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Is your weight loss history standing between you and your current success after weight loss surgery? If you’re not getting the results you want, there’s a good chance it is. In Part 1 of the series, we brought up the idea of learning from your past, not running from it. Now, we take a look at a few more ways your past might have brought you down, and what you might be able to about it. Problem: Depending on Others This one’s not always so obvious, but it may be keeping you from reaching your full potential in weight loss and, frankly, in life. Of course, it’s normal and healthy to depend on others for some things. Maybe you rely on your spouse to pick up the kids from school, and you depend on your parents to parents to take care of your house when you’re on vacation. But what about the important things? What about your health? Do you take full responsibility for it? Or do you do what you did as a kid – depend on someone to make sure you had the food you needed and expect your parents or the doctor would make you better if you got sick or hurt? You’re still living in the past if you have not taken control of your health. You are the one who needs to purchase and prepare healthy food; set aside time to work out; eat the right foods to avoid complications from surgery. Others can help, but you need to be in charge. Problem: Looking for the Quick Fix If you look for a quick fix, you’ll probably find one. You can lose weight quickly using any number of strategies, and you’ve probably used them all from juicing to low-carb to low-fat. The problem with quick fixes is they’re quick to break, as you’ve found out when you went off the diets and gained the weight back. After WLS, don’t look for the quick fix. Be patient, and know you’re in it for the long haul. Looking for the quick fix can be something obvious that you recognize in yourself, but it is not always. Looking for the quick fix can be as subtle as subconsciously thinking of what and how much you eat as a temporary diet or thinking of your exercise program as something with a start and finish. You may be subconsciously looking for the quick fix if you’re unwilling to sign up for a long-term gym membership, or to invest in a kitchen scale or bariatric surgery recipe book. If you feel these things aren’t worthwhile, think about why. Is it because you don’t honestly see yourself needing them for long because you’re not really invested long-term into weight loss surgery success? Problem: Not Building Your Support System Many obese people struggle with late-night eating. Even if they are able to make it through the rest of the day eating reasonably healthy, night-time binges can strike furiously. If you weren’t able to overcome them previously, it may have been because you did not build enough of a support system. This time, don’t underestimate the power of your support system. Include people, such as friends and family, as well as alternate plans. You can set up many layers of protection against late-night overeating. Don’t store junk food at home, and don’t drive home past trigger spots like drive-through burger joints. Have two or three friends or family members whom you can call or talk to if you’re about to make a bad choice, and choose a pre-determined activity to do before eating, whether you decide to blog, sew, or take a walk. Also, have plenty of ready-to-eat healthy food around so it’s easier to grab than any junk. Problem: Lack of Self-Confidence Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? You think something will happen a certain way, so you act as though it will happen that way, and then it does. For weight loss, that can be a bad thing if you let it. “I know my diet’s going to fail, so I’m not going to bother weighing my food.” Then, guess what – you don’t lose weight! “I knew I wouldn’t lose weight.” But self-fulfilling prophecies can be just as positive as they can negative, especially if you have self-confidence. “I know WLS will work for me, so I’m going to hit my protein goals and weigh my portions every meal.” When you don’t even let doubt creep in, you can be more empowered to follow the behaviors that lead to success. Weight loss surgery can be a fantastic tool for weight loss, but it’s only as good as you make it. To make it more powerful, don’t run from your personal history. Recognize your past, identify what went wrong, and fix it. Make sure this time really is different.

