Looking for good advice...have Lapband...NOT Happy!

Hi. Here is my story. I was banded in Mexico 3 years ago. Over the first year I slowly took off about 75lbs. I went went from 267lbs to about 190-195lbs. I kept getting my fills like I was told but the issue was one day I would be too tight and couldn't keep food down...usually just liquids not even soft foods would go through sometimes then some days I could eat like crazy. My restriction fluctuated so much I couldn't figure it out. After awhile I would get stomach pain from being too tight etc. I got so fed up, I had my Dr. take a large amount of fluid out of my band due to the pain. I gained ALL my weight back! In fact I now weight more than before surgery. I recently went back to my Dr. and I am slowly getting refilled again to try it again but I am considering getting something else. The only explaination my dr. gave me is the stomach lining thickens with female hormone changes. Then I was on birth control pills and that made it looser etc so if I forgot a pill I would slam shut! So I now went off of that. It just shouldn't be this complicated!

Any advice will help!

I know I am a serious food addict and I was so afraid of failing on bypass or sleeve, that's why I went with the band. Any food addicts out there that the sleeve helped? I want to lose this weight and keep it off! Please help!

 Your story sounds like so many others in regards to the lap bad.  I can't give you any advice other than the fact that if you're a food adict and if you are truly aware of that, then you need to work on that BEFORE getting any revisions.  This is the DS forum so you've got a sleeve (restriction) and then new intestional configuration (malabsorption)--both of these together.  But as with any surgery, it's only a tool to help you lose the weight.  It's not a miracle and you can gain weight back if you are eating for emotional reasons (or out of habit or stress).  I don't think that you failed the band--it seems to fail most people.  But regardless of why it didn't work, you won't be a good candidate for bariatric surgery until you get your eating under control a bit.

Good luck to you and hoping you feel well.

Sheri

OT but I LOVE ****mydadsays!!!  All of them.  The Best Buy is one of my favorites and aliens traveling to earth is like traveling 1000 miles to go to an Arbys!  

Go to DSfacts.com and read every page. It will give you the big picture of what the DS is all about. Under articles there are great journal articles that compare different surgeries, and more importantly, provide long term results of the different surgeries. I agree with Sher that you will need to do a little work on your food addictions before you do any surgery but I have seen food addicts on this board turn themselves around with this surgery and therapy. It isn't impossible but only you can decide if you are willing to do what it takes. 

Thank you both for your response. I agree. Recovery from any addiction takes a lot of work. I have started seeing a therapist for about 3 months now to get to the bottom of my emotional eating and depression. I have severe depression about regaining my weight and feeling like a failure. I know that this isn't all my fault but it still doesn't feel good. The band is so tricky and never gave me what I needed. Starving and throwing up is not a safe way to lose weight. How could I possibly regulate my food intake when I would starve and throw up for a few days than be able to pig out for a few.  Anyway I will def check out the website....thanks!

You didn't fail. We don't call it the crap-band for nothing. It is the worst of all the weight loss surgeries.  It does nothing to correct an underlying metabolic issue (which you probably have. Most overweight people do.)  What happens when the band comes off or doesn't get refilled? You already know the answer to that. Even if it worked for you (at first anyway) at some point you'd have to have it removed or you'd stop the fills because you hit your ideal weight (highly unlikely.) Then the weight would come right back. Most of us need a restrictive and malabsorptive surgery for long term success. The sleeve wouldn't likely give you that. Once it stretches out a bit, you'd manage to eat your way back up and if you have a metabolic problem, you wouldn't reach goal with the sleeve anyway. The metabolic component of weight issues and why the DS cures that is explained on DSfacts.com. If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic or insulin resistant, you have a metabolic issue.

So what is the differences between the DS and reg Bypass? I read about it but it's still very confusing to me. Which one is better for someone like me? My sister had bypass and it worked very well for her but she started drinking heavily.  I'm just so confused about what I should do....

Bypass is awful. The stomach is basically bypassed and a stump at the end of the esophagus is left, which can stretch out over time and you will lose the restriction you first had. The pylorus is bypassed. The pylorus is the valve that connects the stomach to the duodenum. It regulates food going from your stomach to the small intestine. With bypass, food goes directly into the intestines and you can suffer a host of problems from that, like dumping syndrome, blockages, ulcers, etc. To add insult to injury, the small part of intestine that is bypassed is so insignificant that within 2-3 years (sometimes less) the body compensates by growing more villi and that's why so many bypass patients regain the weight, get their diabetes back, etc. There is an article on DSfacts.com that explains the differences between the DS and gastric bypass, also known as RNY (Roux en Y) and you need to read that.

There are many similarities between gastric bypass and the band  with symptoms like vomiting and food getting stuck. After all that, the gastric bypass loses its effectiveness after 2-3 years and why would you ever want to do that to yourself? So many people on this board have revised from gastric bypass to the DS because it didn't work any better for them than the band worked for you. I am sure some gastric bypass revisions will chime in soon.  You will never lose the malabsorptive part of the DS because too much small intestine is bypassed so you absolutely must take vitamins for the rest of your life. This is non-negotiable because of the malabsorption. 

There is no surgery that comes close to the DS for quality of life and long term effectiveness but it is good that you are asking questions and finding out about the different surgeries before you get another one.  This way you will feel confident in your decision.

I've been reading and researching all day. I think I'm starting to undrstand a lot more about all the procedures out there. It does seem DS is the best option for long-term success. Is it done here in the states? I was banded in Mexico so I'm sure no US doc will touch me. Will have to travel again and save up. I'm still going to try to make this band work for the mean time because my weight is higher than ever and I am very depressed!  Thanks for all your info!

Because you are a revision, you need to go to a surgeon who does revisions as this is a very complicated surgery. Since you are revising from a band, it shouldn't be nearly as difficult as revising from a gastric bypass. There are really only three revision surgeons that I would recommend and they are:

Dr. Ara Keshishian in LA, CA
Phone: 818-812-7222
http://www.dssurgery.com/

Dr. John Rabkin, SF, CA
Phone: 415-668-3200 or 1-888-848-8446 toll free
http://www.paclap.com/

Dr. Mitch Roslin, NYC, NY
Phone: 212-434-3285 or 1-888-949-9334 toll free
http://www.nycbariatrics.com/default

Go with one of these docs and you will do great!  I'm glad you are doing your research. You have to understand what this surgery requires of you and the only way to do that is research it and learn from people who have gone before  you and can tell you how life really is post op. Surgeons sometimes get it wrong so if you are not sure about something, ask here. The first surgeon I went to told me I would be 'farty'  and 'stinky' after surgery. I have less gas post op than I ever had pre-op and my gas and BMs are odorless or near odorless. I have to admit the odorless part is not common but if you take a good probiotic and stick with it, it will really help with the odor. I've been on them for years and I am sure this is at least part of the reason I don't have gas or odor issues. I'm not saying all surgeons are wrong but take whatever they say with a grain of salt until you can confirm it here on this board. The vets here collectively know more about the DS than any surgeon. Hope this helps!