I am new to this site so I hope I'm doing things right!

I've had my band for 14 years. Several years ago I started having issues with with food going down and drinks. I could only eat certain things and sometimes it depended on the time of day. I know it's weird and hard to explain. I lived with it until 3 weeks ago. I had an upper GI and it showed nothing went into my stomach (at least that thick drink didn't at that time. I had my band unfilled (mainly because I was taking a trip to Costa Rica and wanted to enjoy eating & drinking without vomiting). Since I've been "unfilled" I have been bloated, swollen and have gained weight. I've been very careful about what I'm eating and all I drink is water (which before I was unfilled water would hardly go down for me). I will be having another upper GI at the end of the month and then see the doctor early may. I just don't want to keep gaining weight! Any ideas or suggestions at what's happening with me?!

As a former Lap Band patient I understand exactly what you're trying to explain.

It could be esophageal dysmotility. My band was always tighter in the morning and during that time of month. I had a Mirena placed, and that helped a lot.

Are you considering band removal and revision surgery?

i had no idea that people kept the lap band in for so long. I thought that was a temporary thing for maybe a couple years or less.

1 minute ago, liveaboard15 said:

i had no idea that people kept the lap band in for so long. I thought that was a temporary thing for maybe a couple years or less.

Ha, they sold it to us as a permanent weight loss procedure, but it's the biggest medical joke ever imo, lol. It should've never been cleared by the FDA. It causes more harm than good.

16 minutes ago, BypassingMyPhatAss said:

As a former Lap Band patient I understand exactly what you're trying to explain.

It could be esophageal dysmotility. My band was always tighter in the morning and during that time of month. I had a Mirena placed, and that helped a lot.

Are you considering band removal and revision surgery?

4 weeks ago I was ready to have it taken out but now that I'm unfilled and gaining weight, I think I want to try to fill it a little at a time and see if that helps?

I actually lost some weight when I had mine removed. I was able to eat healthier foods that my band wouldn't allow. It really hindered healthy eating for me. And all of the years that I lived with GERD because I was afraid to remove it for fear that I would gain weight... after it was removed and I lost weight, I wanted to kick myself for not removing it sooner.

Have you thought of revision to VSG or another surgery? Unfortunately without restriction, it'll be very difficult for you.I know because I was one of the unlucky ones that if there is an extreme side effect with a WLS, I would fall in that category... Lapband (erosion) and VSG (severe gerd, esophagitis). Surgeons have stressed that it was no fault of my own. It just happens. I finally had a revision to RNY and feel so much better.

Tracking food helped me before my revisions. While I had some weight gain, it wasn't too much. Looking at the list of food in my food diary always helps me realize it is head hunger vs real hunger.

On 4/6/2022 at 1:11 AM, KayG said:

I know it's weird and hard to explain

Nope. I had the band, revised to RNY, and had this and every other problem with it. Never lost a single pound with it either. Can't help with the weight gain unfortunately.

Mine slipped and had to have it removed in April 2021. Saw surgeon today, the Vertical Sleeve it is. Looks like surgery will be July at the soonest I hope the band has not corroded .

Yeah I did the whole unfill and wait, then filled it back up. Nothing changed. It just prolonged the unevitable.

I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to have 14 years of restriction without any hormonal help from bariatric surgery.

The American standard take here is pray to god, never drink alcohol, suffer on Optifast, and why not try keto?

The global take is:

- Get that band out, ASAP
- Get a surgery that helps you - that would be any surgery that involves a bypass (RNY, MGB, DS)
- Know that your deserve a life free from obesity

Let me know if you need any insights. Feel free to DM, and feel free to ignore any takes involving Optifast.

I still don't know what Optifast is. ?

Off to Google I go...

On 4/7/2022 at 2:17 PM, BypassingMyPhatAss said:

I still don't know what Optifast is. ?

Off to Google I go...

This is what it is: https://www.optifast.com/