Hi Cassie, and welcome to LBT! Many people used Mexico as a surgury/pay option (so did I). But FIRST, before you go diving into a surgeon I would research the band itself, how it works, any complications/risks, and the benefits before actually choosing a surgeon. Then, once you have done a ton of research and are sure this is the option for you, then choose a surgeon. Mexico is not the only option for self pay. There are are several people on the board that have self paid in the US. I have seen 12,500-16,000 a lot. I am sure that the people that know where this is will post, hopefully. I think the lowest I have seen was in Utah or Oregon or Texas. This site offers a TON of information and there is a ton of posts in the archives. If you do a search (located in the upper blue bar) you will come up with a lot on each subject you put in. You could literally spend dayssss just on this site! But may I suggest a few more informative sites: http://www.myagb.homestead.com/index.html http://www.inamed.com/products/obesity/us/patient/lapband/faq.html http://www.geocities.com/laylaburd/AGB/laylaslapband.html http://www.geocities.com/michellojackson/NOT_AT_SWEET-SPOT.html http://www.obgyn.net/english/pubs/features/roberta-surg/part-4.htm http://www.sbnsurg.com/lap_band_surgery.htm http://www.uclabariatrics.mednet.ucla.edu/resources/resources_videos.htm (this one has a fairly lengthy video that takes your through lap banding step by step....) I hope you have a fantastic band journey! Good luck!

I had to delete it for 2 seconds then start over because it was all screwed up trying to make it colored and bolded and fancy. Too complicated. Anything ordered from my site gets shipped directly from the warehouse, completely confidential. The company then gives me credit to shop with, which is how I build my inventory and keep it stocked. Did anyone at my party have to wait for orders to be shipped? Heck no, not in Lisa Land! Thanks gals, this is super fun. If anyone is bored or wants bunches of extra money, feel free to call me. I'm blown away!

I think my 2 biggest concerns are # 1 the fact that i haven't followed the pre op diet. I havent binged or gained weight or anything, just haven't been able to follow and # 2 health/complications ect

I went to Dr. Ortiz and cannot recommend him enough! I didn't have any complications but my personal doctor here knew what was going on and I knew I could call on him if there was an issue that didn't allow me time to get back to Mexico. Just make sure to have anything set up BEFORE YOU GO in case something does go wrong (but honestly, the chances are slim - just have someone around "in case" )

Thank you Good Sir. I have read an abundance of information about this procedure and completely understand that it is a "Tool." Read forums, websites, no books, attended seminars, yes I am very informed about the procedure, possible complications, etc... You have to eat healthy and exercise, I understand that. BCBS TX still requires the 6 month medically supervised weight loss sessions. Psych Eval, not a problem to complete.

Banded six-1/2 years ago in Monterrey, Mexico by Dr. Roberto Rumbaut. No complications. Always very easy to get in touch with my doctor's office and staff--even 6-1/2 years later, I still get amazing customer service. (For example, I needed a copy of my surgery report a month or so ago... had it within 24 hours.) No issues with follow-up care stateside... it's gotten much easier since I was first Banded. You do need to arrange that in advance, though.

I had a band to sleeve revision in March with Dr.Aceves. My liver was also adhered to my stomach. I chose Dr.Aceves because of his experience in revisions. I would not have gone to anyone who had so few previous revisions. Can you speak to the surgeon near you and see if they would help if you had any issues? My doctor here does my follow up (bloodwork). If I had other complications I would have had to go back to Mexicali, and it is not a quick trip for me (about a day of travel. A few flights, hours and hours of driving). I just felt more confident going to someone who had more experience since a revision is riskier. Good luck

If people do have regrets it may be because they were not well informed of this surgery, they experienced a complication that they didn't expect, or they are not following their DR & NUT's orders and are not loosing a lot of weight. Some other things to think of is the mental aspect of the surgery. You will see others eating all sorts of things..... and you will most likely want to join them but you can't because of the phase you are in or you are too full from your Protein. Head hunger will mess with you. Use it to your advantage though, when others are eating and it is time to eat, eat with them. Bring your own protein friendly snack box. Remember you are no longer the person you used to be- you are in control. {{{hugs}}} & <3

