badmadmama

I had a hiatal hernia, which became much worse after the lap band surgery. The endoscopy showed that my entire stomach had migrated to my chest, and was pressing on my esophagus. The surgeon wanted to fix the hernia and relocate the band, but said that the scar tissue was so extensive that he couldn't get the band around it. I am bummed out, because I lost 70 pounds with the band, and have gained 20 back.

Thanks, I'll ask him when I see him. The weird thing is, I'm losing weight. When I had the lap band and the hernia, I was still hungry, even though I couldn't swallow any more. So I was hitting the ice cream, etc.. Now, I eat a decent sized meal, and it sticks with me. We'll see how it goes.

Actually, he WAS the second opinion. The first surgeon, Dr. Myers at Rush, said that any further surgery on the hiatal hernia (he did a fundaplication when he put the band in) would lead to band failure. I then contacted Dr. Alverdy at University of Chicago, who has published many scientific studies and has been named as one of the top surgeons in Chicago. (He saved my husband's life in 2000 when he had acute pancreatitis and another hospital had told me to make funeral arrangements.) Dr. Alverdy was confident that he could repair the hiatal hernia permanently and replace the band. But apparently, when they got in, there was a lot of band erosion (it had basically grown into the stomach wall) and scar tissue. He tried several different bands in different places, but none were large enough to go around the scarring - when he put them on, they just slipped to the end of the esophagus, so I would have been right back where I had been. After trying to manipulate the stomach several different ways, it started to tear, so he decided that my health was more important than the band at that point. So we can't talk about any other options until I heal. I have a huge hematoma - my entire stomach is purple - and am too swollen to get any of my pants on. My abdomen is sore, but I don't have the awful chest pain that I was having prior to the surgery.

It was very weird, he said it so matter-of-factly. You expect to hear, "now you'll need to really watch what you eat and exercise, so you don't gain the weight back." I suppose if you devote yourself to obesity surgery, you have to think that some people just can't control their weight any other way. I honestly think that was the best thing for him to say to me - if he started talking about diet and exercise, I would have gotten so angry. So now it's up to me to show him that I CAN maintain my weight without the band. I still want to lose the 20 pounds that I gained - I feel that going out and buying new clothes is acknowledging defeat. Thanks, Eileen

Is anyone still around on this thread? I had to have the band removed last week. There was so much scarring from reflux and the hiatal hernia that they were unable to but another band on, so there I am. Dr. Alverdy said that I could still have gastric bypass, but I would have to gain the weight back to qualify. Just swell. I gained back 20 pounds before the surgery - I need it OFF. Not eating much, but it's impossible to see where my weight is now, because I'm so swollen with fluid from the surgery.

My girlfriend's sister went to Mexico for her lap band surgery. The facilities there are ultra-luxurious, and they do everything to make it easy for people to come there from the US. If I was self-pay, I would definitely check it out. A lot of the surgeons there DID come here to teach lap band methods.

Dr. Myers, at Rush, was actually trained by Dr. Santiago Horgan, who went to school in Argentina and was one of the first doctors to bring lap band surgery to the US. Dr. Myers did my lap band surgery.

I eat a bowl of regular (not instant) oatmeal every day, barely microwaved (less than a minute) and fruit galore, and I'm still constipated. So my doctor prescribed Amitiza - works like a charm.

You don't have to have the band removed - all they have to do is take the Fluid out. Takes two seconds!

I've lost 60 pounds since being banded a year ago, and only had about ten pounds to go. I got into a bad habit of snacking after work, and realized that my pants were getting tight! Sure enough, I had GAINED over 10 pounds! So this is what I did. I bought six four-pound bags of sugar, and sat them next to the sofa where I watch tv. You wouldn't BELIEVE how heavy four-pound bags of sugar are! I would have to say that I'm about 90% better with my snacking now. Ten pounds just doesn't seem like a lot when you've been so overweight - I was absolutely horrified to realize how heavy they were! Eileen

I'm a SUGAR ADDICT. Portion Control is no problem. Choosing the right foods to eat (fish, etc) is no problem. I can have just a few bites at a meal and I'm satisfied. But put a bag of candy or some Desserts in front of me, and I eat them until they are GONE, no matter how much is there. Ice cream? Whole carton. Candy? Whole bag. God forbid they bring a birthday cake into work - I'm fighting for the corner, and sneaking everyone else's leftover frosting that they thought was "too sweet" to eat. Eileen One year out - 240 to 180, but creeping back up!!!

I totally understand. I have torn the house apart like a crazy person looking for chocolate. I worked in a building that didn't have a vending machine, and I would get the shakes. I had a party this weekend and ate everything in sight that was left, which, of course, was all the desserts! I can't even eat certain hard candy, because I won't stop until it's gone. And I am a stress eater, big time - the more stress, the more sugar. Do you know that scientists did a study and offered rats sugar in one place and cocaine in the other, and the rats chose the SUGAR??? Anyway, I have one recipe that helps. In the morning, I make a very thick oatmeal with cocoa powder, Splenda and a spoonful of crunchy Peanut Butter. It is almost like a cookie, or a candy bar, and the oatmeal provides some bulk and also stays with you. I also make my own iced coffees with flavored coffee, skim milk, and Splenda. Why give Starbucks $4? I also got the very worst Halloween candy that I could find - sour something. But I am SO bad. I can't make any desserts that have more than one serving, because I eat them all. Even with the sugar-free fudgsicles, I can't stop until I've had about three. There is NOTHING like the buzz that I get from sugar - I don't even know if it's the taste anymore... Eileen

