When Lapband Goes Wrong

[MsMontelimar 0]

I've had my band for a year and a half. I've been coming on here to read about people's experiences with their bands since before I was banded, and reading so many of the positive stories people have to tell was part of what helped me make the decision to get my band.

I'd like to say before I go on, I did a lot of research before getting banded, it was not something I rushed into. I believed myself to be very well-prepared for getting banded. I saved to pay to have it done privately. I spent a long time coming to the decision and talking to worried family members, convincing them that I knew what I was doing.

In a sense, the band has partially worked, I lost some weight immediately after the operation, and I do believe I would have continued to put on weight had I not got the band, whereas as I am now, I've reached a plateau.

I remain overweight, and honestly, I'm still in agony over my relationship with food. I knew the band would only be a tool and that a lot of the work would need to come from me, but I believed that I was ready to completely re-assess what food meant to me. I see now that no such change has happened. I have restriction, I have discomfort when I over-eat, but such has been my compulsion to eat that I've forced it down or sought out softer foods, falling into a pattern of eating that allows me toundermine what the band's meant to be doing.

I haven't been able to shake my fixation with food. If there is food in the house, I fight and fight in my head, driving myself to distraction, it's like something continually nagging at me that I can't ignore, I feel helpless with it. Giving in brings no relief, I really don't enjoy eating, it's a crushing thing to keep losing to this compulsion. I knew as well as anyone that the band alone would not cure this problem, but hearing about other people who got the band and managed to overcome it made me think it could help me do it. At this stage, I wish I never had to eat again, I wish I just didn't have to deal with food at all, I wish it was like cigarettes or alcohol, something where at least there would be the option to stop altogether, rather than having to keep on with it, but in limited amounts. It's there, day after day, and I feel like it's ruling my life.

I know that for so many people on here, the band has worked and has somehow forced a change in the way they relate to food emotionally, I just want to know how many people there are like me, and I'd like to know where they went from here – did you decide to have your band removed? Did you turn to counseling/therapy to deal with your eating problems? Did you work out a way to work with your band?

[i'm starting this discussion here rather than in the 'Support' section because I get the impression more people will read this here, and also it would be nice if there was a sticky post in the general section with accounts of why the band maybe didn't work for them or how they struggled. There are plenty of success stories here, but I think for people still wondering whether or not to get banded, reading a balanced account of people experiences means seeing both sides, when it works out and when it doesn't]

[maratharibe 0]

There are several choices when it comes to weight loss surgery and the two most common procedures are gastric bypass and lap band surgery. Both of these are effective in helping the majority of patients that undergo these surgical procedures lose weight. Which of the two procedures a patient finally selects to help them with their weight issues depends on their weight loss goals, general health and their doctors recommendation. Even though most patients are good candidates for both surgeries, they usually look to their doctor for advice on which one is better for their health.

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[Leifysmom 0]

Have you thought about going to therepy to help you learn more about your relationship with food? I personally haven't done this yet, so I dont have personal experiance, but it is something I have considered. Maybe this would help you too. We all use food for different reasons, and maybe if you get done to the real reason you are using food the way you are.

Good luck.

Crystal

I've had my band for a year and a half. I've been coming on here to read about people's experiences with their bands since before I was banded, and reading so many of the positive stories people have to tell was part of what helped me make the decision to get my band.

I'd like to say before I go on, I did a lot of research before getting banded, it was not something I rushed into. I believed myself to be very well-prepared for getting banded. I saved to pay to have it done privately. I spent a long time coming to the decision and talking to worried family members, convincing them that I knew what I was doing.

In a sense, the band has partially worked, I lost some weight immediately after the operation, and I do believe I would have continued to put on weight had I not got the band, whereas as I am now, I've reached a plateau.

I remain overweight, and honestly, I'm still in agony over my relationship with food. I knew the band would only be a tool and that a lot of the work would need to come from me, but I believed that I was ready to completely re-assess what food meant to me. I see now that no such change has happened. I have restriction, I have discomfort when I over-eat, but such has been my compulsion to eat that I've forced it down or sought out softer foods, falling into a pattern of eating that allows me toundermine what the band's meant to be doing.

I haven't been able to shake my fixation with food. If there is food in the house, I fight and fight in my head, driving myself to distraction, it's like something continually nagging at me that I can't ignore, I feel helpless with it. Giving in brings no relief, I really don't enjoy eating, it's a crushing thing to keep losing to this compulsion. I knew as well as anyone that the band alone would not cure this problem, but hearing about other people who got the band and managed to overcome it made me think it could help me do it. At this stage, I wish I never had to eat again, I wish I just didn't have to deal with food at all, I wish it was like cigarettes or alcohol, something where at least there would be the option to stop altogether, rather than having to keep on with it, but in limited amounts. It's there, day after day, and I feel like it's ruling my life.

