I want my lap band out!

[1sunnygyrl 6]

I got my lap band put in a little over a year ago. I wish I would have never gotten it.

Lap band seems to be for those that have a problem with the AMOUNT of food they eat + the type of foods they eat.

I never had a problem with the amount of food I eat. I don't eat alot. It is just the foods I choose to eat and me being sedentary.

I love Protein and meat, and now I can't even eat that! No matter how small the bites and how much I chew... it won't go down.

For some reason I have gone back to Stage 2 foods without meat. And it drives me crazy! I want to eat some chicken or a pork chop without it getting stuck!!! Even turkey burger would be great!!! UGH! SO frustrated!

[kimk1999 450]

I'm still very new to this whole thing, but could your band be too tight? Can you get it unfilled at least?

[1sunnygyrl 6]

I haven't had a fill since April of this year (8 months ago)... And me not being able to eat meat just started about 3 months ago. I don't know what its doing, but its not for me.

[lthueme 66]

How often do you see your doctor? I will have my first checkup/fill on Monday and I know that I have to see him every month for the next 18 months. Call tomorrow or Monday if they are closed for the weekend. Your doctor and the support staff are there to make sure that everything is going well for you. Don't wait, let us know that you went in and what the results are. You have to be happy. Like you, I am very pro-protein. I had started eating Paleo about 2-3 months prior to surgery. I am looking forward to adding my favorite Proteins and carbs back into my diet.

[B-52 7,113]

Sorry you got things mixed up and confused, perhaps misinformed before you had your surgery....most people are fat because we eat too much, AND the wrong foods....I know that was my problem...

I could eat an entire large pizza all by myself...and wash it down with a few beers...I have the t-shirts to prove it....

But now, thanks to the surgery...I cannot get through a single slice...so I gave it up entirely....and that is the way I like it....I am unable to over eat...no matter how hard I try...my portion sizes are automatically set by the band, not me or what I want to do.....

And yes...it has also limited some of the foods I eat...but I have noticed that the foods I no longer eat are foods that were not that good for me in the first place...

Such as breads, flour products such as donuts, pastries, pies, etc....rice...pasta, to name just a few....and what is nutritional about pizza? ??

I no longer eat red meat...much to the delight of all my Dr.'s including my cardiologist. They all have been preaching to me for years that I should cut back on meat...if I cannot quit it entirely, then consume it just one day a week they said.....that was years before I had this surgery, after my first heart attack......all because it was good health advice....so when the band gave me trouble, I quit meat altogether and I don't miss it, and I can tell the health improvement......everyone is happy including me...never felt better.

I'm a little surprised you got through the initial evaluation and approved for this surgery...., since over eating was never your problem for being fat....generally that is the first thing talked about....inability to control our food consumption and portion sizes.....therefore failing at traditional diets and everything dieting entails........

When I talk to people about this surgery at support groups and first time orientations, etc., I am sure to mention it is NOT for everyone...not everyone can deal with what they're asking for.....(I see it on this forum everyday)

In any event, that is one good thing about the band....you can easily have it removed....it is reversible....allowing us to eat whatever and whenever we want...just like before the surgery.

Good Luck to you in the future...hope all works out for you.....

Edited December 28, 2013 by B-52

[Ladybandito 516]

B-52 makes some very good points above.

I would like to add that I eat meat regularly. Love a small bit of steak. I like chicken, and yes, pork chops too. There is nothing that I CANNOT eat, particularly if I chew well.

If you are having issues eating, please, see your doctor or your nutritionist. You are not off to a good start.

[pampi 36]

Sorry you got things mixed up and confused, perhaps misinformed before you had your surgery....most people are fat because we eat too much, AND the wrong foods....I know that was my problem... I could eat an entire large pizza all by myself...and wash it down with a few beers...I have the t-shirts to prove it.... But now, thanks to the surgery...I cannot get through a single slice...so I gave it up entirely....and that is the way I like it....I am unable to over eat...no matter how hard I try...my portion sizes are automatically set by the band, not me or what I want to do..... And yes...it has also limited some of the foods I eat...but I have noticed that the foods I no longer eat are foods that were not that good for me in the first place... Such as breads, flour products such as donuts, pastries, pies, etc....rice...pasta, to name just a few....and what is nutritional about pizza??? I no longer eat red meat...much to the delight of all my Dr.'s including my cardiologist. They all have been preaching to me for years that I should cut back on meat...if I cannot quit it entirely, then consume it just one day a week they said.....that was years before I had this surgery, after my first heart attack......all because it was good health advice....so when the band gave me trouble, I quit meat altogether and I don't miss it, and I can tell the health improvement......everyone is happy including me...never felt better. I'm a little surprised you got through the initial evaluation and approved for this surgery...., since over eating was never your problem for being fat....generally that is the first thing talked about....inability to control our food consumption and portion sizes.....therefore failing at traditional diets and everything dieting entails........ When I talk to people about this surgery at support groups and first time orientations, etc., I am sure to mention it is NOT for everyone...not everyone can deal with what they're asking for.....(I see it on this forum everyday) In any event, that is one good thing about the band....you can easily have it removed....it is reversible....allowing us to eat whatever and whenever we want...just like before the surgery. Good Luck to you in the future...hope all works out for you.....

