Long Time Bandsters Experiencing Problems?

[starrgirrl 0]

Hi-

I'm new to this forum. I was banded in February 2004. For the longest time, the band was my miracle. I released sixty pounds and maintained my weight around 200 pounds. While this wasn't "skinny" it felt very healthy to me.

In December 2006, I slowly began gaining weight. Over time, I've found that I can eat more and more. When I had a test under floro done last March, they said that the band was still tight, but my esophogas had stretched. I went on liquids for a few weeks.

It's now almost eighteen months later and I've slowly found my way back to 229 pounds. I've found ways to eat around the band. This was not purposeful, it's just that now I'm noticing that I've become more of a grazer and the band is no longer my sentry or my signal to stop. I can eat sandwiches, burgers, an entire lean cuisine... none of these things are bad on their own, but the band used to help me with Portion Control. Now I'm able to eat more "normally" and on top of that, I'm eating things like chocolate and Cookies. It feels like all my old unsupportive habits are back in play again. This makes me so sad...

In addition, I've started to experience acid reflux in the night while I'm sleeping... all of a sudden I wake up coughing with acid in my mouth.

I'm going to see the doctor this week and have scheduled another floro. I suspect that I'm going to need to have the Fluid removed from my band so that I can "rest" everything for awhile and let the esophogus calm down so that I cannot eat so much at once.

Truth is I'm rather sad about all of this. For a few years I experienced total freedom from compulsive eating. I lived with tremendous trust that my band and I were trusty partners and that I could release myself from having to worry and not have to monitor what I was eating all the time. But old habits are back now, and I'm able to eat in ways that aren't supporting maintaining a lower weight.

My dream is to feel the exquisite freedom of not having to monitor my eating all the time. I would love to be in total sync with my body, my appetite and food. A long time ago when I was on Phen/Fen, I experienced what this was like. Within an hour of taking my first dose, I didn't care about food... and I craved things like carrots and apples. It was a miracle and I remember thinking, "so this is what it is like to experience food like a normal person."

The band gave me that sense of freedom for a long time.

But now I feel like I'm back and square one... Please send prayers and light that I gracefully find my way in healing this experience for the last time and that I begin eating in a way that honors and supports my vibrant radiant health!

Thank you for listening... I just needed somewhere to share this morning.

Starrgirrl

[smithkr1 0]

Hi Starr, My thoughts and prayers will be with you. I request the same. Banded Dec 06. Went from 243 down to 187 within 8 months. Now, one year + I am back up to 197 as of today. I know I need to schedule a follow up with care providers, but just feel so bad about myself and my eating habits, that I haven't been able to make that phone call.

[Hastings 3]

Constantly monitoring your body and what you eat and drink is being in sync with your body. Normal weight people do it. It's not magic. It's taking control over your consumption.

Good luck to both of you.

[starrgirrl 0]

Hi Kathy-

Lots of love to you, too! I'm feeling much better already... logging in and sharing the truth of my experience has helped me take a deep breath and look at what is happening from a loving and neutral place.

Hi Hastings -

I can appreciate the intention that you are sharing. I guess what I'm referring to is freedom from the constant urge to indulge and comfort myself with food. When I speak of "normal" I think of my friends for whom food is not an emotional trigger. They eat when they are hungry... sometimes indulge in treats... but food does not sing to them the way it does for me. For example, I don't drink alchohol. It's never been my thing. It's very easy for me not to drink. I can pass by a bar and not have a longing and not need to "control" myself from drinking. It's just not my trigger. However, for someone who has an imbalanced relationship with alcohol, it will take tremendous will power not to have that drink.

I desire a healthy neutral relationship with food. One where I do not have to use a lot of will power to monitor my intake. Instead, I'd love for it to be organic and gracefilled.

I don't actually believe that all "normal" people monitor their weight and intake. It is very natural for them and they don't have to work at it. I'm not saying that some people who are thinner don't work at it. But I do know people who have healthy bodies and weight and food is not their issue.

All that being said, food is my issue. And no amount of "I wish it were different" can change that. So, I'm looking at adopting a healthier eating pattern that hopefully will help break the cycle of addictive food patterns.

Wish me luck!

