Thinking about removal....

jrrtubbs · May 22, 2007

I was filled 2 years ago, and I've lost 95 lbs. I know why, I'm not eating right. I'm not eating right because I'm scared to try new foods. I'm scared to try new foods because I have problems with pretty much everything. I am able to eat overcooked Pasta (I like on mac and cheese), Soup, crunch things like crackers and chips, rare beef if I have ranch dressing to douse it in and it's ground up, and the occasional sandwhich if I drink something with each bite to really soften it.

So the reasons I want to get it removed:

- everytime I've tried to go for a fill, I've found out I broke some stitches and I've had to have it fixed. If I don't get it taken out, I have to go for a third surgery to get it fixed.

- I have a lot of trouble eating good foods like apples or oranges and I eat my safe foods cause I'm a recently graduated student who can't afford to buy groceries I may not be able to eat and will therefore have to throw out. I can't afford the money for that.

- I'm getting ready to move to Chicago and I will be off my parents insurance. I don't want to get there, get a job, and have the insurance not cover any of the fills and possible surgeries I may have to have. That would be bad.

- I want to try and do this on my own, finally.

-On a less healthy note, I'm moving to chicago, not being able to eat a Chicago style pizza now and again would be a travesty.

Your thoughts?

juliegeraci · May 22, 2007

These all sound like good reasons. But speaking from experience when I wasn't fill and gaining 4.5 lbs in a week. The weight will come back on if you don't limit your calories to your resting heart rate. Mine is 1600 calories a day not to gain. Just be careful.

Alexandra · May 22, 2007

Hi Jrrtubbs,

You didn't say what your fill history is, but it sounds like you have substantial restriction at this point. Have you considered having the fill taken out? That might enable you to eat more comfortably, while still helping you control your intake.

I recently had my band removed due to slippage, and I have to say I'm unhappy about the change it's made in my appetite. I can eat anything; I'm hungry almost all the time (though I wasn't for a while, it came back in spades); and getting satisfied is very hard. Not gaining weight is proving to be impossible, and if I didn't have a new band in my immediate future I'd be panicking, big time.

When I was 24 was the first time I thought I'd get a handle on my weight problem, for good. I made an appointment with a nutritionist (who actually made a housecall!) and was so proud of myself for taking a truly adult approach. Sigh. I got nowhere. That was just one of several attempts over the years to rein in the beast that is my obesity, and just one of the many that failed. But I vividly remember the sense of seriousness and determination I had when meeting with that nutritionist. Ahh, youth.

I certainly understand the insurance issue. But will insurance cover a removal? Without a finding of medical necessity, probably not. Also, there's a pretty good chance that your band issues would be covered under a new plan. Nothing is certain, of course, but in general pre-existing conditions can't be excluded if you come on a new plan on your eligibility date. And if you have complications that require medical attention, THEY can't be excluded just because they're the result of something done electively.

My point is, don't make this drastic decision based on a lot of what-ifs. You have the band now and the path of least resistance is to find a way to live with it. Discuss your concerns with your doctor and maybe together you can find a way to keep your band and eat healthfully.

Marimaru · May 22, 2007

I agree with Alexandra. I think you are probably too tight and that's why you are having so much trouble. An unfill, even a small one, would help alot. Another thing you could do is get a complete unfill, because for many, a complete unfill is like not having a band at all, in which case you can give it a go and see how you do for yourself, but if you start to have trouble, your band is there and you can get a simple adjustment to get that little extra push of help.

I know for myself, that I do NOT have a good handle on the beast in my belly.

LadysMan · May 25, 2007

Hello Jrrtubbs

Why not start with an un-fill and see how you cope with that before the drastic removal of the band? If you can survive that with no gain and eat what yoiu want you have the best of both worlds. Once its out you will have a helluva time getting a doctor to put one back with your history. I wouldn't trade my lap-band in for the world. Lost 105 pounds. Have about 30 to go and it keeps me in line. Best of luck to you.

Ciao - The Ladysman

Ariel · May 25, 2007

I agree with the others. You shoud get an unfill first and decide from there. Also the big plus of the band is that it can be complelty unfilled so you don't have to take the risk or the pain of a removal surgery. Talk to your doctor and share your concerns. Do they know why your stiches keep coming undone?

KarenB · May 25, 2007

I've never heard of the stitch problem. Do you mean your port stitches? Sounds like something the doctor should fix???

The unfill idea sounds good to me...it's like a test drive.

Take care,

Karen

cinward2001 · May 26, 2007

-On a less healthy note, I'm moving to chicago, not being able to eat a Chicago style pizza now and again would be a travesty.

Living the rest of your life as an obese person because you don't want to give up pizza is pretty sad. Yes, I know you have other reasons for wanting the band removed, but they don't sound like very good ones to me. For example, if you had a slight unfill, you COULD eat solid foods like steak and fruit. But you first need to step away from the mac and cheese, chips and crackers, Soup, and ranch dressing. Even IF you can't eat solids very well, you could be making MUCH better choices in your soft food. Cottage cheese, yogurt, soft fish, refried Beans...they're all soft foods and go down easily but they're high in Protein and low in carbs. Saying that you can't afford the groceries is an excuse, too...because, again, you *could* buy better soft foods.

If it's your port that has busted stitches, that's often done as an office procedure. It's not a major surgery to stitch the port back down and as long as you can get the fills, you don't have to do it at all.

I understand that not having insurance to cover fills can be a financial problem. But it makes me wonder why you got the band in the first place then? The fills are a lifelong commitment...at some point, you knew you'd be on your own. But look at it this way. You DO have the band. You already have a tool in place to help you lose weight. If you have it removed, you're most likely NOT going to lose weight on your own. Sorry, but only about 3-5% of people take the weight off and KEEP it off. So what kind of expense are you looking at down the road? Being obese can be very expensive in it's own way.

I think it simply sounds like you're not ready to do what is necessary to let the band help you lose weight. If that's the case, get a complete unfill. For most people, an empty band feels like the band isn't even there. So you can try to lose weight on your own, not worry about fills, etc. If, at some point, you decide to use the band, then you can start getting fills again.