I would like to talk to anyone who has had their band removed and been able to keep the weight they lost off.

My journey with this band has opened my eyes to something I would never have believed was happening in the USA. I am appalled at the some of the medical community in my area and the attitude of the insurance companies towards Lap Band Surgery. I don't think the area I live in, is at a point where I want to involve my health any more in pursuing WLS. I can almost undertand insurance not wanting to help with this at this point but what I can not understand is that they are so unwilling to help someone who needs medical attention but because it is band related they wash their hands of you. Why is my life worth saving if I am fat with a bunch of medical conditions but not worth saving if I have WLS???? Why do they now advertise it so much on TV then.

There is not enough space here to describe the encounters I have had with the gastro doctor I have been dealing with. Maybe it is just him but let's just say that I am not sure if it is the fact that I had this done in Mexico that has made him so unbelievably callus and uncaring for the health issues I am experiencing or if it is WLS in gerneral that he has a problem with, but he has (and his nurse I might add) pretty much told me without actually saying it that he wants nothing to do with me because of this band. I really wish I had taped some of the conversations I had with his nurse on the phone and with him at the few visits he has allowed me in his office. This on top of the unfortunate problems the lap band is causing me has sent me over the edge. I'm afraid because I live in this area with these attitudes about WLS, another kind of surgery would cause me to be so emotionally fragile that I would have problems with it no matter how safe or secure the surgery was.

I don't mean to scare anyone but really I would make sure I had support from local doctors if I were to ever do something like this again. You can have all the money and insurance you need but without support from a doctor I doubt it will mean much.

I was 110 pounds over weight in a 5'2" frame and had sleep apnea, fallen arches, border line high blood pressure and was just waiting to get diabetes which runs in my family. I had tried every diet, every pill, therapy etc and nothing helped. I felt disabled in the body I had. I want to think I live in a world where no matter what the reason I am fat or am medically suffering is, that there is help for me. I am not sure that world exists.

All that said I apologize for the long post again. I do have a couple of options at this point thanks to the good Dr. Curry who saw my original post on this sight and who deserves all the praise I can give him for being a good and decent doctor who is truly concerned about people, and my Mexican doctor, Dr. Pedro Kuri. I am hanging in here but know that this is not over yet. It may financially break me and I may lose my job but I am praying for the courage and strength to make it through.

All of you that were unfortunate enough to have similar problems, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your input, concern and understanding, and want you to know that you are all in my prayers. To those of you who are not having problems or just thinking of WLS let me say that I wish you all the best and feel you deserve and should expect the best life has to offer and the compassion and understanding from all human life on this planet. We have a crisis going on in this world of obesity. We are the pioneers that are needed for change and understanding for future generations. What we are doing is important not only to our own lives but to other lives as well. Be brave and perservere!

For those of you who have mild complications I feel I should explain mine so you don't get confused between what is going on with you in comparison to me which is leading me to band removal..... I seem to have all of them and most people on here just seem to have one or two........they are not listed in any order....

1. Gurgling sounds. Loud and embarrassing sometimes after just a sip of Water.

2. Shoulder pain in the center but more to the left. It is so bad some days that it radiates down my left arm. Very distracting. It comes and goes. Last episode has lasted 3 days on and off.

3. Extremely tired and need at least 12 hours sleep a night to remain calm enough to handle the day. When I don't get sleep I cry constantly and feel so lonely and unsupported. With sleep I seem to be stronger and more stable.

4. Foggy head and poor concentration. I forget what I just did. Constantly doing things 2 or 3 times because I am not sure if I just did it or not. When people are talking to me for moments at a time I am fully aware that I not comprehending one word they are saying. I get very anxious and have to pull myself back in order to make sense of the words that I am hearing.

5.Can't eat vegetables, fruit or meat. Causes golf balls in the throat feeling and sliming and nausea. I used to vomit with it once in a while. Fortunately have not vomited since a case of stomach flu in early March after which my symptoms reacurred and have slowly gotten worse but before which were fairly decent. Not great but tolerable. Last October before I had the band unfilled they were bad like they are now but relieved from complete band unfill. I don't eat enough now to vomit I think.

6. Resigned to soft foods only. Once in a while I can eat something and not have problems. It is so sporadic that I feel it is no longer worth it to even try. There is just no way to tell before hand, if it will go down or not. I am afraid of further damaging my esophagus.

7. Sore throat. I have an on again off again sore throat since May of 2006. I can get it several times a day or have it constantly for days on end. I have white Patches in my throat all the time. My reg. doctor told me they were common. Not pussy like strep but just some sort of whitish/yellowish something they call a stone. I did have strep twice when I first started seeing doctors in June of 2006 however.

8. Have been running a low grade temp 99.2 - 99.8 off and on since March 5th after the stomach flu and vomiting several times.

I should say that I am taking a Tramadol almost every day now and sometimes two. On days I feel better I don't take any but those days seem to be fewer. I am sure that contributes to my memory problems. I am working week day mornings right now and I NEVER take it before or at work. I do not want to be driving while I take tramadol. I am very strict about that.

I also think that by now I am pretty mal nourished. Blood tests done on March 22 in the ER (thats another story about the rotten doctor I have)

seemed to show nothing that concerned them. I'm not sure how they diagnose mal nutrition. But I think it may be what causes the memory and foggy head thing also.

I also should point out that I smoke. I know! Strike me dead! Please no lectures. I have heard them all many times. In March after the flu episode I started on a drug called Chantix to quit smoking it was working fantastically but it caused horrible gas. I lasted almost 3 weeks and had to quit it because I was suffering so badly on top of what was already going on. Immediately I felt a difference in the gas I had but my other symptoms continued to worsen and within a couple of weeks I was smoking again. Try to understand that stress is a trigger for addicted smokers. I just hate admitting that I smoke. But I owe you that addmission in case it could be a contributing factor. As soon as I get better I will quit once and for all with Chantix. Try not to blast me for smoking. That is for another board. I know I should quit especially after having a band. I quit before I had the band placed and started back up several months later and quit since then about 4 times.

And if you are still reading this ( I don't blame you if you aren't because it is so long again.)......... But when I read what I posted early today I was embarrassed. I am not going to read this one. Believe it or not I am usually a very shy and private person. I am not usually so vocal but this situation I have found myself in seems to have alienated me from not only doctors but friends and family at one time or another. I often feel no one is listening to me. They are as sick of me being sick as I am. Don't blame them. I don't know why I am blabbing so much today except that I woke up this morning and went right to the computer and started writing. Something I never do on a Saturday. I must be going crazy.

I also get this mid section discomfort and I have had that off and on since the very beginning of being banded but not as often as now. My whole mid section aches and feels like I have bruised ribs and organs. I have started wearing a sports bra that makes me look like a uni-boob and I am very self conscious of that. But it does help. I have to wear it when I work because an under wire bra will start this dicomfort and get bad after about two hours. I am busty and my boobs hang to my waist from all the weight loss.

blushing.........

Wow, you sound like you have been through a lot. On a positive, congrats on the weight loss you have had. Looks like 65 lbs....wow! I hope you feel better soon and can find a dr that will be able to help you in what ever direction you go with you weight goal plans.

You dont necessarily need a "band doctor" right now. What does your general MD say about all this. He should be able to run routine blood work and do a physical to see if there is anything contributing to your issues that can be easliy remedied. (like gallbladder, or vitamin deficiencies) I was thinking that extreme stress can cause the forgetfulness you mention, your general MD might even be able to help with that, if that is indeed and issue. If your regular doc is one of the ones that is not being helpful,,,,find a new doctor. I hope you find some relief.