Thank you all so much! It's less daunting to know that there are others going through the same stuff you have and still are. You have inspired me to get going again and MAKE IT HAPPEN! There is really no other choice.  I'm off the week after Christmas.  I'm going to use that time to stockpile protein shakes and healthy stuff and get ready for 2016.

I wish I had some advice, but I have not experienced a dry mouth except for right after surgery. Have you asked your doctor to see if he or she has some insight?

Congrats on your weight loss!

Dejah

I have the lap band and love it!!  I eat just small amounts of food and then don't even think about food again.  Something I never thought would happen to me.  I was always thinking about food - 24/7! Now my husband has to remind me that we need to eat dinner!  If you want to do the lap band just make sure you have a really good surgeon that supplies really good follow up care. I don't regret my decision for one minute. I'm feeling good about myself for the first time in years.

Hey all, new to this forum!

Basically my story is that I was supposed to have surgery on Monday (12-14) to get the sleeve. As I was sitting in pre-op, I became very nervous and anxious. I know that is normal when having surgery, but this was different. After talking with my mom before my surgeon came in, I had basically decided not to have the surgery, I just don't think I was ready for a non-reversible option.

So now here I am, thinking about perhaps getting the lap band. I would love to hear from some of you about why you like or don't like your band, and what are some of the things that have made you successful in your weight loss!

Thanks!

I had my band removed Feb of 2013 (no revision) and I kept it far too long because of money also, I didn't want to have to burden us with a loan to pay for removal. However it got to the point that I could no longer move with out pain under my rib cage, I could barely eat from the heartburn, I was in horrible pain from that also felt like my throat was on fire. There was pain from my throat all they way down thru my stomach and intestines just constant dull pain with sharp pains under my right rib cage!! I could barely swallow any solid food and was eating pureed soups for a couple of years. Oh and my band had been totally empty for over a year because of the tightness. I finally realized that was no way to live. What happens but doesn't always show up on tests is the band causes scar tissue to build up between the band and stomach which causes that tight feeling and why you must get some saline out of your band DO NOT get another fill! This is why you are unable to eat solid food. If I were you I would get half of the fill you have now taken out. We got our bands near the same time and mine was empty when I still had the same problems so yours must be super tight. Even tho it isn't full it could be making it feel full because of the scar tissue.

I was finally in so much pain and my husband was so worried about me that he said just get it out, my life was worth more than the stupid band. It turned out I thought I was having a heart attack one morning and turns out that I was having an irregular heartbeat which may have been brought on by the band. It rubs against the vegus nerve which controls the heart and nerves and many other things in our bodies. So I was admitted to the hospital and my hubby went to my surgeons office and told him to get the band out asap. So a week later once I was stabilized they removed the band. Ahhhhh what a relief, the pain under my rib cage was gone and never came back. My heartburn was some better and I could swallow better, I didn't even realize before that I was having trouble swallowing. Before it was removed they said I had gastoparesis or slow stomach emptying. Which meant everything was digested slowly and caused food to back up.

Sadly I still have that and have to eat very carefully and can only eat certain foods still. At least I can eat more healthy foods now but I will always have this for the rest of my life. I also still have horrid heartburn that can't be fixed because I have bad lungs and am on oxygen so I have to live with that too as no meds have helped it either. I also know of people who have lost most of their swallowing ability now because of the damage done by their bands. It is a horrendous surgery and causes so much damage. If you want to revise now is the time to do it before you end up with permanent damage! I know very few people who still have their bands that were banded when I was. We get so used to eating oddly that we don't realize the damage that is already done with the band, we are surgical bulimics and don't realize it until it is too late and the damage is already done.The band is never going to work the way we were told because the manufacturers lied about how it works. It just causes damage and rarely any weight loss.

I realize this is long but I hope it will help others besides you. Never be afraid to see your doc or tell him the band is being a problem. He got paid good money to take care of you and your band and he owes it to you to do just that. Tell him you want part of your saline removed so you can stop gagging and get real food down. You have to take charge of your life and insist that you are worth being happy and able to eat. I've been on a diet since about the same age, I was skinny for a minute when I was in my 20's but got pregnant and poof the fat cells filled right up again. It was when I learned to love myself no matter what the size that I started being able to put myself and my health first. We tend to worry about everyone except ourselves and we need to love us first.

Most of the time we have some pretty serious psychological things to deal with even before we get weight loss surgery. You might try Overeater's Anonymous they are even one line for support or they have regular meetings in many cities. Then find a councilor who deals with weight issues maybe ask your surgeon if he knows of someone. Once we can get our brains in the right frame of mind it makes the whole challenge a little easier and yes indeed start that savings account and get the band out as soon as possible before it does more damage to you. Remember you are the boss and you control your body and your life, go get some saline removed from your band so you can swallow and eat the way we have told you here and try to find some good psychological help and that will get you well on your way to a new and better life! We have to address the mental, physical and spiritual sides of life to be a well balanced, whole person!