Now that my band is gone... (Add to this please)

Hi Tracey!  I went through about a year of VERY sporadic band restriction.  I would say about 70-80% of the time i wouldn't allow me to eat dense protein, some days not even cream of broccoli soup.  ARGH!!  I didn't have much saline in my band either.  I didn't have any reflux or any other symptoms of a slip.  I had had a slip two years out that required surgery to fix.  

I just got so frustrated that I ended up living on sliders.  I just got fed up after gaining some weight back that I went to see my surgeon in February to get saline out.  My body just swells at a drop of a hat....not a good mix with the band.  I talked to my surgeon and he said he would request a revision for me.  Neither one of us thought my insurance would go for it, since there wasn't a technical problem with the band.  BUT, I was approved!!  

I love my band, it works the way I thought my band would.  So sorry you aren't doing well.  

Now that my band is gone . . .   let's see, I did love my band when it worked and it did not hurt that I got to a size 6/8 . . . and I could actually eat salads & lean proteins and mostly anything I wanted.  The band did not induce bulimic behavior in me - thank God, I was lucky in the sense that I had two good years out of the 5.5 years(3rd & 4th years - not the 1st  two, those were plagued with shattered port, punctured hosing, esophageal dilation (WTF, I didn't even have restriction - my esophagus could not tolerate my band from the jump)

But now that my band is gone . . .
  
-I love that I have no port and that I can no longer grab my abdominal hosing (yes, I could do that, it was freakish)
-I love that I need not worry about adjustments
-I love that  I don't have to worry about my band failing me again
- I love that I stay super hydrated and can drink right before I lay on my pillow
-I love that restriction is not "random"
-I love that the whole nightmare is over - it really was a nightmare losing my band, gaining the weight - real traumatic the entire process.

-I so ******g love that I need not go under those big monster machines at the hospital on a regular basis like I had to do with my whole life with the band.  I hated that so much - it was traumatizing - so much anxiety.  I freak out now just thinking about it.

-I love feeling completely normal like I've had no WLS at all.

Ugh, I am so glad that my banded life is over REALLY, I've had a really stressful existance with the band when I have to think about it like now .

Life is good - Thank God!

 

I love living without shoulder pain!

I love not having to worry about juggling bills just so I can pay for a fill.

I love not having to beat myself up because I just spent a ton of money for a fill and now I have to have it taken out.

I love not feeling like I'm being choked from the inside out.

I love not living in fear of what my band may have done to my insides. And it did do damage by attaching itself to my spleen.

I love not getting stuck. Terrible, horrible, freaking nasty pain from eating a bite of food that just went down wrong.

I love not having to hurry and find SOMETHING to vomit into when I realize the last bite wasn't going down right.

I love actually feeling full. Which is something I never had with the band.

Ok, you are the first one that I have heard say feeling like being choked from the inside out! My regular doctor said it was a panic attack! Omg please tell me just what happened and what it was like! I have these episodes mostly if I don't wait an hour to drink and then drink to fast. Other times it happened when I was asleep or just going to bed, and I would feel a metal burp, followed by feeling like being choked with my face turning bright red, SCARY!

Your too tight girl.  No water any where near bed time or it will come up and drown you.  They took me up to 9.25, down to 6.25 that got to tight so down to 5.25 and I still have to remember to stop drinking waaaaaaaay before going to be or I'll drown/tighten up and yes it tell like being choked from the inside.  Some times it is like someones fist is in your thought.

I have panic attacks.  Some times it is sort of the same.  But, it isn't a panic attack.

I only have 4 in mine, haven't been back to doctor because it's a 3 hour drive, just been living with it. I am going to call and set up a appt. just thought all this was the norm with the band. Thanks for your help, going to stick around here so I keep up with what's going on!

Tracey, I only had 3.5cc in my 11cc realize band and started having problems about 10 months ago with night time pain, reflux etc.  Then the pbing started about 5 months ago.  Nothing would agree with me one day, I could eat anything the next.  I was out of town dealing with my FIL's estate, so when I got home in April, I immediately went to my pcp because I started having palpitations too.  I had a full cardiac workup, which ruled out a cardiac cause for the pain.  My BP was high, so they changed my meds and the palpitations subsided when my BP was under control.  I went to my band doc and had an esophogram on June 12.  JUST A TRICKLE OF BARIUM WAS GOING THROUGH THE BAND...THE PA DESCRIBED IT AS "SNAKING".  I should have had an opening about 5/8th inch in diameter, but the fluid was dripping through and the imaging pill they gave me that should have gone through my stoma just sat there.  The PA said the only option was to remove all fluid for at least 2 weeks...it has been 4.5 weeks and I am still unable to eat salad, veggies etc.  I go back the 17th for another esophogram and possible fill...I am NOT having another fill.  Right now my band feels as restrictive as it did a year ago, before the problems started.  I'm still getting the night time pain and reflux even though I am on 40mg omaprazole. 

It is important to be able to recognize GERD (new or returning) as a sign of being too tight, regardless of how little or much fill is in your band.  It is important to recognize middle of the back pain that radiates to the shoulder, jaw and chest as a sign of band problems, but a whole slew of cardiac testing has to be done first to rule out heart problems...It is important to realize that when you are chewing your food well, cutting it into small bites and eating slowly and "getting stuck" that your band might be too tight, regardless of it's capacity or level of fill; even without fill bands can be too tight.

I know it's a pain to drive the 3 hours to your doctor (mine is 90 min away), but for your own good, get it checked out.

Good luck!

No water any where near bed time or it will come up and drown you.

You hit the nail on the head.  When I am awakened by the pain in my chest and back during the night, the only thing that will relieve it is drinking water.  Then I have to sit upright (at 3 or 4 in the morning) for about 15 min to allow the water to leave my pouch.  If I lay down, it comes up and I choke...

You sound just like me.  Only you have to add in the
potty trip because I drank water

 I do the potty trip too...:)