Had my visit with Dr. Billy yesterday. By the way I have gained 30 lbs since I was disbanded in Dec 2005. UGH!! OY VEY!! I now weigh 270.

Anyway, we discussed my options both surgical and non-surgical.

He said he would be afraid to attempt another band in me for several reasons. Mainly due to previous scaring from the first band and if this one erodes too that limits my options to other surgeries.

He wouldn't suggest the Duodenal Switch for me since I don't need to lose that much weight. And I don't like the malabsorption with that surgery either.

He said I am one of FEW patients he would even consider doing the Gastric Sleeve on.

For the most part he thinks I should research and discuss the Bypass with my family. He wasn't pushing any ONE surgery he was giving me all the options and the drawbacks to each surgery. I asked him to give me his opinion as to which one I would benefit most from. He suggest the Bypass then. He also gave me a 6 page list of patients both bypass and lapband that are willing to talk to potential patients. So I am going to start emailing some of the bypass people and get some input from them.

He seems very confident that I would benefit more from the bypass as opposed to the sleeve. So I have some research and decisions to make. I go back to see him in 6 weeks. I might not have a decision made then either. I gotta think about this some more.

I just know that I can't continue like I am. I am only 28 lbs away from where I started just before being banded. THAT SUCKS!!!

any updates? i was so frustrated after gaining 20 pounds in the first three months after having my band removed, i was ready for any re-routing, stapling, removing -- or whatever they might want to do to my body to get the weight loss bus moving again...

then i realized -- i've ALREADY been through enough with my band surgeries. (in, revision, out). i know what to do and how to do this...i need to at least give it a try.

i've been exercising 5-6 week and limiting carbs. i quickly lost five pounds...after that i've averaged only one-half of a pound a week....if that's not discouraging, i don't know what is... no wonder we all quit! but i persevere and the good news is, while some weeks i stay stuck, my downward trend continues.. AND, what's great is this weight, because i'm doing it in a more healthy way -- doesn't come right back on if i stray for a day or two...and all the band weight would come right back...

i still have a long way to go -- want to lose another 50 pounds. went to my nutritionist recently complaining about the slowness...she said, "what's your rush." that kind of made me think.

and, one final thing... i have to say the 10+ pounds I've lost somehow seems like so much more of a victory than some of my band weight lost. NOT to take away from the effort that's required to make the band work.

SO...if you decide not to go the surgical route, as of today, remember you DO have it in you to manage the weight! Don't forget that.

Good luck!

Elizabeth

banded 08-28-03

revised 03-10-05

removed 03-13-06

Hi Penny,

before you do anything, I would love you to talk (email?) with my doc, Professor Obrien in Australia. He was truely surprised when I told him of all the band removals that are going on O.S. (that I read about here).

Just recently I also had a slip, and before the operation I asked what the chances were of not being able to replace my band. He sort of laughed & said, only once (out of 100`s) could he not progress with replacing a band due to complications. He did not view the scarring as an obstical to him being able to replace it.

Also, there is a brand new band called the AV. It is much kinder on the stomach apparantly. I just got this one myself a week ago, havent road tested it yet!

You have been so helpful to others, you deserve the best solution possible. Proffessor Obrien also does much research on obesity etc, and no doubt would be very interested in your delemer. It wouldnt cost to try.

Good luck, Sharon

Curley: Thank you for the suggestion of speaking to your doc in Australia. IT does sound encouraging but the same issue with the insurance is a factor to consider. If the insurance doesn't cover the cost then I can't get anything done. I do appreciate the suggestion. I really do.

Sunta: WOW!! Thank you for the compliment from your husband. That actually made me cry.

I am still struggling and working on it everyday. I am doing some soul searching right now and doing some internal work related and unrelated to my weight issues. Hopefully I will come to some epiphany during this process. LOL!!

I appreciate all the support and kindness shown to me during this time in my life. This weight loss struggle is no joke and is such a battle for me as I am sure it is for others as well. Emotionally it has been a rollercoaster. Just when I think I have hit the top and ready for success I plunge down the spiral and hit bottom all over again. Just when I think it can't get any worse something happens to bring me down again and to question myself.

Anyway, we are all walking this journey in our own way and in our own time. I am one that likes instant gratification, guess that is one reason why my weight loss is on the upswing instead of down. LOL!!!

Thank you all again for the support and encouragment.

I will keep you posted.

Penny,

I am in the midst of making the decision b/t lapband and bypass. Please email me and let me know what you find out about bypass vs. lapband.

Thanks,

Linda

Penny,

I am in the midst of making the decision b/t lapband and bypass. Please email me and let me know what you find out about bypass vs. lapband.

Thanks,

Linda

Hi Linda! I'm having a revision from Lapband to RNY. I can't recommend Lapband to anyone - but I have had terrible trouble with it - slip, unfill - try again, slip again - this one severe. There's lots of information out there on the differences between the two. I think what strikes me the most is a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence - that put up a Myths and Facts site about the differences. It was great. Let me know if you would like the link.

Kit:)

I think what strikes me the most is a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence - that put up a Myths and Facts site about the differences. It was great. Let me know if you would like the link.

Kit:)

Could you send it my way also Kit?

I'm another looking at a revision. Have to do SOMETHING.

I can't believe I'm back up exactly where I was when I got banded 8/05.

The hopelessness is suffocating.

I haven't seen any Penni updates. Are there some threads I'm missing? Did she disappear along w/ LaMadam & Vines?

Kare

Please just drop the idea. The lap band process is SO dangerous. To make a VERY long story short, I was in a coma for four months and had last rites read to me three times. I am just grateful to be alive after all this lap band business.

Please reconsider. Too many people are dying from this procedure, but we don't hear about all the complications.

I sure agree - I think the Lapband is one of the worst things I have ever done to myself!

Here's the link from the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence at the University of Idaho.

Laparoscopic RNY Gastric Bypass vs LAP-BAND

I sure agree - I think the Lapband is one of the worst things I have ever done to myself!

Ditto. What a shame those who have had bad experiences get jumped on if they try to speak up in some of the threads searching newbies start. I do understand when that happens because I didn't really want to hear negative things when the lapband was my big hope--but now that it's my big $8,000 failure I wish I had seen more warning on this board. In fact, 3 years ago I don't think there even was a subhead for Complications or Life after Removal.

What a shame that as time goes on there are likely to be more and more threads on those sections.

Thank you for the link.

Kare

Charleston & Kare,

Thank you for your support. It has been a nightmare, both physically and financially. It's hard to tell people not to do it when they are so excited and optimistic about lap band surgery. I was optimistic too, at one time. We never think that the supposedly-low percentage of "complications" will happen to us. However, I don't know that my complications are in any statistic. I've never been interviewed. There was no real follow-up once I was sent home in a wheelchair.

I'll check out the website that you sent.

Thank you,

--Ann

Ann, I'm sorry if I missed a thread somewhere, but can you explain what exactly happened to you? That sounds like the most severe bout of complications I have ever heard, and I'd love to hear more about it. What was your doctor's assessment? What did they say went wrong? How did you end up in the ICU, especially? I mean, even the very worst cases, band removal is pretty simple. What happened?

Oh, and for what it's worth, the statistics come from the doctors reporting their results. There are all sorts of procedures for that, which almost never involve interviewing the patients.

I didn't go into detail about my story, but... if you want to hear a bit of it... I had a lap band inserted at noon, by midnight (still in the hospital) I had a fever of 106 degrees. The next day they removed the band. Apparently, there was an esophageal tear (note the passive voice to the verb "was"). No one would admit how or why the tear happened. Apparently, it just "happened." I weighed 240 at 5'8" so I wasn't one of the more high-risk patients, but I did have a hiatal hernia, which the doctor did not repair during the surgery. He told me that the lap band would repair the hernia in time. Anyway, I developed sepsis, jaundice, my lungs collapsed, I had blood transfusions 3 times, I was in the hospital for a total of 4 months. I was in a drug-induced coma twice and in the ICU for a total of 2 months, in a nursing home (at age 50) for 10 days, then sent back to ICU. Anyway, it was a nightmare. It's a much longer story than this, but if I were to go into detail, I'd have to write a book. I'm glad that your surgery went better than mine. I am not trying to scare anyone, I just want to warn everyone, that this surgery is VERY dangerous. BTW, I tried to sue my doctor, but the statute of limitations went by very quickly. Remember 4 months of the two-year period I was still in the hospital... For another 6 months of that two-year period, I was trying to learn how to roll over, stand, take a shower on my own, read again, and think and speak. I was trying to survive. I didn't have the time or the wits to sue at the time. I did talk to an attorney, but the statute of limitations ran by very quickly and we could not find a doctor who would speak out against my doctor... you know how they say it's a very tight brotherhood.

Annabeyta: I am so sorry to hear you had such a difficult time with your surgery. That is just awful and I feel for you. I hope things are better for you now.

Thank you, Penni. I am not trying to spew horror stories or create more confusion at a time when difficult choices must be made. Personally, I have gone back to work and I am much stronger than I was a year ago. I'm getting better all the time; it's just a slow process (much slower than I would prefer for it to be).

Thank you for your support. I send my blessings toward you and yours as well.

Sincerely,

Ann