This thread is going to be sooo inappropriate!

[luluc 6]

I am aware of the port nearly evey moment of every day.

hey bjean - i know what you mean. i woke up from surgery w/port pain - and i feel it all the time (even being low profile). it is significantly raised above the skin - "turkey's done look", and is bothersome no matter what exercise i do. i keep exercising and just manage - but it is bothersome.

i have NO issue having the band replaced say w/a sleeve whatsoever - in fact i wish i went that route first. i had to have so many fills to get restriction (8), developed a hernia, had a port site infection. infection was caught in time, and the hernia removed....that said, the fear of it's longevity is an issue with me. i have NO other issues w/the band (slimming/PB/reflux/intolerance to any food or drink) which is the reason i'm just sitting still. DH is also banded and he could not be any happier.....he has no idea he even has it - other than his food consumption much less.

i read all through the complication threads (DH says that's hyped up my paranoia...i'm just overly curious). the minute i have an issue, such as the ones i don't already - i plan on revising no matter what; to ensure none of my hard work taking of the lbs was for naught. i appreciate those posting their complications - it's a fact; whether some like it or not.

btw - my friend i discussed somewhere inside this thread did revise to a DS (had failed gastric) back in Nov. she's lost all that she gained back w/gastric & then some......i see her a few times a wk, no stink that i'm aware of but she does burn a lot of candles.....:tongue2:

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

hey bjean - i know what you mean. i woke up from surgery w/port pain - and i feel it all the time (even being low profile). it is significantly raised above the skin - "turkey's done look", and is bothersome no matter what exercise i do. i keep exercising and just manage - but it is bothersome.

i have NO issue having the band replaced say w/a sleeve whatsoever - in fact i wish i went that route first. i had to have so many fills to get restriction (8), developed a hernia, had a port site infection. infection was caught in time, and the hernia removed....that said, the fear of it's longevity is an issue with me. i have NO other issues w/the band (slimming/PB/reflux/intolerance to any food or drink) which is the reason i'm just sitting still. DH is also banded and he could not be any happier.....he has no idea he even has it - other than his food consumption much less.

i read all through the complication threads (DH says that's hyped up my paranoia...i'm just overly curious). the minute i have an issue, such as the ones i don't already - i plan on revising no matter what; to ensure none of my hard work taking of the lbs was for naught. i appreciate those posting their complications - it's a fact; whether some like it or not.

btw - my friend i discussed somewhere inside this thread did revise to a DS (had failed gastric) back in Nov. she's lost all that she gained back w/gastric & then some......i see her a few times a wk, no stink that i'm aware of but she does burn a lot of candles.....:tongue2:

I admit, I don't miss my port in the least. It stuck out like a tumor. But you know, the most painful part of revision surgery is where the port was. That took a good two weeks before it didn't feel like a bon fire in my gut.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I wish there were more people who posted who have had their bands for years and years. It would be nice to know exactly how many years the band is going to stay in place without complications. I do know someone who has had his band for 8 years, but he can't tolerate any fill what so ever.

[Nanook 2]

I think we've all learned that almost anything is up for grabs in R and R and usually uncomfortable for someone. I know banding is a very emotional thing for all of us. When it works like it does for a lot of you that's wonderful and that's what we all wanted too when we were banded. We all wanted to "ra ra, yay, love my band :thumbup:" but it doesn't always work that way.

I know it's hard not to take it personally but you have to give us a bit of a break when we all wanted all the joy and the positive results that come from the band and did not get them or something went horribly wrong as it did with Wasa. No one is stopping anyone for boasting about their positive results with the band but it's therapeutic for us and also helps others who have problems. Also all prebanders need to get the good the bad and the ugly about the band. Knowledge is a good thing and some of us may not have been banded in the first place if we had all the information that is out now.

