parisshel

5 in a 10 was my green zone for a long time. I eventually went up to 6 once I started experiencing signs that I was edging out of the green zone. 6 in a 10 was good for me.

I would not wait until July 6th. What you are experiencing does not sound normal. Please see if you can get in asap and have an xray of your band's placement. If nothing has changed in your eating habits, and all of the sudden you are sliming and throwing up, especially in your sleep, thing's are not right with your band.

Please get this checked, and let us know what they find.

I think your concern is legitimate. I have never read of anyone who had their band removed and was able to keep their weight off. Even unfills seem to provoke weight gain, as I have experienced.

Have you considered a revision surgery? There are many on this forum that have revised from the band to a sleeve or bypass, with excellent results and no issues.

I wouldn't say pain is normal. If you are feeing pain, even after a fill, it means that your bites are too big, you are eating too fast, or you are trying to eat foods that your band doesn't tolerate.

Right after a fill, it would be prudent to stay on liquids for a couple of days so you don't further irritate the stoma. This area becomes a bit sensitive after a fill and you want to let that settle.

The pain you are feeling as food passes over the band is a sign you need to go back to liquids for awhile.

I regret my choice in WLS only because it led to a complication I would not have developed had I not had surgery, or had I chosen a different WLS.

That said, regret is pointless. I can't know for sure that I wouldn't have developed this (or another) complication had I not had surgery, or had I chosen a different surgery.

Thirdly, if I hadn't had WLS, I'd probably be sitting here today saying "Oh I wish I had gone ahead with my decision to get a lapband, because now I'm the heaviest I've ever been!"

I took off a chunk of weight thanks to my band. Only wished I could have been one of those who could say today "No regrets!" But you never ever know how these things are going to turn out...no one can predict who is going to get hit with the complications, and who is going to remain problem-free.

Sounds like his band is too tight. I'd suggest he get a small unfill so he can eat salads and dense Protein without discomfort. He'll probably start losing...and I'll bet he keeps his band.

When the band is too tight, we can resort to "soft calorie syndrome" which is what your BF is doing. A small unfill and he will be able to eat in a healthly, band-friendly way.

As someone who has also spent too much time in hospitals, I understand this sentiment. I hope I never have to undergo another medical procedure that involves hospitalization...even plastic surgery. Not worth the pain and risk involved. This is probably an age-thing. I'm sure if I were 30, never been married and never had kids, I'd probably think differently.

@gowalking: Absolutely! Can't wait. PM me with your email and info and I'll suggest a lovely café with good people-watching, I mean hot French men.

@@gowalking, dear lady. It's normal that you should fear this, as this has been the paradigm with each weight loss, right?

I might search out and bookmark maintainer's blogs. There are loads of them out there. These don't necessarily have to be WLS maintainers...anyone who has a solid track record of maintenance, and who is practicing their maintenance in a way that aligns with your thinking could be a good inspirational source when you start doubting yourself.

It might also be helpful to not think of this as a big picture thing. Just concentrate on your daily maintenance. Do your best practices just for today. And then wake up and do it again tomorrow. I hear you fretting about where you next motivation will come from, now that the pounds have come off and you've got yourself some fabulous clothes. Guess what? Your motivation will continue to pour out of you each morning as your greet yourself in the mirror. I'm not worried for you.

Whichever WLS you choose, my advice is to inform yourself of risks and complications, and ask yourself "if X occurred, can I live with that?" For a lapband, "X" could be a slip, erosion, permanent damage to your esophegous, reflux..: For the sleeve, "X" could be leakage, infection, ulcers, reflux.... I'm not sure what the risks are for the other WLS since I never considered those.

Let me use Lasik surgery as an analogy. I was really eager to get Lasik surgery so I could free myself of my annoying glasses. But when I saw there was a very tiny percentage of risk that one could go blind with the surgery, I decided that that was a risk I could not take. Because you cannot ever predict what side of the statistics you will fall on, and losing my sight would completely render my life and my children's lives horrific, I made peace with my glasses, because I was not willing to assume all the risks listed on the information sheet for Lasik.

I was willing to assume all the risks associated with the lapband so I went ahead with that surgery. Everything was rainbows and unicorns the first year. But then I developed complications (atrial fibrillation brought on by the band's involvement with the vagus nerve), so I became of the people that falls on the bad side of the statistics. That said, heart problems were not (yet) listed as one of the risks from this surgery, but I'm sure as more longterm data gets collected, it will show up one day on the patient information sheet.

From where I am today, I would not advise in good faith for anyone to get a lapband. ( But this would not have been my attitude two years ago.) What I would advise is that you keep on researching, and whenever you read a story about a complication due to WLS, ask yourself if you are willing to live with that complication. You may be someone who never experiences any complication from any of the WLS, but you may not be. No one can predict outcome, so if you are seriously considering WLS, imagine yourself in the situation of someone with a complication, and ask yourself if you are willing to live that way.

@Krazek444: I'm sorry you are having this complication. How could your band, situated so far away from the intestines, interwine with your intestines? Yikes!

@aviva1979: While I can't chime in on your question about revising to the sleeve, only because this wouldn't be my choice, I wanted to address your concern about keeping your weight off if you were to decide to remove the band and not proceed with another WLS.

In my opinion, your concern is legitimate. I had complications with my band, not the same as what you are experiencing but complications that have me unable to have significant fill in my band ever, and may lead to me deciding to remove my band entirely. (I developed afib, with heart rate and rhythm problems related to the vagus nerve/band's influence on it).

After a first year of terrific weight loss and wonderful satisfaction with my foods and band, my issues set in and I could no longer have my band at optimal fill level. I have to keep my band open so there is no vagus nerve irritation. What I now experience is the "dieter's mindset", i.e. I have returned to having to control my weight by sheer will-power. I eat a Weight-Watcher's type of diet, which means lots of "filling foods" and I practice all the tricks that dieters/maintainers use to stay full and keep cravings at bay. This is the mentality I was happy to leave behind when I chose and underwent WLS so you can imagine how depressing it is to return to this state.

It really shows how effective our bands are when optimally adjusted. Yes, we do "some" of the work, but for me I'd say my band did "all" of the work...at least the important work...at helping me help myself. It was very clear that the band was responsible for my feelings of satiety and dimming of appetite because now, with a band that is basically dormant, I have neither of those.

If you were to remove your band and not proceed with another WLS, my sense is that in order to maintain, you'd have to eat precisely as you are eating right now. And that is very very hard without a WL tool. You'd really want to concentrate on how very good your feel now, almost at your goal weight, and combine that mental game with a diet that does not go over what you are currently eating calorie-wise. It's this last part that is very tricky, because you will be hungry...hungrier than with your band.

I have not lost any weight in over a year. The day my complications started was the day I stopped losing weight. I'm nowhere near my goal weight (I have 50 more pounds to lose) and I'd like to think I can get to my goal, or nearer to my goal, by myself. (I doubt I can, but I'll keep trying). I maintain my loss by keeping my mind on how much better I feel at this weight vs my pre-surgery weight, and I stay on a diet. It's not at all as joyful as when I had an active band, but I venture to say that it is a touch easier than when I had no band at all. The band alone provides me with a teensy bit of restriction so I can stay away from breads, Pasta, and other non-compliant foods, but it is not optimally-adjusted (so I'm hungry all the time).

Lots of bandster have revised, however, so those answers would be more relevant for you to read than mine.

When at perfect restriction, I enjoyed food much more than prior to being banded, because it no longer triggered compulsive overeating or cravings. It was very freeing to know I was satisfied with a small portion of my band-compliant foods.

When too restricted, I did NOT enjoy eating at all. My stoma was far too small to allow for even hot liquids to pass, making eating a dreaded (and painful) event. I would have to loosen my bra, hunch my shoulders inward, take a small amount of tea or Water, and suffer while it passed through the banded area. I once spent 1.5 hours trying to get down two tablespoons of tuna mixed with mayo.< /p>

You are still in the learning curve and it is normal you are mindful of bite and portion size. You will always be mindful of this because if you aren't, and you take a too-big bite, your band will remind you of its presence. But your mind will shift from being worried about what you are eating, to naturally taking small bites and chewing well. It won't be such a chore, because you will modify your eating behavior in response to your band's presence.

Once you are at your sweet spot, you should really enjoy your meals and the freedom from the diet mentality. Perfectly filled, the band will allow you to eat like a naturally-thin person: small portions which leave you full(ish), and no compulsion to keep on eating.

There is no doubt in my mind that my afib, which involves both heart rate and heart rhythm, is due to my lapband. However, my lapband surgeon insists "he has never heard of something like this" happening, and my cardiologist has said that removing the lapband won't solve the problem because "once you have afib, you have afib for life."

So.

While I know that my lapband is responsible (my episodes are always related to food passing over the band...they never occur when I'm not eating), there is little I can do at this point except remain compliant with my beta blockers and heart rhythm medications, which I will now be on for life. I switched medications after my initial three months on them as the Sotalol had the most horrific side effects which were unacceptable to me (constant sleeping, hallucinations, severe depression, disorientation). My current combination is more acceptable in terms of side effects but still I'm not myself.

Not to mention that beta blockers curtail any opportunity to do sports or get a cardio workout since you can't get your heart rate up.

There are days I very much regret getting a lapband...not only because I now have this condition that is not minor, but also because of other complications that I am now reading about related to the band. I chose the band because there was long term data about its risks and benefits, but I am convinced that much of that data is garnered in Allergan's favor and any complications that fall in a grey area do not show up in the data. This would include afib (because the medical community can pass it off as something that may have occurred in any case) auto-immune diseases (again, one could develop these independent of a silicone object being placed inside one's body, but look at all the bandsters that develop life-threatening auto-immune diseases such as lupus and scleradoma--much higher than the general population).

