Very upset and disappointed.

[sounddude 0]

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.

Any Ideas?:tt2::smile2:

[patsal 1]

Well, gastric bypass is not out of the question, but true your insurance may say no. The band is a tool, it does not do all the work for you, actually it is easy to get around the band by not making good choices. Hungry or not your food choices are very poor and not band friendly in the least. You may want to consider that banding was not for you--you chose to eat the wrong foods, drink the wrong beverages and not follow the "band rules", or you could choose to take control now. Let's face it , the band is in place and recently checked out to be fine, so you could follow the band rules and the band food plan. Maybe do the 14 days of pre-op prep or the 5 day pouch test diet. Then get yourself back on the lifetime eating plan that you will need to follow to lose and maintain that loss after.

Good luck.

[sounddude 0]

Actually this is not true. I eat that way now after basically giving up. I followed everything to the letter in the beginning. And when I started again last year I did a full recommitt, but I literally feel no restrictions. In my honest opinion, the tool makes me twice as hungry as I ever got before it. It is almost like it was placed on a hunger pain button.

It took a long time for me to get fed up. But if I had a screw driver in my tool box that did not make it at least partially easier to tighten a screw than I can with my bare hands then I would throw it in the garbage and get a better tool.

[MLBL 2]

It sucks to be one of the few people the band doesn't work for, and it sucks when every tells you it is your fault. I'm sure you beat yourself up about it enough. I would give up on the band now too. But, I also agree that bypass is still an option for you. It is very different from the band and so may be the "right" surgery for you.

I feel so bad for you to have gone through so much and still be struggling - we all know the pain of feeling like our weight is out of control.

(((((HUGS)))))

[patsal 1]

Ok, so you are saying that you eat that way now because you have given up, but prior to that you followed all the band rules.

Maybe try following the band rules again. Lots of high protien dense foods like tuna and chicken. Those should fill you up. Don't drink an hour before or for an hour after you eat--that way you don't wash it out of your pouch and make yourself hungry too soon. Try adding extra protien like a shake or two as well during the day to curb hunger. I find if I let myself get hungry I want to eat everything, but if I start with 20 grams of protien in the morning, and continue to eat protien rich foods throughout the day in appropriate portions I feel no hunger and don't slip up and make poor food choices.

I think you should make an appointment and expalin all of this to the dr. Maybe something is wrong with the way your band is placed and they could better help you if they knew of your discomfort from the hunger.

I am so sorry you are having to go through this.

[honk 780]

I don't want to sound mean spirited. The following statements are setting off all kinds of alarms:

"I am depressed all the time now and medicate for that."

"In my honest opinion, the tool makes me twice as hungry as I ever got before it. It is almost like it was placed on a hunger pain button."

These are emotional; mental health issues. Not band issues. Yes, I understand you are frustrated and feel the band is not helping you.

The other issue is that you mentioned having given up. Again, not the band but your decision. You also mentioned having a fill cancelled and then not rescheduling the meeting. Not much a doctor can do for you if you won't show up to the appointment.

Perhaps if you had a complete unfil and started the fill process over again you might have a different result.

I am not completely unsympathetic to your situation. I understand wanted to vent; but venting is'nt going to get you anywhere. You need to make a plan and work on this issue. You have had problems and feel you gave the band a shot and it did'nt live up to expectations. If your car had a flat tire would you refuse to fix the tire and then complain that your car did'nt handle correctly when you drove it? Of course not.

[Brooklyn732 7]

I'm very sorry that you are going through this ordeal but I have to say something about a comment you made. The "band" doesn't make you hungry. You make you hungry. The addiction that we all have to food makes us hungry. As long as your body gets the right things in order to survive, everything else is extra. I know it's easy to say, especially since I'm not banded yet, but I struggle with food daily and I have no restriction either. But I am committed to losing weight and being healthy. Since August 2010 I've been doing liquid for Breakfast and lunch and then a sensible dinner (with some greek yogurts thrown in during the day). I have been satisfied and losing weight. I've lost 38lbs in these 2 months and I want to keep losing.

Dude, don't give up. even without restriction, you can do it!!

[Manda87 3]

I'm sorry you're having a rare bad experience with the band. Luckily, it doesn't happen to many people, but it sucks when it happens to you. I hope you get things worked out.

[MMM6886 0]

Hi there,

I'm so sorry you're going through what you have for the past few years. I can only imagine how disappointed, angry and frustrated you are.

A few comments though.

It sounds like the medical professionals you've dealt with so far weren't the best. Perhaps it is time to research and find a very qualified surgical clinic that specializes in gastric surgeries. Make sure it is a "Center of Excellence" - those places are wonderful. They have to meet certain criteria that signal the fact that they are VERY experienced and set up for this type of work. You need a caring and qualified surgeon to evaluate your whole history with this experience, along with a good nutritionist and maybe even a specialized psychologist that can help you with the emotional and mental toll that this has taken on you. Try Barix - there is one in Ypsilanti Michigan and a few other locations in Michigan and I believe PA too. Maybe even Ohio. They were WONDERFUL (I went to Ypsilanti).