Whatever procedure we choose we want it to be successful. I had mine removed last October and am still PM'd by people myself which is partly why I stick around. Part of me still wants the success and dealing with band failure is not easy I'm now considering revision to the RNY which was very successful for my daughter and I've been right along with her through her good times and bad and with our common gene pool I'm hoping I will be more successful with this procedure.

Anyway I am happy for all of you that have had success but you just have to be a bit patient with those of us who have not had the same success and need to share our stories mainly because there are many people who want to hear them. Nancy

Edited February 17, 2009 by Nanook

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

There are a lot of people who say they are happy with their bands, but yet have lists of foods they can't eat. So many bandsters fight Constipation because they aren't able to eat fruits or veggies. I think there are a lot of people who are happy with their bands because they are thinner, but will still admit that they can't eat normally.

I know Jacqui stresses eating a balanced diet, but for some bandsters, that is fairly impossible.

[Nanook 2]

That's was true for me also. Even without any fill I could not eat a "normal" diet. Now that it has been removed I still feel the tightness in my esophagus when I eat certain foods that I could never tolerate no matter if I had fill in my band or not. Why is that? That's the question everyone should ask. Why is it so different with everyone. How can you know ahead of time if I will feel like that on the band? That's just one aspect of the band that is an issue for many people.

[*susan* 1,709]

Ok, I will "come out of the closet". My first year with the band was a breeze. I lost about 80 pounds. Since then, I have had nothing but problems. I am either overfilled to the point of not being able to swallow my own spit, or not filled enough. There is no "sweet spot" for me anymore.

I still have another 80 pounds to lose, and fear I will never get there with my band. I avoid fills now because of all the problems I have had with overfills. I have slipped my band three times.

You almost never see me post in any threads anymore that are outside of the lounge because it is hard for me to encourage newbies and say wonderful things about the band when the actual truth is, I just want mine out. I hate it. If I could get the damn thing to work without making my life miserable like it did the first year, that would be great. But, I am sick of choking on my food, my spit, not being able to dine out with coworkers, pretending not to be hungry at lunch meetings to avoid the inevitable PB, etc.

If my insurance would cover it, I would revise to the sleeve in a heartbeat. I have watched and read with interest every post that WasA and Mac make about it. Unfortunately, I was private pay on my band and used up all my resources to get it. I am constantly checking my insurance to see if they will cover the sleeve and if they ever do, I will revise immediately.

[Nanook 2]

Wow Susan,

I had no idea thanks for "coming out of the closet". I hope something works out for you. I've always worried about you self-pay peeps and how you all deal with it. I'm guessing sleeves are great for people who can lose weight with the band but I don't think I would be a good candidate and need that malabsorption aspect that RNY has. I really hope things work out for you! Nancy

[BJean 16]

Well that brings up a good question, Nancy. Since all I am hearing about the sleeve is how great and wonderful it is, why would anyone choose RNY surgery these days? I am assuming that RNY is the procedure that has been done for many years that involves bypass rather than removal, correct?

I understand that you believe that you need the malabsorbtion side effect that RNY creates. Is that because it causes you to restrict the fat you eat, due to the odor problems? Or is it for some other reason?

Wasa I really appreciate hearing your story. And Susan, you too. I've been here since Aug. 2006 and I've read a lot of posts by both of you. Wasa I know what a proponent of the band you were and you even helped other people who were looking for a doctor and all that. Wasa at first I hardly knew where my port was. I had to really probe around to find it. The longer I've had it, the more prominent it is. But that may just be due to my having put on some poundage in the last few months.

Susan you've lost 80 lbs. and I've only lost about 40 lbs. that I can keep off. There's another 20 or so that I seem to play around with. At first I thought I had just slowed down losing, but since I have regained 20 lbs. since Nov., I think I am realizing that I will never get to 135, as I'd hoped. I too got to the point where I hated, just hated, to go for a fill. I got really tired of either having too little restriction or too much. I hit a point where I had a fill of 2.2 and it seemed to be my "sweet spot". Then something happened (who knows what) and it was too much. And I'm back into the search for a fill that actually helps me instead of causing me grief.

