May 2007 Banders

[mini 0]

Hi Laura,

So glad you are feeling better. I had a problem last month and had to go to the ER to get a unfill because they put more in it than planned. They had me up to 4cc's in a 4cc band. I couldn't swallow spit! It was a horrible, uncomfortable feeling. Now I'm up to 3.25 or 3.5. I have a hard time remembering. I can't go over 3.5 or I choke. This is the first time since I've had the band (2 yrs) that I am starting to not like it. I am not losing weight and I am so tired of puking! I really wish that I could get it revised to the gastric sleeve. Courese, I was doing so well before I got married last January. We have food in the house that I never had in it before. My new hubby loves to eat 3 big meals a day. He wants there to always be home made Cookies in the cookie jar and he loves ice cream. Ice cream is my weekness. It is so easy to eat..

Well, I just hope your doing better than me. I've gained 10-12 pds since I've married!! Yikes

Mini

[jsrico 1]

HELP! If ever I needed some kind of support....I NEED IT NOW! I have had some issues that I cant seem to overcome! I get filled then I start loosing...then I get stuck...a lot! Then I have to get unfilled because I cant eat at all...cause all I do is throw up! So after a month of no fill and rest...I gainned 8 pounds! I expected it or actually more than that! When I am unfilled completely the hunger beast come out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Well I went in yesterday for a fill....and my doctor said and I quote! "The lap band is not working for you so you should have a revision" I said "What kind of revision?" He said "I do a great gastric bypass now and I think that is the only way you are going to loose weight" After I had already paid $150 and gotten a fill! I was sooooo mad....I left feeling total helpless and emotionally raped! I cried once I got to the car! I havent even finished paying the loan I got for the surgery and now I need gastic bypass! I need some kind of support!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Surgery265/ pre baby 175/ after baby 240/ now 233

Edited June 26, 2009 by jsrico

[mini 0]

Hello Sweetie,

Don't let that doctor defeat you. You lost a lot of weight after you had the lap band. Then you got pregnant and had a baby. It worked for you the first time..it can work again with hard work on your part. I understand what your going through. I can't really have anymore fills (unless I loose some of the fill over time). I just can't swallow spit when I'm over 3.5 cc's. I am no longer loosing weight..I am 13 lbs up from last January..although I got married and I blame him LOL. I don't know if i will ever loose andy more weight and I am actually considering a revision..a gastric sleeve. I like it much better than a bypass, look it up. But, I think the two of us with hard work could loose the weight without further surgery. Also, I work in a emergency room and one of the nurses told me she would never ever have a surgery that cut your stomack because you will develope scar tissue which can lead to so many problems in the future. She was amandant!

Blessing girl, I will be so glad to be here for you if you need to talk.

Mini

[jsrico 1]

Thanks Mini,

I needed that....a good talking to! I will try harder, but another thing I noticed is that when he did my fill I felt like a coldish sensation in the port area! I have been super carefull since yesterday because I dont want to start all the PBing again. I dont think I have a fill???? I dont fill tight....I can gulp water! I wonder if I got any kind of fill???

[mini 0]

Morning,

I'm not sure if I've ever felt that cold feeling aroung my port. Do you think it's leaking? Maybe u need a floroscopy to see. Now r u pbing with food..but not Water. One thing I have never been able to do is gulp any kind of Fluid. Also, I find if I have been really good with my eating...my band seems to get tighter.

If you can afford it, I think it's time for you to get this floroscopy. It will releive your mind. One question, are you over eating..r u eating the wrong things? I know I am. I am eating way too many sweets.

Hang in there, we will find the answers to our problems..my husband would throw a hissy fit if he new I am considering a revision.

Mini

[jsrico 1]

I had to go back and get checked cause he missed the port so he refilled me again and gave me a little more in the fill so here I go again! This time I am being very carefull and NOT having any cokes and candy. Eating more Protein and drinking my water! I have lost in a week what I gainned in a month. So I am back down to 226 lbs I am hoping to be at 220 by the end of the month. Is that resonable thinking...you think?? I try to shoot for 8 to 10 lbs a month. I know if I did it once I can do it again. I did notice I am having acid reflux at night...and I never had that before. Maybe cause I am so tight....hoping it will loosen up w/ time.

265/226/170

[mini 0]

Hi!

So what is your fill level now? I wonder if that cold feeling you had was the saline solution from him missing the port. Now you will be on the road to losing weight! I wish I was too. I have eaten really clean today. I swear I can eat anything now..cept drink liquids too fast. I had a big old fried chicken sandwhich from sonic last night. I am afraid that I have streched out my tummy! I made an appt with the doctor fot the 21rst regarding the possibility of a revision to a d switch. I don't know if someone under 200 can have one though. I am sure he will want to see what level is in my band. I may have a leak and that may be the problem. That would mean a revision to a new band. I so don't want to go through that. I'll let you know. Keep up the good work...you had a very good reason to gain the weight. Now, like you said..you did it once and you can do it again. Let me know how it goes and what your fill level is. R we the only two of the may 2007 bandsters having trouble? Where r the rest of you guys!!!

[jsrico 1]

Yep...they said that is what you feel! I am happy right now....I feel like I did two years ago. I am just trying to be extra careful and not get stuck all the time! I have 1.5 in my band, but I cant remember what size my band is. I think maybe a 3? Well you can do it Mini! Where is everyone....they all get shinny and leave us! LOL

[GREATFUL 24]

I am here. Been keeping tabbs on everyone, just have not piped in.

