What a long and disappointing journey!....Traveled to Detroit from Pittsburgh so as to not wait for insurance guidlines and paid myself.....Dr. discovered largest hiatal hernia he had ever seen and HAD TO REPAIR it......While in there he did the band.....Admitted that BOTH should never be done at the same time.....But because of travel he did.....Tons of scar tissue left....Band had me lose 20-30 pounds, put it back on, but I never felt the good restriction.....Went to a local Dr. and he said he'd do it over.....He did.....RESULTS THE SAME......I then had gastric bypass, and it was very difficult because of the previous two surgeries.....I dropped around 35 and ate what I was supposed to etc....Had little restriction.....I was very distraught....I exercised my buns off to avoid putting any back on......All of this took 2 years out of my life!!!!.....My gastric Dr. told me that only 10 percent of people who are banded meet their goal....I talked to my primary care Dr. and he prescribed TOPOMAX.....I lost all the weight that I wanted to without feeling hungry!.....I'm now at my goal.......Think long and hard about surgery......Don't get me wrong as some can do it, but I WAS VERY UNFORTUNATE!...MY BEST TO ALL OF YOU!

Sorry the surgeries didn't work for you.

But you kept trying and found a solution to good health.

Way to go!

Chuck...you may claim to be charming but your story doesn't pass the sniff test. 2 lapbands and a gastric bypass and you've lost 20lbs. Not sure why you would feel restriction with gastric bypass, but that could be my ignorance talking.

For you to sign up today and call a valued member and contributor "mean"...well, let's just say your ignorance is greater than mine.

We want lifestyle changes, not recommendations for more useless drugs...

Wishing you find the exit from this forum and of course good health

I was on topamax for migraines and never lost a pound lol <<shrug>>

I was on topamax for migraines and never lost a pound lol <<shrug>>

Me either ... in fact I think I gained. Have you taken it since banding?

In response to the one question, the first band was 5.5 years ago.....To "Mean Jean!".....As a contributing editor, I find your attempt at humor quite putrid, to say the least..How do you know all the details of my weight loss and surgeries, and as only one example, the meds I had to take after the surgeries, and what they caused???...Are you a surgeon too?.....In a subject as delicate and individualistic as weight loss with so many variables, your "assumptions" are quite erroneous, and based on your false perceptions!....Attempting to "make fun of someone" is "not" fitting for a so called editor!....FE FI FO FUM....YOU THINK YOU'RE SOMNEONE!....ALAS, YOU'RE NOT!

I'm sorry, Chuck. I keep forgetting that a lot of people don't like poetry quite as much as I do.

In response as to what was the purpose of my post????.....Simple!!....To tell my story....Go to the main page of Yahoo today and Al Roker tells his story of bariatric surgery, in which he failed somewhat.....It's followed by excellent advice from Dr's and experts....Good luck to all of you no matter how you lose your weight.....Al Roker finally did, and it's quite interesting!!!!

Future I'm pre op

Sadly, I remember my days of diet pills (tenuate, duromine) as a 16 year old with a huuuuuge 15 lb weight problem (I kid you not, prescribed to me by a now somewhat celebrity dietician here in Australia) quite fondly.

Oh, my they were marvelous! Simply turned off that craving switch. Only time in my life I have eaten simply to stay alive. No interest in food whatsoever.

The band has NEVER done that for me other than th first eight weeks or so while I healed. The drugs were way easier than managing a band is. But they're not forever. I was psychotic after three months on speed. But I'm thin and still working it hard daily after seven years with a band. How I wish it wasn't so much hard work.

So I can well understand your elation at having found something that works, seemingly so easily. But what are you going to o long term? Surely you can't take it forever? Or do you gt enough from your bypass to make maintenance possible? It wold be nice if it was doing something for you after all your struggles.

I'm on 400mg of topamax a day and it hasn't affected my weight either. Sure wish it would!! I take it for headaches as well. I take 200mg in morning and 200mg at bedtime.

Sounds like your doctor made some crappy choices. Did you research this fool and interview him before going with surgery? I asked my doc how many people died on her table and why at the first consultation. And I've had many problems with my band, but I trust her and she is one of the top docs in the nation for lap banding.

Glad Topomax works for you. Sounds like it functionally does the same thing as the band, by eliminating hunger signals.

I took Topamax for my migraines and I never lost weight I did however lose feeling in my fingertips and my ability to taste things properly, most food tasted like crap (literally). Great for migraines but bad for me. Glad it's working for you though as everyone is different and different things work for different people.

Fen-phen worked like a charm for me. I was skinnier than I have ever been with the band. Unfortunately, after years of helping me out, it was pulled from the market. After that I was the heaviest I have ever been in my life. I worry about long term health effects that are not discovered with drugs. The more this migraine medication is used for weight loss and used for longer periods, and in higher doses than what were intended, the more problems may occur in people health. This could be true with the band also, I guess. I guess maybe there is no right answer! So we resort to doing what works!

Topamax is suppose to be real safe....minimal on the side effects

Topamax is suppose to be real safe....minimal on the side effects

Actually it has a lot of possible side effects. I was on Topamax for migraines and had to go off it because the side effects were so nasty. Here's a link listing them:

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/topamax-side-effects.html

I was on Topamax for my migraines and I did loose some weight, not a lot. My problem was the loss of feeling in my fingers and toes. How long have you been on it? Do you really feel like taking it for the rest of your life is an option?

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