Lapband to DS

[EvaAycock1981]

Just joined this site. I had lapband in 2010. Everything was great until January 2016. That month I started with severe acid reflux. I could not keep anything down. I knew something was wrong. After going to the doctor I was told my band had slipped. After the X-ray I knew I needed a break from the band. I had all of the fluid removed. Even though I lost 50 pds I was disgusted with my lapband. I quickly gained all of the weight I had lost plus more. I switched doctors and I am glad I did. I am now in the process of having the duodenal switch. I worry though because I am 54 years old. My fear is I will lose the weight but have excess skin. I weigh 265 now. My gold is 175. I have trouble walking, shortness of breath, knee pain, arthritis and bladder leakage. I know I need to do this for my health. Im sure there has been others just like me.

 

[DianaCox]

"My fear is I will lose the weight but have excess skin."

Yup, you will have excess skin. Probably quite a bit, because you're older.

So what?

Do you want to die from coronary artery disease, a stroke or cancer, with skin tautly wrapped around a fat painful body? Or do you want to invest in reconstructive surgery or Spanx? Your choice.

 

[harrietvane]

I also had a lapband around the same time, and got switched in February last year. It's been a wonderful change for me - I struggled with the band, and never lost that much weight. With the DS, I am down over 100 lbs and I am not living by any particularly strict diet (other than prioritising protein!). I can eat without worrying if this mouthful will get stuck and cause me to run to a bathroom.

I'm a fair bit younger, in my mid 30s, so excess skin is not something I'm too worried about, but it will be worth it even if it does turn out to be an issue. So far, while I'm not well-toned by any means, it hasn't been too bad.

 

[Munchkin]

You won't even believe how much better your life will get. Find someone who doesn't have some loose skin in their 50's. It's nothing compared to all the health issues you are facing now.

 

[JuliaDS]

Just joined this site. I had lapband in 2010. Everything was great until January 2016. That month I started with severe acid reflux. I could not keep anything down. I knew something was wrong. After going to the doctor I was told my band had slipped. After the X-ray I knew I needed a break from the band. I had all of the fluid removed. Even though I lost 50 pds I was disgusted with my lapband. I quickly gained all of the weight I had lost plus more. I switched doctors and I am glad I did. I am now in the process of having the duodenal switch. I worry though because I am 54 years old. My fear is I will lose the weight but have excess skin. I weigh 265 now. My gold is 175. I have trouble walking, shortness of breath, knee pain, arthritis and bladder leakage. I know I need to do this for my health. Im sure there has been others just like me.

Yep. I'm 56 now and have lost over 200 pounds! I have lots of loose skin and it's not pretty but I look awesome in size 6-8 clothes, let go of all the co-morbidities, take no medications, and have started really living my life again. You have to decide what is important to you.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome @EvaAycock1981
Loose skin is a given. How loose depends on age, genetics, how obese you were.
Imagine a balloon freshly out of a package. Even if you blow it up once and just a little it will never return to that pre-use pristine condition.

 

[aaa]

@EvaAycock1981 Glad you made it over.

Unfortunately, the loose skin is part of the deal. But I've gained a lot more good things. Including my health.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Just joined this site. I had lapband in 2010. Everything was great until January 2016. That month I started with severe acid reflux. I could not keep anything down. I knew something was wrong. After going to the doctor I was told my band had slipped. After the X-ray I knew I needed a break from the band. I had all of the fluid removed. Even though I lost 50 pds I was disgusted with my lapband. I quickly gained all of the weight I had lost plus more. I switched doctors and I am glad I did. I am now in the process of having the duodenal switch. I worry though because I am 54 years old. My fear is I will lose the weight but have excess skin. I weigh 265 now. My gold is 175. I have trouble walking, shortness of breath, knee pain, arthritis and bladder leakage. I know I need to do this for my health. Im sure there has been others just like me.

Everyone else (with the possible exception of @DianaCox , but we know how she is) is being polite, so I'll just be me:

I'm having trouble believing that a reasonable person would consider staying 90# overweight if losing that weight might cause sagging skin.

Frankly, if...in your mind...the "how will I look" part of bariatric surgery is even close to tbe "how healthy will I be" part, you might be better off (by that I mean "happier") not getting the DS. You will likely be sickly and dead much sooner, but you will probably look better...until the last couple of years of your life, when in a wheelchair, with bodily fluids leaking from your legs, dragging oxygen equipment around and snuggling up at night with your CPAP machine.

Life is full of hard choices...this really isn't one of them.