6 years banded today - and some tips

Wow, it's hard to believe 6 years ago, I was just starting my Band journey. It seems like another life, when I was having trouble hiking and even walking sometimes, lots of back pain, knee pain, and general weight-related misery.

I'm very grateful for having gotten an active life back, even though it was very hard work sometimes. And more than that, I have regained a positive self-image and prevented the many health problems i knew were lurking in my future. I believe that the great deal of research I did, (and still do) studying, learning, and often consulting various docs and Jessie Ahroni for information and advice played a very large role in my doing pretty well, and even more importantly - keeping the weight off and remaining at a healthy BMI for more than 5 years by now. 

This is why I am still dedicated to helping provide good band education and the best advice I can give, to those who seek it from me. IMO, knowledge EMPOWERS us to do well - to learn what the band needs to help us, what the stomach needs to stay safe, to avoid the many common problems, and to recognize any problems early and act to reverse them at once.

This is not simply about "weight loss at any cost."  We have all tried that before with the multiple temporary starvation diets, unsafe diet pills, exercise compulsions and worse - and all we did was become fatter in the end, and end up here needing banding. THIS TIME, we have to accept  that we have to premanently change habits (no one is ever perfect, though) and lose slowly, for the weight to STAY off this time. We also need to pay attention to avoiding dangerous things that hurt the stomach, like too-tight fills. This takes knowledge.

 The stomach and esophagus is easily damaged, and we're finding this out more and more as people get into trouble. We really have realize we need to go slowly, have patience, and follow the rules to stay safe.  There are just no quick fixes to years of obesity.

We know now (from very recent research) that the band helps primarily by dimming huger between meals - SO we can work on better eating habits, food choices, exercise, and psychological needs. The purpose of the band is NOT to MAKE us stop eating or "giving restriction" by cinching the stomach too tight to eat more than a small amount. This means that our stressing working on changing emotional needs causing overeating is even more critical than we thought.

It also means we need to self-limit eating and STOP when we feel satisfied, not eat until the band screams and makes us stop. IMO, this is not emphasized nearly enough.

It also seems from new , early studies,  that slowing gastric emptying with a tight fill , and drinking with meals,  may not matter much at all to weight loss - but it's a bit too early to say this for sure, and then change band rules. But it's excellent that more and more good band research is coming out, primarily from Dr. John Dixon in Australia, the pre-eminent Band researcher in the world. I hope your docs are keeping up. Band knowledge is evolving, and many of the old rules have been proven ineffective or not needed, and new  guidelines will be placed in the future.

I have come to believe, after 6 years of banding  and working with many thousands of bandsters,  that it it ESSENTIAL  to choose a nearby surgeon, who is quickly available at the times of trouble, and one who has a very comprehensive aftercare program. We cannot do this on our own, or with only a fill person for aftercare. There are far too many areas that need re-learning and serious changes - nutrition, exercise, stress-control techniques, many psychological issues to work on, emotional eating to overcome and find a substitute for, and more. This takes a LOCAL TEAM effort to help us.

Thankfully, there are many lower-cost options now, other than Mexico, that do provide the team effort we need. Many of us who DID go to Mexico when there were few options years ago, or try now to save money by doing so, have found the expense is actually GREATER overall , by the time we count in plane fares for multiple fills, hotels, local uncovered ER visits because we tried to get away with not dropping things to get back to Mexico on short notice for band trouble, all the local care needed - psychologists, nutritionists (if we can even find a band-knowledgeable one, which is extremely difficult), etc . But even more important than expense is the fact that most just cannot get good care from a doc far away, and have a much harder time doing well, especially longterm. This Band is literally SAVING OUR LIVES. We are worth the BEST, LOCAL care. Isn't your life worth it?

I also believe that the new AP bands, released in June 2007, are far superior, and none of the Mexican docs use them.  This alone is a reason not to go to Mexico, IMO - and that of most US docs. More than 85% of the US docs use only the new AP bands from Inamed and also feel they are far superior to the old Inamed bands. They were developed to reduce the worrisome, rising, slip and erosion rate (now 3-7%), and the early studies and surgeons reports and personal experience are impressive and show they are doing just that.

If we are self-paying, especially, I'd sure encourage people to get ONLY the AP Band with the least risk of the expensive complications. If I were being banded today, I would accept ONLY an AP band. Most Mexican docs do not even discuss this band, or that they do not use it, and IMO that is VERY unethical.

As we hopefully all know, the very simple band surgery is only the very first step of a lifetime of band needs. There are many very skilled docs to put the band in. But It is the months and years of aftercare that will determine our success - the BAND nutrition teaching, competent fills by an experienced fill provider, regular fluoros to catch problems early, commitment to a much more active life and some dedicated exercise, emotional work ideally with a good therapist, staying active in support groups. The band really must be a priority in our lives, even thought it's tough.

Thanks to all of YOU for keeping me interested, inspired, still learning and reading and researching, and committed to keeping on track.

I was far from the perfect bandster - so if ** I ** can do well, others can too.

Sandy r, BSN, MN
banded 6 years (the first time I have typed this)
at goal for 5 1/4 yrs

Congratulations on 6 years Sandy!

WTG!!! congrats on 6yrs and to 6more

Congrats Sandy!

I wish you would go over to the WLS regrets forum. Someone has put out information that the band has to be replaced every 5 years. This information is discouraging people from even considering the band. I don't know who starts that crap on all of these boards but it's really starting to tick me off.
If they could read your testimony it may stop some of it.
Thanks for sharing,
Shirley

Can you please give me the thread heading, or a link to it?  Can't find the post - 
thanks -

sandy

The topic was ""Do you regret the type WLS you had?"
This was actually posted on 9-03-08 but people are still responding to it.

Here is the link and the start of this information!


http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/any_wls_regrets/3717167/Do-you-regret-the-type-of-wls-you-had/

Post Date: 10/1/08 1:05 am
I would NEVER recommend the band to anyone. If you look at my profile, you'll see that I've had a lot of problems, which I believe started because of the band. The doctor who put it in didn't tell me it could erode into your stomach! He also didn't tell me that it's only supposed to stay in for 5 years and then it has to be replaced. One of the replies to your post suggested researching all the options. That's great advice! Make sure you're familiar with all the possible complications of the procedures and be sure you're prepared!!!! I wasn't and my life is way different now then I ever expected before the surgery, and it's not because of the weight loss!
   Good luck to you in whatever you choose!

Thanks - found it an added my 2 cents as kindly as i could.

People always throw around false stats - sometimes innocently - when they have had trouble and want to justify that they simply "chose the wrong procedure."

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/any_wls_regrets/3717167/Do-you-regret-the-type-of-wls-you-had/#31341299

Sandy r

Congrats to you !!!!!  I always enjoy reading your posts!!

Sandy,

Congratulations and thanks for all your help over the years!