I haven't posted here in quite a while.

It's been a struggle to say the least since I had the Realize band implanted in me back in December of 2007.

Surgery date weight was 282, lowest I got to was 248, I now sit close to 290.

I have had so many fills and unfills they are too numerous to count.

The basic problem is that, with this band, I cannot stand the sensation of food being in my throat, or pouch.

I CRAVE the sensation again of having that FULL feeling in my stomach. I haven't had that in years, except when I have Soup.

I have vomited, numerous times on a daily basis, for almost FIVE years now.

Don't tell me I need to chew, chew, chew, or take smaller bites, or not eat certain foods, I have DONE IT ALL, and the fact is, this surgery made me bulimic.

I can't even eat what I want to, like a salad. I had one yesterday and wretched for a half hour getting it all out.

I am a 280+ lbs bulimic. Unbelievable.

Now it's gotten to the point that I have pain when I eat. I can feel the pain of the food moving down my throat, and it hurts like hell when it passes through the band.

The _ONLY_ time I lost weight with this band is when I basically ate a liquid diet of shakes. Can't live like that for long, who wants to eat shakes all the time?

I see my doctor in a week for an unfill. Have to drive two hours to see him. The original doctor who I saw in Surrey was a horrible, horrible surgeon who would scold me and chastise me for not losing weight. I'm done with him.

I don't know who I can see to get this thing taken out, there aren't many doctors in the metro Vancouver BC area that do this surgery.

I wish I had initially taken responsibility for my obesity and started eating healthier. Instead I took the easy way out. $14,000 later, what a huge mistake.

I'm not writing for sympathy, rather a warning to others who think this is a great idea - the long-term data is starting to come out on this procedure and it isn't too rosy.

Watch out for forums like this one as you'll see a lot of success stories - some of them are real, I believe a lot of them are made up by posters hired by surgeons offices, and a lot of them are in the initial 'wonderful' phase of their band, and haven't maintained their loss over the years.

Didn't say or think I did. You've undoubtedly told your story many times. I do sympathize with what you've gone through, my band journey hasn't been the easiest either. But negativity doesn't really help anyone. You should focus on the positive stuff you've got going on now and leave the negativity in the past; we will thank you for it.

I haven't posted here in quite a while.

It's been a struggle to say the least since I had the Realize band implanted in me back in December of 2007.

Surgery date weight was 282' date=' lowest I got to was 248, I now sit close to 290.

I have had so many fills and unfills they are too numerous to count.

The basic problem is that, with this band, I cannot stand the sensation of food being in my throat, or pouch.

I CRAVE the sensation again of having that FULL feeling in my stomach. I haven't had that in years, except when I have Soup.

I have vomited, numerous times on a daily basis, for almost FIVE years now.

Don't tell me I need to chew, chew, chew, or take smaller bites, or not eat certain foods, I have DONE IT ALL, and the fact is, this surgery made me bulimic.

I can't even eat what I want to, like a salad. I had one yesterday and wretched for a half hour getting it all out.

I am a 280+ lbs bulimic. Unbelievable.

Now it's gotten to the point that I have pain when I eat. I can feel the pain of the food moving down my throat, and it hurts like hell when it passes through the band.

The _ONLY_ time I lost weight with this band is when I basically ate a liquid diet of shakes. Can't live like that for long, who wants to eat shakes all the time?

I see my doctor in a week for an unfill. Have to drive two hours to see him. The original doctor who I saw in Surrey was a horrible, horrible surgeon who would scold me and chastise me for not losing weight. I'm done with him.

I don't know who I can see to get this thing taken out, there aren't many doctors in the metro Vancouver BC area that do this surgery.

I wish I had initially taken responsibility for my obesity and started eating healthier. Instead I took the easy way out. 14,000 later, what a huge mistake. <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

I'm not writing for sympathy, rather a warning to others who think this is a great idea - the long-term data is starting to come out on this procedure and it isn't too rosy.

Watch out for forums like this one as you'll see a lot of success stories - some of them are real, I believe a lot of them are made up by posters hired by surgeons offices, and a lot of them are in the initial 'wonderful' phase of their band, and haven't maintained their loss over the years.[/quote']

Quoting the OP below:

"I have vomited, numerous times on a daily basis, for almost FIVE years now."

You did indeed say this...bulimia is a completely different thing than PBing or vomiting from a too tight band...it is an eating disorder.

I can totally relate to you hun. I had the band placed July 2011 everything was fine until I got the 1st fill then 2 days later had all removed except 1cc left which is next to nothing. I have had nothing but problams since that fill with vomiting everytime I eat anything it just comes up no matter how hard I try to keep it down and my surgeon keeps saying chew more , chew smaller potions blah blah blah now everytime I eat my port hurts so much and I hope it doesn't move from all the vomiting. I know what I can and can not eat and I live off those safe foods but this is ridiclous when yogurt doesn't stay down and I can not eat in front of anyone cause I do not know how my body is going to react. That is why I am telling my surg who happens to be the chief im going for 2nd opp if he doesnt sit and listen to my concerns, good luck keep that head up all we can do . YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE.....

Well I think the original posters surgeon was negligent. My doctor NEVER in a million years would have done lap band surgery on someone who was Bulimic.

I have to chime in on this. I was a bulimic for several years. After several years of counseling and treatment I haven't been a bulemic for years. I was approved to have the lapband and my surgeon was fully aware of my history. My psychiatrist and surgeon worked together and I didn't get the procedure until they both thought I was ready.

This is something you will fight for life and I know about this first hand. My surgeon knew my hx with being bulimic and I have been in recovery for about 10 years before I had my lapband which was 7/11. Once I had the lapband placed I was fine until I had my 1st fill and then the vomiting started the fluid was removed and I still had the vomiting. Now this is NOTself-induced but when something does acutally stay down I got those bulimic tendencess back and this was due to my body reacting to the band and my surgeon not listening to me. I never in a thousand years thought I would relapse ever again but this procedure proved me wrong and now I feel as though I am back where I was 10 years ago and not very proud. Both my surgeon and psych MD's cleared me but if I knew there was this much prob with the band I would never had this procedure. GOOD LUCK ic ur lapband is coming soon.....

HI there

Yep I revised to bypass. Yep my insurance covered this' date=' after appealing. I'm very happy I revised and have the crapband out of me. My teeth never ached. My teeth are fine, whew. but I"m mad at some people that are "successful" and looks down on us that are experiencing band failures. We did NOT fail the band. The band just doesn't work for everyone like my surgeon said.[/quote']

I have been reading through all of the posts! I have had my band for 7 years and I have had my share of ups and downs! By no means has it been the easy way!! I did not get reflux until 3 years in and I totally get what you are saying about throwing up! I lost 121 pounds (55kg) which I was very proud of but then my band started leaking and I started to gain weight! So I got it fixed and got back on track! Low and behold it happens again 2 yrs later and yes again I gained weight it was so frustrating! I guess reading some of the responses parts of what everyone is saying is correct and this forum was set up for people who have had complications! So if you don't like learning about what people are going through it may be better not to enter into this forum! I do agree with the comment that was made this TOOL is not for everyone and all lapband is, is a tool it's not a magic obesity solution you need to work with it! I am please to hear that you have now found a solution that works for you! Don't get me wrong I am a huge supporter of lapband and although I do have some tough days I still would not be without it! I have friends that it has not worked for too so I really get that this is not a one size fits all solution! I hope you dont stop posting your progress! I think we can all learn from each others experiences!

To the original poster--I'm sorry you went through this. I have a friend here in Texas who said she couldn't eat chicken or vegetables even when it got completely unfilled without throwing up every bite. She lived on protein shakes in social situations since she didn't want people to think she was bulimic. You are certainly not alone in this. She ended up getting the band removed and she never threw up again. She was NOT a bulimic by choice--just like you. Best wishes to you wherever you are!