Starrgirrl

[MerryHearted 20]

I suggest counseling too. I ran into what you're experiencing last spring. Old habits crept in and over the course of about 9-10 months I gained 20 lbs.

For me, it really was about going back to the doc and saying "Help!". Which they did. She assigned me a target calorie range, went over the instructions again, and sent me off with a recommendation to work my way through The Beck Diet Solution.

Since then I've lost that 20 lbs and an additional 10 on top of it, and my weight continues to drop. I'm "on the wagon" again, as it were. And now more aware than ever that there is no such thing as a permanent fix for this problem - I will ALWAYS have to monitor my food, I will ALWAYS have to exercise, and I will need to always have a plan in place for when I start to slide on these -- a plan that includes getting help from my doctor and probably a therapist.

This is totally unfair. But it's the way it is. Other people have other unfair things in their lives. This is one of ours. We suck it up and go on. Because to not -- to give in and be obese and unhealthy -- would be even more unfair to ourselves.

[JeanneC 0]

I guess what I'm referring to is freedom from the constant urge to indulge and comfort myself with food. When I speak of "normal" I think of my friends for whom food is not an emotional trigger. They eat when they are hungry... sometimes indulge in treats... but food does not sing to them the way it does for me. For example, I don't drink alchohol. It's never been my thing. It's very easy for me not to drink. I can pass by a bar and not have a longing and not need to "control" myself from drinking. It's just not my trigger. However, for someone who has an imbalanced relationship with alcohol, it will take tremendous will power not to have that drink.

I desire a healthy neutral relationship with food. One where I do not have to use a lot of will power to monitor my intake. Instead, I'd love for it to be organic and gracefilled.

Boy, I know *exactly* what you mean. I recently "fell off the wagon" as it were, and gained 30 pounds. I had a complete unfill due to a slip, but even after I had some Fluid put in, I still kept gaining weight. Now I've had yet another slip and unfill and I'm terrified that I'll gain back that last 50. :woot:

Good luck finding your solutions.

[PamFP 0]

Hi All,

I was banded Jan 15, 07. I was confused about how the band was suppose to help until my 2nd fill. Before that, even after my first fill, I could eat most anything except chicken, bread, salad & sticky rice without restriction. After the second fill I could drink anything but the amount I could eat of almost everything was limited. I was losing about 5 pounds a month, not super fast but steady. Then at the end of this March I had slip. I didn't know what had happened and I still don't know how it happened, but I started having a lot of problems. I could only eat a few bites, it took half an hour to drink a small glass of Water, if I ate past 5 P.M., it would start coming back up when I went to bed, coughing, reflux ... only throwing up helped. I put up with it for a month thinking it would get better. It didn't, but boy did I lose weight. When I went to the doctors who did the surgery they confirmed the slip & completely unfilled the band. I have to wait 5 or 6 weeks to refill it. I'm working really hard not to regain the 63 pounds I lost (from 218 to 155). It was about 2 or 3 pounds more, but but that came right back. I was so dehydrated, I think that was my cells rehydrating. So far my appetite has not come back with a passion, but I'm scared. I have been use to the physcial stop the band provided. But here's the part that really concerns me. The doctors said the band was probably a little too tight all along, and that we would start with much less & proceed slowly. I'm all for that. Common sense tells me that damage can be done with these blockages, but then there's a thin line between enough of a fill to be effective & just a little too much which cause problems over time. It's all so "trial & error". I know two other people who had to have their bands unfilled due to slips. I wonder how common it its?

[OH Juli 15]

Golly,

There are a few things I see here that I can relate to.

People with substance abuse problems, say drinking, resent people who count their drinks. They say normal people don't count drinks. However if you were to ask a person who isn't an alcoholic how much they drink typically, they could answer you with a pretty definative number.

Normal weighted people may not get on the scale daily and count calories but they do have an internal monitor that I'd argue Morbidly Obese (MO) people are missing. Does this make an MO bad? No, just different.

The other thing that kind of ties to this thinking, a way to live ones life productively, is to understand this condition is chronic. It won't go away. Like diabetes if you treat it, you can control it, and if you are consistent controling it is easier. MO is like that.

