would look into Inamed's newest - a gastric balloon. They put a little balloon inside your stomach and blow it up. Basically, you are full all the time. Sort of the opposite of the band. Rather than make your stomach smaller, they just fill it up - permanently. Check it out on their website.

It would have to be life threatening for me to get a by-pass or a switch. I just can't allow cut and paste for anything less. Right now, nothing I have is life threatening - just life-hindering. I can work out another way for life-hindering.

[pati-o 6]

Thanks Kathy, I do need to step back and de-stress. I will not be going back to Mexico. That was a one time deal. My new medical insurance will cover my band care and fills. (THANK GOD!!) And I have a great Dr. in the Detroit area that has taken me on as a patient, so I have great aftercare. I work in a hospital so I want my family dr to order the upper GI here, (because it will be free because I am a hospital employee), but like I said, I have to convince him.

I think that having an upper GI is a great thing to do. As a matter of fact, I wonder why I have never read about having one as a routine part of aftercare/checkups???

Sometimes I hate being a nurse, I swear I get every symptom that I hear about.

As a matter of fact I think I may have bird flu............and lymes disease......and ..... see what I mean!! LOL

THanks for the verbal kick in the pants- I needed it!!!!!

[Jonathan 5]

I'd try to keep the weight off and if I couldn't I'd just kill myself and get it over with.

Am I allowed to say that?

Somehow, I don't think you're joking. I know that's how I feel, and it's not a joke to me. I think, because I feel like that, I would do whatever WLS was the best option at the time for long term success -- NO MATTER WHAT THE RISK.

Yes, people die from gastric bypass. But I'd rather be dead than be 400 lbs again.