thefinalgirl1971

I like air fried tofu (just marinaded in soy sauce and garlic) although it might not be good for those with recent surgeries. But I'm 19 years out. Lol. It can be chewy.

Maybe they were stating that this was an obese patient. Was. Remember where you were and look at where you are now and the long way you have come. Don’t let a word get you down and discount all this work and success you have done and accomplished!
You are doing AMAZING!! Great job and keep it up. This is the start of the rest of you life!!Congrats and great job! Keep it up!🥳

Vets- how many of you are still 'regulars' here? I still want to chat with people about being in the bariatric community, and really enjoy the support I get from forums, but it seems like there's almost NOBODY here that was here 4 years ago...

You have a new opportunity to retrain your Stomach Beast to obey your Rational Mind.
I discover bow & then giw easy it is to allow my eating plan to revert to the old sport eating habits. Even the 18 months I tracked each bite at under 1800 calories my weight didn't drop...but my pants size fell and so did my tshirt size. Don't forget to exercise whatever your meal planning. Cheers!

Unless you yourself are a bariatric surgeon it seems unnecessarily risky to do this friend.

I've had my band for almost 13 years and i love it! I had my surgery in March 2008 and lost from 200lbs down to 140lbs at 5'2" which i maintained ever since (including through 2 pregnancies and a few fluctuation along the way. In the past year i have made some more habit changes that led me to drop another 20ish pounds leaving me at about 120-125lbs at 5'2" with a BMI of around 22.
I wouldn't recommend planning to have the band removed after a year for 3 main reasons:
1) It's a surgery and going in expecting to have 2 surgeries within a year doesn't sound like the best idea (but that's between you and your husband and the doctor)
2) The band is CRUCIAL TO MY ABILITY TO MAINTAIN MY WEIGHT - for me personally, the lap band (and weight loss surgery in general) has always been about maintenance. I had yo-yo dieted my whole life and wanted off that roller coaster. In fact, i knew i could lose the weight (even if it wouldn't be easy) but why bother if i was just going to gain it back like i had ALL THE OTHER TIMES BEFORE. That hurt more than anything and i just couldn't do it again. And i was right, the band has been EVERYTHING to me in my maintenance journey! I would never have been able to do this without it and the habits it allowed me to build...which leads me to #3
3) HABIT CHANGE TAKES TIME - your husband needs to give himself the time to adjust to his new lifestyle both during his losing period and after. One of the advantages of not losing weight at epically fast speeds is that your body and more importantly mind have a chance to adjust with you! In order for your new habits to stick, you need to give them time to develop and teach yourself that you can conquer the inevitable bumps in the road.
There is nothing wrong with not wanting to permanently change your anatomy and some people like that the band is not permanent. But it is no small life change. For me it has been THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE.
Happy to talk to you more about it if you ever need any support or perspective! There are still a lot of us successful veteran bandsters out here who might have some useful perspectives if you are considering a gastric band.
Hope that helps some!

I have only had my band for 13 years and still that for me it was one of the best decisions I ever made

most surgeons refuse to do the lapband anymore because of all the complications with it - so I'm surprised you've found several surgeons who still do it in your area. Also, I've never heard of anyone having one placed and then taken out a year later. Ten years maybe, but then only because of complications. I think they were originally meant to last permanently.
the new balloon thing is supposed to be a temporary thing that's removed after so many months - or a year - but with 100 lbs to lose, I don't think this would be ideal. But that might be another option to consider if he wants something that's removable.

edited to add that sorry if this came across as harsh. I just hadn't heard of this before. I'd be curious to hear what the surgeon says. Keep us posted!

I've been scared and embarrassed before.
When you talk to your Doc, take responsibility and be honest about what went right and what went wrong.
You're not the first to be where you are, and things usually work out.
Good luck,
Tek

Next week is 14 successful years and counting!!🌟. Nice to read about decade banders .
It is not always easy....even now after years with a 1cc band
And. I am grateful . I shudder to think that if I had not changed my life , I would be 325+ now.

Bayugir....Well said!! I was banded over 10 years ago. I know there is nothing wrong with my Band..I have gained a lot of my weight back..but I have been through menopause and Just haven'r done what I should be. Very upset with myself. And will get it figured out. But my band is Just fine. Anyone will gain their weight back if they Don't do what they KNOW they should. its a HELP..a TOOL...it's not the FULL answer.

i'm a success.....

Many of us are successful with banding
. Least invasive and returnable
I’m 12 years in and still living a wls life.
Lots of us left due to such negative and loud feedback from those who did not have luck ( for many reasons)
Some of us stick around....

Thank you for that S@ssen@ch really helpful for me, banded over 10yrs ago, got lazy and now back to pre band weight and after recent fill using slider foods..... really need to change my mindset. I to have considered having a revision but as you have quite rightly said it is only a tool.... feeling enthusiastic again!!!

Obviously it's not going to work if you're eating all that junk

@JRT Mom Don't they remove some of the intestine though? And isn't recovery much harder? My primary motivation is getting healthy for my kids - but I don't want to die on the operating table or have some severe complications and leave them with just one parent I chose the band because it seemed so safe. But man, it sure sucks, and it doesn't help me. Do you like the bypass? Does it make you feel better?

I had a revision to RNY and it’s like the difference between day and night. No more getting stuck, no more chest pain and I can eat a lot healthier. Steak, chops, chicken, salad etc.
I still have to be careful of sliders and grazing but those are issues that we have to take individual responsibility for , they are not something any WLS will sort out.
Bands have fallen out of favour as they cause too many issues and also trying to find the correct balance between reducing hunger yet still being able to eat healthy foods is too hard.