I know that for so many people on here, the band has worked and has somehow forced a change in the way they relate to food emotionally, I just want to know how many people there are like me, and I'd like to know where they went from here – did you decide to have your band removed? Did you turn to counseling/therapy to deal with your eating problems? Did you work out a way to work with your band?

[i'm starting this discussion here rather than in the 'Support' section because I get the impression more people will read this here, and also it would be nice if there was a sticky post in the general section with accounts of why the band maybe didn't work for them or how they struggled. There are plenty of success stories here, but I think for people still wondering whether or not to get banded, reading a balanced account of people experiences means seeing both sides, when it works out and when it doesn't]

[Kalipso2 25]

i know exactly how you're feeling... i really do. since getting banded almost 3 years ago, every day has been a struggle. every meal is a struggle. i've done okay with losing the weight but after 3 years, i'm not at my goal yet. i'm close but it's been an uphill battle the entire time. i read about how easy the weight has fallen off for other people and that just hasn't been the case for me. at each meal i'm sad because i can't eat what i really want to be eating since my band doesn't allow pizza (or any bread) or ground meat. i have to stop eating before my brain is ready to stop eating so i feel cheated at the end of every meal.

i know i need help but i've been in therapy before and it never helped me. i've thought about joining an Over Eaters Annonomous group but i don't know how accepting they'd be of a 148 pound woman who has had weight loss surgery.

so, yes, there are other people out there who are going thru the same struggles you are!

[notateechanow 7]

I'm more than 3 years out and I still struggle. (I had a major slip at Thanksgiving so I'm technically "unclamped" right now) My nutritionist used to refer to this as head hunger. No surgery will ever fix the emotional eating. I have spent a lot of time going to counseling and found it to be tremendously helpful. You've really got to figure out what's eating YOU, since you say that the food you eat really doesn't provide any relief. You need replacement behaviors---alternatives to eating when you're feeling that compulsion. I've stopped buying the foods I shouldn't eat, but I live alone---so it's that much easier for me. This battle never ends, but it can be easier. Many years ago, in one weight loss program or another that I did, my group leader encouraged me to think before eating anything---am I eating because I'm hungry? bored? tired? stressed? happy? sad? I also had to learn that smaller people eat to live, not live to eat as I always have. People without weight issues eat only until they're no longer hungry. The rest of us eat until the food is gone. I think it's important that you recognize this relatively early in your journey. That's the first step to finding a way to make it easier for you. If you have access to a counselor who specializes in eating disorders, that is the first place to start. Does your surgeon off a support group? Mine saved my life. Knowing I am not alone has made it so much more bearable, but also having the chance to talk with other "bandsters" about their experiences and behaviors they've created to avoid over eating. I wish you luck in this journey. Success starts with a single step.....and you've taken that by having surgery---but now it's time to move forward and figure out how to use this tool in a way that makes you happy. Finding a way to end your compulsion will bring you the success you need/want. Good luck!

[cbearanne 0]

Your story is my story. I was well prepared, very ready. I've lost weight (45lb) and feel so much better but for two months I haven't lost anything. I still love food, I eat fast, and then the pain reminds me to stop and slow down. I have resorted to soft mushy foods because chicken takes such effort and concentration, etc. I stay at 200 lbs no matter if I'm drinking Protein shakes or eating food. I feel like I fight against my band like a petulant child, I eat something and then I remember, yup I have a band. Sometimes I wish I didn't have it. But then I think of weighing 245 with only more to come. The way I was living and sleeping a lot I know I'd be there and unhappy. Soooo, I am stuck in the middle like you, happier but not where I want to be. I have just begun this journey so I'm learning every day. I'm hoping to have more success very soon. Good luck to you too. C

I've had my band for a year and a half. I've been coming on here to read about people's experiences with their bands since before I was banded, and reading so many of the positive stories people have to tell was part of what helped me make the decision to get my band.

I'd like to say before I go on, I did a lot of research before getting banded, it was not something I rushed into. I believed myself to be very well-prepared for getting banded. I saved to pay to have it done privately. I spent a long time coming to the decision and talking to worried family members, convincing them that I knew what I was doing.

In a sense, the band has partially worked, I lost some weight immediately after the operation, and I do believe I would have continued to put on weight had I not got the band, whereas as I am now, I've reached a plateau.

I remain overweight, and honestly, I'm still in agony over my relationship with food. I knew the band would only be a tool and that a lot of the work would need to come from me, but I believed that I was ready to completely re-assess what food meant to me. I see now that no such change has happened. I have restriction, I have discomfort when I over-eat, but such has been my compulsion to eat that I've forced it down or sought out softer foods, falling into a pattern of eating that allows me toundermine what the band's meant to be doing.

