I want it out! Frustrated and depressed...

[duckydoom 128]

I'm at a little over 18 months banded. 14cc band, the max I was filled was 6.5 ccs, which proved to be too much (my doc aggressively fills). With 6.5 I was PBing daily. Went back down to 6ccs, and the PBing slowed to 3 or 4 times a week. I'd never know what would trigger my band. I'd always chew everything completely, avoid liquids with meals, etc. I tried really hard to be the model band patient. Some times salad would trigger it, other times it would be meat, lentils, Pasta. You name it, I've gotten stuck and sick on it. I went in and had an unfill down to 2 ccs, so that I could hopefully give my pouch time to calm itself down, and allow me to start over again.

I got my unfill on 2/17. Did liquids for two weeks (I hate muscle milk now lol), and started slowly transitioning back to solids. I'm still having issues PBing and not knowing what is going to affect my band, although it's down to once a week instead of the 2-3x. I've been eating primarily yogurt and muscle milk with the occasional small amounts of Protein - meats, cheese, etc chewed very well, as well as vegan substitutes.

Friday I had an ounce of salmon after successfully having salmon a few days before. lunch was at 11. Everything went down well, I chewed, felt fine. Midafternoon I started having seriously awful bloat. I took two gas pills to try to reduce it, and drank Water. Still not hungry, but I didn't feel stuck or have any indication that I was. By 9pm, I was even gassier and feeling miserable, so I went to bed. I woke up at about 1am in excruciating pain, my whole abdomen so swollen with gas that my belly was all tight, my port was sore, and it felt almost like it did right after surgery. I took some Tums at that point and tried to lay back down to see if it would help. I figured I'd give it 20 minutes, and if it weren't any better, I'd go to the ER (I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but I was worried it was something in my organs gone awry as the pain was so bad, but since it was under the ribs on the left I didn't suspect the appendix or anything). The Tums ended up making me vomit, and I spent the next two hours throwing up all of the salmon that I had eaten over 12 hours before. It had been stuck, but I didn't even know - there was no indicator! I fell asleep finally at about three, and had to be up at five to go to work. It wasn't a fun day.

I've been on liquids all weekend, and just attempting mushies today... but I'm so done. I know this is a tool so it's not fully the band's "fault" per se, but I felt that I've tried so hard to do everything right by it. I'm only down 13 lbs after 18 months, and I've just been miserable. I have an appointment next Monday to talk to my doc and see what my options are, but in all honesty, I'm in a 100% "eff it" attitude. I've been able to re-route my bad behaviors. Instead of eating when I'm stressed, I get on the treadmill or clean the house. Hubby and I have revamped our eating habits - more vegan sources of protein, less pastas and breads, very rarely any meat since we never know if I can keep it down or not. I chew chew chew chew chew, and don't mix liquids with my meals. I feel like I'm banging my head against the wall and getting nowhere.

I'm not sure if I have any complications that will warrant my insurance taking the band out, but I'm definitely looking at all of my options. I don't want a revision surgery, I totally just want to be back to normal. The upside is that I haven't gone above my starting weight, but the downside is with the low amount of calories that I eat (1100-1600 max, and the latter only on days that I do an hour on the treadmill with weights) and all of the vomiting I do, I still haven't gone below the 200 mark.

I just don't know anymore.

[dbrennan716 5]

I went through the same thing!! I dealt with it for 6.5 years! Then finally found out about sleeve. I just had my band removed and had sleeve done all at 1 time. I am 5 days post-op! My band had slipped it caused hiatel hernia... It was a mess! Good luck

[duckydoom 128]

Oh, wow. Best to you in your recovery. Can I ask how it's going so far? Even though I hugely doubt I'll do any sort of revision surgery, I'm still curious how it's going for you after having the band out. Is there any extra soreness where the port was? I have two friends who have had amazing results with the sleeve.

[2muchfun 8,927]

" I'm still having issues PBing and not knowing what is going to affect my band, although it's down to once a week instead of the 2-3x."

I'm not understanding your problem? You say you experience problems about once a week?

Many of us would love to only have problems once a week. I'm far beyond just once a week. Sounds like the band life is not for you. I can't speak for anyone else but this is what it's like to have the band for me. Minor stuck episodes, PBing, some restricted foods, occasional gas and bloating are all part of having the band. Good luck with the removal. Hope it all works out for you.

[duckydoom 128]

I think I'd be more inclined to stick it out if there were any rhyme or reason to what causes the stuck episodes. If it were just sliming, I could totally do that (not being flip about it, either) - but it's full on body wracking vomiting that has me laid out for the rest of the day, and then only able to have liquids and mushies for at least 3 to 4 days after. I've had burst blood vessels from the force of the vomiting. When I made the decision to be banded, I knew that there would be major adjustments needed, but I definitely had a picture in my head of something a bit more formulaic and structured as to what I could or couldn't eat. You've lost an amazing amount of weight - has your journey been this frustrating and/or barfy along the way?

[2muchfun 8,927]

It sounds more like a slipped band to me. Vomiting with the band as you describe is a surefire way to blow out the sutures.

[duckydoom 128]

All I can do is sigh sadly at that. I still 100% want it to work out... I want it SO badly, but I'm so sick of not having any control.

Hopefully my visit on Monday will give some answers. My doc mentioned the possibility of a slipped band, but seemed sure that the unfill would cure it if nothing else. I'm a perfectionist and wanting to give up is just the biggest suck ever.

