My 10 year weight loss journey - the good, the bad, the ugly.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I am 64 years old and started my weight loss journey over 10 years ago, when my husband was still alive (he will dead 10 years this fall). I started with the pre-op testing, etc.. but as his health failed I couldn't take part in the demanding schedule so I gave it up.

Two years after he died (2007) I started the process again, but this time at a local hospital with a local surgeon because I would have to do all the driving to all the appointments and I didn't want to drive into the city at the university hospital. MISTAKE NUMBER ONE.

This surgeon and his partner were new to bariatric surgery. They were general surgeons who took over the practice of a retiring surgeon. My theory is that they were going to use up the existing inventory first, which is why he put in an outdated 4cc band. MISTAKE NUMBER TWO.*

I was only his 23rd patient and while his surgical skills were okay, his knowledge about the complexities of obesity as a disease were nil. MISTAKE NUMBER THREE.* I had already lost 60 pounds on my own prior to and right after surgery - 6 months of dieting and 2 weeks pre and 2 weeks post surgery - liquids only.

But still he wanted me to lose 10-15 pounds in 3 weeks with no fill. MISTAKE NUMBER FOUR.*

When I didn't - I got the "Come to Jesus talk". He had told me I had the 10cc band. So, when he filled me with 3cc I couldn't understand why I was having so many problems. I couldn't keep anything down. He was blaming me, telling me to do this, not do that, blah, blah, blah. I was thinking - Why would 3cc cause so many problems in a 10cc band? So he ordered an upper GI which showed not much was going through. When he got the results of the upper GI- THAT GOT HIS ATTENTION!!!! He called me in immediately and removed 1.5 cc. MISTAKE NUMBER FIVE.*

It was then that I asked for all my test results and operative report that I had sent to another doctor for a second opinion. He was the one who told me I had a 4cc band, it had slightly slipped and my weight loss in 6 months was what is expected in a year. First time I heard anything positive from a doctor.

However, 9 month later I had a horrible stuck episode that took me to the ER where all the fill was removed.

Oh, and right after surgery I had terrible left shoulder pain that he knew NOTHING about. MISTAKE NUMBER 6*. When I found this forum - It was just the lap band forum then - THEY HAD WHOLE THREADS DEVOTED TO LEFT SHOULDER PAIN!!!!

Now to the part about the band itself: I lost 75 pounds but only 15 from the band. It never did one thing it was promoted as doing. It didn't decrease hunger, it didn't provide satiety, it didn't improve any of my medical conditions. It just made it difficult to eat - pain and pressure. So, it was the worst of both worlds. Couldn't eat but still felt hungry - like my bottom stomach was saying "hey, feed me- I'm still hungry" but I couldn't. I did not fail the band, I was a very compliant patient. The band failed me.

I have been over in the sleeve forum - was contemplating getting a revision but decided it wasn't for me. I don't want to be the one who has daily diarrhea 2 years out and still can't drink plain Water, or who had pain for 2 hours from a crouton. Or has increased GERD, can't take NSAIDs for life (I have arthritis) and a whole host of other reasons, not the least of which the surgeon said I could lose "as much as 45 pounds". All that for MAYBE 45 pounds?? No thanks, I am in onderland, a place many on these boards Celebrate after surgery.

So, I am going to live with this thing unless it causes a complication that requires removal.

So, that's my story, sorry it was so long.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

*CAN BE INTERCHANGED WITH "RED FLAG NUMBER TWO, ETC.."

[enjoythetime 1,457]

I'm so sorry to hear all of the issues that were created for you by an unknowledgeable surgeon!

My first question is have you able to keep the 75lbs off that you lost 60lbs pre band diet and 15lbs while with the band? If so, it's not useless, think about what would've happened if you didn't have the band there. Speaking from experience on previous diets I was able to lose 126lbs but then gained it all back plus 21lbs to eventually hit my all time heaviest, so even though a majority of your weight was lost in the pre-op diet stage your band has still provided you the ability to lose a little more but most importantly to maintain your lose after 10 years.

What condition is your band in now? You had said that there was a slight slip, has it corrected it's self? Is there any fill remaining in your band? It sounds to me like if you got a hold of the right dr. they would be able to work with what you have and work for you and not against you.

You're right in saying that you didn't fail the band but in what I read here the band isn't what failed you, your Dr. failed you. the band wasn't allowed to do what it was "promoted" to do because it sounds to me like it was never properly filled, monitored etc. so my words of encouragement are to find the right dr. find the right "restriction" for you and proceed with your journey.

I wish you all the best!!!

Edited April 9, 2015 by enjoythetime

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Yes, my original surgeon was an idiot. The doctor who I went to for the second opinion and with whom I stayed is now gone. After the stuck episode I had all the fill removed. I have gained back about 30 lbs from what I lost. But that gain has been mostly in the last 2-3 years and it was due mainly to stress eating due to an enormous stressful situation in my life (ongoing).

The band never provided me with satiety. I was always hungry. That is a problem that I see repeated here and on the sleeve forums (lap band to sleeve). My second doctor said that many of his patients wanted more and more fills to maximize weight loss. That isn't healthy. I would still feel empty and unsatisfied when I ate and I couldn't eat more because of the pain and pressure. So, it was the worst of both worlds - not feeling satisfied, being hungry and having pain and pressure and a few stuck episodes - the one that took me to the ER was so painful I am sure getting shot could not have been worse. I couldn't even talk.

While my current surgeon, my third, might "work the band" with me it is not something that I am currently considering. I don't want to go back to the experiences that I had before. I still get some left shoulder pain and that is my stop signal and I can sometimes struggle with the first few bites of food. And this is with an unfilled band.

I had an upper GI in February and there was not a slip, a slight hiatal hernia and mild esophageal dysmotility (sp?). Overall, it was in the right position and looked fine.

The main thing about the band is that it didn't cause me to lose weight. I didn't go through all I did for 15 pounds.

This last reason is the main reasons many bariatric surgeons no longer do the band. The research does not support it as causing long term weight loss.

I'm not sure how the sleeve is promoted but the band was promoted to help you lose 50% of your excess weight. So, if you're 100 pounds overweight and lose 50 pounds - you would still be obese.

I am very happy for all of those on here who have had a lot of success with the band and I hope they continue to do so. But it wasn't the right surgery for me and I don't think the sleeve is at this time either.

Thanks, again.