Band removed today....one step closer to bypass

[YumiMumi 29]

Hi!! Thought I would post and hopefully reassure others considering a band to bypass.

I have been banned twice. First failed due to slippage, and this one I have chosen to have removed due to disappointing weight loss results. At first banding I was 220 pounds, lost 22, removed band and put all back on plus an additional 26. Rebanded 5 years ago at 246, lost about 50 then put back on about 25 during and after pregnancy. With this band I felt like I was constantly choking on my food, but never really full. In the end after several fills I was consuming a lot of saucy slider foods.. and the indigestion pain has been terrible. Not cool.

Today prior to the band removal surgery I weighed in at 220 pounds.

The surgery was quick and all went well, woke up in recovery about 4 hrs ago. I'm taking half an endone and can feel a tiny bit of pain around Port site but it not bad at all. No gas pains. Just ate a yoghurt and in a half hour I will be heading home.

So glad this part is over, and nowhere near as painful as I thought.

My surgeon wants the band out and 3-4 months before bypass.

Will post in a few days time to update you all on pain levels and hunger etc.

[Soexcited 64]

Hi!!! We are very alike! I had my band put in Nov 09 and just removed it 2 weeks ago! My bypass is not scheduled yet I have to wait the same amount of time to heal up first. Lets buddy up! Id love a friend to help me not gain weight while i wait for my bypass!!!!!

[YumiMumi 29]

Hey Soexcited thx for ur reply! That sounds great. How was your band removal experience??

[YumiMumi 29]

Finally starting to get hungry, just had Protein shake, broth and a Decaf coffee. Pain is now easily managed by paracetamol. Last night was rough and not much sleep due to side effects from anaesthetic and endone. But feeling much much better today and have been able to do light tasks in between naps.

More motivated than ever to eat right and prepare well for the bypass early next year.

[Soexcited 64]

Hi! Just wanted to say got your message, ill reply tomorrow...need to get some beauty sleep!

[YumiMumi 29]

72 hrs post surgery and far less pain now, only taking paracetamol at night. Still lethargic from anaesthetic but will go back to work Monday. Trying to stick to Protein Shakes and Soup as more solid food doesn't seem to sit right yet. All in all the band removal has been very straight forward and far less painful than I thought.

[Soexcited 64]

Hello! Im hlad your doing well! I had my band placed Nov 09 and did well at first, but like all banded people I started getting so unsatisfied, Id just get stuck on a few bites and be hungry. So id eat sliders to feel full and gained it all back. Had it removed October 29 2015, almost had it 6 years! Now that Im feeling better after surgery (i really had a hard time, got super sick and threw up for a few days right after) it took me a good 2 weeks to recover, anyway now im hungry and boy i can eat! I havent had a regular meal in 6 years and i need some super willpower not to gain before my bypass!!! My lameoooo insurance company has got me in this stupid support group till January (6 months long) and its torture. The people in the group are unfortunate, they are uneducated and realy need to learn about what they are getting into. But they group people like me in with them, and not to sound snotty but ive been there done that. Did a lot of pre op stuff before band so i have almost 7 years of experience and i still have to suffer every tuesday night with all the folk who really need to be there...heck i could teach the class! Anyway i need my insurance to pay for it so i jump through the hoops. Reality is though that i have 3 months with no band and i dont want to gain!!!!

[YumiMumi 29]

I totally get what u r saying..... I'm petrified of gaining more than a few pounds as it's hard to get off no matter how u r trying to achieve the result. I don't have the insurance company issues u do, but my surgeon has his own group of dietitians, Psychologists etc and they won't do the bypass if you gain over the 3 months. Apparently it shows a lack of commitment to the process and indicates a poor post surgical outcome.

So I guess the key is remaining engaged and conscious every single day of the end goal.... Im counting calories ensuring I don't go higher than 1500-2000 per day, but with no band I know my tummy is very capable of holding a big f*ck off schnitzel parmigiana even at this early stage.

[Soexcited 64]

Oh ya, I can eat again and it scares me! I actually wish my surgeon would have the same rule as yours because that sounds super motivating to me! I would not want to be denied after all of this because i gained 3 pounds!!!!!!!! My fitness pal has me eating no more than 1200 a day So now that I can eat it feels very depriving. How old are you? Im 50 and live in San Diego Ca.

[Tina1969 10]

I had my band in 2009. Got it removed on 10/29 and Dr did bypass the same day. So glad it was done at one time. Doing well. Most of pain was from port site not bypass area. Weird. Onto soft foods already and doing great. Down 21 lbs at Dr visit 2 weeks post op. I wish you well.

[YumiMumi 29]

Well done Tina1969, I kind of wish that my surgeon would have done the band to bypass in one surgery but I am in Australia and most surgeons here wont do that. :-( 21 pounds in two weeks is awesome!!!! what was your weight on day of surgery? are you still on fluids?

[YumiMumi 29]

YEP, it scares me too LOL. I live in Australia and Im 43. I realise now that while I hated the band due to reflux and stuff getting stuck and not achieving my weight loss goals, that it DID slow my eating right down. I am trying to apply the same principles of slow eating as when I had my band. So far after a week of having the band out I haven't gained or lost and probably still holding on to a bit of Fluid weight around my incision points. I have just been focused this past week on slowly eating more solid food and keeping Protein up to help my body recover. I think this week I will reduce calories and see if I can stick to say 1200 and maybe shift a few pounds very slowly... To do that I need to change my eating habits entirely now to start eating a lot of salad and fruit and dry Proteins which I was unable to do with the band. Having said all that, Cookies are my weakness.... with coffee in the morning, so NEED to change that habit. But agree... 1200 seems very limiting now Im focused on it :-)

Oh ya, I can eat again and it scares me! I actually wish my surgeon would have the same rule as yours because that sounds super motivating to me! I would not want to be denied after all of this because i gained 3 pounds!!!!!!!! My fitness pal has me eating no more than 1200 a day So now that I can eat it feels very depriving. How old are you? Im 50 and live in San Diego Ca.

[YumiMumi 29]

Took my waterproof dressings off today - 6 days post op. Have 4 puncture points/incisions. 3 are tiny and the longest is 2 inches long. They don't hurt any more unless I stretch or lean on them or carry too much. But it still feels very tight and swollen - and I'm still lethargic as my body heals. Have attached photos for the more curious amongst you. The one at the top (just under bra line) is barely even visible any more, the other 3 have a fair bit of bruising around them.... NO weight gained or lost without band so far....

I returned to work today (but working from home) however will get back into the office tomorrow. I have an office job but I manage over 50 IT staff so its high pressure role and I know the fatigue will be tough this week.

[Soexcited 64]

I am 17 days post op band removal, this is my tummy now.

[Soexcited 64]

And this was my tummy a few days after surgery

I lived in Sydney for 8 years!! Where are you down under?