I am like oregon (I think it was) who said she was sick and tired of thinking about food all the time. I'm either trying to work on finding an intelligent choice for my next meal, or I am obsessed with what I can eat that will taste good and stay down. It seems like that's kind of like an alcoholic who is constantly thinking about drinking all the time and having to choose whether to drink 8 oz. of gin or 4 oz. of vodka. Not a perfect analogy, but you get my drift.

Frankly, I am jealous of plain's and Jachut's success.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Ok, I will "come out of the closet". My first year with the band was a breeze. I lost about 80 pounds. Since then, I have had nothing but problems. I am either overfilled to the point of not being able to swallow my own spit, or not filled enough. There is no "sweet spot" for me anymore.

I still have another 80 pounds to lose, and fear I will never get there with my band. I avoid fills now because of all the problems I have had with overfills. I have slipped my band three times.

You almost never see me post in any threads anymore that are outside of the lounge because it is hard for me to encourage newbies and say wonderful things about the band when the actual truth is, I just want mine out. I hate it. If I could get the damn thing to work without making my life miserable like it did the first year, that would be great. But, I am sick of choking on my food, my spit, not being able to dine out with coworkers, pretending not to be hungry at lunch meetings to avoid the inevitable PB, etc.

If my insurance would cover it, I would revise to the sleeve in a heartbeat. I have watched and read with interest every post that WasA and Mac make about it. Unfortunately, I was private pay on my band and used up all my resources to get it. I am constantly checking my insurance to see if they will cover the sleeve and if they ever do, I will revise immediately.

This is *exactly* what I have heard from literally hundreds of people since my revision. This is it, this is what happens. This is what people PM me with daily.

If you slip it's not all that uncommon to not have a sweet spot anymore. Scar tissue builds up along the band and under the band and you just can't get a good fill. The sweet spot does not exist anymore.

I don't encourage anyone to get a band anymore. I make no bones about it. If someone has a band and they are excited about it I'm not going to post in their thread and tell them the band sucks but I won't encourage anyone to get a band except bypass to band. That does seem to be quite effective and not all the problems. I think it must be the difference in anatomy. But for a first time surgery I am honest with people and if that means peeing in someone's joy, so be it. That's not my intent but I won't lie about banding issues just to make someone feel good.

I think the band has been in the US long enough that the cycle is completing. Enough people, enough studies, enough of a data base has come to light and we are seeing the cycle. In the beginning everyone is thrilled. Then comes the problems. Now come the revisions.

You really aren't alone. Not by a long shot and it is not you, it is the band.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Well that brings up a good question, Nancy. Since all I am hearing about the sleeve is how great and wonderful it is, why would anyone choose RNY surgery these days? I am assuming that RNY is the procedure that has been done for many years that involves bypass rather than removal, correct?

I understand that you believe that you need the malabsorbtion side effect that RNY creates. Is that because it causes you to restrict the fat you eat, due to the odor problems? Or is it for some other reason?

Wasa I really appreciate hearing your story. And Susan, you too. I've been here since Aug. 2006 and I've read a lot of posts by both of you. Wasa I know what a proponent of the band you were and you even helped other people who were looking for a doctor and all that. Wasa at first I hardly knew where my port was. I had to really probe around to find it. The longer I've had it, the more prominent it is. But that may just be due to my having put on some poundage in the last few months.

Susan you've lost 80 lbs. and I've only lost about 40 lbs. that I can keep off. There's another 20 or so that I seem to play around with. At first I thought I had just slowed down losing, but since I have regained 20 lbs. since Nov., I think I am realizing that I will never get to 135, as I'd hoped. I too got to the point where I hated, just hated, to go for a fill. I got really tired of either having too little restriction or too much. I hit a point where I had a fill of 2.2 and it seemed to be my "sweet spot". Then something happened (who knows what) and it was too much. And I'm back into the search for a fill that actually helps me instead of causing me grief.

