Two years out, no weight loss, so sick and tired

[ffpandamer 0]

What a complete and total waste of my time and sanity. I was banded in October two years ago, and in that time, the only thing I lost was my mind. I feel lied to and cheated, and wish I'd never had this horrible band put in me.

I lost 30 pounds the month of my surgery, and then every single time I went in to the Dr, they would take my "weight loss", divide it by the number of months that passed, and tell me how wonderful I was doing. These "doctors" ignored me when I told them the band wasn't doing anything for me.

Eventually I lost a total of 50 pounds, but let me be perfectly clear on this. The weight loss was from pure strength of will, the band did NOTHING! I went from yellow to red zone, from eating too much to throwing up every single bite that went in me, with no green zone in between. My body went into utter starvation mode while I was in the red zone, and rather than loose weight, i stayed completely the same, and eventually started gaining it.

I exercised, I DIETED harder than I have ever dieted in my entire life, and I got to the point where I was having a psychotic episode over the stress and failure I was faced with every single day that passed.

They told me I wouldn't need to diet. They told me the band would regulate my appetite, therefore "dieting" wouldn't be unnecessary. They promised me, no more fad diets, no more stress, just nice, easy, appetite control. What a load of bull. I kept going back to that sham of an office, and every person I talked to would give me a totally new hard-core diet to take.

Protein Shakes, low fat, low carb, low calorie, point systems, counting calories, eat more cheese, don't eat cheese, eat nuts, stay away from nuts, you name it, someone there told me to do it. Every single time I walked in there, I was given different instructions. Not one single bit of continuity between all the dr's and nurses. All smiles, all "you're doing fine! I know you haven't lost any weight in 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc months. I know you can't eat. I know you're stressed out and angry. Don't worry, here, try another diet. Go home now, must get more patients."

My hair became thin, and eventually started falling out in clumps, and that's where the psychotic episodes came in. Every night sitting up stressing, pulling out wads of hair, crying in fear and anger. And they said, "Don't worry, you're doing fine. Try another diet."

And so they took Fluid out and i went from red zone to yellow - no restriction again. And I gained back 20 pounds. On top of the failure of regaining that weight, it didn't go back to the spots where I lost it. Nope! It focused around my chin and my stomach, so I look like a demented weeble wobble toy now.

I wish I'd never had this surgery. I wish I'd had more self esteem and been happy with my extra weight. I wish my life wasn't ruined with the knowledge that I've stressed myself and my family with two years of overwhelming obsession with my weight.

And where do I go from here? There is no where to go from here. I'm stuck with a piece of equipment in me that failed - IT FAILED NOT ME - my so-called DOCTORS failed, not me! I've never worked so hard before in my life, exercise, diet after diet, and nothing!

What a great life I have to look forward to now. Thanks for nothing lapband.

[Day Dreamer 23]

What a great life I have to look forward to now. Thanks for nothing lapband.

The Band failed you? Errr. ok. I understand your frustration.

Have you considered the Sleeve? The Band can be revised to the Sleeve or even the RNY. Worth checking out.

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/

[kimaly 57]

Sorry if this makes you mad because that is not my intention but I call them like I see them. You are blaming everything and everybody but the band cannot and will not do the work for you. I'm sorry you have had a tough time but even in the (as you call it) yellow zone you should be able to control portion size and your choice of foods. Your right about no more diets and the reason for that is because you are suposed to make a lifestyle change and make healthy food choices AKA no more junk and potion control. No one can promise you weightloss they can only give you the tool to help YOU with it. Sorry to sound so tough but when people get the band and act like their magic wand is broke and the rest of ours is working it kinda pisses me off because I have worked very hard for every pound I have lost and still struggle to keep it off everyday. That's just the hand I was delt so I have to play it, You can't just fold when it's to hard. Their are a lot of people on this forum that would be willing to help you and support you when you are struggling. You just have to reach out to them and don't be so hard on yourself when things aren't going as well as you would like them too. And would like to add if your Doctor made you those promises I would find a new one because That's absurde to make a promise like that and I wouldn't have trusted him from the begining. I hope it gets better for you and think if you could find that happy medium between red and yellow you'll be ok.

