Any Lap-banders out there?

[spook]

Hello, I have had the Gastric Lapband now for 5 years and would love to hear from others with the lap band or Gastric bypass people.
Personally I have not lost the weight that I would have loved to have, but this is my doing, not the surgeon or the procedure.
Regardless to how many may feel as this is the "easy way out" it is not. More so difficult then the average person can realize as your companionship with food and the anxieties have increased by double as you cannot cheat, if you do, with the bypass, you will be ill. I feel that the reasons I have not done well with my ban dings is in part the types of medications I have to have, cannot crush and only come in large pill forms.
I would love to have some support on getting back on track, from people that know its hard to get protein down. I would love to hear what works for you, what doesn't, how you deal with such things and favorite foods that work for you!

Also, if you are thinking about having one of these gastric surgeries, ask questions with individual opinions (hopefully its not just me- lol)

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Hi hun,
I'm actually seriously thinking about having it done this year.
I'm sorry you haven't had the results you wanted

I struggled for a long time with not wanting a forein body inside me forever but it's getting to the point where I need to get some weight off ASAP or suffer the consequences later. I decided that if it meant me having a chance at living a normal life I was willing to live with a hunk of plastic in my tummy....

One thing I still have a hard time getting over though and I haven't found any answers on the topic online:

Can you feel the port/button that they place for adding removing saline on the outside of your body? Like if you just run your hand over the skin there can you feel it? How noticiable is it?

That kinda creeps me out!

 

[miss_jayne]

i had one and lost 114 lbs. i actually got so thin, people thought i was ill. i worked out everyday, twice a day. if you utilize the tool it will work.

mine had to come out due to some issues the surgeon caused.(i had HUGE infections in my abdomen. i have gained back a lot of the weight because i put out too much insulin now. but i am still 60 lbs. lighter.

i still highly recommend the system. it does work if you follow the directions.

the band is small and made of silicone. yes, you can feel the port under your skin. mine actually stuck out some when i weighed my lightest.

it's not noticeable unless you are really thin. no one would see it.

 

[Wifezilla]

Knowing how hard it is to lose weight, I totally understand when people decide to do it. It is sad that many do gain so much of the weight back (about 40-50% I read somewhere) because they go back to eating the same foods. I stay away from foods that disrupt blood sugar and spike insulin. Heck, even figuring THAT out it is STILL hard. I have gone from enormous (280) down to large (207) and still need to get down to 190 to get to my goal. I have been stalled since November

 

[spook]

True with the port, I still have a large fat layer over my port, plus I had a keloid grow from my surgery (its from moms side! lol), the only time I really notice my port is when I lean on a counter or washing machine, which is fine, or when the dang cat sits on me and seems like she want to make a point. Other then that, at first you are afraid of it, but soon realize that its like part of you and unless you need a fill, ignore it.
Yes it is a tool that I have not been utilizing and is one of the reasons I started this subject in hopes that I can gain strength enough to get my mind set back.
I lost 50 lbs, gaining 20lbs back and I have maintained the same 10lbs (up and down) for 3 years.
I also have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and all that goes with that. Unfortunately my Bariatric doctor retired and no one would pick me up, that he suggested because I am "not a good candidate" as I am morbidly obese.
Jayne, sorry to hear of your difficulties, its not easy and as we know, the more adipost (sp) tissue that we have the tougher it is to heal, there is no veins or sufficiant blood supply to the fat cells in our bodies. And like you, I may not have had as much success as you, it is a positive step in my life and would recommend the process.


edited for comment to Jayne! Have a wonderful day!