Actually, I was having awful sugar cravings until I increased my carbs. I was trying just to eat lean protein and veggies - once I added a little bread, it made a big difference (I eat the crust and throw away the soft middle). Eileen

I'm in a similar situation. I have a hiatal hernia that became so severe that I couldn't swallow, and was having reflux during the day, so you can imagine how bad the nights were. Dr. Myers took a lot of Fluid out of my band, and said that I would basically have to live with it that way. He said that hernia repairs generally cause the band to shift, so he didn't recommend it. So I feel like I have very little restriction, and of course, the pounds started to inch on. I had 20 more pounds to lose, so I was getting really depressed. I am still not eating a lot at meals, but I am now hungry an hour or so later, and my snacking is out of control. What I decided to do is start the Weight Watchers diet. First of all, it doesn't restrict any foods, so you can eat anything. That was my first concern, because I have huge sugar cravings and tend to binge if I am given the opportunity. So I didn't want a diet that only worked if you didn't eat sugar or carbs. I also figure that I am pretty much going to have to do it forever, because the band is not doing much for me anymore. So, of course, last night my teenager handed me a box of caramel popcorn, and I ate it ALL. So, not such a good start, but I can do this diet. Each food has a point value, and you get a certain amount of points to use during the day (mine is 22-24) plus 35 flex points a week, that you can use all at one time if you want to, so you can have a binge once a week if you want to. For some reason, it seems easier than counting calories. Here's what's interesting - I love the French Silk pie and the Lemon Meringue pie at Baker's Square. French Silk pie is 21 points, and the lemon is 9. So, every week, if I followed everything else, I could use my flex points for 1 1/2 pieces of French Silk, or almost FOUR pieces of lemon. Any diet that allows me to eat four pieces of pie in one week is my FRIEND. Diet Fudgsicles are two points, so I could eat 18 of them every week, on top of the regular food. So I'm disappointed that I'm going to have to fixate on what I am putting in my mouth every day, but I can DO this, and that's what's important. I got most of my weight off with the band, so I hope that I can drop the rest with this diet, and then I'm going to have to just keep with it so I don't fall off the wagon. I figure, the band was a tool, and now I need a new tool. Not as easy as the old one, but if I can still eat my junk food - PRICELESS. Eileen

I want a tummy tuck! And a boob lift as well. I still carry all my weight around my middle. I exercise like a demon, which means that I CAN suck my stomach in, but the skin is all crinkly when I do, and now I have little puckers where my boobs and my ribcage meet. I am down around 175 from 242. Down from a 2x to a size 12 in pants! I still want to lose about 15 pounds (I am 5'10" tall), but I have only lost 5 pounds since November - blame vacations and holidays, and general lack of self-control. Where is everyone else? Eileen (Dr. Myers, August 2006)

When's the luncheon? I'm way behind in my reading. We went on vacation over the holidays, and last week I had to take my daughter to college in Montana, so I'm also working long hours to catch up. The good thing...I'm down to 175!!! I was setting up my daughter's room, and needed to take off my sweatshirt, because I was getting hot - one of her shirts fit me!!! Eileen

I'm sorry to change the subject, but I have a LOT of 2x summer clothes that are now too big (hooray!), and I'd like to pass them on to someone who can come get them. (I'm in Oak Park.) If you're interested, please email me at badmadmama@comcast.net I've been so busy with work and kids that I haven't had a chance to be online... Thanks, Eileen

I would like to know what other people typically eat in a day. I know that we are not supposed to eat between meals, but when you have a tight restriction, that's hardly anything at all - after a few bites of Protein, there's no room for veggies or fruit, so when do you eat those? I still have constipation and gas, too, so I know that I need to eat a more balanced diet... Eileen

Alexandra, my husband had brain cancer two years ago, so I totally sympathize. And when you are sitting at home taking care of someone, it's so hard NOT to eat. I had a bad month. My band is very tight, so I'm not eating much at meals. So I gave myself permission to eat Cereal (ended up eating half the box) and crackers (ate WAY too many). So I'm done with that, but there is still Christmas to get through. If you like tacos, you can make them with fat-free beef (or ground turkey, you can't taste the difference with the spices), fat free cheese and fat free sour cream. We eat them all the time. Hugs, Eileen

Mandy, the tops would probably fit me, but I wear a tall in pants. What do you have? I am really looking for some summer stuff right now, because I go on a cruise in January, and I don't have anything that fits at all. Thanks! Eileen

It ended up being me, Diane and Mellisa. The food was to die for - what we ate of it! It was interesting, because I think that the three of us were the most recently banded. I was hoping for tips, and it turned out that I was the one banded the longest! We stayed for over two hours, we had so much to talk about - next time, more people have to come! Eileen

Okay, I'm leaving for the restaurant in ten minutes - I figure it will take me an hour to drive there. So if you are cancelling, please CALL me before I drive all the way out there.... Eileen (708)524-2671

We are going on a cruise for Christmas, and won't be back until January 2. The weekend of January 12th, I have to take my daughter to college. Otherwise, I never have ANY plans! If you are looking for a place, Oak Park is really easy to get to from the city, and there are all kinds of restaurants here. A Saturday would probably be better than a Sunday, because most of them are doing the brunch thing. Sue, I'm sorry I didn't think of this until now - the next time we meet in the suburbs, you could take the el or the train to Oak Park, and I could pick you up and drive you to wherever we are going. Anyway, I will be at the RAM in a few hours! Eileen

So come have lunch with us on Sunday!!! Eileen