I feel like a complete loser

Ok, so I have had this band for 3 years. I lost 45lbs and that's all for the 3 years. I have gained all of that back so I am back at my pre op weight. I guess I am a band failure. I feel so sad bc I really wanted this to work and there are ppl who have done great with this thing. I am trying to get revised to a rny bypass and I have stared the process for that but I am scared that that won't work. My doc says that it will work but failure with the band has me full of doubts. Please give me some info or positive thoughts on this. I don't know what to do.

If you were the only one with the problem it might be your fault but hon there are sooooo many others out there with the same problem. For many people they never get a recognized restriction so always feel hungry. For others like myself the band continued to tighten until I finally got it emptied. The band is NOT the great surgery some surgeons portray it to be. I would suggest a sleeve if your insurance covers it. It works the way a band is supposed to work but doesn't. Lots of bandsters have revised to it and had wonderful success. I wish you the very best, you aren't a failure, your band is!

OK I'm confused, your avi says you just had VSG so are you banded or not and if you had the VSG why revise to a RNY, I'm not getting what's going on.

My avi is wrong....thanks for pointing that out I had no idea..lol...I fixed it, though. I was going to get the vsg but after talking to my surgeon he said that the rny would be better. I have a BIG thing for sweets and he says the rny is better for sweet eaters because of what he calls dumping syndrome. I really hate this band and I want it out but I have to wait until September for that. Did you get the vsg from the band? If so has it worked better for you? Thank you for the encouraging words...I really have to stop blaming myself. My surgeon also says that.

Wow you sound almost exactly like me!  I had the band and never lost more than 42 lbs!  And, the only way that happened was starving myself.  The band just didn't work for me.  I vomited almost every day from food getting "stuck" and I was able to eat normal size meals by simply slowing down and chewing a lot.  I NEVER felt full until I had eaten a full-size meal.  Then, when discussing the revision (I had rny 6/7/11) the Surgeon said the stuck feeling was supposed to be an indicator that I should stop eating.  WHAT??  Sometimes that happened after only one or two bites!!  

I HATE THE BAND!!!!

Now, here I am, just about 2 months post-op with the revision to rny and I can honestly tell you it is hands down a MUCH better tool for weight loss (at least for me!!).  Not only have I lost weight MUCH quicker with the rny (so far about 34 lbs in just under 2 months) but I can tell it is going to continue working WAY more than the band ever did!!!

I do have to watch myself with the grazing or the eating until I feel "full", tho.  This procedure will let me graze (now that I can eat more types of foods) and because of the tiny portions, you really have to measure out your food because you won't feel full eating these small portions.  But, eating slowly, I do get enough were I feel satisified - and that is enough for me!!  Plus, I get horrible stomach pains if I don't eat regularly so it's good because it forces me to eat my 3 small meals and 2 snacks without fail.

The hard part, like with the band for me, is drinking.  You have to sip - no gulping.  And no drinking after eating which I forget sometimes and pay for.

The dumping syndrome is soo true regarding sweets!!  I was a dummy and thought I could get around it because I don't particularly like artifically sweetened drinks.  I thought the "dont eat sweets" thing was about weight loss, not pain and discomfort, so I drank regular Kool-aid.  It was refreshing and I could tolerate it well!  And I didn't have the typical dumping syndrome (vomiting, sweating, diahreeha (cant spell that) so I figured I was fine.  Problem is, dumping syndrome for me is horrific, painful gas pains.  Whenever I eat food with too much sugar, I will develop the most painful gas pains of my life!!!!  Once I went off the sugar, the pains went away!  Miracle!  :)  Needless to say, I am sooo vigilant abou****ching my sugar content - I barely eat/drink anything that has more than 6grams/serving but try to keep it even lower. 

Yeah, DEFINITELY stay away from sweets!!!!!  :)  

So, all I will say is I too felt like a failure.  I was humiliated that I would spend that much money (I paid cash for my band!!!) and STILL couldn't lose weight!!  I spent YEARS thinking the rny wouldn't work either!  But, I was wrong!!  This surgery is SOOO different!  You can feel it!  I could pretty much eat anything I wanted with my band (Rice and chicken were hard, at times, but even those I could eat with effort).  I do get a bit sad that I may NEVER get to eat certain things again with the band, but if I can lose all of this weight then it would be worth it.  I mean, I am dying for a Sunkist soda, but I get over it and have a sugar free Orange popscicle instead!  Not quite the same, but good enough!!

Hang in there and stop beating yourself up!!  I know how you feel and you can be sure the rny is WAY different than the band so don't get discouraged!!

Good luck!

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!! I had my band 3 years ago, had some success lost 50 lbs and then had some reflux issues that would not go away. They ended up taking out all my water and I have gained back all my weight and then some. Untl I found this board i felt like such a failre, but now I know I a not alone.  I am iin the early stages of revision and meet with my doctor for my first one on one at the end of the month.  Although nervous, I must do something and fear failure like you.   I have heard of so much sucess on here, I must putit in my head that it is possible though. I just have to try!!! I wish you luck and please keep me posted on your progess. It is always to know you are not alone!!!!!

take care!!!!

Misty

The band is awful. You shouldn't blame yourself. It's truly a situation where the advertising over-promises and completely under delivers.

I really wanted my band to work, too, but instead it just nearly killed me and chewed my guts up.

You're not alone, believe me. There are more people for whom the band DOESN'T work than does.

Keep trying to revise. Think positive!

Good luck to you.
Nicci