mrsto

After a year and a half, I myself have slipped into old habits; eating too fast, and past the point of feeling satisfied. By the grace of God I've been able to maintain all but 5 pounds that came back a few months ago (after a vacation), but I'm painfully aware that I'm off track. At this point, I would not even consider a fill, because I know that the issue isn't the band/plication; it's my head! As mentioned by TMF, there is no revision or surgery that will work, if we don't alter our behavior. Jumping to another surgery is like jumping to another diet. It will work at first, but in time, we'll slip back if we're not diligent about sticking to a new way of eating. I'm very nervous about what I see happening with myself, and I've said from the very beginning of this venture.....that we are never cured of this curse. I miss the first months after surgery; it was new, I was highly aware of the changes inside, and I stuck closely to the rules. After a year and a half, I've become very sloppy, and have become a master at eating around my surgery. Honestly, if I wasn't doing a good strenuous walk most days, the scale would be on a slow, steady climb.

I totally get it.... I wanted the least invasive procedure possible. But I only wanted one procedure, and went with the one I felt was best for me. With any of these surgeries, the true test is long term. The first 10 months to a year was a lot easier than it is now. Old habits die hard; or don't die at all. We still have to learn to control what we take in. At a year and a half out, I've learned how to cheat the surgery when my NEED to eat overrides anything else. I'm thankful that I did have the plication with the band, because each part works independently of the other, so I have that much more working for me. But at this point, it's more of a struggle than it was in the beginning. The same goes for each and every one of these surgeries. It still all boils down to our heads. As for having major surgery; less invasive or not, it's a lot to go through for only 30 pounds..... Just my opinion.

I live in Thousand Oaks, but had my surgery done by Helmuth Billy in Ventura. He's got a very long track record, and came highly recommended. I asked Dr. Billy about having plication without the band, and he said the success is not as great; they've found a much better outcome when combining the two. Don't know that I answered your question, but just wanted to throw in my 2 cents worth :-)

I had the band with plication about a year and a half ago. I know exactly the gnawing pain you're talking about. In the beginning, it woke me up in the middle of the night. It was like a horrible painful hunger. My doctor's office said that they heard it from others as well. The good news is, that it went away within the first couple of months. In my own mind, it felt like my folded stomach was fighting back - LOL! As for Coca Cola? Did your doctor tell you carbonation is okay? Be careful with that one..... It can cause issues.

Amen.... So unbelievably sad.

I agree with all of the above posters. Yet, in all my years, never felt comfortable in a gym. I was okay with it during thinner times, but other times I just wouldn't put myself through the humiliation. I'm in a good place now with my weight, but still choose walking the hills over the gym. If you find that you're just too uncomfortable at this point in your journey, there are other options for exercise to get you to the point where you're not crawling out of your skin in that environment. This post made me remember something..... Many years ago, when I was living in Los Angeles, I wanted to lose weight and get some exercise, but was too humiliated to join a regular gym. Richard Simmons had his studio close to where I lived, so I went in a took a class there......knowing that I would be around people with my same struggles. Interestingly, as heavy as I was, I was the smallest person in the room. That brought on a whole other brand of discomfort. The difference was extreme in the other direction, and I felt out of place there as well. My best successes with exercise, have been routines I setup in my own home; treadmill, free weights, etc. I'd crank up the music and go to it! And I didn't have to drive anywhere and sit on machines with someone else's sweat That's what's worked out for me over the years.....finding a place and routine where I didn't have to force myself to feel a confidence that I wasn't in a place to feel.

In the beginning of my WLS journey, I was diligent about logging everything in MFP. I did it for the first 6-7 months, and then realized that I was eating pretty much the same most of the time. Even though I know what a Tbsp, tsp, ½ cup, etc. looks like, I was starting a brand new journey of a different kind, and wanted to do everything as I was instructed. And in the beginning of this undertaking, tracking my food was a good thing. It served a purpose as I launched this new lifestyle; like training wheels. My struggle with obesity was never about losing track of what I was taking in. I always knew what were good and bad choices; serving sizes, etc. At 59 years old, I've been on strict diets since the age of 7. I go back to my original comment above.....that I'm a walking, talking calorie counter, without the use of tools

From all my years of dieting, I'm a pretty good walking, talking calorie counter. I don't need to weigh or measure "it", to know what I'm taking in. I know good and well when I've got too much on my plate, and what are good and bad choices. I'm with MarFar.....no more of that for me.

Done!

I'm totally with you on this. I also agree with Pamalamb, that we all make mistakes & have poor judgement at points in time. And as much as I get that, if it was the surgeon scheduled to do MY surgery, I'd be done. We're not talking about gardening services, we're talking about someone holding your life in their hands!

Choosing to live banded life is a huge life changing decision. Your BFF and BF are supposdly the two closest people in your life. I think that you're lying by omission. Imagine if one of them withheld such a huge thing from you? How would you feel? You've been with this guy for two years? If you're planning on spending your life with him, you shouldn't be hiding these types of things. IMHO, of course.

Ditto to what tmf asked. In addition, did you stop exercising as well? I can't imagine gaining all your weight back, if you're "eating well" and moving. I ate well before surgery.... I just ate too much and didn't get my butt out to exercise.

I still have bouts of reflux from time to time. When I do, I start taking Omeprazole (Prilosec) or Famotadine (Pepcid) for a few days; until it subsides. But if the problem you're having is chronic, I would definitely talk with your doc. It sounds like you may still be a bit too tight.

My doctor didn't allow steak until 12 months out. Slab meat was the last thing to be added back in the post-op diet progression. Now, I will have steak once in a blue moon, but all the chewing gets arduous. The first few bites are fabulous! But as much as I used to love steak, I don't gravitate to it anymore.

If drinking is causing pain, I would call your doctor and let him/her know what is going on. The gas can last for a long time, but I don't think liquids should cause pain. But you're only 5 weeks out, and could still have swelling. Did you gradually move into solids; mushy foods for a couple of weeks, then slowly adding in various solids? They key to the diet progression is to go verrrry slow. But liquids, when consumed slowly (a couple of small sips at intervals) shouldn't cause pain. Touch base with your doctor.

When was your surgery?

When you say "just after 2 glasses of water", does that mean that you're guzzling down two glasses at one time? Is it iced Water or room temp? When my band was too tight, I had horrible reflux & other issues. The Fluid was completely taken out, but not all at one time. First they took out the last fill that put me over the top. After a week I was still in bad shape, so they took another 1.5 ccs. After another week I was still a mess, so they did an upper GI swallow and and endoscopy. Everything looked fine, but they took everything out for a period of time. It took a few weeks for things to settle down. Interestingly, I did not gain any weight, and didn't feel a whole lot different. But I waited a good two months before starting to refill. Now I'm at 6 ccs (was at 7.5 when things took a turn for the worst), and I'm in good shape. But in my experience, it takes time for things to heal and calm down after being too tight for a period of time.

Just drink more Water. Really? I heard thins one a lot... and I am a water drinker, I drank about 128oz of water daily... before today that is (surgery day). Years ago, a woman I worked with, told me to drink ice water because is increases your metabolism by your body warming it up. WTF?

I'm considering port revision surgery, and would love to hear from those who has had this done. Since losing just about all of my weight, the port is so close to the surface, waistbands sit right on it, and I can feel it when I lean up against something. My surgeon said that he can replace it with a low profile port, and move it to the underside of the muscle. I'm 90% sure I will do it, but I have some concerns; the biggest one being, upsetting a system that is working perfectly. When I asked my doc about potential issues, this was his response: Generally there are no problems. Very few infections and usually only if there was an infection before surgery. Some patients have said they feel less satiety but the vast majority say the band is working the same way it was before the port was changed. Most patients like the improved port Any insight from people who have done this, is appreciated

TMF - you crack me up! That's a good point......about how they inject when the port is under the muscle. I'm pretty tolerant of needles, so even if it has to go deeper in, I'll be okay. But that's something I haven't considered. Good thing I rarely get fills anymore!! I had the same thought about the people who say that their satiety level reduced. It makes no logical sense, because the port doesn't affect the placement and fill of the band. I can't imagine that I'd feel any different satiety wise. But just hearing that made me pause......and post the question on this site. I've been doing so well overall, and I don't want to jinx it

Just a suggestion...... Try having a high Protein breakfast, instead of weetbix. You're starting the day high on carbs, which isn't recommended with the band. I don't think this is what's causing your issues, but it's just a suggestion. The nurse who told you that people do not get sick with the band, is wrong. People do get sick for a variety of reasons. Though comparatively speaking, the percentage is low, but it happens; we read it on here all the time. I haven't heard of Iron deficiency so much with the band; more of a gastric bypass issue. My neighbor (had bypass) had such dangerously low iron, that she had to go for daily IV infusion. That went on for several months until her numbers came back up. Possibly there is something else going on in your body, but it sounds like you're taking the steps to check that out. I'm sorry that you're having these issues. I'm sure it's beyond frustrating

B52 - over time, people learn to eat around the band, no matter how well it's adjusted. If they're slipping back into old habits; eating a lot of slider foods, stop exercising, etc., the weight comes back. I know a few people who gained a good portion of their weight back. The band helps, but even so, most all of it starts in our brains. I myself see a change in eating patterns at 15 months out. I really push it on days when I NEED to shove the food in. Clearly, I can't quite shove it the way I used to, but if I "choose" to go on like that for days in a row, I'll put back a pound or two. It happens. I've seen many gain substantial weight with all of the surgeries. It happens after time, when people get comfortable & slip back into old habits.

Prior to surgery, all of my meals included a starchy carb; brown rice, potato, quinoa, etc. I'd have my Protein, veggies and carb. Breakfast was always eggs, toast and fruit. Now, I've gotten so used to not having the bread, rice, potato, etc., that I feel bloated when I do have it. Through this transition, it also became crystal clear how when I do have carbs with meals, I get hungry much quicker. I'm not following a low carb diet, but I've learned that in order for the surgery to work the way it was intended, I'm better off without the rice :-) I'll have it once in awhile, but really don't miss it. However, a couple of times a week I'll snack on a bowl of popcorn. Now I just pick & choose where & when I have those types of carbs.

I'm in the process of setting up port revision surgery for this very reason. Mine is at my waistline, a tiny bit to the left of my belly button. It was fine in the beginning, but after dropping 70 pounds, it's too close to the surface. It's bothersome when I lean up against something, and the waist of my pants digs into it, etc. My doc said that he'll move it to the underside of the muscle, and possibly use a low profile port. Apparently, this is pretty common once all the weight comes off.

Amen - enough already