morningoasis811

Elizabeth, thank you for your post. this is inspiring. I've been without my band for about a year. I'm eating normally and wondering why i'm gaining weight. Arg, i'm NOT open to having any other kind of WLS or surgery in general (I've had too many besides this already). I need to hear more about people living beyond band removal. It's not perfect. I really thought I could at least keep it off... but i'm human. Thanks again for sharing.

hey there, so glad I jumped back into this forum. I had my band removed almost a year ago and had gotten down to 150 lbs... now i'm back up to almost 220 and freaking out. I havn't been excercinsing and I know that's the peice i've been missing. It's the only CHANGE i havn't made yet. this is really inspiring. I was feeling very alone and very detached. We can survive with out it. I'm tierd of feeling like a failure. I went through a lot with the band and was really sick before it was removed. I can't handle the idea of having another surgery for the sleeve or anything else as it's just too much and I want to get pregnant and start a family. No more elective surgeries for me. reading your stories today has made me feel so much better. thank you all so much for sharing and coming back to help support each other.

Hi, I had my band removed on 2/28/09, almost been a year. I too had suffered greatly in the months before having it removed. Up all night, reflux, pain, extreme weight loss from not eating anything, getting "stuck" on everything. After months of suffering, my surgeon ordered an Upper GI and they found right away that my band had slipped and scheduled me to have it fixed/removed. I begged them to fix it and not remove it. I woke up from surgery without a LapBand. Surgeon said it was just too damaged inside to repair or affix a new band. I trust him with my health and know he made the best decision. However, Here i am a year later, regained some weight, thinking that i'm super woman and could totally maintain with out the band. I am just now coming to realize that I had way too high of expectations on myself that I could do it all alone. I'm currently going through Binge Eating Disorder treatment and continue to gain weight back. I have been feeling like such a failure but am starting to see the light and get back on track. I felt that the band had been a gift and it worked as a tool and now it was my job to just maintain. But it's been a lot harder and a lot different than I imagined. My pain and suffering was all GONE as soon as the band was removed. After healing from surgery, back to normal and my digestion was better than it was before the band. For all of that I am greatful! sometimes i forget how bad it really got. Let me know if you have quesitons or needs support. I'm a year out and feel like I should have stayed connected to Bandsters but felt I didn't belong and no one could relate. Keep reaching out for help and stay greatful for what you learned and what the band gave you. Em

Hello Bandsters, It's been a really long time since i've been on this site. I had my lap band removed almost a year ago on 3/3/09. I was determined to be able to keep maintaining my weight loss and felt I had really changed my life and have been addressing my issues. About 3 months after the band came out I about lost my freaking mind. I was riddled with fear and the inevitble feeling that I was destined to gain ALL my weight back. My primary care doctor referred me to a Binge eating disorder outpatient treatment center locally and i've been going since July 2009. I'm working through some serious shit emotionally and learning how to eat intuitively and not diet. Since band removal a year ago and even while in treatment for Binge disorder, I have regained about 70 pounds total. I'm haivng a really hard time accepting that I couldn't keep the weight off myself. What's wrong with me? I had surgery and in treatment and I can't figure this shit out? I'm working on accepting the fact that I can't do it alone and they removed the band so my chances of regain are pretty high. I didn't want to be a statistic, I really thought I was better than that. But i'm not. I'm looking for some humility, some experinece and some hope from those of you who have had the band removed and who are surviving and struggling without it. I look forward to hearing from you. thanks,:cursing: Emily

I had my band removed on 3/3/09. I felt IMMEDIATE relief from the months prior of constant reflux, all day and night, getting stuck on everything. My band slipped and caused all of this outrageous reflux that no medicine could control. The Dr. went in to fix my slipped band and ended up having to take the whole thing out. Said I was too damaged and inflamed, he didn't think it was wise to fix or replace. Just having mild heartburn like I did before the band.

Hi Tango and Dr. Pleatman, I found out in early January after an upper GI barium swallow, that my band had slipped. My surgeon took out 1.2cc's of Fluid which left me with 3.8cc's in a 10cc band. Highest fill level I had was about 6cc's. Two unfills over last summer and I had been perfectly fine all fall until christmas eve and have been suffering ever since. I felt better after the unfill for a couple weeks, then the reflux, pain an heartburn all kicked back in again. I got an appointment with my surgeon this past Wednesday. From reading on here I was expecting that next step would be remove all fluid, wait to see if it fixes itself... then consider surgery for a fix. He said, no unfill because I would just be back to see him in two more weeks with the same problem. I'm now scheduled for surgery this next Tues 3/3 for a fix or worst case removal. I advised him that I would strongly prefer to keep it. I've been really successful to this point. He said that if he had to remove it, he would most likely have me wait 6 months to heal and then consider doing a gastric sleeve. He thinks that would work great for me. I'm at my goal weight pretty much right now. I've lost another 6 pounds this last few weeks from not being able to eat much. 15 pounds total since christmas when i first noticed the pain. I'm worried about losing more after surgery if I keep the band. I'm worried about having it removed and instantly gaining all my weight back. I'd like to think that i'm stronger now and wouldn't regain, but it seems the odds are against me no matter how hard I try. :confused:Dr. Mark Pleatman, Do you think it's odd that my surgeon skipped a complete unfill and went straight to a fix surgery? What are the chances of me being able to maintain my weight loss after removal? If I got the gastric sleeve at goal weight, could i maintain because my volume would be the same or would I lose more? Your posts here are very helpful. thank you all for sharing. This has shook me this week with thinking i was having an unfill and then having surgery within 1 week. Crazy.

Hi Needto and Marsha, Thank you for your replies. I was so baffled by all this weird abdominal pain. so good to know i'm not a lone. my GP referred me to the GI specialist because my band dr. didn't think it was related. I am so glad this forum is here. My revision surgery on Tue 3/3 is being planned as a fix/reposition my existing band or worst case removal. I still don't know if my insurance will approve it or not. I find out on monday i guess. My surgeon says that another band or the gastric sleeve would be a viable option for me as a replacement in the future if they end up having to remove it... ugh. Now i'm worried that wouldn't be approved, as someone mentioned... I'd have to gain 100lbs back to qualify or something crazy. Anyhow... I am trying to get used to the idea of life without the band and all my fears with that. I've made some pro's and con's list that have helped. If it does get taken out, there is less chance of more complications down the road or while i'm pregnant (would like to start trying this year). But i've grown to be friends with my band. I pleaded to my surgeon about how I've really adapted to living with it as a tool and working with it. I rely on it to keep me in line. good luck gals, keep us posted.

I just found out yesterday from my surgeon that I'm having revision surgery next tuesday on 3/3/09 to have my slip fixed, worst case scenario removed...