Starting Over? Needing Advice.....

I had my band placed in 2007. I didn't lose much weight at all. It was a huge disappointment after putting so much time and energy getting it all set up.  I guess I though I would be full after 1 slice of pizza instead of 3. That was not the case.  The only feeling I got was.... OH NO, its not going down, its coming back up unless I drink water and chew well.... eat slowly.  Is that all I could hope for.  If you are "stuck" is that the "full feeling your supposed to have. Here I am in 2015 at the highest weight of my life, feeling miserable.  My relationship of 5 years just ended, got let go of a job after 14 years.  I'm taking care of aging parents that weight related health issues. I feel like I'm at rock bottom and the weight keeps piling on. The only thing that comforts me is a good meal! I want to start over with the band.....give it another try. I have scheduled a fill for January 7th (that was the soonest they could get me in). I need help with this. I don't remember any of the "rules". Were you successful?  What was the key to your success?  I feel like a big fat loser.  I just wore yoga pants to a Christmas party because nothing else would fit me. Cringing at the pictures posted on facebook by others.... Yikes!!!! Losing some weight would really give me the boost I need to get back into the game of life. What should I do?

For starters stop blaming yourself! Over 60% of lapbands fail the users, it is a miserable failure for weight loss. There are a few success stories but in general you are just one of many who the band did not work for. I'd say if you are getting stuck the last thing you need is another fill in fact you might get a partial unfill. The band should not make you vomit on a regular basis, it should just make you feel satisfied with a small meal. The next thing you need to do is to start weighing and measuring your food. Myself I use a small saucer for my meals and a smallish fork or spoon. Cut your food in tiny pieces the size of a pencil eraser (I cut it all before I ever eat so I don't forget and take too big of a bite), eat slowly make sure the food is chewed to mush then swallow and wait a few seconds to make sure it has gone down. Now before you even start eating try waiting and doing liquids for a few days after vomiting so you stomach can settle down and the inflammation can go down. Then start eating solid food when it has calmed down. Eat protein first, then non starchy veggies and finally if room a healthy carb of some sort such as sweet potato or quinoa.

Now with all that said I would suggest if you really want to lose weight you will need to revise to a surgery that will actually work like the sleeve, bypass or DS. As I said the band has been a miserable failure for most of us, not to mention the permanent damage it causes like esophageal damage to the point many can no longer swallow at all. You also may have a slip in which case they may say empty the band until it heals but once the band slips it tends to slip again and again so again you still need to have a revision.

I would also strongly suggest you get involved in some counciling to help you learn to deal with stress because a meal should not be what provides you comfort. Food is for nourishment not emotional healing, that alone will help even more than a revision. I don't know if you have any kind of insurance but hopefully you do so you can start investigating  a revision because that is your only solution or long term weight loss. Good luck to you I hope your surgeon will also be able to help you altho many are ignorant of the actual use of the band.

Thank you for taking time to respond. I noticed you had a band date of 07 as well.  Do you still have it? Any long term problems? I'd love to do a revision, but my insurance will no longer cover it and money is an issue. Plus my family thinks the band was a mistake and I shouldn't have gotten it, so I know I'd have no support on doing a sleeve. I'm still interested though. I haven't had any trouble with my band, just totally was not what I thought it'd be. Definitely not for emotional eaters. I tried counseling after my break up earlier this year.  I laid it all on the field for this Dr. and she just listened and asked how things made me feel.... I felt worse after I left, plus a $90 copay every visit. Again, not what I expected. I wanted her to give me homework....guide me through changes, not just listen. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer lol.  I'm actually a fun girl! I have tried what I logically think will work, but just seem to be hitting brick walls. I don't know if I should even get a fill. I've only had 2.  The last one I got was bad. The day after I couldn't even swallow water, it just spewed back up. Longest weekend of my life until I could get some taken out Monday. I felt like pooh after no food or water for almost 4 days. That has scared me from going back all this time. I will be 40 in 2016 and this is a battle I have never made peace with.  I've been on a diet since I was 10 years old. I feel like my life has been spent being self conscious about my weight, struggling with clothes, self esteem. Skinny people don't have any idea what a living hell being fat can be, and how you feel like you have no control over your own body. I wonder what my life would have been like without this constant "chain" around my ankle. Anyways... this is sounding super pathetic. Maybe a fill and a liquid diet would be a good jump start, and a savings fund for a sleeve!

I had my band removed Feb of 2013 (no revision) and I kept it far too long because of money also, I didn't want to have to burden us with a loan to pay for removal. However it got to the point that I could no longer move with out pain under my rib cage, I could barely eat from the heartburn, I was in horrible pain from that also felt like my throat was on fire. There was pain from my throat all they way down thru my stomach and intestines just constant dull pain with sharp pains under my right rib cage!! I could barely swallow any solid food and was eating pureed soups for a couple of years. Oh and my band had been totally empty for over a year because of the tightness. I finally realized that was no way to live. What happens but doesn't always show up on tests is the band causes scar tissue to build up between the band and stomach which causes that tight feeling and why you must get some saline out of your band DO NOT get another fill! This is why you are unable to eat solid food. If I were you I would get half of the fill you have now taken out. We got our bands near the same time and mine was empty when I still had the same problems so yours must be super tight. Even tho it isn't full it could be making it feel full because of the scar tissue.

I was finally in so much pain and my husband was so worried about me that he said just get it out, my life was worth more than the stupid band. It turned out I thought I was having a heart attack one morning and turns out that I was having an irregular heartbeat which may have been brought on by the band. It rubs against the vegus nerve which controls the heart and nerves and many other things in our bodies. So I was admitted to the hospital and my hubby went to my surgeons office and told him to get the band out asap. So a week later once I was stabilized they removed the band. Ahhhhh what a relief, the pain under my rib cage was gone and never came back. My heartburn was some better and I could swallow better, I didn't even realize before that I was having trouble swallowing. Before it was removed they said I had gastoparesis or slow stomach emptying. Which meant everything was digested slowly and caused food to back up.

Sadly I still have that and have to eat very carefully and can only eat certain foods still. At least I can eat more healthy foods now but I will always have this for the rest of my life. I also still have horrid heartburn that can't be fixed because I have bad lungs and am on oxygen so I have to live with that too as no meds have helped it either. I also know of people who have lost most of their swallowing ability now because of the damage done by their bands. It is a horrendous surgery and causes so much damage. If you want to revise now is the time to do it before you end up with permanent damage! I know very few people who still have their bands that were banded when I was. We get so used to eating oddly that we don't realize the damage that is already done with the band, we are surgical bulimics and don't realize it until it is too late and the damage is already done.The band is never going to work the way we were told because the manufacturers lied about how it works. It just causes damage and rarely any weight loss.

I realize this is long but I hope it will help others besides you. Never be afraid to see your doc or tell him the band is being a problem. He got paid good money to take care of you and your band and he owes it to you to do just that. Tell him you want part of your saline removed so you can stop gagging and get real food down. You have to take charge of your life and insist that you are worth being happy and able to eat. I've been on a diet since about the same age, I was skinny for a minute when I was in my 20's but got pregnant and poof the fat cells filled right up again. It was when I learned to love myself no matter what the size that I started being able to put myself and my health first. We tend to worry about everyone except ourselves and we need to love us first.

Most of the time we have some pretty serious psychological things to deal with even before we get weight loss surgery. You might try Overeater's Anonymous they are even one line for support or they have regular meetings in many cities. Then find a councilor who deals with weight issues maybe ask your surgeon if he knows of someone. Once we can get our brains in the right frame of mind it makes the whole challenge a little easier and yes indeed start that savings account and get the band out as soon as possible before it does more damage to you. Remember you are the boss and you control your body and your life, go get some saline removed from your band so you can swallow and eat the way we have told you here and try to find some good psychological help and that will get you well on your way to a new and better life! We have to address the mental, physical and spiritual sides of life to be a well balanced, whole person!

I can totally relate to your story. Had band placed Jan 2010 and finally had it removed 11/16/15. Had the EXACT same issues you mentioned in your post. I gained all my weight back after losing 50+ pounds initially. But after joining this group and seeing all these posts I have realized I can do it and I have decided, along with numerous talks with other WLS people, that I will not endure another surgery. I MUST learn to eat less, move more and make better choices in life in general. So glad to know that there are so many people in my same situation. I do not feel I have failed at all. I know that I just made a bad choice and life will go on after learning from my mistakes. 

I know exactly how you feel. Unfortunately the band was a major failure for a lot of people. Myself included. Now almost 7 years later I just had RNY surgery Dec. 9, 2015. You may not need to if you can get on track with your eating but I tried to restart with the band having all fluid removed and then re added and I just couldn't do it. Talk to your doctor for sure! Hang in there! 

Diane

First of all don't blame yourself. Read my story and you will see your not alone. 

Im a Reg male nurse and work in a fast pace ER. No time to eat it was really easy to grab fast food as a group and eat on the run. 

