Bye-Bye Band

[Scout 4]

This reply will probably not be very popular, even on this thread. I was banded about 1.5 years ago. I lost about 15 pounds before the surgery and another 30+ shortly thereafter...much due to limited eating (protein shakes and soft foods) as well as a great deal of exercise. During this time, I was regularly PB'ing as well as just plain vomiting. Numerous attempts were made to find the ostensible "sweet spot" but either there was no restriction or I was vomiting. When I first mentioned to my surgeon some months ago that perhaps the band was not for me, he said that he had never had to remove one...thus cowed, I agreed to give it another shot. After yet another adjustment and several more months of vomiting due to as little as a sip of liquid or a small, well-chewed bite of egg, I flat out told him I wanted it removed. I never knew when the vomiting would happen....sometimes in my waste basket at work, other times I managed to make it to the nearest sink or toilet,several times in a napkin at a restaurant...definitely no way to live. By the way, I should tell you that during all this intermittent vomiting, I also managed to re-gain all the weight I had lost except for my pre-band loss, as when I wasn't vomiting, I had no restriction. About a month ago, I quit all the low/no fat junk as well as processed foods and went to "real foods", ie, organic raw milk (yes, real, creamy full-fledged milk), meat, butter, eggs, cheese, vegetables. I am now easily sated and have lost 11 pounds. In addition, I feel terrific...my blood pressure is down considerably (108/70) and my energy level has exponentially increased. The only problem that remains is the intermittent vomiting due to the band, which will, thankfully be removed in early November. My regular physician said that the surgery to remove it is less risky than having this piece of plastic in my gut which could, at any time erode. What was I thinking? We fat folk are so desperate to try anything that we will, in fact, try anything. For me, I'll be grateful to be done with it and simply go on eating real food which, unlike the no/low fat nutrition-void, chemical filled junk we pump into our systems, actually satisfies and assists in weight loss. Check out your local organic farms...buy local, know your food source...try sites like the Weston A. Price Foundation and learn to love real food again. You may want to read a book called "An Unburdened Life" which can be ordered from this site. I wish you all the best.

__________________

Scout

[abckids 0]

Can a slipped band - unslip on it own?

[juliegeraci 7]

Yes, a band can be okay from a slip with an unfill. That is the first thing they do when there is a slip.

[abckids 0]

Can a band slip and unslip on its own if never given a fill?

[Terri-ific 0]

My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I am two years out and have wondered many times if th problems I have been having will lead me to where you are now. God willing -- they won't but I will track the progress of each of you.

[fabfatgrl 10]

Has anyone here had vertical sleeve gastrectomy? Anyone want to share their experience with me? It would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Cindy:

I've been on VSG boards for over two years now as it's the operation I plan to have done eventually. There are a lot of Band to VSGers and all seem very happy. I think the VSG works the way the Band was supposed to... people don't PB, slime, etc. They can eat anything... no food intolerances... they're just full on less. I definitely recommend the VSG board on Obesity Help as well as the Sleeve Gastrectomy Yahoo group.

Peace.

[Scout 4]

Hi All...

I thought I'd do a short update on my successful band removal yesterday. Everything went well and I was able to come home late in the afternoon. I'm feeling so much better now that the band is gone. Here is something to keep an eye on. The surgeon who removed it found that it had been causing scar tissue to build up on my liver. This would not have been caught had I not made the wise decision to have it removed. Apparently, the band had been rubbing against my liver, thus causing the scar tissue. I have no idea how much damage was done but will certainly be following up on this with my doctor. So...after 1.5 years of PBing and vomiting, I now have liver damage. Boy, I am so glad to be free of this thing. If I could share one bit of advice, it would be to encourage those of you, whether successful or unsuccessful with the band, to please have yourself checked out for possible complications that you may not even be aware of, which could be doing significant physical damage. As in my previous reply, I plan to remain on my organic, whole foods regime, continue to increase my exercise at a reasonable rate, and enjoy the steady weight loss I am experiencing without the nasty side effects of the band. I wish you all health and success. God bless.

[DrPleatman 3]

Scout:

I think you were misinformed about the dangers of "scar tissue" on your liver. The fact is that scar tissue always forms around the LapBand. Since the stomach is right next to the liver, there will always be some scar tissue there. Scar tissue is not the same as liver damage. Relax. You don't have liver damage.

Mark Pleatman MD

Index

[Scout 4]

Your response is interesting, as the surgeon who removed it communicated concern about the scar tissue around my liver. Perhaps you are a bit quick to dismiss this concern when you were not the surgeon who saw the scar tissue or performed the band removal. Telling me to "relax" about it was not helpful or informed.