[mousek 4]

Wow, what a story - you sound beyond miserable. Sorry that you wasted so much time and effort. I too experienced thinning hair - 1/2 of my hair is gone and i paid to go to laser treatments to give it some stability - all very costly. I am also dieting. I am not at the right restriction but will insist on it once i am a little more cured from my jaw and chin surgery i had 12 days ago. I was at 7 ccs in a 10 cc band and felt some restriction for a while. When I got off another ten pounds from the initial 14 or 15 pounds i lost at surgery the restriction changed and i could eat more. I will insist on .5 extra to bring me up 7.5 ccs and if that doesn't work i will keep asking and insisting to get what i paid for.

Sorry about your nightmarish 2 years

[iheartcats 0]

Sounds like you are having a really hard time with the band. I am in the same boat with the yellow-straight-to-red thing, and I know how hard it can be to NOT EAT EVERYTHING when you've been forcibly fasting. It's so hard. I am definitely strugging with that. As far as your 'psychotic episodes,' they sound really stressful and I hope you are not experiencing them anymore. As a counselor and someone who goes to counseling, I've found it very helpful to help me cope with the stress of the side effects of the surgery. I get angry at the band, especially when I can't hold down liquids. I definitely did not sign up for dehydration as a form of weight loss!! I hope your story turns around.

[Cherrie 0]

How did this story go?

[joann287 0]

Kimaly,

Wow, did you even read what she wrote Ms. Self Righteous? She said she worked hard. The band works really well for some people and doesn't work well at all for others. People don't want to believe that because they spent so much money, and doctors don't want to admit it because they make so much money off the band. My doctor even told me that studies have found that the appetite suppression diminishes with time, like after a year.

[Mouse81841 0]

Kimaly,

Wow, did you even read what she wrote Ms. Self Righteous? She said she worked hard. The band works really well for some people and doesn't work well at all for others. People don't want to believe that because they spent so much money, and doctors don't want to admit it because they make so much money off the band. My doctor even told me that studies have found that the appetite suppression diminishes with time, like after a year.

I came on here after getting scheduled for revision surgery from my lapband to RNY. I agree! Kimaly, I am glad your surgery went well but let me tell you. Mine has been a total nightmare also. You have no right to act all high and mighty.

My realize band is FULL. See that FULL. I have 100% no feeling of fullness,restriction nothing. The band has not slipped, the band has not moved, the surgery was perfect. My esophagus is perfect, everything is PERFECT. Yet I have no weight loss whatsoever, none. In fact even with the liquid diet, I lost 10 pounds. That came right back when I went to soft foods.

My surgeon said in some people the band just does not work, same as with anything. I happened to be one of those lucky people.

I feel horrible for the person posting this, it is an awful thing to have happen and you feel like a total failure. Its embarassing because you get it and people know and yet there you are still as big, if not bigger than you were before WLS. It does a lot to you mentally because you do blame yourself and it hurts. You put all this time, money and hope into this surgery thinking that you are going to lose the weight and get your life back. Then you get it and not only is that not the case, you have this thing in your body that is a hassle.

I really recommend going to the psych and talking about it with a neutral party. You need to weigh your options, talk to your surgeon, your PCP and a nutritionist. RNY and other surgeries are a complete different ballgame.

I really feel for you and your situation. Don't let other people get to you. If it makes you feel better, all of the surgeons looked at my tests and scratched their heads.

Also you may want to check out the 7 stages of grief, it really doesnt just deal with death. Your emotions are normal and if you feel out of control in that respect there are people that care that will help you.

[elcee 3,340]

It seems very strange that if the surgery and band positioning were done correctly you feel nothing. I am not disputing what you say, just wondering how it is even possible............