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Ten years with the Lap Band

deelooka

By deelooka, in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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deelooka    0

deelooka
Posted

Hi,

This is my first post, and I have a good reason to now. It was ten years ago today when I got the Lap Band. I was 23 years old, 221 pounds, and barely 5'1 when I became a candidate thanks to Dr. Greenstein at Mt. Sinai.

It was truly unchartered territory. But on that day not only did I meet a woman who was featured on Dateline NBC's report on the Lap Band, but my future doctor was making rounds w/ Dr. Greenstein on my surgery day. Also, I was part of the FDA study which gave the Lap Band its seal of approval. Who know I'd be a part of medical history?

As most of you know, this procedure is lifechanging in ways never imagined. I'm lucky to have this, and for those who have it for ten years or ten days, there's no need to go into detail. You already know how I feel. :whoo:

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deelooka    0

deelooka
Posted

Thank you. I forgot to mention that I've lost 76 pounds, even with a revision in 2004. I never thought I'd get to a point when the weight loss wasn't the first thing I reported on.

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wanabthin    0

wanabthin
Posted

Wow! Congratulations. Are you willing to share more with us pre banders? Any regrets? Worst thing about the band? Best advice you would give to someone else? I just don't think I 've seen anyone else around here that has been banded for that long and I feel there is so much you have to offer.

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deelooka    0

deelooka
Posted

Three things stick out:

Don't stress the pre/post-op diet. It sounds daunting at first, but it's best to follow it as closely as you can to prepare you for the band. After surgery, food will the furthest thing from your mind. It'll get frustrating due to the limited choices especially if you're on liquids for an amount of time, but stick with it.

Find support. This was tough for me. Family and friends mean well, but they truly don't know what it's like unless they have it. But I can't say that I was satisfied with some of the Lap Band support groups I went to. When there was talk about spray-on olive oil vs. pouring it into the pan and nothing about how people were feeling post-op, I stopped going. No one mentions how everything you once knew will change, and how the physical does change the mental and emotional aspects as well. Therapy will help your process.

And, you might have heard this before, but eat slowly.

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deelooka    0

deelooka
Posted

A word of advice: DO NOT PICK UP ANYTHING HEAVY POST-OP.

It may seem silly, but I didn't follow that advice when I was at work a week after surgery and picked up a box. I didn't think it was odd, and didn't feel anything. But my weight loss slowed down a year or so later and I got acid reflux. When I switched doctors in 2003, the new doc found that I had a hiatial hernia, which moved the Band and complicated my weight loss.

I had a revision done in 2004, and fixed the hernia as well.

I didn't mean to scare you, but felt like I had to warn you about the only downside of the Lap Band. That complication was my fault, not the doc or the Band's.

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pjanes54    0

pjanes54
Posted

Thank you for posting! How very brave and courageous of you to take part in the surgery when you did! AND to have done so well with your weight loss. Are there other brave souls that were involved with the study and how have they fared? Again, thank you for forging the way as a WLS pioneer. Admirable feat!

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jsrico    1

jsrico
Posted

Happy 10 year Band Anniversary!! You are a ture inspiration to all of here!! Congrats on all your success!!!

Sandra

255h/242s/210c/165g

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DebLPN    0

DebLPN
Posted

How great to hear from someone with so much time banded! Glad you shared your anniversary!! I've wondered if there were any different issues with those banded for a long time, but haven't noticed anyone with 10 years behind them before. Thanks for blazing the way!!

banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

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Alexandra    55

Alexandra
Posted

Wow, thank you so much for coming here and sharing your anniversary with us. It's great to hear from someone with such long-term experience!!

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Esmeralda    2

Esmeralda
Posted

It feels good to here about someone with the band for so long, especially since lately alot of people have been worrying more and more about slippage and erosion. Why did you have to have a revision??? Are you at your goal??? What was you start weight and you current weight??? Sorry so many questions.

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Go To Topic Listing LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • KimBaxleyWilson

      KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.

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