Any old timers still around?

[bushbaby 8]

Way to go! Exercise is the key and with your new knee you'll be ready to go! Good luck with the surgery!

[HeatherO 7]

I posted before but it has been a while. I have now surpassed my 4 year anniversary. I did have a complication with a slip at 1.5 years and had to have a new band installed but it has been fine ever since.

I went below goal and stayed there for the longest but I was unfilled for my last pregnancy and still have about 15 pounds to go back to goal. My baby is 4 months old now, so I think I am not doing too bad. My goal is normal BMI . . . and eventhough I hover at the top of the limit for normal and occasionally drift into overweight, that is fine with me. I wear medium sized clothes, I can buy whatever I want off the rack, and food doesn't rule my life. For me it has been a win-win.

One thing I want to mention is that sometimes I feel like the band has changed my relationship with food and I could probably get by without it . . . and I am wrong. I had a slip and had to start over and also had two babies. That means over the 4 years I had 3 times I had to get completely unfilled and start from scratch. The moment I am unfilled, the obsessive, extreme, bottomless pit of hunger comes back with a vengeance. I realize that for me (and I am only speaking for myself, other people have different reasons for being obese) that my insatiable appetite led to obesity more than behavioral issues. Why is my appetite out of control when I am unfilled/not banded . . . I don't know but all I can say is thank God for my band.

[54Shirley 105]

Im coming up on 4 years banded and still very happy. Ive gained a bit back from my lowest point but still down 90 from where I started. I recently went back to the gym to get some more of it back. I just had a knee replacement which is slowing me down a bit but I hope to be back to the gym in a couple weeks to restart the downward progress.

I am a happy camper!

How do you like your new knee? I have 2 Titanium Knees, and it is fantastic. Reminds me of the Band. Yes its something artificial, but you only feel better in the long run... Thats how the band is for me, and the knees. No Regrets at all.

Shirley.

[dsk 1]

How do you like your new knee? I have 2 Titanium Knees, and it is fantastic. Reminds me of the Band. Yes its something artificial, but you only feel better in the long run... Thats how the band is for me, and the knees. No Regrets at all.

Shirley.

Hi Shirley,

Im only 2 weeks post surgery so its way too early to say. Still popping percocet like crazy. I made 100 degrees of flexion today at PT and was able to ride the bike a bit. Therapist said I way ahead of typical. Im a very sore puppy though. I believe the BioMet implant was used.

I had my hip done about 5 years ago and it is fantastic!! Completely cured the pain.

[KartMan 58]

Since my post here last year I can happily say that things are still going well for me. I just had my 3 year bandiversary last month. I haven’t had a fill since the first year. I have maintained my goal weight. I have had no complications at all with the band. I have no desire to take it out because I am certain I cannot control hunger without it. I am no longer fixated on weight, I hover right around goal. I know what I can eat and pretty much stick with that. I know what makes me PB, so for the most part I avoid those things. I am able to consume liberal amounts of sweets, so I do my best to avoid them via will power because the band is of little help for me there.

Last year I completed 4 Half Marathons (13.1 miles each) and several mid distance Triathlons (1500 meter swim, 25 mile bike, and 6 mile run). At the end of this month I am doing my first long distance Triathlon (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run). I never knew I had an athlete trapped under all that fat.

When I was heavy, I dreamed of being “normal” size. You know; able to fit on rides, wear regular clothes, eat just one portion of food... Well, that never really happened. I passed “normal”, which from my perspective these days is slightly overweight. I am now on the thin side of the population. I can physically do just about anything I want, I wear size Medium shirts and size 32 pants, and I can’t actually eat a whole portion of food. I truly feel bad for people that have had issues with the band, I feel very blessed to have the success that I have had. After reading about the failures, I am certain that if anything like that happens to me I will make a beeline to the Doc for a revision to a Sleeve – I never want to struggle with obesity again.

[lellow 1,713]

One thing I want to mention is that sometimes I feel like the band has changed my relationship with food and I could probably get by without it . . . and I am wrong. I had a slip and had to start over and also had two babies. That means over the 4 years I had 3 times I had to get completely unfilled and start from scratch. The moment I am unfilled, the obsessive, extreme, bottomless pit of hunger comes back with a vengeance. I realize that for me (and I am only speaking for myself, other people have different reasons for being obese) that my insatiable appetite led to obesity more than behavioral issues. Why is my appetite out of control when I am unfilled/not banded . . . I don't know but all I can say is thank God for my band.

My band is leaking, and I have no restriction and I have to say I feel like this too. I maintained my weight for years, then no restriction and BAM I'm struggling with hunger. This isn't head hunger either, it's real hunger. After over 3 years of nearly never feeling, it's so dismaying to think that all the lessons I learnt about food and hunger is undermined by actual physical hunger.

Don't get me wrong. I haven't had restriction in over 2 months now, and I've maintained but damn, compared to having the band, it's hard work. And the more I exercise, the hungrier I get. I did not have that when the band was working.

I never realised how much the band did for me. And I miss it. I want it back. I think I could maintain without the band, because so far I've been able to, but - call me spoilt - I don't want to. I struggle with eating the same amount as a three-year-old. I am constantly hungry.

My dr filled me right up at my last appt. I was starving when I got there, hadn't had time for lunch. And as he depressed the plunger on the syringe, I went from starving to not-the-least-bit-hungry. Oh what an amazing feeling! And then in the last week, the leak has meant that hunger is creeping back, and it annoys me no end! It's like getting the golden ticket, then losing it again!

The good news is my port and tubing replacement op is tomorrow. I hope to god it fixes this leak. I think I will have a VERY big tantrum if it doesn't! Lol!

[54Shirley 105]

Hi Shirley,

Im only 2 weeks post surgery so its way too early to say. Still popping percocet like crazy. I made 100 degrees of flexion today at PT and was able to ride the bike a bit. Therapist said I way ahead of typical. Im a very sore puppy though. I believe the BioMet implant was used.

I had my hip done about 5 years ago and it is fantastic!! Completely cured the pain.

Well sense you had a Hip done, you know what to expect...

I walk totally unassisted with 2 knees, so you will get around that's for sure.

[giveyouthemoon 4]

I am an old timer who was banded in 2005. This year would be seven years, but this band won't make it to my bandiversary in June.

I have quite a severe slip. Since Kaiser is now doing Lap Band surgery, I have moved over from Dr Cirangle in San Francisco to Kaiser since that is my insurance.

On Wednesday (March 7) I am going in for a revision. Dr Alami is going to take the old style band out and put in the new (and from what I hear, better) style band in.

While I'm going to be very happy to have a fixed band, I'm also kind of sad that I have to have surgery again. I have to remember how it was seven years ago and start all over.

I'm kind of sad that I have to start over and yet very relieved that my insurance will pay the bill this time.

I originally lost about 110 lbs and have since gained about 50 of that back. I hope I can have the new band installed and I will feel that sense of fullness again, and that sense of control over food. I hope....

Anyhow, I'm a little down tonight because I feel in many ways like a failure. I failed the band and yet crazily enough, I got a second chance.

Fingers crossed and all.

Edited to add: I've been happy to read quite a few people posting who said they had a slip, had a revision and were doing great. That gives me hope and confidence. Thanks for that!!

[HeatherO 7]

Edited to add: I've been happy to read quite a few people posting who said they had a slip, had a revision and were doing great. That gives me hope and confidence. Thanks for that!!

I just wanted to say that I have been there and done that. The second surgery was a piece of cake and very easy. I didn't have hardly any pain and didn't even take pain meds. I was up and about almost immediately. I think it was because they are just replacing something that was already there that the recovery was almost nothing. I actually felt better immediately after surgery because dealing with the slip was a thousand times worse than dealing with the second surgery. Good luck and I hope your experience is very similar to mine.

[giveyouthemoon 4]

HI Heather! Thanks for that. It helps. I figured since they don't have to replace the port and tubing for me, they are just putting in a new band, that things should be a lot less painful this time. That port site was a bear for pain on my first surgery!

I'm also thinking it will go easier because I already know how to eat smaller and sip liquids and stuff.

And like you, I'm SO ready to have this darn band fixed. Every day this slipped band gives me troubles. I'm totally bummed about the slip but so grateful to have insurance to cover the surgery this time.

[NeenBand 7]

Hey everyone! It's Leenerbups! It's been a while! I drifted away from the forums because the band was not working for me. I didn't have any issues with it either.

Now I am in a place where my new surgeon wants to replace my old band with the new one. He thinks this will get me to my goals. I'm leaning to not getting it. Back in 2006, we didn't know then what we know now and that is it's not successful for everyone, and that there are risks developing that we didn't realize back then.

You can read about what I am going through right now here: http://www.lapbandta...n/#entry1943564

I'd love your old timer input.

*hugs to all*