Lap Band Removal - Need some advice

Hello Everyone :-)

I had a severe complication of my Lap Band on 02/08/2017, which resulted in surgery and me having it removed.  The reason that I chose to remove it, was because it was my second slip and I didn't want to deal with the possibility of it happening again.  I have had my Lap Band for 6 years and don't really know life any other way.  I don't even remember what it felt like to have no band, which in turn has me so scared.  I have lost 60lbs and maintained it for 4 years, and I am now terrified that I will regain my weight back.  My hunger hasn't really returned, but I am eating like a did when I had the band, which was smaller portions and healthy, plus I have lost weight since my removal last week.  My question for you all is, is gaining weight a guarantee once the lap band is removed?  Also, is it possible to suffer from depression after having your lap band removed (maybe it's regret)?

Thank you in advance for any feedback that you can give, as I really appreciate it.

Best,

Ashe

Maybe this is not really helpful because I was only four months without the band before I got the MGB but I didn't gain during this time. However, as I said it was only four months which is next to nothing when it comes to times spans and maintaining.

I'm sure there are people who don't gain, it is just harder. Congrats on your success so far. Don't regret the removal, it was the right thing to do and still would be the right thing even if you gained weight.

i opted to revise when my band failed.

Seek help for your depression don't let it get out of hand.

I agree with the other posts. Having the band out does not mean you will gain. Ultimately all of the weight loss surgeries are a tool. You did great for 6 years with the band and maintained your portion sizes and healthy habits. Keep maintaining that life style and you will continue to be successful.

I also agree to see a counselor. It never hurts to have therapy and can help you push through the mental side.

In the mean time keep reminding yourself that you know how to eat, how much to eat and that you can not only survive and do your everyday things, but also succeed at maintaining.

Hi, Ashe:

I totally identify with where you are. I had to have my band removed in an emergency surgery on January 2, 2015. I cried going into the operating room because I knew that without that tool, I would not be able to keep weight off. I'd had the band for 8 years, and even though it had not worked correctly for the past couple of years, it was enough to keep me from gaining rapidly, though I had gained some. The band took me from 330 to 206 over the years, very slowly. But it was difficult as it was always too loose or too tight. I would either have no restriction or I couldn't swallow water. It never seemed to work right. Then it became infected. I am lucky that it did not explode inside me. I am lucky my husband hauled me to the emergency room at MU and the bariatric surgeon there took immediate action.

Post surgery, I tried to be optimistic. I was not overly hungry, could not eat a great deal, and thought perhaps I had learned how to eat properly over the years and that I could maintain or even lose on my own. This is the delusion that has always crept in for me. The weight began to creep on, 10-15 pounds a year. I fought and fought and fought every week to keep from gaining that next pound. Finally, I could see that at my age, now post-menopause, I would soon be back to over 300 pounds. So I began the journey to a gastric bypass, which is what I should have done in the first place.

I am six weeks out from surgery now, and so happy with my decision. I've lost the 30 pounds I put on after losing the band, and it is not a fight each day to keep from eating and to keep that next pound from creeping on. Right now, losing is pretty effortless. It is actually work to eat as much as I should.
The great thing is that due to my years with the band, I knew somewhat what to expect after the bypass. In point of fact, living with the bypass is easier than living with the band EVER was.

I also lost 20 pounds after my band was removed. For me, that was a side effect of surgery and recovering from the infection. When my metabolism got full control again, that was all she wrote!. I hope that you are able to maintain with good learned habits. But also, don't fear going for the bypass if you find that you are unable to maintain without a tool. I know that it feels like a radical step. For some of us, that radical step is our only hope.

Good luck, Ashe!