Would you have WLS again? What kind?

[MsAnn6550 1]

In my case I would not do it again. Having a lapband take support from the peoplearound you and I have none. My children do not live in the same town as me and my husband......well let's just say it is hard to have a band and all he does is ask me what he can have to eat. The man wants me to think he cannot even make his own microwave popcorn. His idea of helping me if I have a "stuck" moment is to offer me bread with Peanut Butter. My brother also had the band one month before me. I quit going to support meeting because theyalways seemed to be comparing my weight loss to his. I do not want to be compared to anyone, lest of all my brother. If I could change today,I would have the sleeve, but I don't see my insurance paying for anything again. Matbe when I turn 65 Medicare will spring for the sleeve, but I doubt it. The only good thing I can say Is thatI quit smoking to get the band and have not started back. After 4 and 1/2 years I eat what I want when I want most of the time. pills still have to be chopped up. Some things make the band raise it's ugly head one time and go right down another. I guess you could say I quit!

[Jim1967 3,569]

In my case I would not do it again. Having a lapband take support from the peoplearound you and I have none. My children do not live in the same town as me and my husband......well let's just say it is hard to have a band and all he does is ask me what he can have to eat. The man wants me to think he cannot even make his own microwave popcorn. His idea of helping me if I have a "stuck" moment is to offer me bread with Peanut Butter. My brother also had the band one month before me. I quit going to support meeting because theyalways seemed to be comparing my weight loss to his. I do not want to be compared to anyone, lest of all my brother. If I could change today,I would have the sleeve, but I don't see my insurance paying for anything again. Matbe when I turn 65 Medicare will spring for the sleeve, but I doubt it. The only good thing I can say Is thatI quit smoking to get the band and have not started back. After 4 and 1/2 years I eat what I want when I want most of the time. pills still have to be chopped up. Some things make the band raise it's ugly head one time and go right down another. I guess you could say I quit!

MsAnn,

I would feel sorry for you but it seems you're doing a pretty good job feeling sorry for yourself and blaming everyone else around you. I agree having support around you is very important however it is not impossible to succeed without it. Not sure what your deal is with your husband but it sounds pretty old school to me (Wife belongs in the kitchen type stuff). Fine make him his food if you must but it doesn't mean you have to eat it. As for the PB and Bread for a stuck episode...in a normal non banded situation that would work so maybe he is just lacking some education on the band and what a stuck episode means? Has he ever taken any interest at all in what you are trying to do? Has he bothered to learn what is important to you and your needs? Doesn't sound like a very supportive spouse to me or at least that is the way your describing him.

As for your brother are there any other support groups you could attend without him? I know around here there are several other facilities which have groups and there is no cost associated. My Wife and I are both banded and I know it would be quite annoying if we were being compared all the time. It has come up from time to time but not very often as we were band a year and half apart.

You mention switching to the sleeve and I ask what is the point? All of your issues with lack of support will still be there regardless of the surgical option. I am not against any option but at the end of the day all of the obstructions you mention above will still be there.

I am sorry my post is coming off so negative but at the end of the day this is your journey and at some point if you want to be successful you need to take the bull by the horns and tame the beast. Find a new support group....get your husband on board and if he isn't willing to put time in to what is important to you then I guess you know where you really stand on the importance scale in his life....(in his kitchen being his wait staff, cooking and cleaning his house and making sure he has clean laundry). My Wife wouldn't put up with that crap nor would she ever have to. This isn't 1950....it's time he wakes up and smell the roses however he isn't going to just do it if you keep giving in.

Good Luck to you.....

[MsAnn6550 1]

MsAnn,

I would feel sorry for you but it seems you're doing a pretty good job feeling sorry for yourself and blaming everyone else around you. I agree having support around you is very important however it is not impossible to succeed without it. Not sure what your deal is with your husband but it sounds pretty old school to me (Wife belongs in the kitchen type stuff). Fine make him his food if you must but it doesn't mean you have to eat it. As for the PB and bread for a stuck episode...in a normal non banded situation that would work so maybe he is just lacking some education on the band and what a stuck episode means? Has he ever taken any interest at all in what you are trying to do? Has he bothered to learn what is important to you and your needs? Doesn't sound like a very supportive spouse to me or at least that is the way your describing him.

As for your brother are there any other support groups you could attend without him? I know around here there are several other facilities which have groups and there is no cost associated. My Wife and I are both banded and I know it would be quite annoying if we were being compared all the time. It has come up from time to time but not very often as we were band a year and half apart.

You mention switching to the sleeve and I ask what is the point? All of your issues with lack of support will still be there regardless of the surgical option. I am not against any option but at the end of the day all of the obstructions you mention above will still be there.

I am sorry my post is coming off so negative but at the end of the day this is your journey and at some point if you want to be successful you need to take the bull by the horns and tame the beast. Find a new support group....get your husband on board and if he isn't willing to put time in to what is important to you then I guess you know where you really stand on the importance scale in his life....(in his kitchen being his wait staff, cooking and cleaning his house and making sure he has clean laundry). My Wife wouldn't put up with that crap nor would she ever have to. This isn't 1950....it's time he wakes up and smell the roses however he isn't going to just do it if you keep giving in.

