critterlady

i am so happy that you are getting this out. i am too. SOME people on here are just vicious rude people who dont get it. 40 lbs then nothing. now slipping. im done with the complications, the vomiting, food getting stuck, the extra expenses, the fills...i wish i had never done it. i should have come in here originally instead of making my own post because some people are not compassionate.

Thanks, Mis. No, no revision for me. I"m ready to do this by myself. Or not. I just want to feel better. I know my general health would be better with another 40 lb weight loss, but i'll either do it or I won't. I hope I will, but I'm just looking to feel better. this really sucks.

I've been reading some of your posts about some "issues" you've had with your bands.
Some of you are freaking out about losing the band, or getting unfilled, or whatever. I used to, too.
I understand the fervor of getting that thing filled and losing weight, I really do!
BUT!!! I've had such horrible problems for the past 2 out of 3 years I've had the band....I shared your frantic emotions about the possibility of losing my band, or my restriction, early on, but now, I want and need it out for my health. I'm still obese. I lost 50 lb with the band, but have regained about 10 of those in the past two years. That doesn't bother me as much as my other health issues do.
I have been eating Zantacs like candy for the past two years. Everything I eat, and sometimes everything I drink, gets stuck. The reflux is practically killing me, and lately I've been having stomach pain. I have vomited blood a couple times in the last month. I had an EGD this week, which revealed erosive esophagitis and stomach ulcers. (no slip or erosion, according to my surgeon) That was the assurance that my surgeon needed in order to remove my band. It's coming out in 10 days, if y'all haven't read my previous posts.
I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from getting the band....just PLEASE be aware of the potential side effects or problems that exist.
I can't wait to be able to eat "normally" with no feelings of being stuck or the horrible reflux. Yes, I'm looking forward to eating the "bad" stuff, but I also can't wait to eat grapes, carrots, apples, and tomatoes (with the peels on!).
One day I guess I'll get to goal. But until then, I look forward to feeling normal again.
Good luck in all your goals!

I've had my band for almost 3 years. I began experiencing problems almost from the first fill, which was about a month after the surgery. I didn't recognize that reflux could be a big problem. Long story short, for the last year or so, without any Fluid in the band, nearly everything gets stuck, and i'm taking 5-8 antacid pills a day (1 is supposed to last 24 hours) for the reflux. Finally my father convinced me that I needed to have this thing evaluated (all the Fluid was removed a year ago after my final fill which resulted in my inability to swallow any liquids)...I had my EGD done yesterday which showed gastric ulcers and erosive esophagitis....dr said band is "fine", but with the horrible reflux and two episodes of vomiting blood within the last couple of weeks, he's agreed to remove it. It comes out in two weeks, and I am so hopeful to have a more "normal" way of eating! I love food. I love cooking, entertaining, and eating.
I thought this would be my magic bullet. I did manage to lose about 50 lbs...and gained back about 10....but this wasn't what I had hoped it would be. I I have really been suffering for a good 2 years now, and I'm tired of it...the reflux is nasty and painful, and I hate that everything I eat (even liquids, sometimes), gets stuck.
Just sharing my story because I've been reading some of yours and am so happy that I'm not alone in this battle. I'm happy for those of you who have succeeded with no problems, but I'm not one of you. Two weeks from today, I will be band-free, and I pray that things will get back to nearly normal soon thereafter. I've lost weight in the past with no band...and I can do it again with no band. I just want to feel better.

Boy can I relate! I had a year of major complications and couldn't eat anything but ice cream! Now I have no Fluid in, but still get stuck several times a week and throw up. I wish I could get it taken out!! Good luck to you!