you are so cool i love reading your comments and advice,,, thank you for taking the time to give advice i truly appreciate it and its helped me a lot thru my journey,

[parisshel 1,892]

Agree with B-52; I'm surprised that, after evaluating your eating habits, you were approved for a lapband. My surgeon would never have suggested a lapband for me had I not been a volume eater, unable to turn off my hunger.

It sounds like your decision for removal is an appropriate one, given you eating habits. Maybe working with a nutritionist once you are unbanded will help you select the best foods for weight loss.

Wishing you a good removal surgery and recovery, and on to success.

[NaNa 878]

I got my lap band put in a little over a year ago. I wish I would have never gotten it.

Lap band seems to be for those that have a problem with the AMOUNT of food they eat + the type of foods they eat.

I never had a problem with the amount of food I eat. I don't eat alot. It is just the foods I choose to eat and me being sedentary.

I love Protein and meat, and now I can't even eat that! No matter how small the bites and how much I chew... it won't go down.

For some reason I have gone back to Stage 2 foods without meat. And it drives me crazy! I want to eat some chicken or a pork chop without it getting stuck!!! Even turkey burger would be great!!! UGH! SO frustrated!

Sorry you feel this way, it is challenging for many people to live with a restrictive lap band, you have to mindful of every thing that goes into your mouth.

I am a bit surprised that you want the band OUT rather than removing saline, for many people getting saline removed equals the same thing as no lap band.

Remember the band IS adjustable for reasons like this, if your surgeon installed a band too small for your anatomy then you got problems, but if your band FITS your anatomy and you don't have band slippage, then why on earth would you want your band removed?

Sometimes many people have to adjust to the band, if I were you, I would not get the band removed because TRUST ME, one day you will regret getting the band out especially if you are not having complications, and one day you will WANT the restriction and NEED IT.

Most people who get the lap band removed gain all their weight back, I know you are frustrated by having the band too restrictive, also it sounds like you are a bit too tight if you can't eat moist meat, and when the band is too tight it can be a challenge to live with it day to day and cause misery.

I have seen many in the past get angry and frustrated when their bands are very tight and they want it out, but the good news is all you have to do is go to your surgeon talk to him/her and tell them your band is too tight and they will gladly remove some saline where you can eat healthy food, it just that simple.

Once your band is looser to allow you to eat healthy food, then you can re-evaulate whether you want to spend a lot of money of getting your band removed (band removal without insurance can cost between $12-20 thousand dollars), also MOST insurance companies WILL NOT pay to remove a band just because you don't like it, they will only remove a band if there are complications involved.

I agree with B-52 most insurance companies require wls candidates to pass a psych evaluation to make SURE they are ready for this lifestyle change.

Good luck

[cheryl2586 3,053]

meat has always been an issue for me and it really has nothing to do with emptying your band. Even without fills I can not eat meat mostly. If I do once in a while and it works then fine but honestly I don't miss it. Being a vegan is not as bad as you think. I have made some very good recipes like black bean burgers and black bean casserole and cooking tofu in other things. Although at times I would like a piece of meat it is not essential to live. I buy all vegan products such as Boca burgers which taste just like hamburger's and Boca ribs. These are all soy products that taste great and taste like meat. Try different options before you give up on your band. Like I said meat has never been an option for me even when I had no fills so getting unfilled may not be your problem to eat meat. You just may not be able to tolerate it.

[1sunnygyrl 6]

Thank you for the replies... I appreciate them all!!! I love meat, not necessarily red meat, but I do love chicken, pork and turkey. It is not that I can't tolerate it, it is that I CAN'T GET IT PASSED MY BAND. It gets stuck, so no matter how much I chew or how small my bites are.

I have an appt with my lap-band Dr Jan 7. They couldn't get me in before then. Since I can eat some things, they didn't think it was an emergent type visit. I have to be seen by the DR himself. Because I am an x-ray only patient, to begin with. I had a ventral hernia, BEFORE, my lap-band surgery. Well he placed the port right under my hernia, so when I had to go for fills, he couldn't find the port with out the live x-ray machine. So, fills are only done by the Dr and in the live xray machine. Also, when he did do them, he still stuck me 3-4 times to get the needle in the port. I would leave the fill appoinment, bleeding and bruised badly for a week later. The fills were a horrible experience, so i quit going. I initally lost about 40 pounds in 8 months, because I stayed on the Protein shakes. Well since I went back to food, I have practically gained it all back.