I think I disregarded the possible complications inherent in WLS in my eagerness to find some solution to my longterm obesity. I never thought I'd fall on the wrong side of the statistics...indeed, no one ever does. But now here I am, with a heart that constantly reminds me of this decision that was wrong for me, and a lifetime of medications ahead of me.

People are much nicer to me now than at my starting weight. It is human nature for most people to respond positively to what they perceive as a pleasant aesthetic. That's just the way it is even if it is unfortunate.

Before, people would never hold doors open for me, or chat with me at the market, or (for delivery men at work) linger in the office. Now (and I'm far from my ideal weight, but more normal-looking than I was) I'm no longer (at the worst) scorned or (at best) invisible.

At my starting weight, I always had to "convince" any new person I was meeting that I was smart, competent, knew my area of expertise well, etc. I had to do this quickly before their ideas about what a fat person was took over and they tuned me out. I never realized how I had to gear up for this battle each and every day until I starting losing weight and people no longer dismissed me from the get-go.

My fat life was a hard life. I didn't really see how hard it was until I starting losing weight.

I don't think "nerves" would have this much of an effect on a band. Sure, "nerves" might provoke a temporary bit of restriction, but not like what you are describing. If this were happening to me, I'd get in and check for a band slip. I would hope my surgeon would suggest an x-ray or other means of evaluating before jumping to the "must have band removed" option. If a slip did occur, I'd rather explore repositioning rather than outright removal, if possible.

I'm sorry you are experiencing this complication and please let us know the outcome. You've done very well and I hope you will be able to keep your band.

Terry, I'm sorry to read that you had complications and the band is no longer useful. I don't have an opinion on revision but I just wanted you to know that I always appreciated your posts and support for the bandster cohort here.

@parrishel do you take an anti-gas med for it regularly?

Nope. I just fart a lot. And I tell my family "it's medically necessary."

I will take Mylanta if I have to be around non-family members (or if it gets really bad at work).

I never had this issue prior to being banded. I believe it comes from the slower passage of the food, which gives it time to ferment.

Get used to it. It's here to stay.

@Karina150: How cool of you to check in. You've done great! How are you feeling?

I've had complications with my band, sadly, so I'm not a success story in that I'm not at my goal. But I am pleased with the weight I did lose before my complications set in. I'm now a "traditional dieter" just making sure my lost weight stays lost, but that's ok. I'm not looking to ever revise--that's certain--and will have to take the rest of my weight off the old-fashioned way. Too bad, because when my band worked, it was AMAZING!

Anxious to hear from the rest of this cohort.

@Giggles_syd: That is correct. People who travel a lot may want to obtain a hollow core needle in case they need an emergency unfill in a place where they may not be band-experienced personnel. The hollow core needles are used in chemotherapy, and most always one can find a chemo nurse who can use your needle, access your port and do an unfill.

If I were looking to purchase a hollow core needle, I'd check a chemo supply site or pharmacy.

If your eating habits hadn't changed, I don't see how the lapband could be involved. I can see having low blood sugar when intially banded, because you don't yet know how to "dose" your food/protein, but you are a longtime bandster and know how to eat. The other stuff: nightsweats and exhaustion? Sounds more hormonal than food-related.

I'm glad you have stablized, however.

@madsville Good for you for going in and getting a fill. I hope it settles in to be "the" one for you.

I'm wondering if you could address the flouro/radiation issue and share with us what you know about the real risks. I've had a lot of fills/unfills and all are done with flouro. How worrisome is this? Let's base the risk on 5 flouro fills/unfills/year, just for the sake of the discussion (and I can scale from there).

Thanks!

What a thought-full post that has much to reflect upon. Thank you for writing this and I'm glad you put a voice to something so many of us have felt.

It's amazing what gets uncovered as we reclaim our true selves, right? And sometimes these things are quite uncomfortable, because they are new, and we need to allow ourselves to just sit with them until they aren't so new.

When we grow up fat, we sadly take on the sense of self that the world throws at us. Invisible, undeserving, subpar...so many negative outside comments that become our personal narrative.

When we shed the fat, our narrative changes. But it doesn't do it overnight, and it takes time to rewire our brains.

Thanks for being here, in the forum, and helping us with your honestly and boldness. I love stories of reinvention, and yours shows us it can be done.

@@Cleo's Mom: Right. Oh, and let me add that I ALWAYS kept my band loose. (You can see my numbers in my signature). I was a firm believer in wanting to have "somewhere to go" when I sensed less satiety. So my complications were not triggered by a too-tight band. I wanted to keep my band for as long as possible, so I never opted for the too-tight/fast weight loss track. I was slow and steady, very regular losses with no pb or vomiting issues.