I'll just say it...

[MelissaGG 9]

I am usually the happy go lucky optimistic poster child but seriously, I am ticked off that I am even here!!! There I said it! I hate this band, I hate that it did not work, I hate that I had surgery 10 years ago and was told that it would stay in for life. I hate that I am considering sleeve, I hate that I need surgery, I hate that I have no idea where to go, who to see and who to trust. I hate the uncertainty and I hate that I have to worry if my 3 year old will have a mom and I hate that I did this to myself. There, I feel better and between my tears, I ask if anyone else felt this way too?

[shannon crotts 23]

Yes yes yes!! And hate that i have to choose...be fat or have 3/4 of my stomach removed?!?!? Just had my band removed this past Tuesday sitting here hurting...feels like my band is still there! Had my band in for 4.5 years. I feel ya 100%!!

[MelissaGG 9]

Yes yes yes!! And hate that i have to choose...be fat or have 3/4 of my stomach removed?!?!? Just had my band removed this past Tuesday sitting here hurting...feels like my band is still there! Had my band in for 4.5 years. I feel ya 100%!!

Shannon, can you tell me about band removal? If you don't mind, it seems to help me. I am really scared of the damage this thing caused over 10 years. I have some Weird symptoms and as you can see, I am freaking out just a bit.

[shannon crotts 23]

Hey. I had a lot of stomach pain with my band. Hard to explain but just pain. No reflux and minimal vomiting just pain and a lot of burping and pressure. Had two barium swallows and everything was normal before i decided to remove it and go for sleeve. Dr said everything looked good when he took it out this week. Removal surgery has been a cake...almost. Just ate and just didnt agree...almost just like my band was still in.

[mokee 588]

So sorry you are both suffering and do not know where to turn. About 4 years ago I had a band scheduled and for some reason changed my mind. So glad I did. Now I am 10 weeks post op from the sleeve and hope things continue down a good path. I still have trouble with foods that do not agree with me. I suffered for 8 hours yesterday from chili and usually I have no problem with that.

Best of luck to you both.

[stomlin75 161]

I am usually the happy go lucky optimistic poster child but seriously, I am ticked off that I am even here!!! There I said it! I hate this band, I hate that it did not work, I hate that I had surgery 10 years ago and was told that it would stay in for life. I hate that I am considering sleeve, I hate that I need surgery, I hate that I have no idea where to go, who to see and who to trust. I hate the uncertainty and I hate that I have to worry if my 3 year old will have a mom and I hate that I did this to myself. There, I feel better and between my tears, I ask if anyone else felt this way too?

Melissa,

I did not have the band but I can tell you I felt the same exact way about turning to surgery. I also have a 2 year old and 4 year old and the idea of surgery really scared me. I justified the risks of surgery by the benefits of a longer and healthier life to be with my children. However, after reading through a number of posts on this forum from people who experienced leaks, (iggychic who is a great resource) I am not sure I would make the same decision again and risk losing my life. The sleeve does one thing for you - makes you feel full fast which limits your intake. I am glad I had it done and didn't have any complications. I am also glad I was networked so well professionally with the surgeons at Dartmouth where I had it done so I could get the "skinny" (no pun intended) on knowing who to perform my surgery. I do clinical health research so it made the process of info gathering easier.

I suggest you might talk to a therapist about this? I honestly feel like some of the best decisions I have ever made were with the help of a therapist who could help me lay out all of my concerns in a logical way and make an informed decision without any other influence. While not all therapists are unbiased, it's the only option I can think of to help you sort it out. Wishing you all the best in whatever you decide to do and just know that it's perfectly understandable to feel angry. I think we all have felt that way to some degree.

[mini.mee 83]

I am a band/sleeve revision patient and used to feel exactly as you said.

Your thoughts are absolutely normal as far as I am concerned.

I had to let the hate out and make the decision to have the revision, I am 3 months out now and have not looked back at all.

I am not a fast loser, just the norm from what I read, I really, truly couldn't be happier about everything now.

Honestly, make your decision, it will really help how yiu are feeling, and if you can find a Dr to do both in one, go for it.

Some say you have to wait months in between, but I didn't and know of quite a few on here who did the same, all of us no problems

[RedCardinal 13]

I hear you. My current gripe is people who tell me how glad they are that I'm doing this. I want to reply "you're not the one undergoing permanent mutilation, so that's easy for you to say"

That said, you're doing this for your children, so you'll be there for their weddings and children.

[MelissaGG 9]

I hear you. My current gripe is people who tell me how glad they are that I'm doing this. I want to reply "you're not the one undergoing permanent mutilation, so that's easy for you to say"

That said, you're doing this for your children, so you'll be there for their weddings and children.

I think that the people saying that to you are saying it out of concern. They may be the closest people to you and are happy that you are taking control. It is a brave choice, one that not everyone can make. Turn it around and believe that it is admiration rather than criticism. Good luck...there goes that darned optimism again :0)