Not a Success Story

[Kat817 19]

imsamiam, please re read the thread, the OP originally posted her problems in a success thread, NOT in this one, a moderator moved the thread to this, a more appropriate area.

How you read it, is simply your perception, and I cannot change that. Sorry your band is not working for you.

I however was NOT disrespectful nor insensitive, when responding to where the post was originally. I would not have come in and posted anything at all had the OP been put in this complications area in the first place. It was however in a Success Stories thread---which was obviously NOT the place for it, nor was it what people wanted to read there, so I responded to it in that forum.

Please feel free to ignore my posts if they offend you. I don't post to belittle anyone, I do try to be supportive, and honest.....and sometimes that is not what people want to hear.

Kat

[Jachut 487]

Kat - it was incredibly disrespectful and insensitive of you to post in this thread. What's the matter? Can't shine bright enough in the threads where everyone else is doing well too??? Seems a bit desperate to me. The decision to get the band was a huge one and I researched it as well as anyone and it has sucked from day one. Its hard enough without people like you adding their two cents. Your trying to be a supportive bandster feels like a back-handed compliment.

wow - bitter much?

Dont worry Kat, everyone who knows and loves you knows that you are the most sensitive and respectful person around.

Everone else needs to realise that this is a PUBLIC forum and anyone can post anywhere, and that sometimes, particularly if we use the new posts feature we can inadvertanly post in forums we dont realise we're in. But there's a certain pattern to successful bandster hatred - it always comes from the same people and those ARENT the ones willing to face reality and take on board good (and well meaning) advice. Nobody's here to crow about how great they are, success is something you only really have at this hour of this day, we're all recovering obese people and even bandsters who are now thin have periods where they're far from successful! To suggest that they're only here to lord it over others is pretty offensive.

[White06 0]

Wow, some of these stories are scary. I guess you can say that Im not a success story. I had surgery in Oct 2006, and lost around 30 or so lbs. I kept PBing until the dr sent me to therepy and the therepist thought I might be developing some signs of bulima, which I was because I was constantly overeating and getting sick, knowing better but did it anyway. So...the dr took all my Fluid out until I could get a handle on my food issues. 6 months later I went back in and had gained all of my weight back except for about 6 lbs, and he put 1/2cc in my 4cc band. Thought I was gonna do good this time, but just as soon as I got out of the dr office I got some devastating news about my daughter and even tough I got the fill I can still eat about anything in any amount. Stress/Depression totally rules my emotional eating. I go this afternoon the see the dr again, its been 6 weeks since my fill and I have gained a few more pounds. Actually I weigh 4 lbs more today than I did the day of my surgery. I am hoping he will give me another fill today, so that I can have some restriction anyway, and hopefully get back on track. Im so sick of feeling bad about my self, my kids and husband deserve better and dang it so do I!!!!!!

I refuse to think the band is the reason for my failure, every regained pound I have is from me eating the wrong foods, SUGAR, and overeating. Im just gonna try to find something inside of myself to push on, because I know I deserve better. I dont want to be stick skinny I just want to feel better about myself, and not be afraid to be seen in public.

I dont know if anyone has had the same experience as me but oh well..pray for my appt this afternoon.......

Whatever any of you do, DONT HAVE GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY!!!! My sister in law is 40 yrs old and had it 5 yrs ago and has been in and out of the hospital for 2 yrs from malnutrition, her body just wont absorb anything.

[Kennedy Conway 0]

To all the "success stories", I applaud you. But I am one of those that insurance did NOT cover, and my father paid out around $20,000+ for my surgery and adjustments afterwards. In my first year after surgery, I DID lose 100 lbs, but was vomiting daily and always went into an "emergency" situation each and every time they did an adjustment on me. I threw up so much that it literally ate all the enamel off the backs of my teeth, and I am now having so many problems with my teeth that I am going to end up with dentures. Thanks alot! I also had to resort to eating baby food in order to keep anything down. At one point my surgeon told me I needed my gall bladder removed, and almost took it out, but after tests - he decided to tell me to see a gastroenterologist immediately that something was very wrong. I saw a gastro specialist, he did a scope on me and found that my esophageous was really messed up from all the vomiting, etc. and that I really needed the band removed. In the meantime, I was sick all the time for unexplained reasons and was finally diagnosed with systemic lupus and fobromyalgia. Had the surgeons checked me for lupus (as they should have prior to surgery), they would NOT have been able to perform this costly surgery that has literally ruined my life.

Yes, the surgeon did say that he would remove the band and do a "mini-bypass" in the same surgery, but with me having lupus, I cannot have that done. So I am stuck with this device inside my body and it is wide open and still causes me problems at times.

I am now very ill and have numerous other problems and have had to be removed from the workforce and forced into medical disability.

Sorry, but I have NOTHING good to say about LapBand surgery, and most of the people that I know have had similar experiences and wish they had never done it either.

I am very frustrated and have a very bad taste in my mouth about the way I was treated by my surgeon and his entire staff and would NEVER advise anyone to have this surgery done - NOT EVER!

