Confessions of a lap band failure...

ladytinkerbell99

I am glad it worked for you. We each have to find what is best for us. You are so right. :flowerforyou:

33KIKI

so random ? for you banders out there..the trainers I work out are telling to try a 6Xday meal plan. I am thinking I am going to try the meals are not huge but it's supposed to help restart the weight loss process. 2 of the meals are shakes and then the others are mostly 3oz chicken with a veggie..oh and breakfast egg whites and 1/2 oats. SO just curious. I had my surgery in 10/08 and lost like 75 then gained back a least 20 so now I work out 4Xwk and try to watch what I eat but I also refuse to deprive myself so thinking this plan may work. currently I am less than 3 lbs away from hitting that 100 lb marker and my band is maxed out.

If you don't think this is good then what other suggestions have you used to help restart the loss. Technically on the charts I am still morbidly obese but I don't feel like that.

Thanks in advance for your thought

jade2112

Thanks for sharing, Aantone. Your desire to eat well and to be healthy comes shining through!

The NIH says that people can expect to lose 33%-50% of the extra weight they're carrying with the lap band. There are other weight loss surgeries that offer a better statistical chance of not only losing more of your excess weight, but of keeping it off longer term. For example, the statistics on the bypass (from the same source) for excess weight loss are at more than 50%; and is 70-81% for the duodenal switch.

Lap bands are the least invasive of weight loss surgeries, and the easiest to "beat." You can eat around stomach restriction fairly easily by overeating over time, compared to the other surgeries. This is difficult for people who are overweight due to chronic overeating. The chances of them being truly successful over time with the band are very slim.

If people are interested in having weight loss surgery, I would encourage them to know ALL their options. A good place to learn more about the different types of surgery and their benefits is at ObesityHelp.com.

I actually had the Duodenal Switch and have lost well over 100% of my excess weight. I've kept it off for over three years with little effort. Guess I should also add I've lost 140 pounds.

marlena1119

I had LapBand surgery in June 2008. I have lost a total of 75 lbs. Just last month when I went in for my yearly upper GI...I was told that my band is so tight that it is now causing my esophogaus to bulge. They have removed 2cc of fluid from my band to see if my that fixes the issue. My doctor tells me that they have discovered that in order for the patient to feel restricted the band has to be so tight that it causes other issue (like in my case) his suggestion is that I have the band removed, wait 3 months(for healing)and then have another sugery that he called "The Sleeve". I am currently feeling no eating restriction and am in "panic mode" that I will gain all of my weight back. However, I am not real keen on having another surgery. Has anyone out there had this or similar problems? Has anyone had "The Sleeve" surgery? Any opinions/advice welcome.

helenx55

I had a band in 07, it was useless to me i was uneducated in eating properly. i have various problems and didnt lose an ounce!!
my band has been empty since 2010, i started my journey here on mfp 1st may last year i think dr's need to start refering people here rather than to surgeons.

dbmata

One thing I've learned is, lap band won't do it for you. I truly believe over-eating and unhealthy eating are more than terrible habits or social norms, they're addictions. People learn to, "beat the band." The only sure fire way to lose weight is to adopt a new, healthier lifestyle.

This, years ago my mom got altered. She lost a ton of weight and worked extremely hard to make sure that she changed her lifestyle completely, including removing friends and family who weren't supportive of her weightloss. Amazingly, it's not uncommon for people to get really pissed off when someone loses a large amount of weight.

My mom went to some of the support groups, but she found they were filled with the same people, making the same complaints, and stuffing themselves with the same donuts that got them where they were before their surgery. She also observed that most people revert to their old weight or more after surgery. So she decided to stop being around people like that, and stopped the support groups. She's doing amazingly well, down to a size 4 I think, and keeping it off.

What worked for her though, was that she stopped her old habits completely and started brand new, healthful habits that she works daily to maintain. Sure, she can't share a pitcher of margaritas with me anymore, but she can have some, and still enjoy. It's all about moderation.

KMC1885

I had my surgery in 11/10. 09/11 I injured my back at work and literally can not (dr orders) lift more than 5lbs, walk more than 30 min within an hour and most days I find it difficult to do the 30 min of walking. Naturally I can't exercise as stationary bikes make my injury worse. I was doing well maintaining my weight for about 7 months after injury until something got stuck. I lost my health insurance and ignored the fact that I couldn't keep things down until it came to the point I couldn't get water down. I've gained about 25 lbs back since they removed and have added 3 times to get me back to my original state and now I am too tight. I'm ready to remove and wait to get married to have the sleeve done. My roommate had complications with her band surgery and ended up getting the sleeve and within 4 months of surgery lost well over 60 lbs. anyone else feeling this way!? Or been in similar situations?

BamaGymnCoach

I had my band placed in the spring of 2009. Within the first 9 months or so, I lost about 65 pounds. Unfortunately, I never changed my eating habits-- at all. I just let the band either make me stop eating or throwing it up if it wouldn't go down. It was like a serious case of surgical bulimia to me. That was in 2009, mind you. Fast forward to the summer of 2013. Because of the vomiting that I just "had no clue" about, my band was completely unfilled and I was sent to get my gall bladder out. My gall bladder came out in Nov '13 and I still have been throwing up. In all honesty, I never even realized it was because of my crappy eating habits-- too big bites, not chewing well enough, eating too fast, making SERIOUSLY poor food choices... I thought I had some weird disorder or maybe stomach cancer or something. Fast forward to a little over a week ago. I'm in nursing school which comes with a tremendous amount of stress and we just finished finals. I was throwing up absolutely everything I put in my mouth. I decided to relegate myself to a liquid diet so I could focus on studying and not puking. Lo and behold, the vomiting stopped. I stayed on liquids for 3 days. This was NOT a weight loss attempt. It was just me being desperate to be quit barfing.
Of course... For a self admitted food addict, staying on full liquids for 3 days was awful. But when it was all said and done... I did it. And I had an epiphany. I was MAKING myself throw up with bad eating and even worse habits. Seriously-- that thought had never occurred to me. I'm not even kidding. But... Gasp! It was MY fault? *I* was to blame? Maybe my band actually could work if I LET IT? So I'm changing my habits. Drastically. In a way I never did after surgery. And holy crap it's working!!! I eat maybe 1-1.5 cups of food at meals only. I take small bites, chew thoroughly, and don't drink while I eat. I haven't thrown up in over a week. I don't have constant chest pain from reflux. I've also lost about 10 pounds (the 65 I lost immediately post surgery I LONG since had gained back).
Of course it's not easy and I *think* I'm hungry between meals. But I drink some crystal light and find something else to do than eat. And I know that I'm never "done" with these changes. I'm an addict. I'm probably never going to have a naturally healthy relationship with food-- but I can choose to be healthy in spite of it. And I am, with the HELP of the band. Even if it's not the magical cure-all I was convinced it was supposed to be. And keep in mind... This is all with JUST an unfilled band. Will I likely need a fill in the future? Sure. But right now, since I'm treating it right, just my and being placed is working for me!!