@@darinak I have been super impressed with Fairview Southdale and their team. I had Dr. Pierce for my surgeon. I loved him. He was the surgeon who did my initial information meeting and I was so impressed with him, I never considered either of the other surgeons. I've heard great things about both of the others as well. I also had never had surgery before my surgery, except the stitches I got when I took a header into a metal door frame at the age of about 4. The only issue I had with surgery was that they tried to make it less painful to put in my line/iv and kept giving me pain killer and it kept causing my veins to collapse in that area! It took 7 tries to get one in for surgery and that one had problems post surgery so they had to try again. The 8th one lasted the rest of my stay. Have you been to any of the support group meetings? I highly recommend them. Both the ones I go to are amazing groups of people who genuinely want to help. We don't meet until the 20th this month, but if you can make it to Fairview Riverside next Wednesday from 6:30 to 8, we would love to answer any of your questions and alleviate any fears we can. In fact, this month's speaker is one of the U surgeons talking about complications after surgery. That alone might help some of your concerns. My attitude going in to the surgery was that I wanted to know the worst, but expect the best. I had a really smooth recovery so the best was what happened, but I am also glad I knew the worst because I had figured out how I wanted to react to each of the complications as they happened. Once I came up with a plan of sorts for complications, I knew I could deal with whatever came my way. Best wishes, and feel free to private message me if you have any questions or just want to vent or whatever. pam

I had my band surgery in 2007 and now after a long history of problems, lack of weighloss and not being able to be filled without problems. I am heading for the revision part. I am Ok with the procedure but I was told to study both the Gastric Sleeve and the RYGBP options and I have. I have read many different articles on both procedures and all the complications what the long range goals are everything from soup to nuts as it goes. I don't know ehich road I want to take. Both procedures are execellent choices. But the sleeve might not be what i need after all and then it would be followed up with the RYGBP. The sleeve is reccommended for lap band patients and well so is the RY. If someone was in my shoes which would you chose. I have made up my mind but I was just hoping from a response to this topic.

I'm having a similar problem. Yesterday I had broth and half a Protein shake and 20 oz of Water...all day. I struggle to meet the required liquids OR protein and it's making me very worried because I don't want to end up with serious complications. I take the Vitamins daily with no problems. Drinking water made me really nauseous at first, so I switched to diet Snapple. It's been a struggle to just get the fluids down because I fill up after only three or four sips then have to wait 20 mins to try again. I finally hit 40 oz of water (out of the 48oz requirement) few days ago because I literally stayed in bed all day and obsessed about drinking, so I met the goal. Haven't had a full Premier shake yet. Been doing half the container and it holds 30 grams of protein. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow and I'm bringing all this up with him. Any suggestions from the group would be welcomed! Thank you. :-)

This is my exact story...I had my revision 4/22. Band was completely unfilled 2 months prior to surgery. I was in th OR approximately 2.5 hrs, stayed 1 night in hospital. Noo complications! United Healthcare covered the revision

I don't think it's going to mexico that's the problem.. it's if they cover complications from surgery or not. If you went to Las Vegas for surgery you'd be in the same boat.

Yes I did no complications I sailed right through.

I was afraid to do the bypass but my surgeon refused to do the sleeve. I am 8 weeks post op and i am happy. I have had complications bc of all the scarring but would be worse if i had the sleeve. Good luck!

Welcome Michelle, This is a great place to come to talk and ask questions. Let me tell you a little about me. I am seven months out and I feel great. I had no major complications from the surgery. I eat at restaurants when I go out socially. I eat a variety of foods. I find by trail and error that I can eat certain fishes over others. I can eat turkey and chicken only in certain forms. I can eat beef if it's slow cooked and soft. I prefer Egg Beaters over eggs but can eat regular eggs too. I eat reduced fat cheese and some times with crackers. I eat greek yogurt with Splenda and sometimes fruit because regular yogurts have to much sugar. I eat a Quest Protein Bar every day and a Protein shake every day to make sure I get in enough protein in. I drink plenty of Water. Probably enough to fill an ocean. LOL. I eat fruit and vegetables. The most important thing you can do is listen to your surgeon and nutritionist and follow the guidelines they give you. Always eat first of all your protein and drink all your water every day. Your feelings are normal about this surgery and you will be glad you did it. I wish you success on your journey into this new chapter of your life.

From all I’ve read & heard, lap band is not very popular today & the number of lap band surgeries have decreased quite dramatically. Gastric sleeve is much more popular & common with fewer side effects & complications. But you have a few surgical options. Your health & medical conditions will influence which surgery is most suitable for you & your lifestyle. For example if you already suffer from reflux, you would not be a suitable candidate for a sleeve. Before I made my choice, I did a lot of reading & sat with my surgeon who went through the pros & cons of each surgery. He then made his recommendation based upon my medical history which matched my leanings towards the sleeve. I’m very happy with our decision. Good luck with your journey & whichever surgery you choose.