I am like oregon (I think it was) who said she was sick and tired of thinking about food all the time. I'm either trying to work on finding an intelligent choice for my next meal, or I am obsessed with what I can eat that will taste good and stay down. It seems like that's kind of like an alcoholic who is constantly thinking about drinking all the time and having to choose whether to drink 8 oz. of gin or 4 oz. of vodka. Not a perfect analogy, but you get my drift.

Frankly, I am jealous of plain's and Jachut's success.

Bypass certainly has its place. It's great for hard core diabetics that cannot get control of their blood sugar. 85% of the time, within 3-10 days a diabetic will be in full remission of their diabetes after bypass surgery. 3-10 days! It's good for people like a dear friend of mine who has gained with the band, it's not the band, it's my friend. She cannot possibly kick the sugar. If it was a promise she would dump and dump forever on sugar it would be ideal for her.

I'm very lucky that restriction alone does the trick for me.

BJean, I'm going to suggest that you check out a drug called Luvox. It's for OCD. A lot of people think we are addicted to food and we aren't. The outcome may well be the exactly same as addiction but the reason it needs to be made clear that we are not addicted to food is the treatment is vastly different for addiction vs. OCD.

When we were trying every treatment, drug, and possibility trying to make my band work my doc thought Luvox would work on the nerve receptors between my stomach and brain. We were trying to tell my brain I didn't need to barf. Well, I did need to barf and Susan will understand that one. She experiences the same. If food/water won't go down it has to go somewhere. But we were trying everything.

While the Luvox didn't make a bit of difference in barfing I noticed that each time I started taking it, it totally killed my head hunger. Luvox also treats OCD. ;o) I would quit taking it and head hunger was back in full force and I thought about food all the time. I'd start taking it again and it killed my head hunger.

I've come a long way with food issues and I really don't deal with head hunger a great deal anymore. If it kicks in I make steamed veggies and eat all I want. A huge mega bowl has 300 calories, it takes me all day to eat it. But before I got to this stage I would start taking Luvox when my head hunger was getting out of control. It's hard when you have head hunger and you have to figure out what you can eat to solve that problem without barfing all day.

It might be something to consider. Paxil is another option. Good luck getting a US doc to give it to you, they think we just like donuts. I think many US docs view obesity different than other cultures.

It's not a character flaw, it's a disease.

[BethFromVA 5]

I am like oregon (I think it was) who said she was sick and tired of thinking about food all the time. I'm either trying to work on finding an intelligent choice for my next meal, or I am obsessed with what I can eat that will taste good and stay down. It seems like that's kind of like an alcoholic who is constantly thinking about drinking all the time and having to choose whether to drink 8 oz. of gin or 4 oz. of vodka. Not a perfect analogy, but you get my drift.

I feel that way too -- or at least have in the past. It seemed with things like WW or other programs I did, you were CONSTANTLY having to think about what you were eating, when you were eating, how much you were eating, how long until you needed to eat again, weighing everything, journaling everything, counting calories/fat grams/carbs, etc. Though it worked overall, after a while I just felt overwhelmed that no matter what, I was required to stay focused on food. That was never what I wanted.

I'm not saying that it's not important to do some of these things for success, but it just got to the point where it became all consuming -- just from the opposite end.

So far -- and I know I haven't been banded that long -- I really don't think about it. I simply try to make good choices and exercise, don't weigh food, don't count calories/fat grams/carbs, don't journal, etc. I'm not saying this is RIGHT -- because as I said, those things ARE good to keep tabs on what we're doing... but until or unless I hit a huge plateau and need to pay more attention to what I'm doing, I don't think I will implement any of those things. It's just that, for me, I need my life with food to be as "normal" as can be, and that means taking away the obsession with it in any form.

[luluc 6]

i just view this board as a larger microcosm of my home.

2 banded - 2 different journey's w/the same results & 2 differences of opinions after the fact. i'm not touching the band till something makes me have to - port annoyance alone won't do it .... but it drives DH crazy sometimes when i constantly point to it like it's a third nipple.

was wondering though - i talked to my dr at my last appt after and endo to check on the infection of having to revise and he said why your below my weight expectations of you. is there an issue of revising if your at a normal weight? i didn't continue the conversation really because my head was just focused on making sure my infection was healed....but am curious.

[Nanook 2]

Well that brings up a good question, Nancy. Since all I am hearing about the sleeve is how great and wonderful it is, why would anyone choose RNY surgery these days? I am assuming that RNY is the procedure that has been done for many years that involves bypass rather than removal, correct?

I understand that you believe that you need the malabsorbtion side effect that RNY creates. Is that because it causes you to restrict the fat you eat, due to the odor problems? Or is it for some other reason?

Wasa I really appreciate hearing your story. And Susan, you too. I've been here since Aug. 2006 and I've read a lot of posts by both of you. Wasa I know what a proponent of the band you were and you even helped other people who were looking for a doctor and all that. Wasa at first I hardly knew where my port was. I had to really probe around to find it. The longer I've had it, the more prominent it is. But that may just be due to my having put on some poundage in the last few months.

Susan you've lost 80 lbs. and I've only lost about 40 lbs. that I can keep off. There's another 20 or so that I seem to play around with. At first I thought I had just slowed down losing, but since I have regained 20 lbs. since Nov., I think I am realizing that I will never get to 135, as I'd hoped. I too got to the point where I hated, just hated, to go for a fill. I got really tired of either having too little restriction or too much. I hit a point where I had a fill of 2.2 and it seemed to be my "sweet spot". Then something happened (who knows what) and it was too much. And I'm back into the search for a fill that actually helps me instead of causing me grief.

I am like oregon (I think it was) who said she was sick and tired of thinking about food all the time. I'm either trying to work on finding an intelligent choice for my next meal, or I am obsessed with what I can eat that will taste good and stay down. It seems like that's kind of like an alcoholic who is constantly thinking about drinking all the time and having to choose whether to drink 8 oz. of gin or 4 oz. of vodka. Not a perfect analogy, but you get my drift.

Frankly, I am jealous of plain's and Jachut's success.

BJean,

I'm sorry things are going well for you either. With the RNY the duodenum is completely bypassed and that's where the majority of fat absorption takes place. So that aids in your WL. (I think that's basically it) They also remove a good amount of your small intestine and use it to connect to your new pouch openning. The stomach is stapled in one long line to portion off and make it smaller. (I hope I did it justice). Now I know nothing is perfect but I'm tired of giving up on the whole thing and know I need something major. At this point I'm not affraid anymore. I have more comorbs now than I had before I was banded and need to do something, plus I just can't be happy at a heavier size even though I made an attempt.

Like most people I didn't want to go to the "extreme" of having RNY but since my 20 year old daughter had it last May and has lost over 140 lbs so far I have a little more faith it may work for me also.

My surgeon only does RNY or Lap band and has been doing RNY much longer. My primary did not want me to get the lap band initially and has patients that have gone through my surgeon for their RNYs but I was his only patient that had the lap band.

I don't plug any WLS because we're all so different and just because it works for so and so doesn't mean it will work for me or anyone else. My daughter has had probs in the beginning with strictures where her stoma closed twice and so far those were her only complications. Now she's eating well and still losing. (I will always worry about her, can't help it) She was about 360 lbs when she started and 6 feet tall and now carries herself like a model! Big change in her life for sure.

I looked at the DS a while ago and decided against it mainly because the surgeon was much further away and I feel more comfortable going through my orignal team and a surgery that I'm more familiar with.

Anyway I hope you can find what will work for you it definately took it's toll on me emotionally and still does. Take care Nancy.

[Marmite_crumpet 0]

I started off laughing at the things posted to this thread. Now ... I am depressed :thumbup: