Gastric Surgery

Kakadu_chook (11/11/2009)

Hi,

As many said each their own but I would like to share my story with you.

I had the band put in August 2004 and lost 70 kgs up to last year in September 2008.

I started having serious problems which were not picked up by the surgeon at the time and ended up hospital for over 10 weeks. My band had eroded my stomach and all my stomach contents leaked into mysystem infecting my body. I was life support for 10 days not knowing what was happening to me. My family was told I might not make it, and to prepare themselves.

I woke up 10 days later in ICU and was totally stuffed!. All I could remember doing is wiggle my toes. I had no energy and was classified malnourished. I had a further 10 days in ICU/High dependency. I had trouble with my lungs, I needed four people to move me and they used to strap me into a chair daily. I ended up getting transferred to the rehab centre of the town's private hospital where I eventually untook daily physio sessions and then water sessions. I had to work
hard to get out of hospital in the second week of December 2008.

My stomach was not torn just through vomiting, it was eroded through the band rubbing against it like your shorts might erode between your legs after alot of use. I had to have a portion of my stomach cut away so they could sew it together securely.

They say this sort of thing only happens to very few but when you are that one, it is so hard to comprehend that you nearly lost your life all because of weight issue. Not to mention the stress on your love ones. I have no idea if long term, if this event has caused me any long term effects. I will just have to want and see.

Living with the band is not easy, stress, heat emotions can make the band tight and you cannot get things down, if if you chew them 100 times. Its unpredictable. Most bandsters will overeat on the days/times they can get food down and on those time when things are not so good, they will try anything and everything. Its not a way to life long term. And as someone has mentioned her mum got the band out and she put some of the weight back on. Look at me, if I really honest with your folks, I have put on 31kgs since January 30, 2009 when I last went into TF with good intentions of working the program but totally fell off the wagon. I will admit during this weight gain and rejoining TF, I had the major decision of giving up my full time permanent government job to take over the care of my elderly mother and have just gone through the anniversary of when things went seriously south which any emotional eater would have the scales moving north instead of south. I have still done some serious damage to my weight loss! I never really learnt anything over that five year period really, the band did it all for me. You would have thought that the feeling of being so much lighter would have motivated me to keep the weight off but no, I went back to my comfort eating until I found myself not fitting into my clothes and knew I had to do something about it.

TF works for me as I am a Territorian who loves her Pauls Iced Coffee and am addicted to white bread. The shakes allows me to have a "milk drink" of a morning which feels normal to me. I like the shakes. TF is teaching me about portion control and good foods. Yes there are things I cannot have but with the new progress program I know in time when the weight is back down, I will again be allow to eat such things and enjoy. I am learning and I am achieving and it is me in control of the situation and not a foreign crutch. I did alot of research at the beginning when thinking about the lapband and everyone just breezed over the complications that I too did not really think seriously about. But as said, if it was you, the unlucky one and find yourself in that position like I did, its such a horrible, horrible situation to be in. The guilt of putting your love ones through it and knowing you could have died! I have been asked if I would have another band and the answer is No.

I intend working the TF program as good as I can and for as long as it is necessary to get to my goal weight of 85kgs. I know there are big chances it will be three steps forward and two back, but I am determined to achieve this time and with this forum and believe I will!

I do wish you the very best in whatever you do but felt the need to share my story with you.

Kakadu sorry to hear you were one of the very few with terrible terrible complications. I guess being 70kgs overweight wasn't doing your health any good either. Bit of a catch 22 isn't it. So glad you came through it all ok. I've thought of banding or balloon etc. myself many times over and what has stopped me is a. my fear of surgery and b. knowing that it does not change the way you eat emotionally at all - it FORCES you to change and therefore doesn't really deal with any issues associated with over-eating. You're still a good 40kg better off than you were so small mercies eh.... I really hope you continue your journey on TF and get the results you desire and deserve.

Beat The Mid-Winter Buldge Challenge - Pledged 5kgs