I'm having the revision surgery cuz I've had nothing but complications with my band i have it for about 4 years I never could find my sweet spot is either over filled under-filled I just thought I would go about my business and deal with it! sometimes I can eat and sometimes I cant eat most the time I am vomiting because my food gets stuck I finally made an appointment with a new bariatric surgeon and found out that it slipped and is at the top of my stomach and bottom of my esophagus which means I don't have a pouch anymore so when I am able to eat without any problems I totally over it because I never know when I'm going to be able to eat again which sucks!!!!also I have a hiatal hernia I gained all my weight back plus a couple pounds and I also have slowly and gradually been getting heartburn more frequently I believe that is due to the hernia I was just approved by my insurance and hopefully get a call today to get my surgery date.. for the revision. I wish I would have went in a couple of years ago and caught it in time but I didnt there is no way that I would want to be re banded just to go through all of this again I want the damn thing out and I want a permanent change it is definitely scary though but in the end I'm sure it'll be well worth it!!! In facts my surgeon and a lot of Surgeons are not doing the Lap Band anymore because of the complication rates I'm happy for the people that have not had any problems or complications:) Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

I live in central Il, but my surgeon is Dr. Prachand at the U. of Chicago Medical Center. He says that there are no pretests to ascertain the condition of the stomach except to go back in and see if the stomach is in better condition after 1 yr. I could end up having a second procedure without ending up with a bypass again. I have not gotten a second opinion since I feel my Dr. has been hesitant, in order to protect me from possible complications and is erring on the side of caution, where some Drs. may just go ahead and do it. He said there is a 60 % chance the stomach may not be smoothed enough to do the bypass, so I am just looking for others who may have had this problem. Thanks for replying.

I had VSG in May of this year. I had a wonderful experience. I have lost 53 lbs and could not be happier with my sleeve. Due to my success, and seeming ease of recuperation (overall, that is), my husband decided to have the surgery in August. He has had nothing but problems. He has never been able to keep any food or Water down. He constantly throws up anything he takes in, including Vitamins and medications. It is not nausea--it is an inability to digest anything. He has had multiple IV's for dehydration, and would have been hospitalized multiple times if he did not work in the medical field (which allows him access to IV Fluid without being admitted to the hospital). He is now about 6 weeks post-op. His doctor finally did an EGD this week. They found a kink in the area where his small intestine connects to his stomach. Essentially, it causes the food to have to travel "uphill" (for lack of a better description) to exit his stomach. It's just not working. He has erosion in his esophagus and severe GERD b/c of the buildup of acid in his stomach. They dilated the spot that is kinked, but it didn't make a difference, which they didn't expect it would because it is not a stricture. Now his doctor wants to convert to gastric bypass. It is sooo disheartening. Neither of us would have considered having a bypass electively and he is terrified of the side effects of the bypass. We know that the side effects cant really be much worse than what he is going through now but it is still stressful. We have been unable to get a second opinion (my surgeon just retired and another is on vacation). My husbands surgeon (whohas been absolutely wonderful through this whole process) wants to do the bypass ASAP. I have read a few posts with similar circumstances, but can't find any recent updates. Does anyone have any information/thoughts/ideas/experience with this? If so we would love to hear! Thanks for letting me vent and for any suggestions or thoughts! Right now we are just trying to process this whole mess!

I know what you mean Karen about the little 'depression'. I'm experiencing it as well as I stated in my original post. It's so frustrating. I had some complications from a lovenox shot that they gave me (which was protocol) and it thinned my blood so much that I ended up getting a blood clot along one of the back incisions. I needed emergency surgery to take care of that. Along with some other issues that occurred, my dr felt that there was some PTSD going on. Big sigh...................This to shall pass though. I just hope soon. Skinny Jill, I was able to get out for 2 hours yesterday and went to the local Kohl's store and was "SHOCKED" to find that I can fit into a size 6 pant and a size small shirt. I was beaming from ear to ear. If they had cameras in the dressing room they were cracking up just like I was because I was giggling, laughing and saying to myself: "these are a size 6? I'm in a size 6! I can't believe it I'm........" It was fun indeed. I was tuckered out though after my short trip. But it WILL get better from here as I've gained encouragement from everybodies posts! Thanks everyone!