My weight was 335 at my highest and was sick of the issues and obstacles being over weight brought into my life. Became diabetic and have high blood pressure. 

So in 2012 I had a lap band procedure done at a out of pocket cost of 16000$ 

yes got the fill follow the diets and from day one all it did was cause me to choke ( sometimes just on water) 

It was a disaster all I did was vomit and when I didn't I had a mouth full of the foamies 

i had the band for 2 years and then spoke to a gastroenterologist at work and what he told me changes my life. 

He said that in 25yrs of his profession the lap band success is less than 10% 

it changed my life. I got a consult and seen him in his clinic. I was invited to the orientation and by the end I had decided what I wanted. My dr suggested RNY surgery as my BMI was over 45 

morbid obese I was called. I'm 6ft 2 and look more husky than just fat. 

I went to Windsor Ontario and started the program to teach me and educate me about surgery and the successful ways to do it. 

I seen nurse ,dietician , Social  workers and doctors 

a program that took me 7 months to complete. 

I now am waiting to have my surgeon meeting in Guelph Ontario and have surgery booked for mid January. 

Im educated and mentally ready for my surgery and way to be successful. My dr. Said that the success rate of RNY surgery is 97 % he said you will lose weight regardless even if you non compliant , but with the program long term I will do well. My dr says I'll lose 80% of my weight in the first 4-6  months. My goal weight is 195 lbs it was the weight when I got married. 

Dr. And specialist say lap bands  don't work. For me it was a waste of money. It would have been better to take that money and though it out a window or into a hot fireplace. It did nothing for me but cause more issues in my life. 

Im ready for my surgery and have spoken to hundred of people who have had surgery and not one person said they regret it. Not only that the kicker to all this is it didn't cost me 1 dollar. It's covered under OHIP Ontario  insurance. Better than the 16000$ I wasted. 

Look at your options too 

I'm excited about the upcoming surgery and look forward to a new me. As I said it have a goal. 195 lbs and should reach my goal by July 1/16 

Look at your options my friend and go with what will give you the most success, be prepared and ready for your journey.

Both you and me had a lap and that only caused obstacles in our lives. I'm not telling you to get RNY surgery I'm telling you we both made poor choices and for me the lap and was it.  

Had I talked to people at  work I would have been in a position to get expert feedback. The lap band was in a clinic and the 16000$ was there first priority. 

I should have talked to the experts but was too embarrassed about my weight made me isolated.Im not telling you to not retry the lap and but pizza and Reg food is not direction of good food choices. I was exactly like you. The key to all this is to educate yourself as much as you can , that will give you the ability to make good choices. 

I read your story and can totally relate to you as I see myself. 

Be smart and proactive and explore all your options. In the end I'm sure your choice will be the write one.

Sorry for the long post. I wish you well.

PS this site is a wealth of knowledge use it in your favour. 

Good luck. 

Simon 

LapBand rules:

https://www.regionalhealth.com/documents/Bariatrics/Bariatri cs-June-2009.pdf

Some of the most important ones are:

1. Protein first. You should make sure to get a minimum of 70 grams of protein everyday. You should be able to eat solid protein with chewing well and eating slowly. If you cannot eat solid protein, you are too tight. When I have a good fill, I cannot eat pizza, bread, pasta, rice, etc. as they all expand after you swallow and will become stuck.
2. Drink water. AT least 64oz of water each day, but wait 30 after meals and do not drink with your meals. Do not drink calories (except for a protein shake). 
3. Exercise. Try to get 30 mins. of exercise each day. Walking is great.

Make sure to stop eating as soon as you are full to avoid becoming stuck. I still count my calories and track my food intake with MyFitnessPal to make sure I am getting enough protein and monitoring my calories. Maybe that would help you as well.

Good luck!

For certain you are not alone!! I had my band placed in 2009. I had huge siccess, got to my lowest weight ever BUT I did not lose my weight the healthy way. I would intentionally eat something I was not supposed to I could throw it up, but get the flavor of the food.

I started on the healthy track again and maintained a healthy weight until I got pregnant with my second child and regained all my weight.

Just this past summer I got my band refilled and have worked my way up to being fully filled. It's been a slow process, much slower than the first time around, but it's something worth fightingfor!

Est of luck to you and hang in there! =)

Thank you all so much! It's less daunting to know that there are others going through the same stuff you have and still are. You have inspired me to get going again and MAKE IT HAPPEN! There is really no other choice.  I'm off the week after Christmas.  I'm going to use that time to stockpile protein shakes and healthy stuff and get ready for 2016.