May 2007 Banders

[Melissa S 1]

Hi all!

Been quite a while since I've been on here... Was doing well with the weight loss... Even started running! Then I suffered a back injury... Had surgery 3.5 weeks ago. The back issue lead to depression which lead to more weight gain... And so on.... Hoping the surgery was a success so I can get back on the right track!

[4RE4ME 1]

Wow. May 2007 has come alive today. Sorry to see so many are struggling. I had my band revised to a sleve in March 2010. Soooo much better. Same restriction 24/7. Much quicker learning curve. I hope all works out for all but if you are considering a revision I can tell you it was the right decision for me.

[keiko 1]

Wow,

I haven't been on this site in quite some time, but I'm glad that I received the email alert.

I am so sorry, soulful Grandma and NimbleBean, that you have had so many problems. While I have not lost the amount of weight that I wanted, I have lost about 70 lbs. In May and August of 2010 I had both my knees replaced, and feel that I have received a new life. I had been in pain and unable to walk well for a couple of years, so the knee surgery was a godsend. Since knee surgery I have plateaued, which I find very strange, because ever since my knee surgery I have been exercising religiously and watching what I eat, so that I can remain healthy and limber. I exercise much more regularly and completely than I ever did after lapband surgery, so I can't say that exercise is the answer. Lady Lana, I'm glad this has worked for you.

Soulful Grandma and NimbleBean, unfortunately I have no great words of wisdom for you, except to say that after lapband surgery I did change my eating habits out of necessity, not from any great desire. I can no longer eat rice, and have very little refined carbs such as bread, as I get terrible stomach pains which can last for hours if I don't force myself to throw up and get rid of the offendiing food. I also eat a lot more fish now, and I can't say that that was by willpower, I just find myself choosing fish A LOT, since I digest it so easily.

I, too, have to ask how someone knows their lapband has slipped. If anyone has an answer, please let me know.

I will keep you both in my prayers, and would love to know how any other May 2007 lapbanders are doing.

Keiko

[NimbleBean 2]

Lana and Grandma,

Thanks for the wonderfully supportive words. They mean so much to me.

Apparently, band slippages feel different for everyone. Mine was a couple of days of pain under my left rib cage. I thought I had pulled a muscle or something because I could still eat with no PBing. That started Tuesday, and each subsequent day the pain was less. Friday evening, I went to the store and while walking around, I had this intense, crampy pain all across my abdomen and I was feeling very bloated. Again, I passed it off as 'maybe I'm just stuck from lunch.' When I got in the car, the pain completely went away. Went home, had supper with no problem. At 11:30 pm, just when I was getting ready for bed, the same discomfort came over me. I couldn't really lay on my back, side or stomach for very long. Standing provided a bit of relief, kneeling on the floor with my head also on the floor helped a bit. I was starting to think kidney stones, but the pain wasn't sharp and acute as I remember my Dad having during his bout with kidney stones. Anyway, after 5 hours of this (yea, I'm a glutton for it!), I called a friend to take me to the ER. The CT scan showed a distended stomach above the band. Someone from my surgeon's office came in and completely unfilled me (after 6 pokes and some wiggling - don't get me started!). The unfill and some Dilaudid really made me feel better. I don't have pain now and am going for an Upper GI on Thursday morning, seeing surgeon in pm.

I do exercise. But I am always hungry. And it's not boredom, depression, etc. I never feel satiated. I can eat some fish, almost no chicken, no pork, no beef unless it's ground (but not burgers). eggs are hit or miss. Beans work, but good God, how many can a person eat?! I can only eat 1/2 container of yogurt in the morning, lunch is usually a salad and by dinner, I'm famished and I can eat well more than 1 cup's worth of food. I work a job where I cannot stop to eat 6 small meals. And, as I mentioned, the foods that would satisfy me just won't stay down - no matter how much chewing I do. So, I end up eating around the band. I've only had 1.5ccs in the band, so I certainly am not too tight.

None of this is to excuse myself or my shortcomings. I certainly feel much, much, much better than I did when I was 305 lbs (I'm now 245), but I hoped for so much more. I'll never be skinny and frankly, I don't want to be, but I would like to be under 200 lbs. I'm 48 years old and am beginning to feel I will never achieve this goal. My anger and frustration at myself has really been the major hindrance to my success. For the first time in my life, I feel like a loser, and not the kind of loser I want to be!

[Manatee 3]

Nimbleban,

I too had a sleeve revision after the band slipped. If you can in any way make that happen I would strongly recommend it. It's just a volume restriction without the absorption issues of the bypass.

See my blog for all the good and bad.

[NimbleBean 2]

Nimbleban,

I too had a sleeve revision after the band slipped. If you can in any way make that happen I would strongly recommend it. It's just a volume restriction without the absorption issues of the bypass.

See my blog for all the good and bad.

Manatee,

So nice to see some familiar names here. Sorry that you went through such trouble, but really glad to hear that the sleeve is working for you. Unfortunately, my insurance will not pay for revision to the sleeve. They consider it experimental. Am going to have a long, frank discussion with my doc on Thursday. Maybe this slippage was just the kick in the ass I needed.

NimbleBean

[violeteyes37 0]

Hello Everyone

Its been a long time. I got an email alert that there was some new post. Im in the same boat as some of the others. At this point I have gained back about 40 lbs of the 110 lost. Im happy that I havent gained it all back but still very ashamed of the weight I have gained. I cant believe that I was given such an amazing opportunity and now Im throwing it all away. I cant blame the band for any of the weight gain. My band does the job it is suppose to. The problem is with me. I eat and throw up on a constant basis or just eat stuff that I know I shouldnt, not to mention the alcohol consumption. I didnt know that after all of this time that our band could still slip Nimblebean Im sorry to hear this has happened to you and wish you the best of luck. Maybe we all can start supporting each other like we use to do in the good old days when we were just starting on this adventure and had the motivation and desire to make it work.

[Devera 1]

As others have said it is great to see our '07 group back on the board. I had thought that maybe because I hadn't been "on" for awhile that I was just out of the loop. Glad to have a thread going. We do need the support. So sorry to hear that many have been having problems. I hit a major stop and only seem to be able to move the scale up 2 then down 1, up 1/2, then down 2, then up 3, so basically about the same only at this point have to admit to up 6 from my low for the last year. I have started back exercising and I think that should help, if I just showed more restraint. Ice cream usually always goes down! meats, not so much. I still have the problem with fainting with my vegus nerve when I eat sometimes, so I have to be particularly careful. BUT, I feel so much better than I did for years, and feel blessed to have the band that did help me lose nearly 90lbs. I hope that nothing happens to my band. I don't want to even think about life without it, I would opt for the sleeve for sure. More and more insurances are going to start covering it soon I hope. Good luck to everyone, and let's try to keep in touch!

[JennyC724 15]

Wow, hello fellow May 07 Lapbanders!!! I was one of you! Unfortunately, I had many issues with my band. I did lost 80 pounds (still had 40 to go) but my band broke and I had to have surgery to repair it in 08. Then I started having really strange symptoms in 10/09, at first I thought it was Lyme Disease. Joint pain, mental changes, severe exhaustion... it was terrible and it went on for almost a year. I went to dozens of doctor's appointments and has MRIs of my brain, colonoscopies, all kinds of testing... It was terrible. Then, I found out my lapband broke again in 9/10 and I had it removed. I was sad to see it go but I felt 100% better within 3 days and I'm totally normal again without it. I guess I had a strange silicone reaction that was sort of immune mediated and it made me really sick!!!!! II was doing fine without it but in the past 6 weeks, I have suddenly gained 10- pounds and I feel like I'm eating like I used to before the band. I'm scared because I feel like I'm going to get to 300 pounds again.... I would have revised to something else when I had the band out but I was SO SICK that I just wanted the band GONE and didn't think about what would happen afterwards! Now, I wish I had a sleeve or even a RNY or SOMETHING...

