Bye, Bye Band

February 20, 2008

It feels very weird for me to say it out loud, but my band is gone..finally! I feel very ambivalent about the whole thing. I’m very happy to not be in pain and having problems anymore, but I felt very much “attached” to my band and felt it was very much a part of me for the last 6 years. I identified myself as a “bandster” and wanted very much for this to work for me. I actually asked my surgeon for my band back so I could keep it, lol!

I was very recently converted from a band to a bypass. The surgery was VERY difficult and took almost 4 hours. Most of which time was spent trying to remove my band. It was placed WAAAAY too high on my esophagus and I had no pouch at all. I am still recovering and I expect it will take me a while longer to feel back to my old self again.

I have decided that I shouldn’t define myself as a “bandster”, “bypasser” or whatever cute name we think of to call ourselves. My main goal is the same as it always was and I’m sure it’s the same as most of you. To be healthy and live a quality life, free of morbid obesity.

Let my situation be a lesson to everyone that wants to keep their band at all cost. The last thing I want to do is to put fear into anyone. However, I want you to be aware of possible issues and symptoms and to know when it’s time to let your band go. Mainly, if you have pain, something is wrong. Vomiting, loss of restriction, poor weight loss, etc. Even after following instructions given to me by my surgeon, I still had problems.

If your surgeon (or anyone else) tries to blame you, then SEE SOMEONE ELSE! If you follow treatment instructions and still have problems and/or pain, it’s NOT your fault and you need to be treated. Contrary to popular belief, more and more is known about complications and their causes. Most of which are NOT the patient’s fault. Your first priority should be your health and not keeping your band! Don’t forget that! I have forgotten that at times during my own journey.

I thought of my band as the end and the “cure”. It was neither for me. I had other options. I just wasn’t ready to see them. I was even thinking about giving my band another try while in pre-op waiting for my conversion surgery! Then I came to my senses. It’s not worth risking more serious complications or even death, just to keep your band. That is NOT why any of us decided to be banded. The reason we decided to be banded was to help us lose weight and get healthy. THAT’S IT!

I consider myself a success. To me, a success is not giving up and finding a surgeon willing to help me and get to my ultimate goal of health and quality of life!

Always make sure you keep your priorities straight and if you’re having trouble, seek not only medical help, but also emotional support. Whether it is on one of these boards or somewhere else. I guarantee that someone else is going through the same thing you are going through. So decide to be the brave one and reach out.

I hope none of you ever go through what I have been through, but the fact is that some of you will. Please listen to your body and never ignore it’s voice

I wish all of you the Best of Health!

libra · February 20, 2008

Glad you're feeling better. It's good that you see the true prize, which is a longer, healthier life. That's what we should all want. Best to you.

brandyII · March 27, 2008

It feels very weird for me to say it out loud, but my band is gone..finally! I feel very ambivalent about the whole thing. I’m very happy to not be in pain and having problems anymore, but I felt very much “attached” to my band and felt it was very much a part of me for the last 6 years. I identified myself as a “bandster” and wanted very much for this to work for me. I actually asked my surgeon for my band back so I could keep it, lol!
I was very recently converted from a band to a bypass. The surgery was VERY difficult and took almost 4 hours. Most of which time was spent trying to remove my band. It was placed WAAAAY too high on my esophagus and I had no pouch at all. I am still recovering and I expect it will take me a while longer to feel back to my old self again.

I have decided that I shouldn’t define myself as a “bandster”, “bypasser” or whatever cute name we think of to call ourselves. My main goal is the same as it always was and I’m sure it’s the same as most of you. To be healthy and live a quality life, free of morbid obesity.

Let my situation be a lesson to everyone that wants to keep their band at all cost. The last thing I want to do is to put fear into anyone. However, I want you to be aware of possible issues and symptoms and to know when it’s time to let your band go. Mainly, if you have pain, something is wrong. Vomiting, loss of restriction, poor weight loss, etc. Even after following instructions given to me by my surgeon, I still had problems.

If your surgeon (or anyone else) tries to blame you, then SEE SOMEONE ELSE! If you follow treatment instructions and still have problems and/or pain, it’s NOT your fault and you need to be treated. Contrary to popular belief, more and more is known about complications and their causes. Most of which are NOT the patient’s fault. Your first priority should be your health and not keeping your band! Don’t forget that! I have forgotten that at times during my own journey.

I thought of my band as the end and the “cure”. It was neither for me. I had other options. I just wasn’t ready to see them. I was even thinking about giving my band another try while in pre-op waiting for my conversion surgery! Then I came to my senses. It’s not worth risking more serious complications or even death, just to keep your band. That is NOT why any of us decided to be banded. The reason we decided to be banded was to help us lose weight and get healthy. THAT’S IT!

I consider myself a success. To me, a success is not giving up and finding a surgeon willing to help me and get to my ultimate goal of health and quality of life!

Always make sure you keep your priorities straight and if you’re having trouble, seek not only medical help, but also emotional support. Whether it is on one of these boards or somewhere else. I guarantee that someone else is going through the same thing you are going through. So decide to be the brave one and reach out.

I hope none of you ever go through what I have been through, but the fact is that some of you will. Please listen to your body and never ignore it’s voice

I wish all of you the Best of Health!

Congrats on the band removal and the bypass surgery. Did insurance cover your second surgery?

lar · April 2, 2008

thanks for sharing your story. This is the first time I am posting. I was banded back in December of 2005. I am having a horrible episode where I cant keep anything down. This is not the first time. It has happened about 6 times before. Most of the time, they just let my fill out and it helps. but, now....I dont have a fill. the band is out. and I am still restricted. I am throwing up food and liquid. I think it may be time for me to take the band out. I have been hospitalized and my emotions are going crazy. I cant live like this. I am in a panic and dont know what to do. if they cant let the band out...how will they help me? So, i logged on and read your post. your hope and energy are helping me cope right now. i know that taking the band out is the best...i should just do it. i wish you all the best with your journey!

Tammy B · April 3, 2008

Hi, Hope all is going well for you. I have some questions. It has just occured to me that maybe that's my problem. I was banded a year ago and unless I don't have hardly any fill in me I am consantly throwing up. I follow the rules but I was banded in Mexico and my doctor here is very nice but he doesn't do banding but does my fills. I go get a fill which is very expensive and I'm self pay, then the next day I can't even get Water down. I go back he takes out some and I still have problems until I'm back where I started. I then can eat but I don't loose any weight. I lost 42 pounds at the very beginning but only about 8 the rest of the year. I'm so discouraged. Today I got thinking that when I look at the Flora. I don't really see a pouch. I only see the liquid backing up in my esophagus . Maybe I don't have a pouch either. Can you tell me what yours felt like.

Thanks

Tammy

jillagin2000 · April 4, 2008

I'm going through it right now. I've been banded 5 years now and had lost 100lbs but about 3 years out my band slipped. I could hardly get anything down most days, I was living on soup/broth and serious GERD. I had lost my insurance and my job so had no money to see a surgeon. So I lived like that for 18 months or so until I could afford to go in to see my doc and we found out under fluoroscopy that my band had slipped.

He took the fill out and after almost 12 months (and 40lbs weight gain) I went back in for my fill (about 5 weeks ago). This was done under fluoroscopy and he did state that my band was still "mildly slipped" so we'd see.

Well, I'm back to not being able to eat anything solid at all and horrid reflux. I'm going to ask him to take imy band out when I see him next week.

I have no clue whether the insurance will cover that surgery much less converting it to a bypass but I'll attempt to get it covered. Otherwise, I guess I'll just go back to my old self! :smile: