Banded 10 Years. Need support now.

I am copying from the main board...would love your perspectives.  Thanks

Almost 10 years ago, I posted the very first post on the Lap Band Forum.  I stumbled across it and realized that I had found a great community who helped me get through my Lap Band Surgery years ago.  I left OH a few times, once because I had joined another forum for Infertility (I have a 3 year old now) and again because I could not stand the fighting over which procedure was best.  Mostly, I left because I never thought I would consider surgery again.

The Lap Band seems to have come a long way but I have moved away from where my surgeon is and it has never really worked for me.  At best, I throw up chicken and fish and it never seemed to make a big difference.  I would occasionally feel uncomfortable and wait for the food to pass through.  Texture and density of food was all that ever really made a difference.  Filled or unfilled, I have the same result.

Recently, I started feeling sick.  My port hurt and I think my band actually started hurting. I was very uncomfortable and went to a local surgeon who said I was fine...hmm, I don't buy it.  I have heartburn and the pain has subsided but after 10 years, I am not sure this should be happening.  I have also put on 15 lbs in a short period of time.  I weighed 257 the day of surgery and for most of the time since and recently jumped to 270. I feel miserable, really miserable.  I am now 45 and not sure where to go from here.  

I think I want to either get this band removed because it causes me lots of stress.  I am also considering another procedure, VSG.  I am just so scared to go through with it. I feel that the ideal situation would be to lose the weight on my own and then when I am healthy, have the band removed and be done with it.  As I mentioned, I am a Mom of a 3 year old and I also have a stressful career and a 3 or more hour commute per day.  While I have run in 2 5K races, spent hours at the gym, it is very hard for me to keep this up with no results and just feeling weaker and weaker.  My sister just lost 140 lbs through exercise and diet but her way has been 2 hours of exercise in the AM and 2 hours in the PM and no eating (just coffee, vitamins and water) during the week and then eats what she wants on the weekends.  Who can keep that up?  Not me.  She is older than me and does not work and her kids are grown.  I feel like I need a little help here.  I don't have what it takes to spend all day on diet and exercise, I need to move, I knowe that but I also need to eat and I need to do my job and take care of my familyu and there never seems to be enough hours oin the day to get a good weight loss result.

My insurance will pay for another surgery but I am terrified of dying during surgery and leaving my boy.  I am almost paralyzed by this fear.  I know I went through surgery before but I was 35 and had just started dating my husband and I did not have a child.  I broke down tonight because I am always hurting, I feel miserable, unhealthy and incapable.  My career is suffering and I look horrible, all over.  Worst of all, I want to be there for my son. I waited so long to have him. Any advice or a hug would help..thanks.

I believe many on this board feel the same as you do. I am struggling myself. I am having a revision on March 19th and it truly scares me at times.I trust my surgeon but I often wonder why am I doing this all over again because I know it will be difficult. I then remember why I had my initial surgery. I wanted to be healthy.  I guess we have to want to be healthy, have less pain and all the things that go along with being a proper weight to make those sacrifices it takes to get there. I personally know that I can't do it without the help of surgery. I also realize I have to want this bad enough to go forward. There are many wonderful examples of people who have moved forward and have been very successful .after their surgeries. They were willing to endure the pain and do whatever it takes to be at a healthy weight.

I hope you are able to make the right decision for you and for your family.

A hug for you!

Sharon

The most I ever lost with the band was 27 pounds. I have gained that back and 20 more.  The band SUCKS.

It is coming out 2/6 and I am revising to RNY.  Which I wish I had done in the first place.

Best of luck to you. 

Your child will be fine.

I just got my sleeve on Tuesday! I had my band out 9/4/12. I was banded 2/25/09. You story is very common here and on the sleeve boards. They say the sleeve does what the band promised.

We even have just started a New Group called Band2Sleeve! Also check out the Failed Lap band Group. There are almost as many failed band members as there are Band Grands.

Many people get the upper GI and are told the band is perfect! Just to find out they have erosion, dilation, scare build up under the band and many other issues Ask for the scope, they look inside the throat/stomach.

Check out those two groups(my story is at both) and the VSG boards. If you have any other questions PM me!

With what you posted run, don't walk to get it out.  Even the company is now saying it isn't intendant for life but, 10 years with most having issues much sooner.

The band was never meant o be a permanent solution- it's not meant to stay in the body more than 10 years and to be honest with you I'm amazed that you've lasted 10 years with that horrendous thing in you!

Even with all the issues I've had since my revision having the band removed was the best thing I've done ( second actually, the best being getting a psychologist who specialises in ED's and disordered eating) and with the complications I've had I can honestly say I'm glad I revised, admittably not the surgery I wanted but I'm still happy.