If I could get back my money and my life that this surgery destroyed, I would.

I never received the appropriate aftercare they promised and they always told me that I was not following the plan correctly. They were wrong! I did everything I was told. I also woke up twice during my surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish I had never done this surgery and wish that I could do something to warn people about the things they do not tell you, that can happen to people like me.

Sorry "GastricBand" in Chattanooga, TN - you are a ripoff and should be reported to the Medical Association, and I probably will be filing a major complaint against you and your staff for the way I was treated and your lack of consideration prior to my surgery. You are the WORST surgeons I have ever dealt with in my entire 50 years of life!

If you haven't already had this surgery, DO NOT UNTIL YOU EXPLORE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE AND MAKE SURE THEY CHECK YOU FOR EVERYTHING BEFORE HAVING THIS SURGERY PERFORMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Duchess1 - A VERY BAD EXPERIENCE THAT RUINED MY LIFE!:thumbdown:

I'm sorry you've had this awful experience. Unfortunately, I've had a similar one. My rheumatologist approved the band even WITH my having lupus, but in retrospect it was not the best decision.

I hope you can find resolution.

[The Violet Rose 0]

I feel your pain. I felt full but my hunger was never satieted. I stuck with the tiny portions but went mad with hunger. I later read about people in concentration camps and I was acting like them. I started to behave like I had anorexia. Some people will never feel full because of the way the nerves in their stomach work. Some people need the food to reach their duodenum before satiety will hit. I was a success story (150lb in seven months) but then I got pregnant. I had my band done in 1997 and back then they didn't loosen them during pregancy. I had to nibble, but I was still only eating half what most people ate. I was also walking 1hr-1hr 1/2 a day. I regained 30kg in three months because I stopped the four hours a day of exercise I was doing. Over the next decade I regained all the weight I lost. I have vomitted, I have obstructed, I have rotted out all my teeth. If I hadn't had a child (my reason for doing it), I would have regretted it forever. It's made my life a misery. Recently I was forced into having a fill by a new GP. He refused to treat me unless I complied with a weight loss goal, not something I wanted to do. I am experiencing fullness now, unlike before, but I can barely eat. I really hate my band and if I didn't think my weight would balloon I would take the damn thing out. It's good to hear from someone who is not all sunshine and roses. The reality can be very different.

[setagirl 0]

I, too, have not been very successful in my journey with the LapBand. I'm am 62, almost 63 and had my surgery 2 years ago. I have lost almost 100 pounds, but I started at 327. I'm now at 239, so still need to lose about 100 more pounds.

My meals are small and that's fine, but then, I want sweets! I guess everyone has there poison, right? I just don't have any willpower when it comes to candy, cake, Cookies, etc. No matter how saline is in my band, sweets seem to go right on down. I cannot eat dense meat like pork chops, steak or even chicken breast because they all get stuck. I have learned that the hard way. I wish sweets would get stuck.

Does anyone else have this problem or has anyone come up with a solution? :bored:

[Wishes4444 2]

I, too, have not been very successful in my journey with the LapBand. I'm am 62, almost 63 and had my surgery 2 years ago. I have lost almost 100 pounds, but I started at 327. I'm now at 239, so still need to lose about 100 more pounds.

My meals are small and that's fine, but then, I want sweets! I guess everyone has there poison, right? I just don't have any willpower when it comes to candy, cake, Cookies, etc. No matter how saline is in my band, sweets seem to go right on down. I cannot eat dense meat like pork chops, steak or even chicken breast because they all get stuck. I have learned that the hard way. I wish sweets would get stuck.

Does anyone else have this problem or has anyone come up with a solution? :wink:

First it is wonderful that you lost 100 pounds! Think how you felt at 329! I sure remember and it was not fun! You have to remember the band is only a tool YOU have to control your intake of sweets. Have sugar free candies and ice cream, or diet juice or soda. There are things out there that are sweet and not near as fattening. You can do it and the first 100 you lost is proof, it's a tool and YOU have to use it right!

Good Luck!

[The Violet Rose 0]

I, too, have not been very successful in my journey with the LapBand. I'm am 62, almost 63 and had my surgery 2 years ago. I have lost almost 100 pounds, but I started at 327. I'm now at 239, so still need to lose about 100 more pounds.

My meals are small and that's fine, but then, I want sweets! I guess everyone has there poison, right? I just don't have any willpower when it comes to candy, cake, Cookies, etc. No matter how saline is in my band, sweets seem to go right on down. I cannot eat dense meat like pork chops, steak or even chicken breast because they all get stuck. I have learned that the hard way. I wish sweets would get stuck.