Then when you talk about control there's an image of a wagging dog's tail and a flea hanging on. You are the flea. If you are on the end of the tail you can be flailing all over the place, but the closer you get to the dog's behind the less out of control you'll be wagged. So the process is getting closer to the dog's butt so you need not hang on so tightly.

I don't know, this thinking works for me.

[slimstacy31 0]

Wow! I am going through the same thing as well. I had a complete unfill about 4 weeks ago. I have gained 6 pounds back although I had lost 10 pounds while I was so sick not keeping anything down. I have hunger pains that I have not had in 4 years. I was banded 5 years ago, and I lost 110 pounds. I am so scared that I will keep gaining. Hang in there and know that you are not alone out there.

[brandyII 9]

Hi-

I'm new to this forum. I was banded in February 2004. For the longest time, the band was my miracle. I released sixty pounds and maintained my weight around 200 pounds. While this wasn't "skinny" it felt very healthy to me.

In December 2006, I slowly began gaining weight. Over time, I've found that I can eat more and more. When I had a test under floro done last March, they said that the band was still tight, but my esophogas had stretched. I went on liquids for a few weeks.

It's now almost eighteen months later and I've slowly found my way back to 229 pounds. I've found ways to eat around the band. This was not purposeful, it's just that now I'm noticing that I've become more of a grazer and the band is no longer my sentry or my signal to stop. I can eat sandwiches, burgers, an entire lean cuisine... none of these things are bad on their own, but the band used to help me with Portion Control. Now I'm able to eat more "normally" and on top of that, I'm eating things like chocolate and Cookies. It feels like all my old unsupportive habits are back in play again. This makes me so sad...

In addition, I've started to experience acid reflux in the night while I'm sleeping... all of a sudden I wake up coughing with acid in my mouth.

I'm going to see the doctor this week and have scheduled another floro. I suspect that I'm going to need to have the Fluid removed from my band so that I can "rest" everything for awhile and let the esophogus calm down so that I cannot eat so much at once.

Truth is I'm rather sad about all of this. For a few years I experienced total freedom from compulsive eating. I lived with tremendous trust that my band and I were trusty partners and that I could release myself from having to worry and not have to monitor what I was eating all the time. But old habits are back now, and I'm able to eat in ways that aren't supporting maintaining a lower weight.

My dream is to feel the exquisite freedom of not having to monitor my eating all the time. I would love to be in total sync with my body, my appetite and food. A long time ago when I was on Phen/Fen, I experienced what this was like. Within an hour of taking my first dose, I didn't care about food... and I craved things like carrots and apples. It was a miracle and I remember thinking, "so this is what it is like to experience food like a normal person."

The band gave me that sense of freedom for a long time.

But now I feel like I'm back and square one... Please send prayers and light that I gracefully find my way in healing this experience for the last time and that I begin eating in a way that honors and supports my vibrant radiant health!

Thank you for listening... I just needed somewhere to share this morning.

Starrgirrl

Starrgirrl,

I've started a new social group called "lap band strugglers" for those of us who are having issues with the band that aren't necessarily mechanical in nature. It's hard to get to you have to find social groups and then go to the underlined "join" section. Anyway I'm hoping something will be moved so that we have two separate lap band complications sections and am working on trying to get someone to do that. I've posted many threads on my issues and still am trying and only lost prior to surgery and gained it all back since my surgery 9 months ago so I can relate to your frustration. Anyway forum is there for you or anyone else who doesn't want to be attacked for having issues with their band. So feel free to join, thanks and good luck to you brandyII.

[melissamcneil 1]

Hi-

I'm new to this forum. I was banded in February 2004. For the longest time, the band was my miracle. I released sixty pounds and maintained my weight around 200 pounds. While this wasn't "skinny" it felt very healthy to me.

In December 2006, I slowly began gaining weight. Over time, I've found that I can eat more and more. When I had a test under floro done last March, they said that the band was still tight, but my esophogas had stretched. I went on liquids for a few weeks.

