New here..band to VSG revision 4/24/13

[jlobyxmas 38]

Hi All,

I've been trolling for a few weeks, soaking up as much as I can and decided I should introduce myself.

I had my band placed in 2008, initially lost about 35 pounds, I never really felt restriction except for the day of a fill. Have gained all the weight back and can eat everything and anything that I want in large quantities, except brussel sprouts which still get stuck..go figure...and who the heck wants brussel sprouts anyway

So I decided I wanted to get my band out cause it's starting to freak me out that it's in there, and feel like it's a ticking time bomb, waiting for something bad to happen.

Went to the doctor about removal, he's done many conversions before and recommended the sleeve for me. So I'm sceheduled for 4/24.

Not nervous at all about the surgery, I work in the hosptial so it's like my second home and medical procedures don't freak me out at all. When I went for my egd my blood pressure was 80/90 and the anesthesiologist was amazed that I wasn't in the least bit nervous.

What does have me SUPER NERVOUS, and one of the reasons I've been trolling on here is...what if I fail again??? When I was preparing for my lap-band I was so confident that it was going to work for me... epic fail. What if I go through this and still end up where I am now...fat.??? The thought of this not working has my anxiety so far up, I'm ready to just forget about it, have them take my band out and just be overweight. At least then I won't have to explain that I've had two WLS and I'm still morbidly obese.

Anyone want to offer any advice, words of wisdom, or a kick in the butt? Any will be appreciated.

[NancyDec20 212]

well for one I think the band was too easy to cheat on.. and the sleeve.. well you can only take in so much... if you go over that amt.. you will get sick.. and thats not a fun thing throwing up.. ive read enough on here for that alone to freak me out.. I dont do the throw up thing at all..I too work in a hospital that I had my surgery in..so it was ok.. just wanted to wake up was my only request... thats what I told them.. make sure I wake up lol. the thing about the sleeve is it too is a tool..and like any tool you need to help make it work.. follow the rules.. follow the game plan..follow the doctors orders... its harder to cheat on.. follow your nuts advise on foods to eat.. choose your foods wisely.. walk often... sip sip sip.. and the weight will fall off.. Im post op dec 20th and Ive lost 68lbs..and just started at the gym doing cardio.. and I was never a gym sort of person.. but now I see how important things are..and how food does not rule my life at all.. I work 2 full time jobs and go to the gym.. I figure if I can do it..anyone can..and im not easily motivated at times.. but I do it cuz Im beginning to see a new me.. still cant see what others see and that is hard for me.. I still see the old me.. but I guess one day I will see what they see.. so Im trusting them that I look good.. my labs came back today after a 3 mo check up and they were great.. no loss in any vitamins.. cuz I take them every day faithfully.. so .. get on the band wagon here.. join us in our journeys..share your story and we will help you along the way.. thats what we are here for.. advice and to help each other and be a positive support system.. thats what you need.. positive support.. we are here for you.. good luck

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

Good decision to remove the band.. IMHO

Because I had to wait 18 months before my stomach healed and I could get sleeved, I gain a gazillion lbs. that's when I had to change my mind set. I'm done being unhealthy and eating like a pig.. AND letting food rule my life. I'M DONE! I refuse to fail, I refuse to be unhealthy, I refuse to be fat, I refuse to be unhappy because of being fat. I WILL SUCCEED!

Since my surgery I have never felt so healthy. Everything is going well and I have no desire to eat unhealthy. It's a mind set and you have to be in it to succeed.

Are you there? If not... Get there!

[jlobyxmas 38]

Thanks ladies, I appreciate the advice and words of encouragement. I remember being on the lap-band website and being gung-ho and convinced that it was the answer...ummm wrong!

I have lupus and have lots of aches and pains, but I'm not sure if I can equate them to the lupus or to being fat. I'm going to try, that's all I can say, I don't want to live the second half of my life the way I spent the first half, yoyo dieting, disgusted with myself, and discouraged. Hoping this is the correct tool to help me.

[moonchild1968 102]

That's pretty much my position, except I am a bit afraid of surgery, but I'm more afraid of failing again. Regaining all the weight from the lapband kicked my emotional butt so badly that I don't want to go through it again and I certainly don't want to go through it publicly. I'm already hiding out socially, hoping that I don't run into people who last saw me at the height of my lapband success. I'm ashamed. I hate that I have to do this again, but I know that I have to do this again to give myself a fighting chance at ridding myself of all this weight and all these aches and pains. My feet and legs hurt. I walk like a fat lady...heck, that's what I am. Anyway, I thought about just getting the lapband out and going it on my own and then I really thought about it and said hell no. I've still got some fight left in me. Consider this" We have a lot of experience under our belt with band. We can use it to be better with the sleeve and take this second chance to take the bull by the horns and let our tool work for us. It's just a better tool. The band is not the right tool for everybody. The sleeve seems less forgiving and more cooperative, but not a magic bullet. Good luck (to both of us)!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Ms antiband says it well!

