Lap band -- Unhappy and looking for real support

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kathweaver
kathweaver Posts: 3 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Every support group I've gotten involved with has been very unkind if you were unhappy with the surgery. Looking for others.

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  • goochinator
    goochinator Posts: 383 Member
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    Can I ask what you are unhappy about with surgery? results?
  • treasurep
    treasurep Posts: 88 Member
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    You will get several responses from this board, good, bad and indifferent. I have family who have been on both the good and the bad sides so if you need support I can lend a listening ear.
  • TXBlockhead
    TXBlockhead Posts: 169 Member
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    We would love to hear your story. Maybe someone is thinking about this and hearing your story would help them decide.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    Lap Band is a big decision, and with it comes BIG consequences... not everyone has a positive outcome and opinion of Lap Band Surgery... it's hard work and you have to work just as hard as if you did not have LBS.

    Share your story it might help!
  • ChubbieTubbie
    ChubbieTubbie Posts: 481 Member
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    I'd love to hear your story!
  • kathweaver
    kathweaver Posts: 3 Member
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    I gained 40 pounds in about 6 months a few years ago because I was given more responsibility without pay. I've been seeing counselor over it, etc. and that didn't help. About 6 months after all that started I looked into lapband surgery. I was able to stop the weight gain during the 6th month insurance period, but not lose any weight.

    I had the surgery in May 23, 2009. Was finally able to lose some weight during the surgical process -- you have to go on a liquid diet before and after. I've lost about 25 pounds total, most of during the surgerical process.

    I think my problem was the fill tech. Her procedure was to guess based on what you said as to how much fill you needed. My band also tends to tighten up during stress.

    The work I'm in is somewhat seasonal, and we just got through one of our busy times. I was to the point I could only eat very soft food. Living on baked potatos, soup, and ice cream. Even had some epidodes of food coming up with that food. I was finally conviced to go in and get evaluated.

    The place i see now has a good fill tech. She looked at my port with ultrasound, she had me in front of a flurscope with a barium swallow and we could both see that I couldn't even get liquid down. I see her in a few weeks to double check things. She even did the fluroscope after.

    The good news, is that I have been able to maintain weight those this time period and haven't gone back to gaining. I might even have lost some weight since the unfill.

    I'm even able to eat real food during the day but it takes a LONG time to get down 300 calories. Over an hour today,
  • Teebowen
    Teebowen Posts: 78 Member
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    Hi Kathi,
    I sure hope things are going better for you I was a bander, but due to a hole being blown in my stomach had to have it removed... it was a very physically and emotionally and financially draining experience (I was a self pay patient)... I threw EVERYTHING up eventually including my stomach....(not kidding) the stomach actually herniated and came up through the band... it took two emergency surgeries to save my life....
    saying all this to say the slow and steady approach is for sure the best... the 136 lbs I lost in 10months nearky killed me and now I have gained 68 of it back... so I am on here trying to find the right balance and do it w/ out the tool.... now despite it all...I still miss the band I knew I could not over eat w/ it....

    I wish you all the best in reaching your goals!
  • ladiluvbug83
    ladiluvbug83 Posts: 38 Member
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    I understand what you are going through I had by bander put in 10/09. I have lost a total of 70 pounds. I have days when I can't eat and have to do liquids and have days when I can eat within reason. Just remember to get your protien in and we are here to support you. If you would like more support from those that know what you are going through. Please feel free to add me to you friends list. Here is wishing you luck with your bander. Oh by the way I have 2 people on my friends list that also have the band anre are at there goal weight. so it works, but you have to work at it. :flowerforyou:

    Sarah
  • superwmn
    superwmn Posts: 936
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    I did not have lap band surgery, but reading your words 'I gained 40 pounds in about 6 months a few years ago because I was given more responsibility without pay' gave me pause.

    I'm a recovering food addict/binge eater. When I was suffering, I turned to food for comfort. In January of last year I read the book Women Food and God by Geneen Roth and was able to overcome this disease/addiction. If you're interested, here's an excerpt from Oprah.com:

    http://www.oprah.com/health/An-Excerpt-from-Geneen-Roths-Women-Food-And-God

    We're all here for you :)

    Charmagne
  • nilisabel
    nilisabel Posts: 338
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    Welcome to MFP, personally, I love this site and think it's been very helpful in my weight loss journey. Mine has been more about yo-yoing, and emotional eating so that's the extent to which I can identify. I am sorry to hear about your suffering and all that awful experience. I'm happy that you are sharing your story because people need to hear you, and I was glad to hear you open up about it. I am personally angry with the social climate surrounding certain things, bariatric surgery among them. I think ignorance is to blame for many unkind things in life and I get really mad that people do not try to educate themselves about another's predicament, or the causes, or the consequences. It seems like a lot of times people make themselves feel better by figuring out how something just couldn't happen to them when the reality is, to my estimation, we are all here so we must have more in common than we have different. I am certain you will improve how people feel about health and weight loss, and I know you will find support and rekindle your strength (should it wan) here.

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