Lap Band Removal

[tbug423 0]

Hello! I'm new here, but have been banded since 2009. I have had problems w the band & now it slipped. I'm considering removing it bc I have read lots of info which says if i fix it, a slip could happen again! I want this to be my last surgery! I don't wanna risk slippage again & go through all the acid reflux issues I have.

If u have had it removed--how was your recovery? Same as being banded or easier?? What abt Eating schedule right after surgery?? Is that the same??

Thx and ANY info would be much appreciated!

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Hello! I'm new here' date=' but have been banded since 2009. I have had problems w the band & now it slipped. I'm considering removing it bc I have read lots of info which says if i fix it, a slip could happen again! I want this to be my last surgery! I don't wanna risk slippage again & go through all the acid reflux issues I have.

If u have had it removed--how was your recovery? Same as being banded or easier?? What abt Eating schedule right after surgery?? Is that the same??

Thx and ANY info would be much appreciated![/quote']

Had mine removed 3 1/2 weeks ago due to slip. I was sore but overall recovery was easier than getting the band. The port site was REALLY tender and still is a tad. I have no lifting >10 lbs for 6 weeks orders. I was sent home on liquids with orders to advance as tolerate. Took me about a week t get to normal food just because I Was scared to try real, solid foods after the pain I'd had with the slip.

Physically I felt really good about 1 week post-op. emotionally I fell apart about 4 days post op. I was sad, mad, hurt, you name it, I felt it. Be prepared to be a bit emotional :/. Good luck!!!

[tbug423 0]

Thx for the info! I'm already emotional abt it all! All I do is research, and look for answers online. I'm mad that I have to go through this. I thought of revision, but the fact that it could slip again or erode??!! Ummm just not enough confidence to make me revise. I know it was never guaranteed but I swore it was a one time thing!! BUT now after researching like a nut...I see sooooo

Many complication stories: slips & erodes--scary! I won't let that happened to me again!

I'm worried abt weight gain. I have been with a personal trainer for 5 weeks & now I have to give that up for awhile I guess bc of the surgery. I'm gonna miss my aqua classes :-( I'm more mad abt not being able to exercise the way I have been lately :-( How long does it take to be able to exercise!?

[lavender714 0]

having my band removed tomorrow. have had it since may of 09. it worked well for about 5 months, then I had reflux...fluid in..fluid out...food stuck...and overall the past 2 months not able to eat much but soft sliding food.

Any info on recovery and diet, very apprehensive about tomorrow.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

having my band removed tomorrow. have had it since may of 09. it worked well for about 5 months' date=' then I had reflux...fluid in..fluid out...food stuck...and overall the past 2 months not able to eat much but soft sliding food.

Any info on recovery and diet, very apprehensive about tomorrow.[/quote']

See above..for me, physically, recovery was a piece of cake. The emotional aspect was a bit trickier! Going in to surgery I truly expected to wake up with a bypass. Waking up with nothing was a bit of a shock. About 4 days post-op the anger hit me. I was mad at my band, my body, my surgeon, myself. I felt like such a failure and I knew no one who had been through anything like this that could help. The anger and self pity lasted me about a week and since I didn't gain 110 pounds overnight I started thinking I might survive this!

My exact diet instructions were "advance as tolerated" which scared the crap out of me after having had so many food issues the last 2 1/2 years!!!! I did a couple days of liquids then stayed on soft or mushy the rest of the week. I stared down grilled chicken 3 or 4 dinners in a row before I got the nerve to take a bite :/. I am now in hog heaven

I should get my bypass in February. My only instructions are "continue to exercise and try to maintain your weight" I'm down roughly 70 pounds from pre-band so if I can maintain that, I'll be thrilled! I have become obsessive about logging everything I eat on my fitness pal and I'm more consistent with exercise than I have been in over a year. I'll be 4 weeks post-op Wednesday and my weight is stable. I have huge bags of celery, apples, and grapes that I'm gorging myself on (I've missed them so much!!!) and I do my best to behave diet-wise Sunday afternoon-Friday afternoon. Friday night-Sunday morning I get to splurge although I've discovered splurging now is a lot less ridiculous than it wa pre-band. If nothing else, the band taught me how little I have to have to survive and that I won't die if I don't get to eat (insert weakness here).