[Sherlock1969 231]

I hope you get things worked out for the best whatever that may be. I have lost slowly with the band and i am good with that. My doctor is not super aggressive with fills. He says that better to go slow and creep up on the green zone than to get in the red and have to have some out. I do know that one day something will go down just fine and another day the same food might cause a little trouble. I try to be careful with every bite and eat slowly. I find that eating slowly will give the previous bite a chance to get down there and see if there is going to be any problems. You don't want to pile on a problem bite on top of problem bite and than later you are in for it. There is a learning curve for sure. Pasta and bread should be a no no...I do still occasionally have a piece of toast but no bread and no Pasta. I don't know if anything in my experience will resonate with you or help, but there you have it. Best wishes to you again, whatever the outcome!

[msdv 5]

I'm with your Dr. Before I did anything drastic barring your band hasn't slipped , I would ask for a complete unfill just to give yourself time to do more research. Let my band calm down & then eventually start to fill again , slowly.

I'm over 3 years out & have still not met my goal. I started at 267 and now at 222. My lowest was 215 but then had a regain up to 240 because I didn't have much restriction & was just tired of my surgeons tiny, tiny fills and the nasty attitude of his staff so I didn't see him for about a year. I could eat whole sandwiches, Cookies and I was drinking alcohol. All of that was my fault.

I transferred my records to a new surgeon that gave me a barium test & saw that I didn't have much restriction . He gave me the fill of life . I'm now very restricted and am back on the losing side but it's very slow. I think because I'm not getting much sleep. The band is not easy. I doubt I'll have another surgery if it eventually fails but I'm a testament to the fact that wls is not the easy way out. Ive worked harder with this than I've done any other diet ever. I wish you the best and hope you get this worked out.

[dbrennan716 5]

I felt all of these same frustrations!! My md has only a handful of "banders" left bc of the issues with it! I am doing well 5 days out I am down 7 lbs and md says i still have alot of iv Fluid to flush. They say once thats gone the weight loss will be astounding!! The liquids only is the hardest!!! But im getting there . GL to u

[duckydoom 128]

It's so hard, because I come on here and see so many success stories, and then I read the negative ones, and I just get so conflicted. I admit I made my initial post out of extreme frustration, and I don't want to make any rash decisions... it's just been so incredibly different than I ever expected. I knew it would be long term, and take lots of effort on my part, and I thought I came to terms with that completely. I just had no expectations of the struggle with finding the sweet spot where I don't get physically ill.

I'm glad that I posted this though, I'm getting lots of input on the up and downside of the band, and it's calmed me down to the point where I am thinking a bit more rationally myself, weighing pros and cons, and all of that good stuff. I really hope that I can find out if it's a slipped band, or if it's still my pouch being fussy. I'm on mushies today, so we'll see how that goes

[CLAUDIA TREJO 5]

It's tough when the band doesn't agree with your food and stomach.its like this thing has a mind of it's own. I'm waiting at the hospital ready to have my band removed because I've been having lots of the many issues you mentioned. My main problem is indigestion which sounds like you're having that problem too. You may want to consider having that band removed if you're having so many problems. My doctor recommended the sleeve but my insurance company has certain criteria that I don't meet so pretty much I'm sh...out of luck. Although after my removal I'm totally going to stay on track and just diet and exercise like I should have done it in the first place. Get well soon, stay away from bread and pasta! Good luck ????

[duckydoom 128]

Oh, man - best of luck to you today. My indigestion has been really bad as well, even though I didn't specifically call it out. I've been living on Soup for the past few days - thankfully TitanFall just came out so my husband has been so distracted he hasn't noticed lol. Even as a revision your insurance won't cover the sleeve? I actually work for my insurance company (which is a bit of a plus since I know the contracts inside and out), and I know that I have to have the doctor recommend it and then probably appeal it... it's a giant process. I'm not sure if I'll bother with it if we get to that point though. I went out to dinner with friends last night and got smushy steamed veggies and got stuck on those... the frustration is the biggest negative for me. Seeing success stories on here gives me a mix of hope, but also a feeling of failure for not being able to share one of my own.

As I said - best of luck today and in your recovery, and fingers crossed your insurance plays nice and lets you go with a sleeve

<3 Ducky

[CLAUDIA TREJO 5]

I had the procedure done as an outpatient. I got sent home yesterday and despite the pain I'm quite content this thing is out. I feel dizzy and nausea but at least I'm keeping down the liquids and yesterday I was able to eat a Soup. Once I get back to normal I'm going to try Zumba and begin walking as part of a workout routine. Best of luck to you too!

[duckydoom 128]

I go in tomorrow morning for an upper GI with contrast and a consult with the surgeon to review it immediately after. My nurse thinks that I slipped the band for sure, and unfilled what they could of what was left (I had 2.5 ccs left and they were able to get out 2ccs). It's so very frustrating. I was actually crying in the office as I was explaining my frustrations, and the hopes that I still had, but my resignation as well. And I'm not a cryer! I'm always the strong one. She said that most of the folks at the office she sees have pretty significant levels of band intolerance, and even the nurse who took out my Fluid was very unsurprised by it as well, saying that she's seen lots of revisions. I get such mixed feelings. I'm not trying to invalidate anyone's success with the band, I want to make that totally clear (I think I may have before), but if anyone asks me if I'd recommend it, I'd steer them elsewhere. I want(ed) this to be a tool to help me with a lifestyle change, and thus far it's made me near bullemic, and terrified of solid food. costco had a sale on Chiobani yogurt, so that's what I've been eating since I made my initial post. If given the option to remove it (and my nurse is wholeheartedly suggesting that, which I also find discouraging in a way), I'm doing it. No revision. I need to develop my own tools to get this done, and that will be hiking with my husband, eating much better than I had in the years before I had the band, and learning to love myself at whatever size I am, as long as I'm healthy.

@@claudia, hope you're still feeling well after your procedure! Much love and respect to all of you reading and responding