Unsuccessful with band but no revision?

Nanook · August 24, 2008

Thanks kimaly,

I do get tired of being on the defensive all the time and that's why I was trying to post out to people who had the band removed and were in similar situations, take care Nancy.

Moses · September 2, 2008

I'm not sure why I couldn't work the band but I couldn't. I was at a point prior to my surgery last year that I had a really difficult time sticking to a restrictive diet and was also on antidepressants and anti anxiety meds which don't help, lol. Anyway given the pressures that most women have to be thin I thought this would be the answer and was probably not given enough information ahead of time and thought that the pitfalls that people had, like eating ice cream while banded would not affect me. I thought that I could eat normally but smaller portions because of the band and I would lose weight.
I was under filled for a while by the mistake of my fill tech and I had no idea I was practically unfilled for the first three months post-surgery and was chewing like crazy anyway, lol. I had not lost any weight and began gaining as I had no restriction. After being on a liquid diet for five weeks prior your body normally wants to go out of starvation mode so that's pretty normal if you're not restricted.

Then my surgeon checked my fill and found the error as my fill tech did not know the size of my band which was in my chart and boom put in a little over 3 ccs which brought me up to almost 3.5ccs. So right before Thanksgiving I was feeling pretty tight! That's when you're pbing after Protein etc... and was new to me. Due to the fact that it was the holiday season I tried a cookie or two and found that they went down without a problem. Now as I went from no fill to a lot of fill I don't know if it was a mind game or what but because I was choking up on Protein and veg and my body wanted food I would eat the foods that lap banders are not supposed to eat just to get it in as people tend to do.

Then every time I'd go meet with the fill tech, which was on a normal basis I gained a pound or two and her answer "more fill". Which I now know we should have been more gradual and the 3.5 was too much. But whatever.

So eventually I'm up to close to my original weight 253, down to almost 225 after surgery so this was very frustrating to me and of course my doctor's office just saw it as I needed to be filled more and I eventually came here to find out answers.

Maybe there aren't that many people like me, most people seem to do well and lose the weight or get a revision once they've realized the band wasn't the ideal surgery for them. But I'm tired of focusing on the weight and diet all the time and didn't want the lap band to be another diet which it became, in my mind. Now there will be plenty of others who will slam me and have that I'm just lazy, or I refuse to follow the "rules" but sorry I didn't get the lap band to make my life worse I thought it would make losing weight easier and it didn't. I'm not the only one, I know that but this site tends to condemn anyone who doesn't follow the rules and has problems with the band because "bands don't fail, people do" is the motto!

So although it didn't work the way I wanted it to and expected it to I'm going to have it removed and as crazy as it sounds not get a revision surgery. I would if I were much heavier than I am and couldn't walk or couldn't breath or something was keeping me from living a full life but I can do all those things I just happen to be fat and not a size that our culture seems to idealize. I understand the pressures we woman have to look a certain way but is it us or the people that are putting the pressures on us?

Anyway that's my story and like I said I'm pretty rare in this aspect especially in this particular forum but I'm happy not to have that pressure over my head anymore! Take care Nancy:smile:

I do not judge you!!! I have the same concerns as you. I had the band one year ago and now I want it removed. I do not need to explain myself to anyone. What I need is information...how much does it costs? What is recovery time? Does insurance cover removal?

Write back to me Nanook, I am interested in what you have to say.

Nanook · September 2, 2008

I do not judge you!!! I have the same concerns as you. I had the band one year ago and now I want it removed. I do not need to explain myself to anyone. What I need is information...how much does it costs? What is recovery time? Does insurance cover removal?
Write back to me Nanook, I am interested in what you have to say.

Sorry you're having issues too Moses. I wish I could give you specific information but I don't have it at the moment. I saw my surgeon last month and he asked me to wait a few more months and then schedule the procedure to remove it with his surgical coordinator.

My insurance covered my surgery and I'm assuming if they cover it they should cover it if it is not working as intended as they can't leave it in there indefinitely as it is. I had all my saline removed but there's still restriction and I do worry about something going wrong or that possibly something already has. I suppose this is human nature.

Anyway when I get more concrete information I can let you know. I have no idea how long it will take to actually have it removed after it's been scheduled as my surgeon's office has grown so much. I'm looking into either this January or May when my daughters are out of college.

I'd suggest if you can schedule an appointment with the surgeon who put in your lap band, if that's possible, that would be my first choice as to where to start. I have a very good surgeon just made the mistake of choosing the lap band. Good luck to you and I'll post what I know when I find out more info. Take care, Nancy.:tt2:

Moses · September 2, 2008

Thank you for your reply. I hope all goes well with you. I was glad to hear that your insurance covered the procedure.

I am not having any medical problems. I had the band installed a year ago and did not lose any weight. I was under the impression that it was something other than it is. I do not like choking on my food or spitting up globs of mucous. Sick of it. Like you I will not have any other bariatric surgery.

As for the accusation of being lazy...I don't think so. I am a union construction electrician. I'm working my tail off all day long. Did you ever see how many fat construction workers there are? And believe me, men do not obsess about their weight.

I reread your posting and you sound reasonable and sane. It was refreshing to read. You have to do what is right for you.

Good to hear from you and msg me anytime.

Nanook · September 3, 2008

Thanks Moses, I hope you're able to get yours removed too. I think that women in particular have a difficult time with thinking outside the box when it comes to our attitudes about "thinness". Believe me when I was getting the surgery I was like everyone else, I was excited thinking I would lose the weight but it didn't happen!

But once it failed I had to learn to deal with the situation at hand and focus on my health physically as well as mentally and I think I may have learned a thing or two in that year and I am happier with "me" as I am now. And yes I know Union workers work hard as I worked data entry for one for a few years when I was in my 20s, take care Nancy.

mrshobo · September 18, 2008

I had my band removed because my port was infected even with antibotics it would not heal. I chose not to get another surgery. I never had a chance to get a fill. I got the band on March 8, 2008 and lost it on June 10, 2008.

Nanook · September 18, 2008

Have you been able to resolve the situation since the removal. I was the type of person who if I couldn't stick to a diet prior to banding I couldn't stick to one after banding. Some people are like that. But if I don't focus on dieting and try to eat "normally" and exercise it starts to come off anyway. Didn't know what your take was on it. Thanks Nancy.:crying:

mrshobo · September 21, 2008

No, I have not been able to. You and I are a lot a like. I could not stay focus with the band and am not staying focus without it. Best Wishes.

jen1957har · November 11, 2008

nanook, i have just read your post, the same has happend to me. i can eat around my band. i have gone to my surgeon and will be having a revision to rny. i just had the wrong procedure done for me. but i'm going keep trying, until i get the results i''ve been working on now for 2 yrs. don't give up on yourself. and don't let negitive words get you down. i'm in your conner

Nanook · November 11, 2008

Thanks Jen....,

I appreciate it and wish you luck with your revision. I won't revise now and am not dieting and am getting healthier. I think growing up always being placed on diets either by my mom or myself has screwed me up over the years as I would wake up every morning with it on my mind and failure on my mind at bedtime if you know what I mean. So by not dieting I am getting a bit smaller which was kind of a shock to me at the time but maybe I'm getting to my "normal" set weight again who knows. Anyway I know that the RNY did wonders for my daughter and she's never felt better or looked better in her life and that pleases me to no end. I can't keep up with buying her new jeans!!! Anyway take care and this should do it for you Nancy.