leatha_g

Reposted from obesityhelp.com
Post Date: 5/9/09 1:29 pm
In my case, I actually went for the lapband, loved it and wanted to keep it; however, mine slipped one year out having lost 75lbs.
Six weeks after replacing my band (Surgery#2), I then found that I would need to undergo gall bladder surgery (#3).
My second band was never as pleasant as the first. It was not seated in the same place and I was never able to get the restriction I needed.
I was either over-filled causing esophagitis, or under-filled due to having to let my esophagus heal. I struggled to maintain the loss I had accomplished and wound up gaining about 25lbs back. The cycle of unfill/fill became a rather large nuisance and I got no satisfaction. My esophagus and pouch took a beating and tended to stretch and slip. I was looking at yet another surgery to replace/remove and/or constant and continual damage to the esophagus and fear of stretching the pouch and slippage.
Luckily, my first slippage was uneventful with no pain or necrosis of the stomach. Not everyone is so lucky and I had no guarantee my next episode would be as fortunate.
I have blood clotting issues and take coumadin and had to be very aware that any bleeding event could be life-threatening.
Not wanting to undo what I had done and having spent 4 yrs dealing with the band, I decided to make this journey a permanent one and give in to the RNY I had attempted to avoid in the beginning.
I started this Quest in 2002, shortly after the clinical trials for Lapband. I spent that 4 yrs sharing my successes and being one of the original 'rah rah' cheerleaders for the band. I loved it and I loved being a part of a wonderful community of pioneers in this awesome technology. It just turned out that longterm is not always what it seems (or what we dream it will be) in the beginning.
Each person's journey is very unique. One has to make the choices that seem right at the time and educate themselves, try to keep in mind that there are NO absolutes with any of these life/body altering surgeries. Avoid placing yourself in any faction that says any surgery is the best over others or that anyone else is in any way inferior to you, your doctor or your choice of surgery.
This is not a competition, it is a struggle to save lives and change lives and it is hard to bring your own mind and body together to achieve the ultimate goal. Avoid getting caught up in the 'now' and the honeymoon and see yourself 2 yrs out, 5 yrs out, 10 yrs and 20 yrs.
What are you willing to deal with? Do you have the time or money to maintain the band? Will your doctor be within reach if you have a sudden setback?
Will you be moving to a different city? Will anyone there take you on as a patient? Will they take you if there are problems?
RNY presents it's own set of problems/opportunities?
Everything you put in your mouth goes straight to the gut. Some things sit and stay awhile, many will go straight through, sometimes suddenly and inconveniently. Sometimes even painfully.
Are you aware that what you could eat pre-surgery may not be tolerable at all post op? Lactose intolerance is very common and can be a pretty painful and inconvenient surprise.
Dumping on sugar/fat/carbs can be your friend, but is frustrating. Once you've made the mistake of swallowing something, you can't take it back. You just have to own it for what it is, whether you're at work, out with friends and family, or in the comfort of your home, near your own bathroom, couch or bed. Sometimes it passes quickly, sometimes it can take hours out of your day. Some say it goes away or gets better with time and of course, knowledge of what may cause it and the discipline to avoid it at all cost. At 17 months out, I still have it and I can't say I've become so perfect that I have learned to avoid it at all costs. I am, however, a work in progress. :-)
You experiment with what works and what you just can't deal with, especially if you work away from home, travel, etc. You learn to locate bathrooms, probably with all the surgery choices. Do you have the discipline it takes to take the necessary Vitamins and Protein necessary to maintain your health and muscle mass? It's necessary with all choices, but even moreso with RNY.
The weight loss can be extremely fast. Are you okay with the sagging skin that may become your battlescars? Are you okay with your face possibly becoming gaunt and bones showing that you never knew you had? Do you have a plan that might be helpful to lessen this, such as exercise? How do you feel about the possibly loss of your girlish curves? Will you want to have plastics done if everything doesn't turn out looking like you had dreamed? Will you be able to afford it? Will your health allow it?
These are all just lessons learned over a period of 7 yrs of intense research and experience. I no longer participate in the cheerleading, not because I'm not totally excited that today I wear a size 2 petite (which I'd prefer to be a 6 or 8 or 10) as opposed to the 22/24 I began with, but because I see and have participated and I have learned that there is a future yet to be seen no matter the choice and sometimes, though we all mean well we can and do eventually get to retract some of those 'absolutes' we so eagerly profess early on out of our own excitement or need to be 'helpful' or heard.
My most sincere advise is to think about who you are today, what resources do you have and what are your tolerances, your strengths and weaknesses. What could change in the way of those resources and/or where will you be physically? Will the doctor you choose be the doctor you'll still be seeing 5 yrs from now? Do you sabotage yourself now? What will you be willing to do to avoid it going forward? Do you exercise now? Where will the discipline come from afterward if you don't do it today?
It is so easy to envision all the great and wonderful things that can come from losing weight and there are many, but none of these surgeries are magic. They sure do help, but there is that reality that it is 'I' who must make the sacrifices and take the risks that may entail and see things as clearly and realistically as possible, not just the dream.
Spend as much time as you will looking at all choices. Listen to what new post ops have to say about their 'now', but spend more time listening to those who have some time behind them. There is valuable knowledge to be gained by those who've come through the initial periods of transition, trials, error and successes over the long haul. They can save you a lot of your own mistakes if you can take what they have already learned and apply it to your own unique journey.
I apologize that this is so long and I hope it's not a downer. It's not meant to be, but I do believe it's important for every prospective weight loss surgery patient to ask themselves ALL these things and know there is far more to this than just that initial 'YAY I'm losing weight!!' period.
I wish you all immense success and a new-found health with whatever choice you ultimately make.

