Totally Petrified Now

[scorrea 95]

Hi all, since my surgery I have found this site to be a plethora of information. These feelings I am having now started really bad yesterday. I feel scared. I read so many horrible things that have happened to people because of this band, I am afraid I will have complications.

How will I know if my band is slipping? My mind is running with these questions and I am scared. I was nervous before the surgery, but this is crazy, I am wondering should I just get it out?

Has anyone else had these feelings? Are they normal? Do they go away as you progress? I am still so new at this. I just started mushy foods today and finally feel some relief in my stomach from the hunger!

I appreciate any input

[AnnieR 0]

Hi,

I am 3 weeks post op banded and am having the same feelings as you!

I'm anxious, Im not sleeping well.... theres something foreign in my body!!

From what I am learning, its not unusual to feel the way we are. Any surgery causes some mental and physical trama... it will gradually subside.

We took a big step in becoming healthy... I think if you continue to tell the people closest to you whats going on, how youre feeling, it will help. Thats been helping me.. even though my sisters havent been banded, they got on line & learned all about it. Now they are wonderful listeners and can understand these scary feeling Im having. It feels good to just talk about it! Hang in there...

it will get better!!

[jeani81 93]

It is all completely normal. Just remember the true reason you got the band in the first place. Your health and to better your way of living. I too was very scared after reading so many complications on here but the truth is that many people go without any complications. It just seems like there are so many people with complications because they group together on here. All you need to do is follow your drs rules and diet and you will be fine.

[honk 780]

Remember people who are stressed out from complications are more likely to come on here to talk about them than people who are doing well. Almost 2 years out knock on wood I've never had a PB or vomitted. I've had a couple stuck episodes: cheap white bread and raw baby carrots.

If your band slips you will have trouble keeping down liquids. But remember not everyone has slips.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

honk is right. Unfortunately the people having problems post at least 5x as often as those coasting along happily with their bands. I encourage you do some actual research on the band statistics and not base your fears off posts here. Especially considering the majority of band issues you read on here are self-caused to begin with.

Look at it like this- your have a far greater risk of dying from obesity related health issues than you do from band issues. At worse case scenario, it slips, and the doctor either fixes it or removes it. But if you remain obese, the risk is literally premature death.

Personally, I'd much rather take the risks with the band than of dying before my time because I'm obese.

[Toddy 758]

No. 1, stay away from the complications section on this message board. No. 2, follow the band rules and you will avoid some of those complications. No. 3, listen to your body, and if you have a complication, you can have your band removed. The reason I chose lapband is because it is reversible in the event of a complication. Try not to stress, stressing about something always makes things worse. When you start seeing the scale moving down, it will make you feel much better about your decision!!

[2muchfun 8,927]

Some other posters commented on why people come to this forum and it's really because they are searching for answers. Most of the complications aren't really problematic, they're just fears and concerns that need an answer. So of course, the comments may seem negative but look at how many replies from successful bandster there are?

As Mis73 said most of us would rather take our chances with the band than die from obesity. Think about how many comments this forum would receive if it could reach the heavens and allow the millions of people who have died an early death due to obesity? I think most of those comments would have been, woulda, coulda, shoulda?

tmf

[PandorasBox92264 61]

I was banded in 08 and honestly had not heard of what a PB was or sliming. I only recently joined this forum when I got another fill I had moved cross county and had some Fluid taken out.

I only had some minor sticks, nothing major then geared myself back up for all the things I needed to do with more restriction.

They are right when they say that alot of the people doing well do not even come on and post, I know I never did.

It is a foreign implant, somewhat like an artificial knee, joint, or some other medical device. The idea of it can freak you out if you think of it. It is a tool to help assist you in making better choices for a better quality of life.

If you really look and try to breakdown the fear you are feeling where is it coming from? Do you think it primarily is due to the loss of a food or what you think will change your life considerably?

If a problem occurs you will know something is wrong, you won't be able to keep down anything. Worst case they can remove Fluid, adjust, or fix like you would a flat tire.

Many times with heart attacks, strokes or other things that come up on the body that can be due to being overweight.. do not have the warning signs that we have with the band, and if things go wrong they are usually fixable pretty fast with the band.

I have also found that different people have different comfort levels, or pain tolerance etc. I have a pretty high tolerance, I try to figure stuff out and get through it.

My sister had gastric bypass and had a multitude of trouble with it including a handful of surgeries to fix her issues. Everything from resectioning her intenstions twice due to herniation, an infection, and luckily she had Lipo to flatten the tummy and they found gangrine in her belly.. thank goodness for lipo!

Personally I did not want to have my piping redone.. liked the adjustable aspect better..and glad i made the decision.... You will question it in the weeks post op.. then.. you will have a change of heart.. good luck!

[Sojourner 2,446]

As others have posted earlier...this forum is a valuable resource for information and insights into the band, and more importantly the real life experiences of individuals who are living with their bands. Some are going to have problems, an inescapable reality with the law of averages. This forum is an excellent resource to read from others who are actually on the weight loss journey, and to visit when they have questions and/or problems.