In three months I've lost what it took me about 6-7 with the band, I've been unable to exercise until just over a week ago and I've lost 22kg- roughly 50lbs- with the band I worked my ass off from two weeks out.

The chances of you dying in surgery are very slim- the chances of you dying from something obesity related are probably much higher- I have kids, I get that fear but they are the reason I did this!!

Good luck with your decisions I wish you the best for whatever you decide

I loved my band and was very successful with it. However, it did begin giving me trouble despite my efforts to prevent it. I was scared to revise, too, yet knew I knew that with out a tool I would be in deep trouble and when I went back and revisited why I had wls in the first place I knew it was right for me. I chose vsg because I am not eligible for any other procedure but I would advise you to check out DS, too. Make sure you research each surgery type. It is more important now that before because you don't want to be back in the same boat with  weight gain and poorer health in several years. You have much more to live for now and want to be in the best health you can.

Start by documenting what you eat, how it stays down, everything about it like you would with a food diary. Then you can take it to your doctor and show that there are problems. For insurance purposes it will help too. Just being unable to lose with the band is reason enough to qualify for revision for some ins. companies.

You know something is wrong. Fight for yourself! Don't take no for an answer. If I hadn't had problems I never would have replaced my band. You have problems, it is time to lose it! It is normal to be afraid but dying early because of obesity is worse. Good luck.

Sue

Hi Melissa,

I'm terribly sorry you're experiencing this. I also had my band done about 10 years ago... but I had complications from the beginning and had it removed years ago. I have permanent damage from it, however.

I chose not to revise to any other WLS because of the traumatic nature of my banding experience. I have regained, of course. But I'm simply not willing to put my family and myself through it again, so I try to do it "on my own."   I can't advise you to move forward with any other surgery because I'm not in a position to do so, not having done it myself.

I do wish you the very best with whatever you ultimately decide to do. If you need a shoulder, feel free to message me and I will listen.

~Nicci

Wow-10 years? Amazing! Anyway-I totally get how you feel. I knew for the past 2 years something wasn't "right" with my band. My gerd was increasing, I felt exhausted all the time. I went for two follow up appts with the surgeon that placed the bad and after telling him about my feelings that it was out of place-he just said if it was out of place I'd be vomiting and unable to hold anything down. He did not order a upper GI both visits.

 I then was just so discouraged with the follow up at the surgical group he joined I found another surgeon. He refused to take any fluid out or put any in until I had an upper GI-I went and they said everything was fine and it was in place. I knew it wasnt. So I followed a Dr supervised diet x 4 months in preparation for a revision to a sleeve but felt crappier and crappier as time went on. I then went out of state to a very well known surgeon and he made me repeat the upper GI and sure enough-Bingo There was my slip plain as day. I saw it myself on the monitor. I was told at that time it needed to come out asap even though they couldn't see erosion it doesn't mean it isnt there. And a lot of Upper GI's look fine when there is indeed a problem.

 So I got a name of a surgeon that did a fellowship with that doc who was close to home and he was willing to take me as a pt and remove my bad & revise me to a RNY laporascopically all at once. I was told by the last two surgeons a sleeve was not a good option for me with my hiatal hernia & gerd issues. And after looking into the DS I decided that just wasn't the procedure for me. It seems to work well with others but the procedure you choose has to be a workable situation for you. So choose what you feel most comfortable with and read about what your required to do afterwards. There are positives and negatives to both.

 I'm only a week out and still having some incisional pain but am SO glad the band is out and guess what? No gerd-Yes! I understand your being worried about your young son-so that makes a decision more difficult. I wouldn't try to sway you either way except to say get your band removed asap. What helped me make up my mind is that in general I have a lot of joint and pain issues and I'm sure my weight is a big part of that. And I don't want to live the second half of my life this heavy. I want to be healthy and do all the adventurous things my weight has kept me from doing..

 Look at the big picture, you want to be able to play with your son, watch him grow up, take him camping, and other activities. It's so hard to do that when you feel uncomfortable. Make a list of Pros vs. Cons of revision surgery..Choose what is best for you because your boy wants a happy healthy mommy. Maybe you can lose it with diet and exercise after band removal-you could try it for a year and then see how you've done and if you are happy with results.

((Big Hugs))

~Saralynne

Friend me if you'd like. I had my band in May 2007. Just had my revision from band to DS 1/24/13. Keep your chin up...There are alot of us here that are revisioneers;) Read my blog for my story....too long to post. I am glad that piece of plastic is out of my body. So many aches and pains are gone since having it out... and it has only been 12 days. Best of luck to you;)