I haven't been able to shake my fixation with food. If there is food in the house, I fight and fight in my head, driving myself to distraction, it's like something continually nagging at me that I can't ignore, I feel helpless with it. Giving in brings no relief, I really don't enjoy eating, it's a crushing thing to keep losing to this compulsion. I knew as well as anyone that the band alone would not cure this problem, but hearing about other people who got the band and managed to overcome it made me think it could help me do it. At this stage, I wish I never had to eat again, I wish I just didn't have to deal with food at all, I wish it was like cigarettes or alcohol, something where at least there would be the option to stop altogether, rather than having to keep on with it, but in limited amounts. It's there, day after day, and I feel like it's ruling my life.

I know that for so many people on here, the band has worked and has somehow forced a change in the way they relate to food emotionally, I just want to know how many people there are like me, and I'd like to know where they went from here – did you decide to have your band removed? Did you turn to counseling/therapy to deal with your eating problems? Did you work out a way to work with your band?

[i'm starting this discussion here rather than in the 'Support' section because I get the impression more people will read this here, and also it would be nice if there was a sticky post in the general section with accounts of why the band maybe didn't work for them or how they struggled. There are plenty of success stories here, but I think for people still wondering whether or not to get banded, reading a balanced account of people experiences means seeing both sides, when it works out and when it doesn't]

[isaviolinist 11]

I have Binge Eating Disorder (BED) as well and I have started seeing an amazing therapist who specializes in eating disorders and has a clinic specifically for those who suffer with BED. While, I only just started seeing her in November or December, she has already helped me change my relationship with food and improve the quality of my life. I feel so grateful to have found her. I definitely suggest seeking out a therapist who deals with eating disorders specifically, and with a lot of experience with BED.

I've also started reading this book: Intuitive Eating

It is an anti-diet book so many bandsters and folks on LBT practice the opposite kind of behavior as is talked about in this book and would condemn it. But basically a lot of the book is about giving yourself unconditional permission to eat. ANYTHING (even chocolate, ice cream, carbs...whatever). And unconditional permission means allowing yourself to eat with no shame, sadness, regret, anger, self deprecating remarks, etc. There have been many many studies on the subject (some of which are outlined in the book) but when you remove the scarcity of a food (or anything), meaning you realize that it is there and available to you anytime you want and you have permission to have it without fear of repercussion from your mind, your family, the scale, etc., your brain realizes that its not necessary to overeat that food. And often, you begin to realize that you dont even LIKE these foods that you once binged on and obsessed about.

Anyways, the book is really an amazing and well thought out approach to eating intuitively (a skill that, for many of us, is buried deeply underneath years upon years of diets and weightloss mantras) and while I haven't been reading it for long, I think it is changing my life. My band is currently filled WAY too tightly and in March I plan to get a complete unfill. It is hard to effectively relearn the skill of intuitive eating or even listen to my natural hunger and fullness queues when I'm throwing up most of my food. I believe that when I really do start listening to my primal queues regarding food, I will return to the weight that my body feels it should naturally be. And even more importantly, I will return to a state of mental and physical health.

Those are my two suggestions: eating disorder therapist and pick up a copy of that book.

[thsisme 14]

isaviolinist, the concept that you share of intuitive eating, is interesting and as you say, I am sure that many would not agree with it. I am not sure that I agree with it, but one never knows until one has tried or perhaps knows of someone who has tried this concept. Everyone is different in our struggles for food.

Thank you for mentioning the book, I will pick it up and read it just because I find this concept intriguing to say the least. As I think about your summary of intuitive eating it does make some level of sense. After all do not the majority of us at one point or another in lives berate ourselves for "falling off the wagon" and then continue to go full tilt at the food until we learn to forgive ourselves and give ourselves the right to jump back on that wagon?

Just today at lunch I had ordered some seafood that came with a small toasted piece of garlic toast (I love garlic) and I thought to myself mmmmm, and then I started to argue with myself that it would be bad, it is bread and I have stopped eating bread, the smell of the garlic was starting to win it's battle and I thought to myself, why not just take a bite, get it out of my system and go on with my entree. I took a bite out of the toast chewed and thought, this is what I debated with myself for? It's good, but I'd much rather have my seafood, than this, I placed it to the side of my plate and went on to enjoy my meal without another thought to the toast. No beat up, no negativity, just enjoyment of the meal and mostly the people that I was with....

Msmontelimar, I agree with Isaviolinist and others, you need to start somewhere and find what works for you. A therapist who specializes in eating disorders is a great place to start. I fthe therapist does not work for you, then there are other paths to investigate. I wish you well.