Honey, this is exactly what the band is SUPPOSED to do. You WANT to eat, but the band stops you. The "wishing you could eat more" is a whole other subject.
The area of the stomach that is responsible for satiety is in the top portion of your stomach. The bottom portion isn't calling out to you. This is your head thinking you didn't eat enough, aka "head hunger."
When I was banded, I could eat small amounts (usually about 1/2-1cup) of food. The amount of time before I felt hungry again depended on what I ate. If I ate a cookie or cupcake, I was hungry again in about 15 minutes. If I ate solid meat and vegetables, I wasn't hungry for hours. With the lapband, if I ate too quickly or didn't chew my food well enough, it felt like razors trying to pass through that stoma. It hurt so bad and I didn't want to have to experience THAT again, so I'd go back to my chewing/eating slowly/etc. Then I'd forget and the RAZORS would quickly remind me. I never had the "burp" and I'm cleared thing other than once when I had something stuck in the stoma (I hadn't chewed a piece of meat well enough). When my gallbladder went crazy, I had a lot of violent vomiting and my band slipped. I didn't have it out because it failed me. I had it out because it slipped and was giving me reflux for years before the doctors found the slip.
With the sleeve, it is much the same. I eat small amounts, about the same as the band. The amount of time before I feel hungry again is exactly the same as the band. If I eat junk food or high-carb food, it doesn't satisfy me and I'm hungry again very quickly. If I eat a meal with substance, I could go 3 or 4 hours without being hungry. EX: for lunch today I had a small salad and some Tomato Soup. I ate it about an hour ago and I'm still as full right now as I was when I stopped eating. This will probably last me at least another hour or 2. I still have the razor feeling if I eat too fast or don't chew well enough. I get a "hard stop" if I've reached my max capacity, which I try not to do. It's painful and I can get thick saliva that foams.
In comparison between band and sleeve, I'd say they were very similar. I have a firmer "hard stop" with the sleeve, but that's OK. Otherwise, the satiety and consequences of not chewing well enough are the same.
I'm still of the opinion your problem may be related to what and how you're eating. I wasn't able to tolerate fills at all in my band, so I never got the full benefits of having the adjustable restriction, but I never felt like I was starving. Go back to the basics of your bariatric diet. Chew well and eat s-l-o-w. Log everything you eat, so you know how many calories you're getting. If necessary, contact a nutritionist for a diet plan. If you're still struggling after all that, maybe a counselor?
disclaimer: My comments are not intended as medical advice. When in doubt, always contact your doctor.

I don't know...it sounds like your band is doing what it's supposed to do. It is supposed to limit the amount of food you can eat by slowing its movement into your stomach. Think of it as a sort of hour-glass where the sand (food) is held at the top and trickles down into the larger portion of the stomach to be digested.
The kinds of foods you're describing that you can eat "gobs of" are considered "slider foods" that slide right through. Visualize the hour-glass again. If you pour liquid foods or semi-liquid foods, they slide through the opening. I would think you've had similar experiences with smooth Soups, ice creams, puddings, etc.
The key is you're not supposed to be eating those items and if you do, you should be limiting yourself in quantity and frequency.
When you're foods are getting stuck and causing you pain, have you chewed them to a pulp? I saw an article today that we should be chewing to applesauce consistency. I don't know if I could do THAT, but you should be chewing so there are no "chunks" trying to get down. Again...visualize the hour-glass. Chunky food clots up the works.
The band isn't supposed to prevent you from eating things you shouldn't. It's a tool to help you feel fuller, longer and therefore eat less. It's still up to you to eat the right things and eat mindfully, meaning chew well and take breaks. All other WLS have the same issues with slider foods.
My advice: before you consider a revision, start tracking everything you eat. Be honest with the types and quantities of food. Call your doctor and or nutritionist. It sounds to me like you need to get back on track, following the rules. No WLS is the magic ticket out of fat-ville. They're all just tools.
Best of luck!

Very few of us banders around. I like my band... mostly .
It has been over 13 years and it just works. I think the band trained ME
Best of luck to us all.
Am I the only one that wonders how long ???

I like air fried tofu (just marinaded in soy sauce and garlic) although it might not be good for those with recent surgeries. But I'm 19 years out. Lol. It can be chewy.

For me, really just raw or cooked broccoli and kale. I can eat almost anything else.

I have been banded over 13 years and have kept off over 100 pounds. I was currently back up 30 pounds due to slipping back into bad habits and a new very sedentary job but have already lost 7 again. I love this thing!
I find that for me if I just listen to my band and try to follow the rules I do fine. I am very comfortable at a BMI of 27 and this is what I am aiming for again.
I still want to lose like 25 pounds but I know that with my band's help I can do it!

Keeping your band too tight for so many years didn't give you any opportunity to form good eating/lifestyle habits and no doubt contributed to your medical problems. Did your surgeon's office do any pre-op patient education concerning this?

So truly happy to say that I am beginning my tenth year today! Nine years ago , I had no idea how different my life could be. Outpatient surgery and 1 night at a hotel, quick check up and on with banded life...
Yes, I had to learn to eat differently and work out consistently. No, I'm not perfect, but I'll take my size 12 over my life in stretchy size 22 ... How it used to hurt when walking.. Or being winded easily .Truly how hungry I felt and how I soothed myself with food.
I am so content with my band ( and I get it doesn't work for many ) and how life is so good for many years.
I forget how thankful I should be everyday for the opportunity to breeze thru life at a "normal" size.
I just feel I fit in this world better.
Some of us veterans are still around and happy with our choices????