Good Luck to you.....

[MsAnn6550 1]

Thank you Jim1967 for your input and insight. You are obviously a man with great something but I am not able to say what it is here. I feel so glad that you and your wife are both banded.This means that you have each other with which to both support and comiserate.Hurrah for you!

[Julie norton 2,850]

I hope we are all here to be better with our WLS. Lots of fun , tips , banter and advice.

We ALL say take what you need and add what you can. Some of us have been at this awhile and I appreciate what others bring us

Let us be kind ????

[allielee 263]

I was banded in 2008 loved my band! Lost all my weight in 9 months (120 pounds) kept it off for 6 years and then my band eroded. Had a revision to bypass in May. Wish I had done the bypass first. It is SOOOO much easier than the band was for me. I feel great, look great and my levels are actually better now than they were with the band surprisingly.. But I can eat foods now I couldn't with the band.. Like chicken, steak and all the veggies.. I struggled with meats with my band unless it was in some gravy. I haven't thrown up once since my bypass. I was anemic with the band but not with the bypass. I'm very pleased.

[Julie norton 2,850]

Hey Alex ,

Any thought of starting a "long term success with the band"Forum ?

I'm finding it difficult to read band failure posts daily and not see the counter balance stories...

Many of us are quite satisfied with our banded life long term... We just don't read about us much????

[losing_the_band 133]

Hey Alex ,

Any thought of starting a "long term success with the band"Forum ?

I'm finding it difficult to read band failure posts daily and not see the counter balance stories...

Many of us are quite satisfied with our banded life long term... We just don't read about us much

On the other hand, though, going and staying in a "success" forum blinds people to the possible complications of the band and the symptoms that they need to be on the lookout for. People need to go into this surgery knowing what can happen, and that the possibility of complications isn't just vague, slight, and something to be considered when/if it happens. This is not a surgery to be taken lightly, it's serious business with serious complications that can have major effects on someone's life.

[KingMoose 238]

If I could turn back the clock I would have never let myself get in to the position I did to have to use the surgery as a tool to lose weight. I was like probably a lot of you in very good shape in my teens, then got out of high school stopped playing sports then life got in the way of the active lifestyle. But since all of that did happen yes I would do it over again! I am using food as fuel again instead of o coping mechanism. Funny thing is is now that I have had it done I now find the time to do the things I thought life got in the way of doing. I go to the gym multiple times a week, go for walks and just stay active. Plus I am a full time student work and raise my family and am an attentive husband to my amazing wife who supports me whole heartedly. But is now starting to have insecurities about her weight issues.

[kimaly 57]

Yes, but if I had a chance to do it over I would go with the sleeve. I was emptied do to complications and my fill center has closed down. I can't find anyone to do a fill in my area and after 5 years of keeping the weight off I have regained most of it in just one year. Trying to start over but it's pretty depressing.

[Daddyof4 95]

My post will sound like an echo but I wish I had done this at age 35 instead of at age 55. The band helped me lose 50 pounds and keep most of it off - I had lost that much weight on Atkins way back when but put it all back on and more.

I remember seeing the graph at the orientation seminar that showed that at three years the amount of weight lost was the same no matter which surgery you had. Since the weight comes off faster with it, I'd have the sleeve if I could do it again.

That said, no regrets about this but am trying to get back on track and resume losing.

[Lady VS 1,147]

Most definitely I would have wls again. I can't say that I would have done it sooner because I attempted to but my insurance at the time didn't cover it back in 2005. I wanted the band then and fortunately for me I was able to get it. I'm living a banded life I hope until my death; however, if in my future my band would stop working for me, I would become a sleever.

[phatfatgirl 100]

Having wls I episode definitely do it again but I'd have the bypass instead of the band. I've been banded since 2010 and I lost about 40lbs but after an injury gained it all back and then some. Haven't had a fill since 2011 due to too much scar tissue around my port my nurse who gives the fill can't get in :-\

[Weighting2BeFree 164]

I'm 33, had the sleeve two months ago... I would do it again, maybe even do the bypass. Wish I had done it at 18 instead of waiting

[Sharpie 3,306]

Lapband has saved my life. at age 66 I had lapband surgery. I had diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I was becoming immobile to the point I almost could not do my own shopping or cleaning. I would clean the bathroom and be wiped out the rest of the day. I was miserable could not participate in shopping trips with my granddaughters, could not ride my horse any longer. 2 1/2 years ago I had lapband surgery, I became totally compliant and followed all of my Dr's instructions. I am no longer on any medications except my Vitamins, vitD3, B12 and Multivitamin. I do not have dumping syndrome, occasionally have some pb episodes due to my eating too fast, some habits are difficult to break . I have recently competed in an obstacle challenge on my horse and have spent hours shopping with my girls. My life is 100% better. If for some reason I have issues with my band I would have another band put in. I do not want to reroute my intestines nor do I want to lose 80% of my stomach . I might need it one day.