PLEASE HELP !!!!!!!!

Hello you guys ......I am a 31 year old single mother of 3  and I was banded on 1-11-2007  at the time  HW 315     SW 305    LW 199  ( for a half of second) lol        CW 223  ( gained 15 after miscarriage and unfill )    ok..........got that out of the way 


Ok here is my question I had to be unfilled in early November because I could not get any food or liquids  down .  My doctor did a CT scan ...I did a swallow test and my Dr. said my esophagus was very weak and could not push anything through the band . Ok since then I have not went back to the doctor because I am scared to get a fill because it was scary as hell not being able to eat .....Now I am thinking about getting the VSG and I have been doing my research .....................By the way I am a self pay . Ok here is my questions.......1. should I go get filled and see how it goes ?      2. After losing 105 pounds and gaining 23 back ...do you guys think I can still loose weight with the band ...well loose 53 pounds to get to get to goal ?  Just to add even before I was unfilled I was not really loosing that much ..just really maintaining ......
3. Do you  continue to loose weight with that lap band 4 years out ? 

Just to be clear I am not bitter about having the lap band it worked for me for 4 years ....and I really didn't have any complications until November 2010.  Any advice is welcomed ..

With your esophagus issues, it seems that it would be better for your health to get advice from a doctor.  I know that it is scary but I would talk to your physician about why your esophagus is so weak, what causes it and what ramifications it would have on any other type of surgery.  I am so sorry you are having trouble.  It sounds like your band was working up to that point and that means you were working your band.  Good for you but don't ignore your other issue.

Best of luck to you

Pam

You did great with your band.  Sorry to hear about the miscarriage and unfill.  Really can't comment on getting another type surgery since don't know enough.  However I can say that you can lose with the band after a long period of time.  I got my band in November of 07.  True I have loss a much weight as you but since I've started back working with my band, I am losing weight.  U gotta do what u gotta do and with all that's happened and you only gained 15 lbs, accommodation is due u.  Only u know what will get u where u want to be.  Take care and best wishes in making your decision.
Z

Hi there,

First off sorry to hear about your problems I hate that happen to anybody :o(

Now, this is me talking and what I'm doing right now .

I am just two months out but I have no fluid  in my band, I am empty .  My doc does not put any fluid in the band at surgery time .  I have skipped my first two fills .  I just saw my doc on the 24th of this month and I have already lost 4 pounds since then .


I have it set in my mind that I can eat one cup of food per meal no more no less there might be some days I might go 1/4 cup over which to me is no big deal .

I dont let head hunger get the best of me , if I start thinking about food I go and do something that takes my mind of it .  I go and play computer games .  I love to play time management games and I get so wrapped up in that I forget about my head hunger.

In my heart I think you can still lose weight with your band even if you have no fluid in it.  I am doing it right now . 

This is me personally I just needed the band to be put around me to make me think about what I am doing .  That might sound silly but I think about what I am eating now,  I think about what could happen if I overeat on my one cup of food,  the band makes me slow down to eat .

I use all them thoughts to make the band work for me and so far I have been very very successful doing it that way with no fluid in my band !!

I eat very rich protein meals that keep me full for a good three hrs at a time.  I do not feel guilty eating snacks if I feel the need for it but they are healthy snacks or if I do eat some chips I take out the serving size and that is it . I can enjoy them 12 chips now instead of sitting down and eating a whole bag at a time.

Like I said this is just how it works for me , there is a handful of us on there that had surgery around the same time and has no fluid in their band.


Gosh I wish I could remember her name but not to long ago I think last week .  I was posting back and forth with a young lady on here she had to have her fluid taken out the day after her surgery and she has lost 110 pounds with her band with no fluid in her band whatsoever it was amazing to hear that so yes it can be done :o)

I wish you all the luck in the world, and before I would go through another surgery if you can get the band to work for you then that is what I would do before I would totally give it up :o) , but that is just me .

With your esophageal problems I would suggest another WLS type. I waited too long to get my band out and now I have permanent esophageal damage and there is no fix for it.

Thank you for your advice ...I am going to also see my DR. this week and ask him what he thinks . I think ..it got so weak from all the force  vomting I did over the last 4 years.  

You can certainly lose after you have been banded for a long time but issues with oesophageal motility are one of the contra-indications for the band. So this may be a problem. You need to discuss this with your own doc - s/he is the only one who can help you with these questions.

Kate

Ditto to what Kate said.

Jean

I think you should consult a doctor...don't wait.

Please don't waste time with a fill when your having esophageal issues. GET THE BAND OUT!

If there isn't too much permanent damage from the band, VSG, RNY or DS would all be good options.

Good luck!!!