I wish you well and if there's anything I can do to help please let me know! And update us when you get a chance!!! Good luck!!

[jrae 38]

Christie why can't you get the sleeve? Not that by pass is bad but the sleeve seems less drastic.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Christie why can't you get the sleeve? Not that by pass is bad but the sleeve seems less drastic.

I'm a candidate for anything but another band but personally am just more comfortable with the bypass. Im a family practice physician assistant and fairly knowledgeable on both, just feel that the bypass is a better fit for me personally.

[tbug423 0]

Well I got the band removed. :-( I was upset and cried as my amazing dr offered other options. I had to stand my ground & go w my gut. Having my band slip & hiatal hernia repair was not in my plans---& I never wanna go through this again. I know chances slipping after a slip is more. I have 3 kids, and decided I can't go through the uncertainty again.

However, she won't be seeing the last of me. Her office offers nutritional/med help w/o surgery. I'm getting right on board as soon as I go back next week for my checkup. I can't wait to see my personal trainer & gym again, but have to wait a few weeks. :-(

Thx for listening & offering support & advice!

[elcee 3,341]

Why does a sleeve seem less drastic than a bypass? There seems to be this weird perception out there that a bypass is really bad - have no idea why. With a sleeve they chop of a large proportion of your stomach and throw it away,with a bypass they reroute your intestines.

The bypass has the advantage of malabsorption as well as restriction whereas a sleeve only has restriction. It is also theoretically possible to reverse a bypass ( although only very rarely done in practice). So why does a bypass have this reputation for being a serious op to be avoided at all costs and the sleeve a reputation for being the holy graille?

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Why does a sleeve seem less drastic than a bypass? There seems to be this weird perception out there that a bypass is really bad - have no idea why. With a sleeve they chop of a large proportion of your stomach and throw it away' date='with a bypass they reroute your intestines.

The bypass has the advantage of malabsorption as well as restriction whereas a sleeve only has restriction. It is also theoretically possible to reverse a bypass ( although only very rarely done in practice). So why does a bypass have this reputation for being a serious op to be avoided at all costs and the sleeve a reputation for being the holy graille?[/quote']

I have wondered this as well. Both are fairly radical but somewhere along the line cutting off a large portion of your stomach became less radical than rerouting the intestine.... I don't get it? I personally am going with the option that has the larger average weight loss.

I also don't get why people are so polarized when it comes to the three surgeries, it's almost as if to have a band you must be anti-bypass anti-sleeve and to have a sleeve you must be anti-band, anti-bypass, and to have a bypass you have to be anti-band, anti-sleeve. I'm a member of all 3 boards and it's a similar theme across all three. I've been accepted on the others only because I'm a 'failed band!!!!' (gasp! The horror!!!). I still think we should all just support each other in our Quest for good health, no matter which path we take.

[elcee 3,341]

So true. We are all working towards the same end goal.

I think a lot of it maybe defensive .What do they say about attack being the best form of defence?

[lavender714 0]

Hi everyone!!! I posted on manday that i was having my lapband removed on tuesday.

I had it removed, but I am surprised that this is much harder recovery than getting the band put in.

It's Friday and I cannot get down much and I am not hungry much. drinking lots of Water though

I am also sooo bruised, escpecially the incision where I think the port was taken out.

Anyone have similar problems?? Any advice??

thanks, Jennie

[karewpah 173]

To the OP...I had a slip early on. The stats say you are more likely to slip again and I think it's because

A slip usually happens when we're not following the rules

We are creatures of habit and behaviors are incredibly hard to change

Commit to the rules and to the behavior change needed and you should be just fine