I have had my band for almost 2.5 years now and I lost 60 lbs during the first 6 months and have now gained 50 lbs back. So, in doing the math, that's a total loss of 10 lbs and I currently have a BMI of 56!!! I am utterly defeated and my surgeon is utterly annoyed. I can eat a lot, but he swears I am "tight as a tick" and if I go any tighter I have heartburn issues. I can feel food as it passes through my band and it all seems to be passing very quickly, not slowly!! He says I am stretching my pouch and starting to stretch my esophagus and threatened to take it out if I don't start controlling my portions. Unfortunately, that has never been something I can control. I am not staisfied after 1/2 cup of food and I don't feel satisfied unless I eat a normal meal. And, I hate vegetables, love cheese and pasta and I drink a ton of calories (milk and soda). These are things that just aren't going to change so I think need some malpsorption and some better restriction. Maybe some "dumping" to help me make better choices. I am STRONGLY considering revision to the RNY or the DS. The DS has actually really peaked my interest, even though its very high risk. I am relatively healthy, on no meds, no sleep apnea, no diabetes, etc. But I will certainly not stay that way if I don't lose this weight. Thanks to whoever made it through this rant. I know this sounds like the "Diary of the Fat Lazy Chick that Doesn't Want to Participate in her Weight Loss" but I am keeping it real. I need more help than this band!! I am considering Dr. Daryl Stewart in Denton, Tx as my surgeon. Dr. Hamn is great, but I think he is more of a Lap Band specialist and DR. Stewart does the DS. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Btrieger - I come from a very large family and my mother and 2 sisters had what is basically the sleeve and 2 sisters had the bypass. Only one sister has the dumping problem. With that being said: my mom lost and kept the weight off and eat very healthy; one sister with the sleave gained everything back plus more and is thinking of having the band; another sister with the sleeve has kept the weight off, but doesn't hardly have a tooth in her head - too much vomiting from over eating; my two sisters with the bypass have both lost 200 pounds, but struggle to keep it off!

I wasn't ever over weight until the last 10 years and to be honest, portion control was my biggest issue - not the foods I ate. So maybe that's why the band works for me. I wish I could have just cut out soda/milk/cheetos/cheese burger to lose weight - but I didn't eat those foods......so I spent $9,750 of my own money to have this surgery......and maybe that too contributes to the band working for me also!

Trust me I've heard all the "the LAP-BAND® doesn't fail you, you fail the LAP-BAND®" crap from people here but not from my surgeon so I was lucky to have a good one, take care and peace, Nancy.:biggrin:

I am not judging you, honestly.

I am pointing out that making the choice to drink diet soda instead of the calorie laden crap is not difficult no matter how strong-willed you are.

The same goes for skim and whole milk.

I always find it interesting that people who CLEARLY suffer from food control issues are so quick to point the finger of judgement.

Not judgment; the truth. And really, who better to offer this information than those who have been in the same shoes, and overcome the issues?

Good luck to you. I hope you find what you are looking for. It's hard work--it really is. And it's hard to face the demons. I hope you're able to do it so you can live the life you were meant to live.

All I know is sometimes the behaviors are forced upon you as they were for me.

Behaviors aren't forced. Google defines behavior as a "manner of acting or controlling yourself." No one forced you to drink with your meals. You chose to do it. You went into the Lap Band surgery knowing well enough that you won't be able to drink with your meals. So, please explain how you were forced to drink with your meals...

Behaviors aren't forced. Google defines behavior as a "manner of acting or controlling yourself." No one forced you to drink with your meals. You chose to do it. You went into the LAP-BAND® surgery knowing well enough that you won't be able to drink with your meals. So, please explain how you were forced to drink with your meals...

Manda I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I could easily drink after eating with the lap band but after I had my RNY surgery I physically could not drink after eating, so I am now forced not to drink after eating a meal and have to wait at least an hour. Sorry if you didn't understand my point. It gave me the help I needed to lose the weight. Also with the malaborptive aspect of RNY I was able to lose a big chunk of weight in the beginning which doesn't necessarily happen with Lap Band patients. So that is what I meant by it forced upon me and in a good way!

I have struggled with my band. Some of it is the band and my system -- having problems with getting restriction because of phlegm and gas and having to be "unfilled", but some of it is me too. I am NOT perfect and I do go for the easy meal (soft and/or crunchy) sometimes instead of meat and veggies. However, if I did not have my band in place, I would be A LOT bigger as I continued to gain weight. At least I have been able to maintain my weight for the past year, which is new for me.