Does anyone else have this problem or has anyone come up with a solution? :wink:

Hi Setagirl,

I am feeling ya. I might actually be able to help. I had the same problem as you and it nearly drove me insane, but it helped me figure my body out. I discovered that my appetite is largely dependant on blood sugar swings. if it swinging around wildly, I am hungry and seek out sugar with vengence. A few years ago I put myself on a low GI diet and stopped craving sweets for the most part. If I vary from this I start craving again. Up until that point I was putting on weight again and it pretty much stopped. I also realised I had an alcoholics relationship with chocolate. It I eat even I tiny amount I start craving it again and I can't stop. It's worth a try. I also find I get really depressed on the high Protein diet they recommend. Like you I can't digest it; even after twelve years I still can't deal with chicken. The only think I can suggest it pureeing it. That seems to help me.

[Kat817 19]

Setagirl, I found myself in similar eating patterns when I began my fill again after a year being unfilled. I had massive amounts of stress in my life, (my DD was incorrectly diagnosed with a fatal disease among other things---and we went for awhile believing we were going to lose her....)was was put on steroids to deal with the hives from that--and ended up on the quick gain diet, eating sweets because they went sooooo easy comparitively.

In the end, I needed an unfill, I was too tight. If I cannot eat hard Protein, my Dr. considers me too tight. Once I was unfilled to where I could eat meat again, and vegetables, then I MADE myself go cold turkey on sweets----after just a few days, it was MUCH easier. During the time I was not allowing the sweets, I said screw the diet, and ate anything else I wanted! After the sweets "left my system" the cravings eased, and I worked myself back around to a healthier diet.

But being ABLE to eat the Protein was key.

Might be something worth exploring anyway. I will say the weight coming off this time is MUCH slower going than the first time with the band, and I am not eating more, I am actually moving more----and snacking much less, it is just slower loss....hate that!

Good Luck

[poconomom 0]

Morning everyone - I too am NOt a Success Story. I have been logging my food - I eat under 1,000 cals get the 60-70g of Protein, hardly any sugar etc. Exercise is limited due to problems with my knee - in physical therapy now and going to get shots in my knee. My band is almost full - days when I have restriction, days when I don't. Some days I can eat Pasta, other days not even a bite. Got my band April 13, 2009 - it is now Oct 28, 2009 over 6 months and barely 12 pounds down and those 12 pounds came off the first 2 weeks after surgery. Kept getting told need another fill. Well, go back to dr. tomorrow will probably get an x-ray. I am so frustrated! I feel like even if I was an anoreic I probably would not lose weight. I was 212 at surgery and this morning I was 203. Tomorrow I can be 200, next day 204 - and by the way, I take a Water pill for my blood pressure which isn't high but has a tendency to just shoot up (genetic problem). I feel your pain - I thought that by now I would be down at least 20 pounds, hopefully closer to 40. I feel like this was a waste, the people at work know I had the surgery, see how little I eat and still no weight loss. Hopefully, tomorrow's appt will help.

[mlemlr 0]

I understand, Feel like I just read my own story. My first band worked about 1 1/2 yrs, I lost 45 lbs. then it wouldn't hold Fluid anymore, had it replaced 12-17-09, I've had 2 fills since, Doc said last one (3 weeks ago) was pretty agressive and I'd really feel it, I don't, can still eat anything, never feel full, I'm really discouraged, don't even want to go back to Doc and get on the scale.

[denise62 0]

Hey I have had the lapband for almost 3 years now on july 30th I lost about 30 lbs at first but then slowly gained it back over time I have not gone past my start weight It seems be holding at that weight But I to have not been successful with the band.. I have gone to my dr a few times a year for fills but were Iam at right now is as far as I can go otherwise food gets stuck alot I had to go to the Er last year because of it.. I go for an other UGI in 2 weeks to see what is going on because I have developed nighttime coughing and reflux.. I hope at some point we can figure out what is going on I did the lapband for my health and because of my family history and I have to say Im disappointed with myself for not succeeding in this since i have always struggled with my weight Iam 48 now and want to be healthy for myself and my family I do eat easy food too but not alot i try to eat 3 meals aday Iam not saying the lapband does not work because I know people who have been successful with it and I hoped I would too but for me so far not good any suggestions ???

[denise62 0]

Hi.. I have to say I wish the Lapband worked for me.. I had the surgery 3 years ago and lost 30 lbs in the first few months had fills over the years and slowly gained it back.. I have followed the guide lines Iam having an UGI next week and hopefully we will get to the bottom of why it is not working for me I have developed night coughing and reflux so my dr is concerned any advise

[SLIM SLY 0]

Hi Denise62, I'm sorry to hear you are having health problems related to your band, I hope you get that worked out. It took me a while to start losing weight at first. I had to keep working at it the entire time I lost 1 to 3lbs a week, I kept it up until I reached my current weight 156lbs. I want to lose more but I'm recovering from rotator cuff repair and haven't had the willpower to do what I need to do, like exercise and stay away from slider foods because I'm really tight so I can't eat a lot but I eat Snacks that go down easy, fortunately I'm so tight I can't eat food and junk so I'm maintaining (being home all day is making hard since I'm bored, I need to get back to work). I hope everything goes well keep in touch and let me know how things workout. I'll be keeping good thoughts for you.

[denise62 0]

thankyou I will keep u posted Hope u get back to work soon and recover quickly I to hope soon it will start working Thanks:smile: