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please help, advice needed, feel lost.

Posted , 8 users are following.

eleanor05417
eleanor05417

Hello all, I'm sorry if this question has been asked so many times, I'm 29 and about five stone over weight with dreadful PCOS. I was in a car accident recently and slipped a disc in my L5 and fractured a vertebrae. Because this needs to be seen to ASAP, I have been advised to get a gastric band and have an initial appointment booked with healthier weight next Friday. But I have read nothing but horror stories about them online and now the idea terrifys me! Are there and gastric band success stories out there people can share with me? Or do they ruin lives? I'm ready to make a complete change its not food restriction that daunts me, just the pain and complications and potentially damaging my stomach for ever sad please help. Thank you so so so so much. 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Dizzypanda
    Dizzypanda eleanor05417

    Posted

    Hi Eleanor - I had a gastric band in 2011 and initially it was great and I lost 6 stone - unfortunately it slipped and I had it removed but that was down to bad aftercare. I'm sure that there are many success stories it's just that it is not a surgery of choice for the NHS now - I had a gastric sleeve in November and found that much better than a band.

    Good luck with whatever your decision is 😀

    • eleanor05417
      eleanor05417 Dizzypanda

      Posted

      Thanks so much for your reply, maybe I should go straight for a sleeve.

      If you got it removed I guess that means it's essentially reversible though that makes me feel better. 6 stone would allow me to get my back fixed, if I got it removed and put some weight back on it wouldn't be the end of the world I don't think. 

      Thanks so much for your help!

  • dee16710
    dee16710 eleanor05417

    Posted

    I've only had my band in 10 days so I can't tell you much yet, however, with ANY surgery there are risks and complications.  The stories you have read shouldn't put you off but do what is right for you as having a gastric band or sleeve is a way to change your life for the better.  Book a consultation and ask all the questions you've posed here then you can make that decision if you want to go ahead with surgery. Good luck with whatever you decide smile
  • Mollymoo7711
    Mollymoo7711 eleanor05417

    Posted

    Hi, I too have PCOS and up until 31/03/15 I was 11.5 stone overweight. I was going to have a gastric band and my surgeon was happy to do what I wanted however he said that he thought that with my PCOS it would be better with a gastric sleeve. I also was worried about the issues that can happen with a band and did my own research. My brother-in-law had a band and he had nothing but problems and eventually had it removed and a conversion done to a sleeve. You have to do what's right for you, but makes sure you get all the information you can. I did change my mind and it was through my own research and not due to anything else. On 31/03/15 I had a gastric sleeve and have not looked back and I am now 7 stone lighter and looking to have IVF in May 2016. Good luck with what you decide to do, it was the best decision I ever made xx
  • Lissa1974
    Lissa1974 eleanor05417

    Posted

    Hiya!

    Facebook has a gastric band support group, it's a fantastic place to ask questions and see how lots of others are getting on with their bands.

    I've had mine 10 months and lost 4 stone. I can eat mostly what I like just in small quantities. I went with the hospital group and have an aftercare package for 2yrs. All well so far.

    Hope this helps

    Lissa

  • Bandid
    Bandid eleanor05417

    Posted

    can i ask where you have been reading all these 'horror stories'?  would it be the press who want to sell newspapers and telling the story of somebody who is happily getting on with their lives after wgt loss story isnt gonna sell newspapers is it?  They want sensational stories but for every so called 'horror story' there are loads of people who are getting along fine but these are not the kind of stories that make the headlines - if somebody chokes and dies eating a pork pie it might end up in the press - all the people eating those pork pies and not choking never get a mention - do you see what I am getting at?  I would suggest you do some research and by all means look at the good points and the bad points and then make an informed decision and also be guided by your consultant who should take into consideration your health status, personal circumstances, life style etc - a private company will most certainly sell you a gastric band cos they want to make money just like those newspapers telling the horror stories but what you need to do is decide if this is the best way forward for you - my band surgery over 7 yrs ago certainly has not ruined my life and i have had no pain or complications which you mention above but  nobody is really interested in hearing about  anormal person leading a normal life.  I have not damaged my stomach for ever and if i wanted it removed i could do so as band surgery is reversible whereby other types of wgt loss surgery are not.  5 stones is not a massive amount to lose so the other more invasive types of surgery might not be needed.  One thing I would say to ask about is aftercare cos this can vary tremendously and if you do go for band surgery you will need several fills over a period of time to get you to a level of restriction where you will lose wgt and this needs to be built up over a year or so - you need to know if this is included in the price of your op  or is it extra charge each time - without these fills your band will not work. You could join a support group to get more info, go onto facebook as mentioned in one of the posts above or join an organisation such as WLSinfo for some good advice.  All types of wgt loss surgery have their pros and cons and none of them are a magic wand that will make your excess wgt disappear - they are all just a tool to aid wgt loss and which you will have to work with and change your eating habits etc but the more info you can gather between now and that appt i would say would be to your benefit  - good luck
    • eleanor05417
      eleanor05417 Bandid

      Posted

      Thanks so much for this, if I'm totally honest I got most the stories from a discussion on mums net, just found by googling but this is so good to hear because you're right that you are much less likely to hear about things when it went well. And you're also right about the upsell because I had originally rang to enquire about the balloon! So glad to hear yours went well this gives me some confidence! 
    • Bandid
      Bandid eleanor05417

      Posted

      you might get a more balanced view on a forum dedicated purely to wgt loss surgery rather than a general one like mumsnet - just my opinion - the balloon is just a temporary measure and you need to think about what will happen when it is removed - will you keep the wgt of?  losing it is one thing but maintaining is more difficult in my opinion - the band is permanent but reversible if necessary - sleeve, RNY, Duodenal Switch are permanent - you have part of your stomach removed with them all and with RNY and DS you also have your plumbing rearranged to give you mallabsorption - thats a double whammy and possibly one you do not need to lose 5 stones but just do some research cos a band is not for everyone either - are you a big eater for example - do you like sweet stuff - do you graze - band will stop you eating huge meals but wont stop you grazing on choc, crisps and sweets - they are thing s you need to control with your head - have a  look on WLSinfo or see if there are any support groups in your area where you can chat to people who are actually living with the various surgeries - good luck   
  • margaret73235
    margaret73235 eleanor05417

    Posted

    My gastroenterologist/surgeon does bands, sleeves and bypassed. I wanted a band, but he talked me out of it. We travel a lot and he couldn't guarantee I wouldn't have problems with slippage and leaks, etc., plus there was more frequent monitoring with a band. He recommended a bypass over a sleeve for me, and for anyone who has any problems with reflux or acid.

    So three months ago, I had a bypass. I could not be more pleased with the results. I have already dropped half my excess weight. I eat anything I want, just much less of it than the average person. I take more supplements and am much more aware of protein intake, but other than that I have not really changed my lifestyle. I have always walked a lot and been active. I now jog instead and feel great. I feel better than I have since I was a teenager.

    That's how I feel now, but I won't lie and say the first few weeks were easy. They weren't. It takes discipline and imagination. It's boring. Lots of measuring and doling out the same miniscule amounts of the same foods. The countdown to real food and eating in a restaurant again was almost painful. But when it was over, it was so worth it. I can't tell you how good I feel, inside, outside, in my head.

    Last, in case it's important......coffee and alcohol. I used to drink several cups of coffee a day and am now advised to have no more than two. As it happens, I really only want a cup now by choice, so that worked out fine. I'm not supposed to have any alcohol for 6 months, though my doctor prefers a year. I don't really miss it; the habit is gone. I may or may not start drinking wine again. It's not something I worry about.

    Hope any or all of this helps.

    Margaret

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