I am 32yrs old 373 pounds and have not enjoyed life need help and change

[BrandonHF 0]

Hello everyone here is my story and questions and concerns about the lap band thank you for listening and hopefully guiding me through a life altering decision.

Well, first my name is Brandon I reside in Ohio.I have psychiatric issue's such as severe social anxiety, general anxiety, and OCD but not the typical OCD mine is in my head, I often obsess about the bad things that have happened in my life and it usually puts me in a severe depression this started in my early 20's. But as time went on I can deal with it much better where I can still function at a high level.

But as of right now I just basically suffer from a very low self-esteem! I am a very big guy and unfortunately, the weight sits in the worst places possible I have a very fat face lol, and when I go out I get the stares and teasing which I have gotten accustomed to over the years but deep down it stings. I gained tons of weight when I started taking psych meds such as Risperdal, Zyprexa, and just about every other medicine in the book but as of the last 2 years I have been pretty stable I guess as you get older you just gain a piece of mind.

So here is where I am currently at I had doctors visit maybe 3 weeks ago for a check up about High blood pressure and diabetes, The doctor told me with my current weight and health conditions I only have another 30 years on this earth. He suggested lap band surgery and asked me If I wanted to schedule an appointment with a surgeon I told him no because I have read so many horror stories about the lap band and one friend I know ate through his lap band and is looking for alternative surgery to get his weight off. but as I fall deeper into my weight problems I have had a change of mind.

But my biggest problem is food consumption I can walk on the treadmill for 3 miles use the elliptical for 60 minutes, but I cancel it all out with night time beer and food binges! if there is a way where I didn't feel hungry in early am hours and binge I would be ok.I need help in this department and my thoughts are if the lap band makes you feel full and satisfied quicker that would be a plus because after a whole day of 1-2 meals and walk for a few miles all hell breaks loose in the night.

So my questions are

1.Do you still feel hunger with the lap band after you maxed out your calorie consumption for the day?

2.Just how much can you eat with the lap band my friend who has the lap band which has failed him seems to have the same eating habits he had before the lap band even when he first started it with it.

3.What can go wrong with lap band I have read stories where people say it was the worst decision of their life, they can't even keep Water down and they want the lap band off as soon as possible.

4.What is the pain level like before and after surgery? also how many days do you stay in the hospital before you go home?

5.Just basically is it worth the risk? I'm 100% sure if the lap band can make me not hungry after my set caloric consumption for the day I can lift weights cardio and do all the things to make the band work for me to the fullest potential it is just hunger and binge eating I can't control if the band can alleviate that I'm good to go.

Thank you all sincerely for listening

Brandon

[weneebug 88]

Welcome Brandon! I know this is a huge decision for you and I wish you the best on your journey. Like you I gained a lot of my weight from depression meds....probably 50 lbs in about 3 months and after that I gave up on myself and gradually kept gaining. I started my journey at 228 back in October, 2016. It has been a very slow process but I would do it over again if I had to, in fact I really wish I had done it sooner. I have not had a drastic weight loss but have lost 30 pounds (198 now...hey 100's). To be honest...I don't count calories at all. I eat 2 meals a day and eat the same thing my family eats just less of it. I do have to change mine up sometimes if there is bread involved because I don't tolerate bread. I too also have an evening drink or too on a daily basis. I know many people on here do count calories and loose a lot faster than me but this works for me. I also work out several times a week. I have a 14CC band and have 6.5CC in it. I go back in May for another fill and should be in my green zone at that point (I hope). I probably eat 1/4 to 1/3 of what I use too. The main issue that I have ran into with the band is making sure that I chew everything well. I find myself forgetting sometimes and I will have a stuck episode and vomit. As time goes on its getting better and better though. I really don't have the hunger that I did before. I can usually make it to the next meal before getting hungry. At first it was hard to deal with the head hunger (where your body is not hungry but you think about food) but that has also gotten better. Not sure that I have answered everything but hope this helps! Good luck!

[timberlands 11]

Do some research every surgeon I spoke to about the weight loss surgery s gate the bands. The slip or just are not as successful. I can't tell you what to do but I'll tell you what I did after research. I just had the sleeve done April 3rd. I was type 2 diabetic, insomniac, snorer, Ptsd, ocd, chronic pain, fybermalgia, and worse still fatty liver. My surgeon recommend the sleeve for me as I only need to lose 100lb and that should decrease call of my other medical problems. Gastric bypass wasn't a good option for me because I didn't need to lose 100± but the band isn't an option she said because they are not safest. I wanted mostly to get off my metformin and tend to my liver. The research showed that with the bypass 1\2 go in diabetic but leave the hospital without meds or diabetes. The sleeve I have to work harder to lose the weight to lose my diabetes but I'm 2 weeks out. I've come off all medication and haven't had to stick my finger in a week. Do your research there are better weight loss surgerys out there to meet your needs. Insurance company's usually only pay for 1 surgery if this type so make it a good one. Best of luck!

Sent from my QTASUN1 using BariatricPal mobile app

[B.Annie 290]

My surgeon said he (and all of his colleagues) refuse to do lap bands anymore due to the low success rate and constant hassle. He recommended RNY - full gastric bypass - because it's been proven for over 50 years. My surgeon was trained by the surgeon who created this type of surgery so he is biased toward it lol. Anyway, after research, it is best for me anyway due to over all weight loss (60-80% average excess weight loss). Sleevers don't lose as much weight (45-65% average excess weight loss) though there are certainly pros and cons to both. And it's not unheard of to loose all of your excess weight on either option.

Do your research on surgeons and ask a lot of questions!

HW: 328 (02/22/17)

SW: TBD

CW: 292

[B.Annie 290]

Also, notice on this forum there are groups for sleeves, RNY, and band to bypass revisions. There is no forum for people getting a band simply because there is no reason to get it. Having a forum specifically for those who have to have a SECOND surgery to change their band to a bypass should tell you all there is to know about bands.


HW: 328 (02/22/17)
SW: TBD
CW: 292

[Matt Z 4,140]

Hello Brandon,

Your story isn't far off from my own. I hit an "unofficial" 370 lbs at my largest, and I'm only 5 foot 9. I grew up in a large Italian family where eating was just what you did, all the time. If you didn't have seconds then the food must not have been good enough.

I've had my band for 5 years, 6 months and 7 days now. I lost 60 lbs total, and that's it. I'm currently working with my insurance and surgeon to get a revision to the bypass. The band just isn't your best option, in fact a lot of places won't even do it anymore at this point. Even lap band companies are selling off product, selling whole sections of their company and a few, won't make new parts at all.

Overall, it wasn't the worst decision I made. But I do wish, in retrospect, that I went with the Bypass first. (Didn't have the option for a sleeve when I had my band installed)

I would recommend not doing the band. For your height and weight and eating situation, you'll see more benefits from gastric sleeve surgery. With less issues as well. If you are still hard up on getting the band.

1. I personally do still feel hunger, no different than pre-band.

2. I eat about 1/3 to 1/2 as much as I used to before being "full"

3. The band can erode your stomach lining and penetrate into your stomach wall. You will get stuck on foods, I get stuck on most of the foods that are supposed to be good for me. Leafy greens suck, lean meats are tough, fibrous fruits and vegetables hurt. If you can't keep Water down, then the band is WAY too tight and needs to be adjusted. I can't take a good portion of pills or Vitamins because they are just too big and will not pass through my band opening. Something to take into account. The band can slip too.

4. Pain before surgery? whatever you are feeling right now. Pain after surgery. Wasn't horrible. I had a tough time for a week or 2, you don't realize how much of your upper core you use for basic things. But put 4 one inch holes and a 3 inch hole in there and you'll feel it. Band adjustments weren't all that bad either. They will put a special needle that has the opening on the side into your abdomen and then into the port itself to insert or remove Fluid as needed.

5. My opinion. It doesn't sound like the band is "for you". You'll get more out of a sleeve without having to deal with intestinal changes. But you won't see as much weight loss as with the bypass. Hunger, it's going to still be there, so far only the sleeve and bypass change your hunger sensitivity. Binge eating, dude, doing anything too much or too quickly with the band only leads to throwing up, and I will tell you, throwing up with an object around your stomach pouch preventing things from the lower area getting into the upper area, sucks bad. It's hard to describe, but I get afraid I'm going to pass out when I do have to vomit, the pressure in my head caused by the band is scary when actually vomiting. Purging from being stuck isn't that bad if you can control your gag reflex and not let it turn into full on vomiting. I've gotten good at that part, still sucks but not as bad as a uncontrollable vomiting situation.

So all said and done. The band is MUCH better than nothing at all. But at this point, it's not the best option for weight loss surgery either. Hopefully this helps. Feel free to message me if you have any other questions.

Edited May 24, 2017 by Matt Z