Time for a Revision??

[TxChelsey 1]

I have had my band for almost 2.5 years now and I lost 60 lbs during the first 6 months and have now gained 50 lbs back. So, in doing the math, that's a total loss of 10 lbs and I currently have a BMI of 56!!! I am utterly defeated and my surgeon is utterly annoyed. I can eat a lot, but he swears I am "tight as a tick" and if I go any tighter I have heartburn issues. I can feel food as it passes through my band and it all seems to be passing very quickly, not slowly!! He says I am stretching my pouch and starting to stretch my esophagus and threatened to take it out if I don't start controlling my portions. Unfortunately, that has never been something I can control. I am not staisfied after 1/2 cup of food and I don't feel satisfied unless I eat a normal meal. And, I hate vegetables, love cheese and Pasta and I drink a ton of calories (milk and soda). These are things that just aren't going to change so I think need some malpsorption and some better restriction. Maybe some "dumping" to help me make better choices. I am STRONGLY considering revision to the RNY or the DS. The DS has actually really peaked my interest, even though its very high risk. I am relatively healthy, on no meds, no sleep apnea, no diabetes, etc. But I will certainly not stay that way if I don't lose this weight. Thanks to whoever made it through this rant. I know this sounds like the "Diary of the Fat Lazy Chick that Doesn't Want to Participate in her Weight Loss" but I am keeping it real. I need more help than this band!! I am considering Dr. Daryl Stewart in Denton, Tx as my surgeon. Dr. Hamn is great, but I think he is more of a Lap Band specialist and DR. Stewart does the DS. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[howdybooth 4]

You aren't going to like this, but neither of the other options are going to help you if you don't change your eating habits. I know two women with the DS that have started gaining back their weight.......I know another that has kept her weight off, but lost most her teeth from throwing up because of over eating. As for the by-pass - two people I know have gain back most if not all the weight they lost........you must face the fact that if you don't change the way you deal with food, nothing is going to help you.

With that said - I feel confident that you will go ahead and have major surgery. Sorry to sound negative, but I think you are looking for someone to agree with you and I just can't! My own sister is now looking at getting the band - after by-pass, because she still has a bad relationship with food and can no longer lose weight. She went from 415 to 230, but since she is only 5 foot tall - she is still very over weight......

Good luck with your decision.....

[Portola Suzanne 3]

Wow, so ok your refuse to not drink soda, not watch portions and not follow instructions and you think RNY will make is all magically better. I know many RNY patients who have stretched there pouches by drinking soda and eating to big portions. Sorry for being so blunt but I am not sure the band is the problem. Any WLS has risks and complications and rules to follow for success.

[BetsyB 9]

No matter what route you choose, the behaviors have to change.

That's it, period.

Until you accept that, you will struggle with your weight.

(And if you're as frank with the surgeon you choose as you've been here, I think it very unlikely you will be taken on as a patient. You may one day be ready, but you are not now.)

[LarraineM 6]

I am not going to be harsh with the honesty you just shared. I felt how painful that was to say about one self. As tuff has the responces have been they are basically true. You have not acknowledged that there are no magic bullets available for you or anybody who battle weight issues. Try with all your might to regroup and start fresh with your band again. If not seek professional counseling to asssit you in your journey..............find out the WHYS.......before you jump to another method,that really is the issue........ ( Tool+ Your comittment= Sucess)

[reverie 49]

I do wish you the best of luck in whatever route you take, but in the end, the weight-loss starts with you. RNY, DS, the sleeve, Lapband; no matter what WLS method you choose, you have to be willing to make the lifestyle change, and it seems that you aren't ready or just don't want to. WLS to me is just a tool. Yes those who get RNY/DS lose quickly, but in the end it comes down to you to make the healthy choices, both food and exercise wise.

Maybe the band isn't for you, but with your mindset and eating habits, another WLS may not get you to where you want to be either. None of them are a perfect answer; they're all tools to use to help you during the lifestyle change. While the malabsorption may help you more than the band could, still eating improperly will cause you to gain the weight back.

I'd consider therapy or just talking to someone about your eating habits. You can't eat unhealthy and expect to lose weight just because you revise to DS or RNY. It's not that easy.

[btrieger 21]

Bypass will not help you!

I personally know 6 people that have had the surgery. Two of them have successfully maintained their weight loss; two are almost back to where they started; one is even fatter than before surgery and the sixth one died of internal bleeding.

I also hate vegetable; love cheese and Pasta. I don't drink a lot of calories but if I desired milk or soda; I would have a glass of skim milk or diet soda.

You need a psychiatrist, not a bariatric surgeon and I am not trying to to be mean. You need to work out your issues with food.

Do you have a support network at home willing to help out? Someone that will slap your wrist when you are hurting yourself?

I thought I was healthy until I had a heart attack when I was 44. That was the smack in the face I needed. It is very painful and I'd hate to see it take that to snap you out of it.

I live next door in Keller and would be happy to try and help but you have to be ready to help yourself first.

[papoose 48]

i think you need to find a bariatric psychiatrist and go to their support group meeting and also the nutrionist group meetings.

[TxChelsey 1]

Wow!! I always find it interesting that people who CLEARLY suffer from food control issues are so quick to point the finger of judgement. I also recall one person commenting that if they were being told they were doing damage to their stomach/esophagus they would definately stop overeating. Really? You were fine with doing damage to your heart, liver, joints, etc. before WLS, but now you are the epitome of health consciousness? I have lost and gained hundreds of pounds during my 34 years on this planet, so there are times in my life when I make all the right choices and times when my will is weak. No therapist in the world is going to convince me that a piece of chocolate cake is not yummy and delicious. But, RNY will give me a pretty severe slap on the hand if I ingest too much sugar, via "dumping" syndrome. And as I mentioned, I have no significant restriction right now so reducing the size of my stomach would certainly help with Portion Control. I stop eating before I feel full it just takes me more than a 1/2 cup of food to get there. I cannot eat like I used to, but I can still eat enough to maintain my current weight. Lot's of people have revisions and that was my target audience for this post. I would like to hear from other people who have undergone RNY or DS after the lap band. Thanks.

Edited August 27, 2010 by TxChelsey

[btrieger 21]

good luck.

[Blue_Eyes 0]

Sounds like you got angy because no one agreed with you, but I too agree with everyone that a person must get their issues with food under control before any type of WLS will work. Yes food tastes good, but you have to come to terms with why you over indulge. I also know people who had Gastric Bypass, lost weight only to gain it back because they never learned how CHANGE their eating habits and in the long run went back to their old ways. And just so you know not everyone has "dumping" syndrome I know a couple and both of them had GB one can eat as much sweets as she wants and her hubby can't and he can eat savory rich foods and she has to be careful. Good luck in whatever option you decide.

[Manda87 3]

I agree with everyone. You need a psychiatrist and not a surgeon. You obviously have issues with food that you need to work on. No amount of surgery is going to "fix" your mental issues with food. You're only getting angry because you know what these people are telling you is the truth. Just face the truth first.

[howdybooth 4]

Lot's of people have revisions and that was my target audience for this post. I would like to hear from other people who have undergone RNY or DS after the LAP-BAND®. Thanks.

Then I suggest you post on those sights.......you asked those of us that have had lapband.......we gave you our answers......you didn't like them and got hostile. We can't help you.

And please - don't you be so judgemental! We are stuggling every day ourselves to keep on the right track - it's not any easier for us than for you. Not one of us that posted an answer has been lucky - we've worked our butts off!

[jalomum 1]

No therapist in the world is going to convince me that a piece of chocolate cake is not yummy and delicious.

You only believe most of these things to be really yummy because your taste buds are screwed. You pump yourself full of processed carbohydrates choc full with artificial additives and think there heavenly.

If you stop eating this crap for 6 months you will realise how awful most of it really tastes.

Good chocolate cake is very yummy I agree but not all the time and there are heaps of other yummy food flavours and textures out there if you take the time to taste while you eat instead of bolting it in order to head for the dessert trolley and soda bar.

Put the effort in to re-align your taste buds and you will become like a reformed smoker...unable to tolerate the things you once believed you were unable to live happily without.

Good luck with your journey and choices but I suspect from your attitude that you may be doomed:frown:.

[Blue_Eyes 0]

And please - don't you be so judgemental! We are stuggling every day ourselves to keep on the right track - it's not any easier for us than for you. Not one of us that posted an answer has been lucky - we've worked our butts off!

Boy did you hit the nail on the head...lol! It's not all rainbows and butterflies in bandland, but I wouldn't change my decision to have it EVER!!! I'm way healthier now than I was.

:biggrin: