My love affair with my band is ending

[spoiltmom 44]

I've been banded 2 1/2 years. I got within 10 pounds of my goal weight and then gained back 15 pounds. I don't have a true green zone. I'm either too tight or too loose. Every time my seasonal allergies flare up my band gets super tight which has led me to be dehydrated twice.

Now my surgeon says I have esophageal dilation but its not a big deal and doesn't need to be treated. I tried to seek a second opinion and was told I would need an Upper GI first, the specialist I want to see requires it. My family dr ordered it and I had it done yesterday.

I was given 2 oz of super thin barium and after 25 minutes most of it was still in my esophagus. The radiologist said even with a band that's not normal. He did not say what the problem or diagnosis was though.

While I'm waiting on his final report I have so many things going through my mind:( Mainly I wonder if I will be able to revise to a sleeve AND I wonder if I will ever be able to eat healthy foods again without throwing up. I also wonder if I choose to do the sleeve what the long term complications are.

Any advice or kind words for me? I'm feeling like a mega weight loss failure right now:( I know I shouldn't but I do. I've explained everything to my husband and he understands and is on board with whatever I choose to do.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

I too was truly in love with my band. I couldn't imagine my life going back to fatland. I love my sleeve. I can eat everything I couldn't with the band and that means healthy. Only things I could eat with the band were milk shakes and ice cream. Everything else came back up. I was always severely anemic with the band

The sleeve changed my life and I've never been healthier ...ever

[spoiltmom 44]

I know this sounds weird but the junk food goes down so easily but I really wanted a good salad or some nice vegetables, not ice cream or mashed potatoes. Sigh.

[kshallow 9]

Many of us ex-banders can relate to all of your post. If you start to read through the band to sleeve forum, you'll see (unfortunately) very similar stories to your own. There does seem to be an initial honeymoon band period but eventually, the story continues with inability to eat much beyond sliders and sugar. Dilitation, pain, chronic vomitting, prolapse, etc, etc, etc. It's proved NOT to be a long term weight loss solutio . If you do revise, you'll find the sleeve is what the band was supposed to be. No more stuck food, no more vomitting, no more inability to eat in the morning, no more slider foods only. The sleeve allows you to lose weight AND eat healthy dense foods without fear. Hope all works out with revising

[galmila 12]

Don't let fear stop you from your research. I have the band and I am scheduled for a revision on May 23. My joke is I can eat Cheetos but not raw vegetables. That seems so very wrong. I never had great luck with my band due to throwing up and eventually you eat what your band will allow.