[Scout 4]

P.S. Your private message to me indicating that the surgeon should have offered to do a second surgery at the time of removal, as well as your statement that I will now have to have a third weight loss surgery was also uninformed and ill-advised, as I do not plan to have any more weight loss surgeries. My surgeon was absolutely correct in not advising any more surgery.

[fabfatgrl 10]

Scout:

I think you were misinformed about the dangers of "scar tissue" on your liver. The fact is that scar tissue always forms around the LapBand. Since the stomach is right next to the liver, there will always be some scar tissue there. Scar tissue is not the same as liver damage. Relax. You don't have liver damage.

Mark Pleatman MD

Index

That's very interesting Dr. Pleatman...I had no idea. I knew that scar tissue would form around the Band...but I never thought about it affecting the liver. I know a lot of morbidly obese people have NASH which resolves with weight loss... are they in any way related?

BTW... what sort of success are you seeing among your Band to VSG patients?

[divanita2006 0]

Sometimes you all need to hear how wonderful you are to share your experiences. Wow! I did not realize how comforting it feels to know I'm not alone.

I haven't posted on LBT in a while. The good news is that I lost more weight than I ever expected, from 250 to 150 in about 14 months. The tough news is that I started having problems keeping solid food down, and had to insist on a GI. The PA told me it was unnecessary. I paid out of pocket, and did the GI on 9/1. The test revealed esophageal dilation, and the barium would not go down for 10-15 minutes. The band doc took out all of the fill, then told me that the band should come out. I will go for an endoscopy this month, and depending on the results, the band may need to come out.

Do I feel failure? Heck, no. The band helped me lose 100 pounds that I never could have lost on my own. Am I scared? Heck yes! I can eat more since I have no restriction. Thank goodness that I am physically active, and a picky eater. Will I rely on willpower to keep the weight off?

Willpower did not work before, why would it magically work now?

My plan is, if the band needs to come out, I will want to do a revision at the same time. I have bariatric coverage, but it may not pay for a skinny woman's revision. I may have to pay for it all myself, but I would rather invest in maintaining my weight than go back to high blood pressure, gasping for breath, pre-diabetes, and afraid of fitting in an airline seat.

Thank you all for having the courage to share your very personal challenges.

Love and Blessings,:whoo:

[cfred 2]

Well today I hit my six months with my band..

Yesterday - just one day till my 6 months I had to have my band removed. My Dr took me in for emergancey sugery. I had a horrible slippage. This was actually my second slippage in the six months. The frist one was from a fill being way to tight.

This second one, no only was my fill tight ( I am one of those rare people that after a month or so the fill gets much more restriction) but I had a stomach bug and the two did not work well together.

Needless to say I was deathly ill for a week from the slippage and when I finally went to the Dr they did an upper GI and I was rushed to surgery then. They were afraid that my stomach would tear from the slippage. That is how bad it is.

I will say for me personally the last six months - yes I did lose by my Dr's paperwork 65 lbs and I am proud of that.. but all of the sickness I had, I am somewhat glad my band is gone now. Don't get me wrong. I am also a little sad. I will be rejoining Weight Watchers. I have a head start and I can lose this last 40lbs. I have faith in myself to do that.

I am on liquids for 2 weeks to help heal my stomach and then I plan on joining.

Everyone on here has been great. I enjoy the boards so much. I don't think I'll be visiting to often anymore. I need to start with my new lifestyle now.

Some may ask, am I going to get rebanded. Right now the answer to that is NO. My Dr said that the chances of problems after being reband are even higher and after what I went throught the last week. I never want to go through that again. WW has worked well for me in the past, I just need to give it another fair chance.

Thank you all for the support you have given.

Good luck to everyone You will do great, the band just wasn't for me.

Crystal

[HarleyNana 10]

So sorry to hear you lost your band Crystal, that's my biggest fear. I wish you well.

[cfred 2]

So sorry to hear you lost your band Crystal, that's my biggest fear. I wish you well.

HarleyNana,

You know, I am taking the band being removed okay. I know that everyone is different but I did not have a "great journey" with my band. I was misrable for 1/2 of the time. I was on a cruise with my son and hubby and 1/2 way into it, my band shut up and slipped. That's no life.

This last time, I was in so much pain - I just can't continue like that.

I was very successful on WW and again will do that program.

The band works for HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS of people. There is the small % that it doesn't work for and I was one of them. Who's to know??? My Dr was even surprised at all the problems I had because I never abused my band. I was to afraid to!

Good luck to you! Just remember it's a journey and you have to take one day at a time!