I had my revision from band to sleeve on June 4th in Mexico. I started to have an odd feeling where the port used to be I just thought phantom pain no big deal. Then I noticed on the 15th that my incision felt weird, I had a co-worker feel it and I said man I am going to have a lot of scar tissue she couldn't believe how wide the scar tissue felt. It was almost 3 inches wide and went the length of the insicion. RThe next morning I got out of the shower and I had a pinhole in my incision that was gushing blood and wouldn't stop. I was filling up a 2x2 gauze pad in 2 minutes. I went to a clinic still bleeding like a stuck pig and the PA I seen was thrown for a loop. I was bleeding the color of iodine just dark as could be. She called their bariatric surgeon and he wasn't sure what was going on so they sent me to get a CT scan. Where my port had been had pooled with blood and had made a canal to the surface and pushed it's way out. Luckily it pushed it's way out and not in and caused an infection. The PA ended up cutting a larger hole in the incision and pushing all that "old blood" out. I guess when it turns that dark it's old blood, odd. The PA pushed out 10cc's she figured I had already leaked out 4cc, she then packed the hole with what looks like a shoe lace, 2 feet was packed in there. Twice a day 1 pull out 2 inches and cut it off. On weds I go see the surgeon for a check up and to see why this happened. Has anyone else had this happen to them or heard of this happening??

Hey Jack, Thanks for your concern. I'm a nurse, so I'm well aware of what they're talking about, and what's involved in bypass versus the band versus DS; I've talked to several nurses at my work who've had the surgery and have been able to ask really detailed questions that the average WLS consumer might not think of. I have a list of 25 things I plan to ask the doctor during my consult. Apparently, the smaller the amount bypassed, and the earlier in the digestive process it takes place, the less malabsorption there is. (This "jibes" with everything I learned in nursing school, and has been verified by my husband who has a BS in Biology and who's counseled people on nutritional counseling). Obviously, ANY malabsorption is a problem, especially for someone with an autoimmune disease as I have. I need all the help I can get to keep my inflammatory condition at bay, which is why I take roughly 25 vitamins, mineral, and other various supplements a day. So that's an enormous concern. OTOH, not having anyone able to follow me after banding is a huge concern as well. Even the one doc up here who does fills is difficult to get in with and is talking about not doing them anymore; and he wont' actually touch the band, just do the odd fill. Yikes. There is literally no one within 2500 miles who would follow me and help me if I had a complication; I'm not sure people who don't live in Alaska quite understand how isolated we are up here, and how limited our health care choices are. It's really quite frustrating how limited we are. The lack of follow up care is scary for me, and why I'm reconsidering banding. The safest operation in the world becomes dangerous without proper follow up care. The money situation with us is enormously difficult. Without going into details that I'm uncomfortable sharing, there is no way I can have my surgery financed. I have to go through my insurance company or it will not happen. We've figuratively cut the fat out of our budget in order to support a family of FIVE on two health care worker's incomes (we're not doctors, just a nurse and dental assistant) in one of the most expensive states in the US. So it's not as though I'm not motivated; there is literally no way to do it (and I'm a persistent one). I can always wait until we move to Washington or Oregon sometime in the next 5 years, but how much weight will I have gained by then? (I don't wanna know). So it's frustrating right now. My insurance would cover me going to Texas for the band, but I'd have no follow up care. My new insurance (as of April 1) won't cover WLS at all. So if I'm going to do something, I have to do it now or else possibly wait several years. In the meantime, my mobility is failing, my comorbidities are getting worse, and my Sarcoidosis is getting worse as well, in part because of my inability to exercise and the stress of my weight on my lungs. (I was in the ER the other night because of a flare up, which led to a panic attack). Sucks to be me, doesn't it?