I was afraid of the surgery and more afraid of failure. I kept my band secret but felt shame about the lousy weight loss AND all the vomiting for 10 bad years.

I wrestled with the revision decision for a long time. Reading this forum helped me build confidence. A doctor told me that I was one that could make it work because "I never gave up". That was empowering and has influenced how public I have been about my sleeve too.

I have so much empathy for those standing on the edge..trying to believe that it might work this time.

A key difference is I am just so DONE with food being what pleases me!!

[pinkpeonies 42]

Ms antiband says it well!

I was afraid of the surgery and more afraid of failure. I kept my band secret but felt shame about the lousy weight loss AND all the vomiting for 10 bad years.

I wrestled with the revision decision for a long time. Reading this forum helped me build confidence. A doctor told me that I was one that could make it work because "I never gave up". That was empowering and has influenced how public I have been about my sleeve too.

I have so much empathy for those standing on the edge..trying to believe that it might work this time.

A key difference is I am just so DONE with food being what pleases me!!

That is exactly the position I'm in right now. I never told anyone about my band. My revision is coming up so soon - 9 days! But I don't want to tell anyone about the sleeve, either. I don't want to be that big fat loser that failed, and is doomed to fail again.

My aunt had her band removed and had DS last year. That surgery is NO joke. I hope I'm as successful as she is. She's lost almost 150 lbs since last January. It's nice to have someone IRL that understands this struggle.

OP, you are not alone!

[qdh 10]

I was banded in 2008. Never felt full. Never reached a sweet spot. Random foods would get stuck. Sometimes the same food I'd eaten earlier without a problem. I never told anyone about my band either...and I'm glad because you can't tell I had WLS. I'm grateful that I never had a slip or erosion. However, the little weight I lost has all returned. Throwing up every day since 2008 got old...excusing yourself from the dinner table, etc. Even at 260 lbs people are thinking I have an eating disorder since I leave the table so often. 12/2012, I had all of the Fluid removed from my band. I was hopeful for a revision, but the main goal was to get this band removed!! I am fortunate and have been approved for a revision on 4/25. I don't want to fail again. I'm going to give it all I got and not look back. I've decided to put the lap band behind me. I don't want to compare recovery, eating, digestion....anything. As of 4/25 (for me) the band never existed. I MUST do this. This band has been worse emotionally than any bad relationship I've encountered. Best to you all. I haven't even been revised yet and I know that it is a better decision.

[libbyb 17]

qdh your story is my story and getting revision on the same day! I cannot wait!!!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I too can relate to this, only it was worse... I had the band for 10 years. I lost 70# the first year but gained it all back PLUS after I had to have all the fill removed due to reflux and other problems.

It was emotionally traumatizing - I think only those who have been through this can understand that. I have tried to learn from the experience though rather then just starting over. I felt all this shame, all this sense of failure all this sense of embarrassment (mostly about the vomiting). That shame kept me from seeking help aggressively enough - like I was the only person on the planet who was morally weak enough to have these problems or something.

Since being sleeved I have been very assertive about seeking help and support and guidance. For example, statistically, it is very common to have a weight bounce of 20-30# in about the 3rd year post op after the sleeve especially for someone who was very high bmi like me. Well, it could happen to me but you can be sure that I am not giving in without a fight. I have resources lined up, i have a plan and most of all i am NOT gonna let that struggle make me feel worthless. This is the main thing I learned from my band experience - no more shame, no regrets, and damn it, there are people out there who have been down these roads before that can help guide me too.

I was banded in 2008. Never felt full. Never reached a sweet spot. Random foods would get stuck. Sometimes the same food I'd eaten earlier without a problem. I never told anyone about my band either...and I'm glad because you can't tell I had WLS. I'm grateful that I never had a slip or erosion. However, the little weight I lost has all returned. Throwing up every day since 2008 got old...excusing yourself from the dinner table, etc. Even at 260 lbs people are thinking I have an eating disorder since I leave the table so often. 12/2012, I had all of the Fluid removed from my band. I was hopeful for a revision, but the main goal was to get this band removed!! I am fortunate and have been approved for a revision on 4/25. I don't want to fail again. I'm going to give it all I got and not look back. I've decided to put the lap band behind me. I don't want to compare recovery, eating, digestion....anything. As of 4/25 (for me) the band never existed. I MUST do this. This band has been worse emotionally than any bad relationship I've encountered. Best to you all. I haven't even been revised yet and I know that it is a better decision.

[jlobyxmas 38]

Thanks for all the great words of encouragement. I have all of my pre-op stuff to do next Monday, nutritionist, physical and some class that they require you to sit through. Then next stop surgery.

It's comforting to know that there are other people out there who feel the same way. Hoping for success for all!