So that's my story. Not the greatest but I don't regret my band even with the illness it caused me, and I do kinda miss it!!!

Jennifer

[Tamjpjb 1]

How were the CMAs?

Obviously I meant the ACM's . lol. Last night. They were great! I had a blast. Sat 9th row back center stage on the right aisle. FANTASTIC show. Even got air time after the Brad Paisley performance. I was on TV. Totally cool. Thanks for asking. :-)

Tami

[hoosierpoms 0]

Hello everyone.....I, just like most had my struggles with my band, but it has been a tool for me that I am still learning to use to my advantage.

I had done very well at the start in 2007/2008....than in 2009 we had a family issue and my mom was hospitilized for over 3.5 months. Being back in my hometown with all the comfort food of home got the best of me.

A good friend got me back on board last summer and I went back to my doctor....got real, got weighed, and got a adjustment.

I have since started biking and hiking more, and am getting close to my doctor and mine goal.....

My biggest challenge has always been gaining during the winter, so we hiked in snow, and rode when we could both inside and out.

Mountain biking has really got me energized...loving the challenge, and excited for the scenery.

Everyone on this site has always been great and supportive of one another, and it is nice to know I can still check in and say hello...

Keep up the good work everyone...band or no band....we can do this....

Traci

Obviously I meant the ACM's . lol. Last night. They were great! I had a blast. Sat 9th row back center stage on the right aisle. FANTASTIC show. Even got air time after the Brad Paisley performance. I was on TV. Totally cool. Thanks for asking. :-)

Tami

[SillyWillyMommy 2]

Hello everyone.....I, just like most had my struggles with my band, but it has been a tool for me that I am still learning to use to my advantage.

I had done very well at the start in 2007/2008....than in 2009 we had a family issue and my mom was hospitilized for over 3.5 months. Being back in my hometown with all the comfort food of home got the best of me.

A good friend got me back on board last summer and I went back to my doctor....got real, got weighed, and got a adjustment.

I have since started biking and hiking more, and am getting close to my doctor and mine goal.....

My biggest challenge has always been gaining during the winter, so we hiked in snow, and rode when we could both inside and out.

Mountain biking has really got me energized...loving the challenge, and excited for the scenery.

Everyone on this site has always been great and supportive of one another, and it is nice to know I can still check in and say hello...

Keep up the good work everyone...band or no band....we can do this....

Traci

Similar story here ( I am back to what I was pre-band. This is discouraging.

[jobyone1 0]

Gosh I just started getting these to my e-mail box after over a year! I'm so glad to hear from all of you. I had to have my band removed in January 2009 because it slipped. I immediately gained weight. I have been on and off diets ever since and regained ALL of my weight. I am so sad. I went to Dr. Ortiz and they removed it and told me I have to wait a year or so but since then I have been trying - unsuccessfully - on my own. I go up and down. Sometimes I feel like I can do it and I lose weight, other times I feel like I need to get surgery again and I gain. I have been looking in to having the sleeve surgery. Anyone have success with that? I'm not heavy enough for my insurance to cover so I would be self-pay. Any info on it and surgeons would be so greatly appreciated!!!

[jobyone1 0]

Wow. May 2007 has come alive today. Sorry to see so many are struggling. I had my band revised to a sleve in March 2010. Soooo much better. Same restriction 24/7. Much quicker learning curve. I hope all works out for all but if you are considering a revision I can tell you it was the right decision for me.

I see you're a Phillies fan as well! I hope it's a great season! Please tell me more about the sleeve. I had to have my band removed and I"m struggling ever since but so afraid of another surgery.

[4RE4ME 1]

I see you're a Phillies fan as well! I hope it's a great season! Please tell me more about the sleeve. I had to have my band removed and I"m struggling ever since but so afraid of another surgery.

I found the sleeve to be so much more predictable. There at=re never tight days, loose days, nor heartburn. I have adapted well to the new "design" as it seems to remain the same day in and out. I would strongly recommend it especially after all the effort you went through with the band.

As we say in Philly, Keep the Phaith!!