In another thread someone was talking about band problems. It got me to thinking that this might be a good place to discuss the problems of banding we had.

When I was banded I'd get stuck on Water some days. Thankfully I live in the desert as walking/heat helped me when I was stuck. I'd have to go outside in 110F temps and walk around the block a few times to get unstuck. I did it so often that I had a routine. I'd go out walking and call a friend of mine and we would chat while I walked.

I was thinking recently about those days. Walking, hot temps, IV supplies in my house and calling my RN friend to come and start an IV on me, the drugs I tried to stop stoma spasms, inflammation, stashing plastic bags everywhere so I always had something to barf in, in a pinch... I'm shocked at how it all became so normal. It became a way of life. I just got used to it. I had such a hard time deciding between revision (and the fear I was making my problems permanent) or getting fat again. I knew I couldn't do the band forever.

I didn't realize how severely the band impacted my life until I was sleeved and my life returned to normal. It was gradual and in my mind if I wanted thin I could either figure out a way to work the band or become MO again. Being MO was not an option and I didn't want Bypass.

Now that I have my life back in looking back some of it is kinda funny but a lot of it was not funny at all. It just makes me realize... the things we do for weight loss. (Slowly shaking head.)

A band gone bad affects every single aspect of your life as I wrote previously. It affects your employment, personal relationships, private life, health, everything. Absolutely every part of your life.

I just got banded on the April 7, 2009. I wanted the Sleeve but Blue Cross-Blue Shield changed the rules and required a BMI of 50 to be eligible. I am sorry you had so many problems and that you are better now. i hope my experience is better.

Edited April 11, 200917 yr by toothdoc
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I just got banded on the April 7, 2009. I wanted the Sleeve but Blue Cross-Blue Shield changed the rules and required a BMI of 50 to be eligible. I am sorry you had so many problems and that you are better now. i hope my experience is better.

Congrats on your surgery!

I guess my only advice would be this, if you start having problems that aren't easily resolved such as reflux, start considering your options. Don't do as some of us did and wait too long.

I know one person that's had her band for 7 years and she loves it!

I just got banded on the April 7, 2009. I wanted the Sleeve but Blue Cross-Blue Shield changed the rules and required a BMI of 50 to be eligible. I am sorry you had so many problems and that you are better now. i hope my experience is better.

Congratulations on your surgery and I wish you all the best!

I don't really worry about part of my stomach being removed anymore than a diseased appendix. Both are harming me and neither are doing me any favors.

It's a big deal until after it's done. After it is done it's no big deal, you don't really think about it. It's just like before surgery only you get full faster. ;o)

Oh my god. I so needed that. I had this thing of "I came here with it - I should leave with it" but if your appendix burst or your gall bladder was diseased or you had kidney cancer or whatever, you certainly wouldn't hold on to that! I've always said every time I've had a cancer scare that whatever it is - kidney, boob - whatever - lop it off, I'll get a new one! Why wouldn't I say the same thing about my stomach that's making me ill?

Move over ancient philosophers! We have true words of wisdom right here!

thanks!

Oh my god. I so needed that. I had this thing of "I came here with it - I should leave with it" but if your appendix burst or your gall bladder was diseased or you had kidney cancer or whatever, you certainly wouldn't hold on to that! I've always said every time I've had a cancer scare that whatever it is - kidney, boob - whatever - lop it off, I'll get a new one! Why wouldn't I say the same thing about my stomach that's making me ill?

Move over ancient philosophers! We have true words of wisdom right here!

thanks!

Well, what does the fundus of your stomach do that you will miss? ;o)

exactly. I have an overactive fundus! I want to be unfunded!

exactly. I have an overactive fundus! I want to be unfunded!

HAHA! Wouldn't that be unfundused?

We need to start our own damn medical dictionary! We'd do it better-er!

HAHA! Wouldn't that be unfundused?

We need to start our own damn medical dictionary! We'd do it better-er!

oh yeah unfundused - that would be way more better!

I too could eat anything with the band, developed severe reflux, never felt restricted, and have had two slips. I rarely vomited and had no food restrictions. Now have an option to revise to either VSG or RNY. Would love to know what your decision to go with VSG was based on.

I too could eat anything with the band, developed severe reflux, never felt restricted, and have had two slips. I rarely vomited and had no food restrictions. Now have an option to revise to either VSG or RNY. Would love to know what your decision to go with VSG was based on.

You lose the same weight as bypassed people at the end of 5 years with a sleeve BUT without the malabsorption.

If you can lose with restriction alone, that is the way to go. If you need malabsorption, DS is the way to go.

Bands and bypass are a thing of the past. Sleeves and DS are the future.

You lose the same weight as bypassed people at the end of 5 years with a sleeve BUT without the malabsorption.

If you can lose with restriction alone, that is the way to go. If you need malabsorption, DS is the way to go.

Bands and bypass are a thing of the past. Sleeves and DS are the future.

I so believe that you're right about this. The two-stage process is the way to go. Sleeve and then DS *IF* necessary. Like I said before, the more research I do into this (and I don't just mean reading what is said here - independent research, both pro and against the sleeve) I see it as the way to go. I was reading some info on the sleeve - and it was an anti-sleeve report - the cons of the sleeve were still better than the ones for the band! This won't be true for everyone, but I'd rather take out a portion of my body that isn't working, rather than put a device that could cause issues on a body part that isn't working right anyway. I wants me a sleeve! :thumbup:

bypass just scares the bajeebus outta me. I don't know why, per se, but it just does. I think part of the issue is that I've heard about so many people stretching their pouch out to be the size of a regular stomach - now you have 2 stomachs?! One that you've stretched out and another just flopping around in you??? Yikes!

I so believe that you're right about this. The two-stage process is the way to go. Sleeve and then DS *IF* necessary. Like I said before, the more research I do into this (and I don't just mean reading what is said here - independent research, both pro and against the sleeve) I see it as the way to go. I was reading some info on the sleeve - and it was an anti-sleeve report - the cons of the sleeve were still better than the ones for the band! This won't be true for everyone, but I'd rather take out a portion of my body that isn't working, rather than put a device that could cause issues on a body part that isn't working right anyway. I wants me a sleeve! :thumbup:

bypass just scares the bajeebus outta me. I don't know why, per se, but it just does. I think part of the issue is that I've heard about so many people stretching their pouch out to be the size of a regular stomach - now you have 2 stomachs?! One that you've stretched out and another just flopping around in you??? Yikes!

Any malabsorption procedure concerns me. It's one of the things that keeps me on track, I don't want bypass or DS! ;o)

Any malabsorption procedure concerns me. It's one of the things that keeps me on track, I don't want bypass or DS! ;o)

exactly. if it was just calories that weren't absorbed well - I'm all for that haha. But the essential Vitamins and nutrients that you need to....well....LIVE. That's a bit harsh. If someone could invent a way to just not absorb the calories well - we'd all be happy haha. But bypassing half the digestive system is not my idea of fun.

Okay, band to sleeve people raise your hands...

Who misses these tips and tricks?

A useful trick!

Heh....

Remember? That used to be a way of life for us. Gahhhh

That's hilarious! For the most part, my pbs were over the kitchen sink. My friend who is the one who convinced me to get the band, told me to just keep a bowl next to the bed in case I needed to puke in my sleep. There is just something so wrong with that habit!