Even before the band, I could only eat 3-4 pieces of a medium pizza. 2 pieces of a large pizza. Quantity was never my problem. It is what I choose to eat and lack of activity.

Here is an idea of what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: (A Breakfast burrito made at home) 2 scrambled eggs with a slice of cheese, 3 slices of bacon, a low carb tortilla and ketchup; and a Diet Mt Dew.

snack b/w Breakfast and lunch was 5 pieces of chocolate. (less than the total size of a handful)

Lunch: was 3 slices of a medium pizza with 12 ounces of Diet Pepsi.

Snack b/w lunch and dinner: was a greek yogurt cup.

Dinner: 1 cup of taco meat (very VERY VERY ground FINE small pieces) with 1/3 cup shredded cheese, and chips; with 16 ounces of Crystal Lite Kool-ail.

Then last night after dinner, I had 2 sugar Cookies with a glass of milk.

Some days I can't eat eggs at all, no matter what, they won't go down. Some days they do. Same with pizza, and most meats. More NOT times than they do, they just won't go down and I make a trip to the bathroom, sometimes 3-4 times to get it up at a meal.

[1sunnygyrl 6]

I was NEVER asked about the volume of food I eat, at any point before or after the surgery, or in either of the psych evals. I also passed the psych eval.. TWICE... First I was going to do the Gastric Bypass surgery and was approved for it. But felt that it wasn't for me. So I chose the Lap-Band instead and went through another psych eval.

[1sunnygyrl 6]

I have SED (selective eating disorder, with texture aversion). With which I was diagnosed in my first psych eval for the gastric bypass surgery, which I passed. I can only eat certain foods. I cannot eat 99% of vegetables, and no fruit. I eat 4 vegies... green Beans, peas, potatoes and corn. That is it. And no fruit. I can't even attempt to put them in my mouth. They don't get passed the tongue. Sometimes I can't get passed the way they smell. I have heightened sensitivity to my taste buds and smelling. Lettuce & carrots smell like dirt, but I can eat potatoes. I have to puree my spaghetti sauce so there are no chunks in it. Or I just don't eat red sauce at all...

That is an idea of what I am dealing with, as well as the lap band issue. So I am trying to make better changes in my food choices...

like... steel cut oats instead of instant oatmeal

diet soda instead of real soda

crystal lite instead of real kool-aid

using almond milk in cooking and foods instead of 2%milk (but I still drink 2% if I want a glass of it)

low carb soft tortilla shells instead of regular

use real butter instead of margarine (and i RARELY use oil)

use mostly splenda where I would add sugar

I try to make alot of green Beans, but they get old real quick.

[2muchfun 8,927]

"Here is an idea of what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: (A breakfast burrito made at home) 2 scrambled eggs with a slice of cheese, 3 slices of bacon, a low carb tortilla and ketchup; and a Diet Mt Dew.

Snack b/w breakfast and lunch was 5 pieces of chocolate. (less than the total size of a handful)

Lunch: was 3 slices of a medium pizza with 12 ounces of Diet Pepsi.

Snack b/w lunch and dinner: was a greek yogurt cup.

Dinner: 1 cup of taco meat (very VERY VERY ground FINE small pieces) with 1/3 cup shredded cheese, and chips; with 16 ounces of Crystal Lite Kool-ail.

Then last night after dinner, I had 2 sugar Cookies with a glass of milk."

I'm confused? Are you saying you don't think this is a lot of food/calories? There's a good 2500 calories here? And a lot of meat? I agree that you should get an unfill. Maybe 1 CC?

tmf

[parisshel 1,892]

"Here is an idea of what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: (A breakfast burrito made at home) 2 scrambled eggs with a slice of cheese, 3 slices of bacon, a low carb tortilla and ketchup; and a Diet Mt Dew.

Snack b/w breakfast and lunch was 5 pieces of chocolate. (less than the total size of a handful)

Lunch: was 3 slices of a medium pizza with 12 ounces of Diet Pepsi.

Snack b/w lunch and dinner: was a greek yogurt cup.

Dinner: 1 cup of taco meat (very VERY VERY ground FINE small pieces) with 1/3 cup shredded cheese, and chips; with 16 ounces of Crystal Lite Kool-ail.

Then last night after dinner, I had 2 sugar Cookies with a glass of milk."

I'm confused? Are you saying you don't think this is a lot of food/calories? There's a good 2500 calories here? And a lot of meat? I agree that you should get an unfill. Maybe 1 CC?

tmf

Not to mention carbonated beverages, chocolates, Cookies, pizza, drinking while eating, etc.

I smell a troll here. What do you all think?