Just an update

Current mood: optimistic

Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

I finally made up my mind to have my gastric band out. I have been debating on it for weeks. I am not sure whether I just didn't give it a chance or if it was put in too high which causes me difficulty swallowing. I go back and forth in my thinking constantly. I have an appointment with a very prominent pain dr in the city in July, that writes many articles on chronic pain and tolerance, and also conducts a lot of experimental trials on new treatments and new drugs. My reasoning then goes to: what if I feel better and I really want to put all my efforts into losing weight? Perhaps I should see a nutritionist and psychologist like they wanted me to and really have the band adjusted and go to support groups. Then I say to myself, "Nah, I'm never gonna change, this is my lot in life(having chronic pain) and I just have to accept it."Anyway, after trying to eat a turkey sandwich the other night and only being able to get 2 small bites down before it got stuck in my throat, I could either wait patiently and see if it got digested, or go and throw it up. I decided that I love food too much and although I may be able to live on 2 bites, my head was still hungry and I wanted to eat the rest. I am also lacking the nutrition that meat, fish and chicken would give me. My cholesterol is a little high because I live mostly on soft foods that include cheese and thats not good for me either. It would be so nice to have a balanced diet. I just have to be on Weight Watchers for the rest of my life and do the best I can. The surgery is Thurday, June 15 at Northshore- LIJ hospital at Syosset. I stay in over night and then come home the next day. Say a prayer for me and wish me luck and as little pain as possible because when I had the sucker put in, they were unable to control my pain the first 2 days and I was miserable. This time they have the pain group from that hospital meeting with me before the surgery so hopefully I will have an easier time.

Because I didn't want to go from one bunch of rules about what I "could" or "couldn't" eat to another, and because of other issues, I opted for the DS surgery instead of RnY.

So did Rachele. Others have had RnY and VG.

Learn all about ALL of the surgeries, pick the one that's right for YOU and fight for it if need be.

Good luck,

Sue

Just adding after 3 years of "I can't eat this, I can't eat that" (and not because I wanted junk food-that would ALWAYS go down, I wanted chicken, or a sandwich!) I am absolutely delighted with my DS. Do it again in a heartbeat. I am 1 pound away from my lowest band weight, and don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

I love it!

I am sorry that your incision is infected. It seems like this procedure was presented as an easy surgery but it has been real hard. I am finally able to eat now. I am going to work out everyday as well to counter act the food I am eating.

I have been in the same process as you. I went to the MD Friday and after trying for 18 months to loose wieght we desided I should have a revision. Something we have been talking about for a year although he wishes I would keep trying to make the band work. I have a choice but the revision is already approved. :think

I am just torn about my options. I asked for the Duodenal Switch and he thought I would have a lot of problems... long term and suggested the Gastric bypass and then we talked about the sleeve. I am scheduled for August 15 at 7 am. I am afraid if I do not do the bypass piece I might regret it. Yet, I weigh 242 most days and he thinks no matter what I do I will loose 60-70 pounds which is okay for me.

It was hard because I wanted him to take the Fluid out of the band so I could eat but the last time we did that I gained 20 pounds. He would like me to keep trying and talked about only taking a small amount of saline out and that we might hit the magic spot. I agreed because unless I wanted the band removed and no more wls he was clear loosing more weight would be ideal and that gaining so was not an option.

I ended up falling apart after the appointment. I don't cry often but today I did. I am so disappointed that the band did not work for me and that I have struggled so hard with only lost 60 pounds. Now, I will face another surgery. I am torn about which one. I am so tired and I feel so discouraged most of the time but I will move forward. The doctor suggested I might be consuming more calories than I think. I offered to write it all down and let him take a look next time we meet. It seems the story of my life is someone saying are you sure your not eating more...are you exercising.... He was nice about it but it was hard for me.

So for me I am facing surgery a week before school starts for my two girls and then my son goes a week later to preschool. The timing is a bit off but I am really tired of not eating and not loosing weight. We were going to put it off until they were settled in but not eating is really shoving me over the edge.

If I am going to suffer I should at least be loosing weight. It is so funny because I am doing all this so I can get a hip replacement. I just want to feel better and be better for my family. I want a better quailty of life.

Take care,

Taylorrae9

I am doing Jenny Craig since I had my band taken out and I am loving it. The food is delicious and I don't feel deprived at all. I am one who didn't want to have to deal with the hanging flesh that rapid losing causes because I have chronic intractable pain. When I have to have any surgery, plastic or otherwise, the drs have a hard time controlling my post op pain. I see how miserable a few of my friends are who have the bypass. They try every food to see if they can have it without having dumping. Is that how you want to live the rest of your life? I certainly don't. I made up my mind that Jenny Craig is going to be the last plan I do. I made a rather hefty investment in being a lifetime member and I have lost 8 lbs in 3 wks with the setback of my incisional infection. I am on the mend now and feeling great. Good luck in what ever you do. Karel

I am doing Jenny Craig since I had my band taken out and I am loving it. The food is delicious and I don't feel deprived at all. I am one who didn't want to have to deal with the hanging flesh that rapid losing causes because I have chronic intractable pain. When I have to have any surgery, plastic or otherwise, the drs have a hard time controlling my post op pain. I see how miserable a few of my friends are who have the bypass. They try every food to see if they can have it without having dumping. Is that how you want to live the rest of your life? I certainly don't. I made up my mind that Jenny Craig is going to be the last plan I do. I made a rather hefty investment in being a lifetime member and I have lost 8 lbs in 3 wks with the setback of my incisional infection. I am on the mend now and feeling great. Good luck in what ever you do. Karel

Just adding that the DS does not cause dumping. More poop every morning, for sure...but not dumping.

Is that how you want to live the rest of your life? I certainly don't.

I'd rather live it that way than obese.

I don't dump. I have a DS.

Hi Karel,

I'm sorry to hear that you had to have your band taken out, but I totally understand. May I ask when you were banded? When did you start having problems.

I'm having problems even just a couple months after banding, and I'm considering having my band removed. I'm in pain everyday and I just can't live on mushed up or liquid food the rest of my life. This is no life to live.

Cathy in Arkansas

Ok, an update, my band is out and the surgery was much easier than the surgery to put it in. I feel so much better to be able to swallow and enjoy my food. For now I doing Weight Watchers on my own, but mom is going to join L A Weight Loss soon, and if she finds it successful I will probably join also.