I have had many issues with my esophagus swelling and with lots of fluid build-up due to allergies, causing me to get an unfill.

I have been working with my doctor to do tiny little fills each month. This has worked for me, allowing my body to get used to the fill slowly. So, I just keep plucking away at it, knowing that without it, I would be gaining! I did learn that I have to work WITH my band, it will not do it all for me.

Edited August 29, 201015 yr by Rutiglius

Lot's of people have revisions and that was my target audience for this post. I would like to hear from other people who have undergone RNY or DS after the LAP-BAND®. Thanks.

I'm confused.In your original post you said

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

So that is what you got. ADVICE. No-one was trying to judge. We were trying to help you.

Trying to help:-

.....You see what the issues were that were preventing your band working to its full potential.

.....You work with your band so that you could be a success.

.....So that you could possibly be saved from going through additional surgery which is both expensive and possibly unnnecessary.Plus all surgery has risks.

.....So that you could be saved dissappointment when the new surgery doesn't work in the way that you hoped it would because you have still not faced the issues.

My apologies for trying to help when it wasn't wanted. Maybe next time you should post with a disclaimer that says

" Advice only from people who agree with and support my decision"

or

"please only reply if you have had a "failed" band and then successfully converted to a bypass without making in changes in your behaviour"

It would probably also help if you posted this in the Life after lapband thread rather than the General support section.

Whatever you decide to do good luck.

I can still eat a lot!! I traded my cheeseburgers and sodas in for cookies and milk, as they go down nicely. I have also stopped going to Weight Watchers and I stopped working out entirely! With the holiday season in full swing, I feel like it is only going to get worse. I am disgusted with myself and am ready to get back on track. The support I got on this site was wonderful and I am here to take ownership. Kick me in the ass and show me some tough love! God knows I need it!!

Do you remember writing this? You were looking for tough love then - that's what you got this time.

I'm confused.In your original post you said

So that is what you got. ADVICE. No-one was trying to judge. We were trying to help you.

Trying to help:-

.....You see what the issues were that were preventing your band working to its full potential.

.....You work with your band so that you could be a success.

.....So that you could possibly be saved from going through additional surgery which is both expensive and possibly unnnecessary.Plus all surgery has risks.

.....So that you could be saved dissappointment when the new surgery doesn't work in the way that you hoped it would because you have still not faced the issues.

My apologies for trying to help when it wasn't wanted. Maybe next time you should post with a disclaimer that says

" Advice only from people who agree with and support my decision"

or

"please only reply if you have had a "failed" band and then successfully converted to a bypass without making in changes in your behaviour"

It would probably also help if you posted this in the Life after LAP-BAND® thread rather than the General support section.

Whatever you decide to do good luck.

Love every bit of your post Elcee. Couldn't have put it better myself :thumbup:

Nanook, thank you for sharing your experience in your first post, that is exactly what I was looking for. I am sorry you got sucked into to all the self righteous B.S. This post stopped being about me a long time ago and I feel sad for all the narcsissistic unhappy people. They don't know my story and the anonymity of the boards should not override their sense of politeness and decency. Good luck in your journey.

This post stopped being about me a long time ago and I feel sad for all the narcsissistic unhappy people.

the anonymity of the boards should not override their sense of politeness and decency

No one has been impolite except you.

Nanook, thank you for sharing your experience in your first post, that is exactly what I was looking for. I am sorry you got sucked into to all the self righteous B.S. This post stopped being about me a long time ago and I feel sad for all the narcsissistic unhappy people. They don't know my story and the anonymity of the boards should not override their sense of politeness and decency. Good luck in your journey.

Good luck TxC, I'm glad I could help and I know it's not easy. Everyone wants to have a postive lap band experience and no one goes through all of this for nothing but sometimes we end up picking the wrong procedure and it can be difficult to tell prior to surgery if this is the right one.

My insurance covered my first, it's removal and my revision so I feel as if they were supporting my surgeries also. I went through a lot to be approved for both surgeries. Prior to my RNY I was told to join a WLS support group and found one at my closest hospital even though they don't perform them there. I found it to be very helpful, I haven't been back in a while but took advantage of it when I really needed it. You might want to check one out now if you don't already go to one.

We're all different and sometimes people need to understand that just because they're able to work the band to perfection doesn't mean everyone will or can. Anyway good luck to you, Nancy.