LAP BAND REMOVAL AND MORTIFIED

crustymouse23 · October 29, 2015

I've struggled with my weight all my life. My mom's put me on a diet for as long as I remember and never felt good enough unless I'd loose weight. The first diet I was on was Jenny Craig @ 7years old and throughout my teen years I've been on everything. After HS a "blossomed" to a whopping 243 and finally decided I needed to do something about it and went on weight watchers, lost 50 lbs and it was marvelous. Until times at home got darker. I became an emotional eater and gained about more then 1/2 the weight back. It's become a major psychological thing wanting what you cant have Fooooooooood. In 2007 I decided to get the lapband & it's helped me from eating less, but also the food around me was not as taboo. sorry for my rambling AND HERE'S MY POINT: I went for an upper GI last week and it shows I have a dilated esophagus. I went to the surgeon yesterday and he told me he needs to take it out. I was hoping for a conversion when they were already in there, but that's not going to happen. Maybe in another year I can get the sleeve, but in the meantime my esophagus needs to heal. I believe almost everyone who takes their lapband out gains all their weight. The thought of that devastates me. I feel a piece that's helped me feel better about me is getting taken away to return to the old days.I expressed myself to my bf and even some people around me and their answer is: EAT LESS! Just WORK OUT!. It's not that quite simple. I've read your hunger SOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS after. I'm scheduled for Dec 2 and as of right now I feel unbelievably defeated and can't help to think, whats the point of working out after or even now... if im going to gain the weight all back?? My plan is after I have the procedure I'm going to be on Belviq to help control my appetite. I'm so scared. Has anyone ever heard of people actually maintaining after removal??

Edited October 30, 2015 by crustymouse23

WLSResources/ClothingExch · October 31, 2015

I don't know of anyone who maintained after band removal. It must be possible, but take great commitment, determination and discipline and, let's not forget, a positive attitude. One person who'd been a champion band owner, maintaining about 14 years, had it removed due to a strenuous movement that cause a major slip. At first she chose to try to maintain on her own. However, she had sleeve surgery three or four months after band removal because she'd begun to gain. She's the only one whose details I know. Some people here have gone from band to sleeve. Perhaps they'll stop in and tell you what they know.

Who says you have to wait a year for sleeve? Is that the surgeon or something else you believe on your own?

Did you ask why the band has to be removed? There is a theory that, once loosened, a band never works quite as well once refilled. I don't know if that's true or, if it is, whether it applies to everyone. Sometimes a band is loosened so that the dilation can correct itself. It usually takes a few months, and then the band can be tightened again gradually. Did the surgeon mention that as an option before going to the OR again?

If you expect to regain, you will. If you have to ask the point of continuing to work out, your planning to regain. GEt your thinking, emotions and head straight before you even think of revision surgery now or later. Surgery is no guarantee of weight loss -- you have to do the work. YOu might consider a therapist, one who has some particular knowledge of the weight-loss/emotional intersection. It's a shame that your mother piled her insecurities onto you, especially when you were so young. That's got to have a large role in your struggles now..

Always question medical advice at least to the point of asking if there is an alternate to try before going the more drastic route.

What caused the dilation? There may be other causes, but I know only about overeating and eating too quickly, not chewing thoroughly and not pausing between bites.

However the current situation is resolved, I wish you the best. I also wish I had time now to do some editing so that this note would be more cohesive.

Edited October 31, 2015 by WLSResources/ClothingExch