KINGFISH1

Thanks for your good wishes - best of luck to you as well. Marion

Hi Real Deal. The band is a fantastic tool and I am sure you will do very well with it. I still have regular contact with my banded friends and all of them have done well with it, some have lost all the weight and are at goal. While complications do happen, many of them have a solution. Feeling a little depressed after surgery is not uncommon because your body has been through a rough time with surgery. Please don't worry yourself by looking at things that could go wrong, it will probably never happen. Best of luck with your band, I am sure you will do very well with it. Marion

Hi Nicole Here is a link to the vertical sleeve gastrectomy messageboard which is one of the obesity help forums. There are lots of 'old timers' there, and you will seldom read about problems related to the sleeve compared with lap bands or RNY surgeries. While I am only a few weeks out, I am already totally in love with my sleeve, it has freed me from my obsessive overeating, and the weight is coming off easily. No more fills and unfills, or complications ever again. Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum (VSG) Best of luck in your research. Marion

Well, it was a long time coming but I finally had a revision to a sleeve on August 5th. It took my surgeon 4 hours to work through all the adhesions and scarring that remained after my band removal in October 07. I regained much of the weight that I had lost with the band while I waited for a decision as to when a revision would be done, and I became very depressed during that time because I felt I had no control over my situation. When the agency that normally covers treatment injuries here in NZ declined my application, my surgeon immediately stepped forward and arranged for the new surgery at no cost, which was a huge relief. I have had a pain free recovery and finally have my life back again. Best of all, I can finally lay to rest all the anxiety and despair of the last three years, and move forward again. My weight is dropping off again, I finally know what restriction feels like and I can't keep the smile off my face. So to all of those who like me, were not destined to keep their bands, there is a solution, so don't give up! Marion:smile:

Hi Marie, Whatever happens, there can be a good outcome for you. I had my band removed in Oct 07 because of erosion and nearly 3 weeks ago had a revision to a sleeve. I regained nearly all the weight I had lost with my band, and suddenly have control again and that is the best feeling, I feel liberated again! There were several on the forum who had problems with their bands after having lost most of their excess weight, and still had revisions as relative lightweights like you. Best of luck - it will be good to have a definitive answer as to what is going on with you. Marion:smile:

Glad I am not alone with my dreams. I was addicted to carbs and now there is no room for them. I can't believe the shift there has been in my thinking (while I am awake) since I have been home, but I also know from old timers that dangerous eating can creep back if vigilance is not maintained. One day at a time!

Lapbandtalk was my favourite site before I had the sleeve, I lived on the complications board because it was there that others who also had unlocked bands found me and I was finally not alone anymore. It kept me sane while I was waiting for a solution. This new VSG forum is great and will stand alongside the OH VSG board as a place I will visit often. Last night I dreamed of chocolate cake and running out to my car with a plate of it. It will just be a dream for a long while yet, because my head is now getting round to realising that I need good calories high in protein, and that empty calories are a waste of time. The best thing is that I FINALLY know what all my band friends were talking about - real restriction! Yes!!!!! Marion

Great to see your post and to read you have continued to do so well. My sleeve is only 4 days old....... I was banded over 3 years ago but had it removed last year, following heaps of problems. Anyway, I can finally lay that to rest and rejoice in the decision I have made! Marion

Hi there - great to see this new forum has been started for us! I am into my 4th day post op and am doing well - no pain or discomfort at all, but it is sure making me think alot more about my food choices and getting Water in, esp in these early days. I am a revision and had the surgery over 9 months after having my band removed following a severe erosion. My surgeon did a brilliant job, it took 4 hours to get it all finished because there lots of tidying up to do, but he was determined to give me an excellent result, and that's what I have got. Roll on the next weeks so that I learn how to drive this thing! Cheers Marion:thumbup:

A friend of mine was exactly the same as you - was doing well and suddenly lost all restriction. She went back for two fills, and little was left in her band, so she was booked in for surgery to replace the port or tubing. Turned out the leak was actually in the saline chamber inside the band, so what was supposed to be a quick 15 minutes fix turned into a 3 hour surgery to remove the old band and put in another one. Don't be fobbed off by your doctor if you don't feel any restriction, if it was there and now it isn't it needs to be investigated further. Good luck Marion

Hey, it is good to know that it is going to be sorted out for you and if you have a little bit of restriction now, hopefully it will last until Monday. Take care Marion

Was the fluid still in your band? This happened to a friend a few weeks ago. She went from good restriction to nothing and it had been several months since the last fill. She had a fill and still nothing. Turned out her band was not holding fluid so indicated a leak either from the port tubing or there is a chance that the tubing has disconnected from the port. The second option has happened to three people I know who all had the Swedish bands. Good that you are having it checked out - best of luck

Good for you about saying how you felt and I hope you get the support you need - keep us posted Marion

I know of two people that this has happened to and they both had the same make of band. In their case the surgeon sorted it out for them, but I also recall a rep from the company attending the second surgery.I wonder if you could have the same band! Is it maybe worth contacting the manufacturer and get some info from them. All the best

Thanks for your thoughts Sarah The thing is - head hunger feels like real hunger if you are banded AND there is no restriction at all. My own band has been removed because of complications and all my pre band behaviours have returned with a vengeance. Some of my banded friends (very successful with their weight loss) also exhibit the same behaviours if they lose their fill even marginally. I used to fast occasionally too - because after a day, the desire for food left me, but as soon as I started eating it didn't take long before - whammo - out of control again! My friend got tired of fasting and was hoping to find that banding would suppress her appetite and assist with weight loss, like it has for thousands of successful bandsters. As for psychological help - she never had any issues that most of us haven't had, that is until she realised that her journey since being banded was an up hill battle. Right now she is feeling very depressed because she has spent a huge amount of money and gained 11lbs. She plans to have it investigated more thoroughly soon. Marion