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Need Lap Band Buddy / Mentor I sooooo need some help and motivation!



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I had the lapband done 2 years ago. I had success for the first 6 months, dropping almost 50 pounds. I didn't realize the problems associated with and things that could affect the band.

I started waking up with Fluid coming up and coughing and choking, as well as the heartburn. After putting up with this for a while and getting no relief, I went to my doctor. At first they gave me pills to relieve severe heartburn, stating I had some sort of gastro itis (???) problem. With still no relief, I went back and they took some fluid out, stating that the change in weather can affect the band. I had immediate relief. I went back 2 weeks later and had the fluid put back in. Within a couple of weeks, the same thing started all over again.

This was the beginning of a long battle. Over the course of the next year and a half, it was take some fluid out; put some back in; take it all out; put some back in a couple of times; take a little out; take it all out.....I just couldn't get back to that perfect "sweet spot" I'd had before after my initial 3rd fill. I ended up stretching the pouch (a couple of times) and after the "in and out fill" rollercoaster, I had a revision surgery where they took out the old band and put in a new one. So I've essentially started over.

That was 3 months ago and I'm scared to death to go get a fill now, for fear I will screw it up and stretch the pouch! But yet, I'm gaining weight and am desperately looking for help!

Can anyone help me? I feel like such a failure.:thumbup:

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hi! not sure i can help but i can empathize as i'm the same boat! banded 6/08, lost 40 lbs and then after 6 months stopped cold. i was a bit overfilled, got acid reflux, had some Fluid out, on and on and more problems. i haven't had to have my band changed or anything but 51 weeks after the band - i had gallstones that were not there before the band and had to have gallbladder surgery - same surgeon 1 year minus 1 week to the day of my banding!

anyway, sorry you are struggling. you are not alone if that helps! i stayed off this site for a long while because the success stories were actually depressing me!

at my peak, i had 7+ cc's in my band and now i have 5.5 and can't seem to get up there again. just had a small unfill today due to vomiting - i have no idea why because i eat slowly, chew chew chew, stop when i'm full. it's frustrating.

ah, well, good luck to you and to me and i hope we both find a way to make his work for us!

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Thanks, greyhoundmom! It really does help to know that I'm not alone with the problems and struggles I've had!

I joined my local Jazzercise class and went tonight for the first time! It felt great! I'm going to take it one day at a time -- go to classes at least 3 times a week, and maybe four and once I get on the exercise habit high, I may get the guts to go in and get a fill.

Oh and btw -- I love that you love the grey hounds --personally I've never had one, always thought they were great looking dogs, though! We have a "basset brigade" -- we have 5 bassets (a mom, 3 of her babies that are 2-1/2 years old, and a stray a neighbor brought over), plus a couple of mutts! Luckily we have a VERY large yard!!!

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      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.
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      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.
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      1. 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.

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

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