Helen W.
I began my quest for WLS in early 2002. I can't remember now just what prompted me to go searching for information other than I was at my wits end and unhappy and had to do something. I had been through the round of diets and diet fads in my adult life to only end up back in worse shape than I started out.
I decided on a Surgeon (there weren't that many out there even 4 years ago). I found OH and another forum which is no longer in existence from what I can tell. I read and read and made my decision to gather all the information I could figure out I needed, and make a call to the surgeon's office. I was told the waiting list was very long, but that I would be put on the list. In the mean time I should do A, B, C to facilitate the process. I can't exactly remember now what all that was. One exercise was to attend the Obesity Informational Meeting at the hospital which I did. It is where I first heard the words "lapband". I was intrigued to say the least. I did a little homework, asked questions, signed the attendance sheet and before I knew it, I was getting a call from the surgeon's office for an appointment. The process seemed to go quickly for me from that call on. I decided on the lapband, sure it would work for me and others agreed. I had 2 solid years of weekly weigh ins from one diet group I was involved in for several years. It worked for about 30 lbs and that was it just like the others. Pretty soon my efficient body was hoarding calories and making it difficult and that was the end of that attempt.
I followed all the instructions given me by the capable office staff and things fell into place quickly and I had a date. In early December 2002 I had my lapband placed and was on my way. It was a painless, easy procedure and I recovered very quickly. I could never tell it was even done for the most part. I did manage to slowly lose about 30 lbs with the band. I had up to 3.5 ccs in the band and never felt restricted.
After 4 years of the lapband and little weight lost I knew I had chosen the wrong surgery for me. Now I believe the lapband did it's job in that I was in an upward spiral weightwise and could not stop it for any length of time. I believe if I did not have that band I'd probably be dead or weigh 800 lbs by now.
Let me say here: The Lapband does work for many people. I personally know several people who have had great success. I did honestly feel it would work for me. I was wrong and take some of the responsibility for the "failure". I don't consider it a total failure if at all. I would just recommend really examining your eating habits and discussing it with the professionals in the Drs office. The determining factors lie within those behaviors.
I believed I was "stuck" with the band. When I discussed it with my surgeon's office I was told I wasn't, that I could have a revision to RNY. My husband and I talked about it and made the decision to go for it. I knew early on that I had opted for the wrong surgery with the band and was relieved to know I did have a choice.
I never thought I would get insurance approval for it though. Well, I was denied with the first request, but approved on the appeal and I was happy/scared. Oh Oh what had I done now. Once again the process moved right along and I had a date before I knew it. One week short of 4 years after my lapband surgery it was removed and the RNY done.
Due to prior scar tissue my RNY was an open procedure. I had more stuff hanging out of me after surgery than I could count. One of these things was a "painbuster". It delivers a numbing agent to the incision site, so I had minimal pain. I had a few rough moments here and there, but by the next afternoon I was getting better by the minute.
I think the worse thing was the gallons of IV they pumped into me. I left the hospital weighing 12 lbs more than the day I was admitted. I felt like a Weeble and just wanted to go home and get some rest. My surgery was on a Monday and I went home Thursday a.m. After 14 hrs of sleep I finally felt like I could begin my journey of healing. The hospital was noisy and busy and there was no sleeping there.
I'm fine now and back to work full time and feeling great. My weight loss is slow though. Of course as I've read on these boards, I am convinced I'm going to be the only one who fails at RNY weight loss. I still have a few staples in which come out this Friday so we'll see what happens then.
I am a "serial weigher". I always have been. It was one of my weight control tools. If the scale was going up, I stopped eating for a few days. I recently figured out it only made matters worse.