Hi FunnyDuddies!
Your story makes me think that how the decision to have an abortion is made needs to change. At the same time, for everyone like you, there is someone who was very sure that an abortion was the right thing for her, and a law preventing her from doing that would be as wrong, in my opinion at least, as what you describe you went through.

Again, I do take responsibility, but I also understand the power people have over people who are under distress. And until you work a post-abortion help line for 3 years, you may not want to make statements such as "these things do not happen". they do, more often than you can imagine.
I believe that the government should step in and make this option illegal. that way it would have not been so easy for me to make the decision, or any other young and stuck girl like I was.
Laws are very powerful things. They make people think twice about taking other people's lives, taking drugs, stealing, and doing lots of other illegla, and IMMORAL actions. If abortion was outlawed there would still be people taking actions into their own hands, or going to dirty doctors, but it will also cut WAY down on the number of abortions being done. And then, maybe, women will take having sex irresponsibly more serious.

Its interesting...the blood. Its what makes demons flee. Its also the most important thing to life. Its more precious than the air we breathe.
If its so valuable, how can anyone hate it? What is so revolting about it.
Have you not ever loved anyone so much that you would do anything to keep them with you? Yes blood is impressive, but not revolting. Impressive indeed.
(snip)
:eek:
<<<Okay this makes me want to wear a turtleneck.>>

Its interesting...the blood. Its what makes demons flee. Its also the most important thing to life. Its more precious than the air we breathe.
If its so valuable, how can anyone hate it? What is so revolting about it.
Have you not ever loved anyone so much that you would do anything to keep them with you? Yes blood is impressive, but not revolting. Impressive indeed.

Finally, this barbaric practice can end!!!!

I find the noises all very entertaining and quite comforting. They remind me my band is there and working.

bumping simply means someone posts something on it so that it brings it back to the top for others to see.
sticky's can only be made sticky by moderators, i believe.
i don't know a darn thing about 'rep power' .
I reckon 'Hot' means it has lots of posts???

Yep. It's a hard habit to break. You're not alone at all.
In some cases, I don't even allow a drink near me when I'm eating, because it's just such a habit to grab it and start gulping.