He is also a real-life story that we can all relate to. Weight loss wasn’t easy, and he isn’t able to follow his weight loss surgery diet perfectly. Here’s Jamie’s story, complete with triumphs and struggles. You can read more about Jamie’s acting career, plus see headshots and look at his resume, by clicking here to get to his website. He’s also on Facebook and Twitter. And, don’t forget to watch for his upcoming column, “Regain-ing Control,” in BariatricPal Magazine. Familiar Story: Big Kid to Lap-Band Patient For many weight loss surgery patients, Jamie Miles’s story will be familiar. He was a big kid with low self-esteem, and he turned to food for comfort. Later, he tried every diet in the book, from Weight Watchers and South Beach to the grapefruit diet. Jamie found out about the lap-band surgery when he saw an ad in a newspaper that he was reading in his break room at work. He knew his insurance covered bariatric surgery, and he did not like the idea of getting the gastric bypass like some coworkers had. So, he went for the lap-band. Time to Chase a Dream For years, Jamie had dreamed of becoming a commercial model, but his weight was holding him back. Once the pounds began to come off, Jamie began to think seriously about fulfilling a dream of acting. After losing 60 pounds, he landed some “extra” roles. He progressed to some speaking roles in local productions and commercials, and went to acting school. That’s when he lost his day job in marketing and promotion. While the old Jamie might have turned to food, the new Jamie decided to use the chance to pursue acting full-time. Two days later, he signed with a local agent. His career has blossomed to include roles in commercials and local and national films. The lap-band may seem far from acting, but Jamie says the entire experience helps him in emotional roles. He is able to apply the feelings from years of personal pain and being called names, dumped, and treated poorly. What he’s also recognized is the effect of confidence on life. He now realizes that many actors are larger, and the reason he could not dedicate himself fully to acting is that he was not confident in himself. He was afraid others would not see his abilities, and would just judge him based on looks. Relationship with Food: “Complicated” Before the band, Jamie’s social life revolved around food and drink. Plus, he was an emotional eater. Since getting the lap-band, Jamie’s relationship with food can only be described as “complicated.” He started to get a bit depressed when he could no longer tolerate red meat, pork, and chicken breast – the very foods he was supposed to be eating! Now, he tries to focus on what he can eat. He’s able to eat chicken thighs, seafood, and salad when he’s sticking to his diet. Unfortunately, he still loves fast food, and his band allows it. His solution is to avoid trigger foods like Taco Bell and chips. The Challenges Continue A “typical” day for Jamie might begin with some protein and green vegetables. His snacks can consist of almonds, a protein shake, or a 100-calorie Jell-0 pudding. But that’s when he’s being good. Just like so many weight loss surgery patients, Jamie let his guard down a little. When it happened to him, soft drinks, fried foods, and other poor foods crept back into his diet. In fact, he gained back 25 pounds when “life happened.” Jamie still has a lot on his plate, so to speak. He’s pursuing a full-time acting career and working a part-time job in a stressful position. He needs to see his bariatric doctor, and fears his band has a leak, but doesn’t have the cash on hand. And, of course, he wants to lose the extra weight for once and for all. “Re-Gaining Control” on BariatricPal! Jamie has learned a lot along the way. He needs to take care of himself. He needs to love himself. He needs to eat healthy and work out. He wants to help other bariatric surgery patients. He did some public speaking while he was losing weight after surgery, but feels embarrassed to do so with his regain. He can’t wait for this mindset to change once he takes back control. Jamie is planning to get to his goal weight, and he is going to share his journey on BariatricPal! His column will be called “Regain-ing Control,” and it will be a very real and personal journey complete with weigh-ins and photos. As he says, “some days will be good, some bad, and all very real.” He hopes to help readers get back on track, and for readers to inspire him to do the same. Stay tuned for the new column! Jamie’s story begins like so many others, but Jamie has worked hard to make it unique. He is living a dream of his by using his new looks to give him confidence to be an actor. Plus, he will be helping thousands of weight loss surgery patients when he shares his journey toward “Regain-ing Control.”