I am sorry for your struggles. It is hard. Somehow, in my mind I thought it would be easier. I know we told ourselfs at surgery "This is just a Tool, not a quick fix". But I am tired, tired of the fight, tired of not being able to just eat what I want, tired of alway having to thing about what I put in my mouth. BUT, I am not going to give up. What helped me was a very close friend of mine who is very large wanted to get the lapband. She talked with me about it, started the insurance process and had the surgery in Feb. Somehow that helped me get refocused. Reminded me how bad I wanted to get this thing, and how hard it was to fight my insurance for it. I went to support meeting with her, for her. But, in reality it helped me more than it did her. I can't believe I am only 7 lbs from goal. It has taken me over 2 years. I remember my doc telling me that this is the CrockPot method that the Mirowave (bypass). This is for the rest of our life. Take it one day at a time. Forgive yourself for past mistakes, they have no use. (I sound like a self help book, lol)

I am excited about this again, I dont know what made the light go back on for me. But, I did take about 10 months off. It started with me quiting smoking. So I thought I had to reward myself for that, and I used food. Lucky me, and thanks to my band, I didnt gain but 5 lbs during that time. I had an overfill and had reflux, had to have some removed. Then had trouble finding a sweet spot. Now I could use a fill but holding off, bulking up on healthy salads and fruit. Having a Tummy Tuck next week (YEA ME).

Soooo, it can be done, you can fall of this wagon and clime back on. As I will more that likely have to do again and again.

Sorry to ramble..... I just know where you are coming from.

Take Care,

Laura

[Devera 1]

Congrats on getting so close to your goal, you may reach it with the tummy tuck!

I am still "lurking" reading when there is a thread reply, but have not posted in a long time. I am trying to get the last 20lbs off, and it seems to NOT want to leave me! I have not lost anything in months, gained 8lbs, and now have lost 4 and that has been so hard, I can't believe it, not like in the beginning when it seemed to come off so easily. I know that a lot of it is my own fault, not exercising like I should. We moved from Arizona back up to the Seattle area, and the winter was so hard to get out and do any walking (my excuse). Now it is summer and I am still slacking. Maybe getting back to seeking support here will help me be more accountable. I feel so great, but do want to feel I have completed this process by reaching my goal (and then of course keeping it off!). I also need to find a support group up here and a doctor! We have been up here now for almost 10 months I can't believe that. I had my last fill in September in Arizona, and still feel pretty good. Here is a real strange thing I wonder if anyone has ever experienced. Twice now when I have had a tooth issue, like a root canal, I get so tight for a week I can hardly eat or drink even. That just helped with the 4lbs I lost, tough way to do it however, think I would rather use will power than have another root canal!

Sorry to ramble. Good to be back in touch, take care everyone. We can and will succeed!:thumbup:

[jsrico 1]

Well its been 3 weeks since my good fill! I have lost 14 pounds! I have not been hungry....I eat...but I am pretty tight so I have to be extra carefull! Super tight in the morning and lunch. dinner is better but I still have to be carefull! I am back on the loosing side and feel like I did my first year w/ the band. Trying to set mini-goals for myself. This month is just to get down to 220. Next month 210. I am trying not to get overwhelmed w/ the amount of weight I need to have to loose. Clothes are starting feel big so that makes me happy. Only time will tell! Good luck to all!!!

265/222/165

[Devera 1]

WOW! Good for you! 14lbs!!! I am so happy for you, I know what a great feeling that is. Keep us posted, you are an inspiration!:smile:

[Manatee 4]

Well, here's an update....

Next Thursday I have a meeting with a new surgeon about having the band replaced with a VSG procedure. I managed to hit my goal weight and I'm hanging within 10 lbs of it, but it's all on my own since the second slip.

My original doc only does banding. He's willing to put in another one, but I'm not confident that it will hold given my history.

Fun Fun....still, this is better than 300+ lbs :smile:

[Devera 1]

Will they do the new procedure if you don't have anymore weight to lose? I am sure it is hard to stay at goal without the band, I live in fear of that. I can't seem to get this last 20lbs off WITH the band! Keep us posted, I will be very interested in what the new doc has to say. Congrats getting to goal!!!:smile:

[Manatee 4]

Round 3, first steps

I spent part of this morning talking to the new surgeon, Dr. S.

As I mentioned earlier, Dr. M. is a good guy and good surgeon, but he only performs banding. I no longer have confidence in the band -for me-, and so I am looking into alternative choices.

We discussed the VSG procedure, and between the two of us decided that would be the best choice. The other option was the bypass, but honestly I think it would be overkill given my current physical condition. I'm overweight, but only by maybe 30 lbs. I'd look like a cancer victim if I did the bypass now!

Things are a bit more complicated because of the insurance company and the role they are playing in all this. They have approved a removal of the band, and so that is going to reduce the costs somewhat from the cash price of the VSG. The procedure is normally around 11K, which I cannot pay for at this time. I can swing the 8K or so that this should turn out costing. It will -hurt-, but I can cover it.

If I consider Dr. M. was quoting 4K for the new band, it's not all that bad. Of course, that's the same kind of false logic that people use to justify expensive purses "on sale"

The next step is for their office to start talking to the insurance company and resubmit for the revision. I have no idea on timelines yet for the surgery, recovery, etc. I do know that I will be out for a week, and given that I'm a contractor on a day rate, that's going to bite.

Ah well. This all beats being FAT again, and it's readily apparent that without the assistance of some sort of restriction I will again top 300 lbs.