Looking to De-band and go full Bypass
KennyPollard
Posts: 36 Member
In the process of going to have my band removed and going for a permanent bypass. It’s not that my band has failed, but since the closure of Slimband, plus the overall lack of support from them, I am disenchanted of having this device in me. I had to get a significant Defill because of reflux and near drowning in stomach goo at night. I would soldier on, but I don’t have the money to keep travelling back and forth for fills, plus dealing with the reflux and sometimes discomfort..
I have been banded since 2010. Enough is enough. I want a permanent procedure as I’m still young enough to appreciate life, especially since I’m getting to the age where hereditary diabetes and heart issues could now grab hold..
I still work out.. my problem has always been volume control... the band helped for allot of years, but since the defill weight is creeping back on...
anyways... anyone else feeling similar because of their band?
I have been banded since 2010. Enough is enough. I want a permanent procedure as I’m still young enough to appreciate life, especially since I’m getting to the age where hereditary diabetes and heart issues could now grab hold..
I still work out.. my problem has always been volume control... the band helped for allot of years, but since the defill weight is creeping back on...
anyways... anyone else feeling similar because of their band?
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Replies
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Don’t have a band here, but haven’t ever met anyone who had good results with them. Plus the unexpected expense (on one friends part) of having the regular fills, or defills can’t be a good thing!
You have my support in any, and every possible way! But please use this time to go ahead and work on your food relationship. If you haven’t read the “It is just a tool” thread, as well as others here about this very topic, I highly recommend it! It is a forever diet no matter what surgery you have!
Do you have any idea when your conversions will take place? I’ve heard they have to take the band out first, then allow a healing time before bypass? If I’m mistaken please educate me!
Also, the bypass is best when you already have reflux issues! I’m so sorry for that because I had it after my sleeve and it was horrible. To be awakened in the middle of the night just to throw up bile, and stomach acid, is so hard to live with until you can get the doctors to hear you! My surgeon let me live with it for almost five years before he finally did the bypass!
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I did have a band, what a mess. I know it was probably my situation, it was not put in correctly. Pieces came off found on my liver....
Moved to by-pass because I could not swallow anything even when the band was empty. Sooooooo much better. I finally am on my road to success. IMO, would never recommend a foreign body in someone's body after my experience. Of course others have had great success.2 -
Do you have any idea when your conversions will take place? I’ve heard they have to take the band out first, then allow a healing time before bypass? If I’m mistaken please educate me!
not wrong but I was told it depends on what they find when they start with the removal of the band and how long that procedure is. In my situation I had a lot of scaring and issues that needed to be solved before the bypass. They tell you going in it could be one or two surgeries. My wait was 30 days for the second procedure and they were both very easy in regards to healing/pain unlike my lap band procedure 8 years ago.
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Interesting! Hopefully you will make it through with just one more surgery, instead of two!! Got my fingers crossed for you!!1
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I had a band put in 2009. It worked well for about 4 years, but then I had it emptied because of imminent chemotherapy (and vomiting). My weight had gone from 260lbs to 175 and I was pretty happy with that.
Anyway, no chemo needed (surgery sorted me) but after that refilling was problematic. Then my port came apart - was replaced using mesh which rolled up and caused trouble - never again did it work. And my weight crept up to 230lbs...
So, I had a bypass just over a year ago. They took out the band and did the bypass in the same surgery. It has been little short of miraculous - I now weigh 134lbs (probably the lightest since my early teens, am running and cycling, and life feels great.
BUT - on portion control. You CAN stretch a pouch. If you don’t sort this before hand, you WILL stretch it, and you will join the legion of people who lose dramatically - only to slowly regain it. This takes a bit of work but it really really is worth it!4 -
Hey there! I'm a previous bander! Mine was placed in 2013. Fills were painful for me and I quickly learned to eat around it. I gained about 80 pounds with the band. The thing with the band is that they have some pretty severe complications like slipping or eroding or leaving bacteria in your esophagus. I was sleeved about 5 weeks ago and talk about volume control!3
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SimplementeSM wrote: »Hey there! I'm a previous bander! Mine was placed in 2013. Fills were painful for me and I quickly learned to eat around it. I gained about 80 pounds with the band. The thing with the band is that they have some pretty severe complications like slipping or eroding or leaving bacteria in your esophagus. I was sleeved about 5 weeks ago and talk about volume control!
Volume control! 3+ year sleever here! Your body is still enflamed and ticked off! That restriction will lessen. Please, please, PLEASE stay diligent with your portion sizes. Just because we CAN eat more later, doesn't mean we need to. As I've learned about the stomach, I wish they did more front-end education about the anatomy and capabilities of the amazing, muscular organ!
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I had my band fitted in July 2006. I lost 154lbs over the first 2 years, and kept it off up until a year ago, when I gained 30lbs.
I get reflux at night, but i manage it with Gaviscon liquid sachets (1 per night)
I don't want my band tightened, so I have resolved to lose the 30lbs through joining this site and restricting my calories intake to 1,400. I have lost 5lbs in the last 2 weeks. I was amazed how many calories I was consuming in 'easy to slip down' foods like custard and ice cream - way too many, even for a person with no band - hence the weight gain.
I can only speak for myself (and maybe my sister who has also lost a ton of weight with her gastric band and is happy with it) but i wouldn't want to be without my band - it keeps me from over-eating in terms of portion size. I am prepared to sacrifice eating dense foods like steak, burgers and sausages and have learned to live without them.
I haven't experienced any pain or negatives, never had slipping or eroding or anything like that, neither has my sister. We haven't had any fills for at least 6 years.
Everybody's journey is unique. After reading other people's experiences, I do feel lucky that mine has been relatively problem-free.4 -
Hi there! I had my band put in in 2011. I lost 100 lbs in 18 months. After getting partially unfilled and having 2 babies in the span of 2 years, getting that sweet spot back did not happen. I went back and forth for fills and unfills for another 6 months with no luck. I learned to eat around my band during my pregnancies and gained about 50 lbs of the 100 I lost after it was all said and done. I tried counting macros and working out on my own for 6 months and while I lost inches, I did not lose any weight (due to lack of portion control). I didn't have any physical issues with my band aside from it just wasn't working like it used to anymore.
Just last October I had my band removed and was revised to the sleeve. Restriction is GREAT now. I'm eating about 2-3 oz per meal. I don't get miserably full. I don't 'eat around' it (although I'm sure there are ways to do that but I'm not going to seek them out). The sleeve is everything my band was and everything I wanted it to be over time. 10/10 do not regret. I'm down 47 lbs as of today.2 -
Good to hear!1
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Saw the surgeon today, and I see the nutritionist and social worker early next week. Once those two tics are in the box I am hoping that the surgery can be booked ASAP...5
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Hope it all lines up for you1
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Hi, I got a lap band about 6 years ago. I lost 50 pounds but I need to lose more. I asked my Dr about how long can I have the band in, she said it all depends. If it starts giving you problems the we can look at taking it out. I also have reflux problems and almost choked in my sleep. My Dr took out 2 cc's and I started gaining weight back. Now I'm starting to rethink about having the band.1
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KennyPollard wrote: »Saw the surgeon today, and I see the nutritionist and social worker early next week. Once those two tics are in the box I am hoping that the surgery can be booked ASAP...
Any news on your surgery?0 -
I have two more appointments on the 8th of March. Should have a better idea then of when they will stab me on the slab.1
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@takuwinds I had reflux of bile during the night after my sleeve and had to convert to a bypass. That was the only way to rectify the bile issue. I also never lost weight to my goal with the sleeve. The bypass, and eating a ketogenic diet since the conversion (four years ago) got me past my original goal of 180 pounds to 163. But I thought I looked to thin so I regained to 180. Now, after being at 180 for three years I’m going to lose those twenty pounds again since I’ve gotten used to seeing myself this size.
If you’re having trouble with the band, don’t wait for it to get worse before doing something to make it better!2 -
KennyPollard wrote: »I have two more appointments on the 8th of March. Should have a better idea then of when they will stab me on the slab.
Hope those go well and your date is soon, waiting for a surgery date feels like torture0 -
I chose the band because my Dr was able to do the surgery in my home town and I wouldn't have to travel. I choose the easiest WLS for me. Not that I regret getting the Lap band, I want to lose more weight but without having acid reflux.2
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I chose the band because my Dr was able to do the surgery in my home town and I wouldn't have to travel. I choose the easiest WLS for me. Not that I regret getting the Lap band, I want to lose more weight but without having acid reflux.
The best you can do is make the best decision at the time with the cards you are dealt, I hope you figure out what to do next
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