Finally, I'm no doctor and I can't say I've ever heard of this, but it almost seems like the band is broken, i.e. the fills aren't staying in there, like there's a hole or something. I wonder if they can even tell that on an xray or whatever? But maybe a qualified surgeon can explore that possibility. Something is definitely wrong here and I think you need to take your health into your own hands and push push push to find a GOOD medical center to go to and get the answers you need.

Best of luck to you and I hope things get better!!

Michelle

Edited October 13, 2010 by MMM6886

[DIRKT32 1]

If i understood correctly you have a small hernia?

Hernia and band equals no restriction.

You shoulddefinitely speak with another doctor.

[BetsyB 9]

It's time to really educate yourself about the band, and what it will do for you. If you're considering bypass, really educate yourself about that, too. A good source of information regarding postop eating (for band and bypass) is bariatriceating.com.

In your shoes, I'd start from scratch. You understandably have very negative feelings right now, because your experience has been terribly disappointing.

But you also know that you have a band in your body--and that it's functional. (A hernia should not affect restriction.)

Here's one simple fact, and it holds true whether you're banded or bypassed: you must eat the right foods in the right amounts if you want to lose weight. Just because you can eat something does not mean you should. And the band can't stop you--YOU have to stop you.

Since you already have the band in place, why not really work it? Get in to the doctor for that fill you skipped. Work toward appropriate restriction. And in the meantime, really focus on doing all of the things you need to do to promote weight loss. Journal your food intake someplace like fitday.com to ensure you're in a calorie range that supports loss, getting enough Protein, and meeting your other nutrient needs. Exercise each day.

Will you be hungry? Probably. Until you reach appropriate restriction, hunger is part of the game. We all experience it.

What you're ultimately aiming for is a state in which you are satisfied (not"full") for a few hours after eating. Then, because you are easily satisfied, you have another small meal--and again are satisfied for a period of time.

I know you've given up, and have reverted to old eating habits. These habits must be addressed for any weight loss surgery to be successful. I understand why you are considering bypass at this point--and really, it may ultimately be a better choice for you. But while you think about it (or even prepare for it), why not really work the band, and see if you can spare yourself another surgery? Bypass requires even more dietary restrictions than the band.

Get to the doctor. See him/her routinely for fills. Overhaul the way you eat. Consider therapy to help you cope with the emotions that seem to be triggering overeating. See if you can't turn this disappointment into a real success story.

Edited October 13, 2010 by BetsyB

[sounddude 0]

The band is holding its fills. They pull all of the Fluid out each time I get a fill to check it.

[onthego317 4]

I just have to say that ANY weight loss procedure can be beat if you eat the wrong foods. My husband had gastric bypass and was losing very fast. He decided one day that he was missing out on the things he loved the most....diet cokes and little debbies. Since he started back with his old eating habits, he not only stopped losing but has gained 40 of the 140lbs he lost.

What I'm trying to say is that we are each personally accountable for what goes into our mouths. No one can make you fat but you!

With all that said, I do feel for you!!!!!! We all have eating issues or else we wouldnt be banded. I wish you the best with whatever you decide to do.

[sounddude 0]

Thanks for the support and input everyone. This has been the most horrific experience for me ever. I am not certain that I could bring myself to face another surgery ever. Even if it were to remove the band. Having almost died during the second one, I am terrified.

As for my mental state, I have issues, you are right. They consume me at points but they have developed as a result of this. December of 2009 I weighed 326, and decided I was going to change my eating habits. I lost 22 lbs by February.

I began taking martial arts classes 2 days a week at a very intense work out pace. I did this for 5 months advancing belts and living in total muscle pain. I gained weight the entire time I was in class. (Go figure) And getting punched in the port is not very pleasant. I quit class after 5 months due to financial reasons.

I weighed in 2 weeks ago at 335 the wheels had come off the bus and I was out of control. I have been reeling it back in over 2 weeks now and controling my food intake.

This morning I am 329. 6lbs loss in 2 weeks. Grilled chicken, salad, grilled veggies, wendys chili, and weight control oatmeal. No bread, Pasta, junk, or sugar.

The good news is, the doctors have made a ton of money placing a "tool" in me so I can have the same rollercoaster life I lived for the first 34 years of my life on my own with no "tools".

[sounddude 0]

Here is the conclusion I have come to. I have been researching weight loss for my whole life. Obesity is a disease and according to research may even be brought on by a virus and it is contagious!!! It is not a habit, not a mental issue, and not cureable and may never be.

With extreme discipline you can manage this disease, but it is currently a terminal condition. It is harder to control than a heroin addiction because you can quit taking heroin and get over it. You can quit drinking and get over it. You can not quit eating and get over it. You must eat to live.

No industry would ever want to cure obesity, it is big business from the food we buy to the cures we try to the people it employs as trainers, nutritionists, surgeons, pharmaceutical companies, entertainment venues and the like. This list could go on for days but I digress.

Fact* No matter how much weight you lose, no matter how fit you get, the fat cells you have will never go away, and are only waiting to expand.

Doctors and researchers have been selling us Patches but never working on the root issues. The cure lies in metabolic rates and gene therapy or alterations. Until they bring this to the table, we will all be at war to varied degrees with obesity.