Post op anxieties that you are describing are normal; there are numerous adjustments that you are going through now. Everything from hormones to a radical lifestyle change can cause anxiety, especially when it all comes at you at the same time. The anxiety should resolve as you continue to live from day to day, and discover that you are able to be successful with your weight loss journey. If in a few weeks time the anxiety is still with you, then it would be advisable to consult with your surgeon or a therapist. Another important insight into anxiety is that we create it in our minds...because we create it, we can also control it. This takes some practice, but is readily "doable".

Yes, there are risks to just about everything we do, or don't do in life. The risks of obesity related/caused health issues are real...for some of us more real than others. I also side with those who chose a path to restore some of the health that my weight was stealing from me.

The single most important thing you can empower yourself to do is to remain compliant with your surgeon's instructions...and to not hesitate to get in touch with them or the office staff if you have questions or concerns.

I have experienced a couple of complications which were band related, but nothing related to not following the surgeon's instructions. I also have never had a stuck episode with food or vomited (knock wood )!

In time, after your anxieties are in the past, you will understand with better clarity the opportunity you have to become healthier and happier.

Best wishes to you as your journey continues...

[123crod 170]

I just don't understand why people say they can feel the band, alone in their body, and it freaks them out. I think that is a mental thing and that you can't let your mind drift off that way. Is there really a documented case where the body rejected the band or was it a mental thing?

You can drive your self crazy with all the what - if's. Just go with the flow follow instructions and let it work for you and if there ever is a complication you will deal with it right . . . what choice will you have. Relax . . stress it not helpful in weightloss.

cheri

[waitingpatiently 250]

I can tell you from personal experience that you come to this site in different stages. Before I had the band, I lived on here...I asked every question I could think of and read every success story I found.---stayed away from the horror stories.

The first month after the band I lived on here as well...everything was new, I asked my questions and came to the group for encouragement to get through the awfull 6 week post op diet----everyone was so awesome!!

Now that I'm several months out...I only check in a few times a week. And since things are going smoothly, I rarely ask questions.

My point is, as sad as it is....I can see myself not relying on the site as much anymore....and won't probably be as active as time goes on..................But I will tell you this...the first time I'm unsure about something....this is the first place I will come!! And I think that is the same idea that others have. They kind of drift away when everything is going smoothly.....but they come back when they need advise or are in crisis. So don't worry too much about something going wrong. Your odds are the same as everyone elses....5% of us will have a slipped band and less than 1% of us will die from a complication....Those odds are pretty good compared to those of living a life trapped in an obese body.

Just be proactive....Its kinda of like a person allergic to bees. Most of us wouldn't run to the ER because we were stung. But if you are allergic to bees and are stung, you dont wait arounnd to see if the symptoms will go away, you rush to the hospital. Same with the band. You know what you are looking for....so if think something is going wrong....don't wait around!! seek help ASAP!!

[PattyGirl66 1,243]

I consider this site to be a continual 'group meeting', just as if you were to attend a meeting at Weight Watchers. I think most of us will need this support for awhile, or maybe forever. Whether you come on before you were banded or log on once in awhile to touch bases and let everyone know how you are doing. I have made a very good friend on here (Hi Missy). I can't imagine talking to her for this long and then one day never come back on to see how my friend is doing. You make connections and bonds on here with people, especially those who have supported you through this entire process.

I too have read that eariler post about the woman who lost her life, and yes I felt a knot in my stomache. However, I will not be swayed any other way. I already have a foreign object in me, a porceline hip, its a new hardware that I was first to have several years ago. Yes, I can feel it at times when I sit on a hard surface, or when I lay on my belly I can feel it with my hand. What I dont feel is the severe pain I had that I couldn't walk, that is the part I don't miss at all. I spent over 4 hours under anesthesia getting this done , had a blood transfusion and spent 10 days in the hospital. I think I can handle this. Just as Mis73 said, our weight alone is killing us slowly, crippling us. Just as that poster intially indicated this person waited and waited. We need to listen to our bodies what its telling us, if you think something is wrong, call up your surgeon. Who cares if you call a million times this is what they are paid to do.

[Audra 0]

I was banded in 2005. No problems ever, nada. Take each day as it comes and enjoy your weight loss.

[mommykristie 59]

From my personal experience, the farther out from your banding date you are the less time you spend on the forum. At the beginning stages (preop, intial banding, first few weeks) everyone spends much more time on the boards. I know I was more apt to check in throughout the day several times. As time moves on, I find myself busier with exercise, spending more active time with my family and overall enjoying my life again. So I spend less time on the forums. However, whenever, I need reassurance or a question answered, this is the first place I go to.

It is kind of like having family. When we are younger, we spend lots of time with our relatives (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc). As we get older, we don't rely on them for our daily social life but we know we can count on them to be there if needed.