It's now almost eighteen months later and I've slowly found my way back to 229 pounds. I've found ways to eat around the band. This was not purposeful, it's just that now I'm noticing that I've become more of a grazer and the band is no longer my sentry or my signal to stop. I can eat sandwiches, burgers, an entire lean cuisine... none of these things are bad on their own, but the band used to help me with Portion Control. Now I'm able to eat more "normally" and on top of that, I'm eating things like chocolate and Cookies. It feels like all my old unsupportive habits are back in play again. This makes me so sad...

In addition, I've started to experience acid reflux in the night while I'm sleeping... all of a sudden I wake up coughing with acid in my mouth.

I'm going to see the doctor this week and have scheduled another floro. I suspect that I'm going to need to have the Fluid removed from my band so that I can "rest" everything for awhile and let the esophogus calm down so that I cannot eat so much at once.

Truth is I'm rather sad about all of this. For a few years I experienced total freedom from compulsive eating. I lived with tremendous trust that my band and I were trusty partners and that I could release myself from having to worry and not have to monitor what I was eating all the time. But old habits are back now, and I'm able to eat in ways that aren't supporting maintaining a lower weight.

My dream is to feel the exquisite freedom of not having to monitor my eating all the time. I would love to be in total sync with my body, my appetite and food. A long time ago when I was on Phen/Fen, I experienced what this was like. Within an hour of taking my first dose, I didn't care about food... and I craved things like carrots and apples. It was a miracle and I remember thinking, "so this is what it is like to experience food like a normal person."

The band gave me that sense of freedom for a long time.

But now I feel like I'm back and square one... Please send prayers and light that I gracefully find my way in healing this experience for the last time and that I begin eating in a way that honors and supports my vibrant radiant health!

Thank you for listening... I just needed somewhere to share this morning.

Starrgirrl

Oh My Star Girl. I am in the same boat. Soooo frustrating. Went from 257-189 in a year and then all the sudden it has crept up to 207. UUUUUGGGGGG What do you do? My Dr. did mention the asophgist thin to me too. I am really intrested to hear what you find out after your next Floro and appointment. Please keep me posted. I fell your pain believe me!!!!!!

[melissamcneil 1]

Hi Starr, My thoughts and prayers will be with you. I request the same. Banded Dec 06. Went from 243 down to 187 within 8 months. Now, one year + I am back up to 197 as of today. I know I need to schedule a follow up with care providers, but just feel so bad about myself and my eating habits, that I haven't been able to make that phone call.

I am totally afraid to call my Dr. for a follow up because I feel like not only have I let myself down but also my Dr. and his staff. Gaining after all we went through is so sadening.

[ricebird 0]

Warning!!! The guilt trip we have put on ourselves most of our lives only increases our desire to eat. Don't feel guilty and just keep gaining weight (that's what I have always done). If you need to call the doctor, do it, no shame necessary. If you have gained weight, stop now, before you are back to square one. Come on and let's support one another and get back on track.

[melissamcneil 1]

Ricebird,

You are so right I need to stop now before I get back into the same boat. Thanks for the encouragment!!!

Missy

[starrgirrl 0]

Hi Everyone-

I thought I would write a follow up to my original post. Yesterday I was diagnosed with a slipped band. The doctor showed us the flouro and compared it to a "normal" banded patient. As a result of the slip, I have a rather large pouch above the band. This explains why I've been able to eat so much. Over the last 18 months, I've gained almost 30 pounds. I now understand why... the band hasn't been working properly.

In March of 2007, I had flouro done with a different doctor. He said my esophogas was dilated. I now wonder if it was actually slipped at that time.

They're going to do surgery in late July. The doctor says he'll reposition it if he can, but otherwise it will have to be removed. I'm preparing myself emotionally for the likelihood of it being removed (that's my intuitive hit of what will have to happen). So I'm going to spend the next month preparing myself mentally, emotionally and physically for this big shift. I've purchased the book Optimal Wellness that Oprah's been talking about and I'm going to clear my diet of the foods that are triggering my addictive behaviors.

There are some big changes underway... It would seem as if the rate of complications on long-time bandsters is higher than originally thought.

I'm so grateful to have been banded and I hope that they can still make mine work in a way that will allow me to experience health and wellness.

I enourage anyone else who is experiencing the same symptoms as me to get checked.

Lots of Love, Starrgirrl