This is my story
As a child I had always been big boned (as my mother used to say), and when I eventually left school I started to loose a few pounds and felt a little better about myself, although I always felt self conscious.
I then met and married my now ex husband in 1993, and in 1994 I gave birth to our daughter. I did put on 1 1/2 stone during my pregnancy and managed to loose a few pounds here and there after the birth, until my marriage started to break down a few months later. Eventually I plucked up the courage to leave what had become a violent relationship taking my 15 month old daughter with me.
Over the following years I started to put my weight back on, not to mention the extra stones that followed. My confidence and self esteem plummeted to an all time low, and every evening after I had put my little girl to bed, and a day at the office and returning home to only the sound of the television, my thoughts turned to food. I suddenly found that food had become my friend, also the odd drink of vodka and diet coke (not that the diet coke makes any difference) went down quite nicely!
In 2006 I had come across an article about the lap band, and this is what happened to me:-
I had my first lap band operation back in April 2005 in Birmingham and since then have had a further 3 operations to rectify problems. (The 2nd to reconnect the tube which had disconnected and left me in so much pain for almost 5 months I actually thought that something was drastically wrong with me. The 3rd to have the whole band replaced as it had been placed too high, thus not creating a smaller pouch for the food, and the 4th to turn the port round as it had completely over turned. (Dr's don't know how or why).
During my last operation I had 1cc inserted into the band, since then I have had another fill and currently have 4cc in, but have had absolutely no restriction to my food or liquid intake. In fact, I have nearly put back on the 3 stone I had previously lost.
I am now due to return to London next week to meet with my consultant for a 3rd band fill, but some how feel that something is still wrong. Also, my last fill was extremely painful and uncomfortable, something I have not experienced previously, only mild discomfort.
Please can you help me? Has anyone experienced all this pain and misery? I thought that almost 18 months down the line that I would have my life back and be slim once again.
My update…November 2006….I have now had another fill back at the end of October by my consultant. Whilst having this fill I experienced a very strange cold feeling, and at this point my consultant stopped and said that he was not going to put anymore in the band, asked if I could feel any restriction when drinking water, ‘nothing’ I replied, and off I went with another 2ml added, now up to 6.5ml. After leaving the clink I started to get this terrible pain in my chest (centre, between the breast bones), which then spread to the sides and upper back. This went on for hours and I eventually dropped off to sleep to wake the next morning pain free.
My consultant called and I explained this to him, but as he didn't make any comment relating to this pain I thought that everything must still be alright.
I still have no restriction and have since been sent an email from my consultant stating that they all feel that they can not continue to fill my band as there must be a structural problem with the band. 2 possibilities are:
1) An erosion of the band itself
Or
2) An aneurism of the band.
If it is an aneurism then the manufactures have verbally agreed to pay for the band to be taken out and it would then be my decision to have another one fitted. If it is not the surgeon has agreed to take it out free of charge, but I will now have to pay hospital costs (about £2000), which I can not afford after borrowing £7600 for the original operation which has failed.
I now have an appointment this Thursday afternoon for further tests under x-ray to see if it is an aneurism, this will now be under the NHS by the same guy that has done my previous x-ray fills and found all my other complications.
At the moment I really do not have the will to carry on with this all, and feel completely let down..
Feb 2007 and after my last x-ray to see what was going on with my band I was yet again told that it was in the wrong place, around the left fat pad, not even around my stomach!
So once again I found myself back in hospital on 20th Dec for yet another band to be fitted, my fifth operation, and 3rd band in 21 months!
All seemed to go well and the operation took 3 hours, and during this last operation I had 1cc inserted into my new VB 11cc band. I was just relieved that it was all over and was finally able to leave the hospital the following afternoon.
Back home after a 4 hour journey due to traffic and bad weather, a journey which should only take 2 hours, the pain kicked in.
The first few days were great, minimal hunger, but didn’t feel much difference other than that. By the eighth day I was in tremendous pain due to hunger that I felt weak, and almost collapsed while out with my mother, and for the first time ever I can honestly say I felt ill.
After 3 weeks of liquids I could stand no more, for some reason the liquid stage this time round was the worst. I spoke to my HE who agreed that I should move onto the mashed stage which was a relief, but still to my amazement I was still hungry between meals. I was advised that I should not/be able to eat more than 4-5 tablespoons of mashed food at each sitting, and boy, although I have stuck to this amount I have felt no satisfaction after a meal, and as a result still suffered with the hunger pains.
I’m now on the normal food stage, have no restriction and feel that I could still eat a large portion of food, but I still continue to keep each meal to a minimum.
I’m off for my first band fill this Friday and can’t wait although I know that I will probably not feel any different until I reach my ‘sweet spot’!
Following my band fill - I am hugely disappointed as I have only lost 8lbs since my pre-op and post-op diet. I really thought that by now I would have lost at least 2 stone.
I now have 5.2cc in my 11cc VG Band, and am still struggling to loose weight.
I also do not feel full after a meal, and seem to get hungry 1-1.5 hours after eating.
I have been in contact with my health educator and told her of my concerns, but still getting no where, and still not loosing. Arhhhhh!
Not sure what else to do no except cry! Onwards and downwards (on the scales) I hope! |
Has been a Buddy since:
04-10-2006 8:53 pm
Total forum posts: 5
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