Getting Unfilled by Choice

[Amberlishious 0]

Hi All.

I am a lap band vet going on 3 years post op by this year in Sept. Year one was awesome as far as weight loss goes. I did struggle here and there with restricion inconsistancies. At times I would hit a green zone, but soon after it would sibside. It was really up and down and I was in and out of after care a lot trying to find that sweet spot. None the less, my weight loss seemed to be consistant enough to drop 80lbs with in my 1st 8 months. Through out that year, I was dianosed with PCOS. For those that dont know, its a hormonal issue which causes absent ovulation and mentral cycles. I was also advised insuline resistance was the underlying cause and was placed on threatment. Well, the treatment worked and while we were not trying persay, but not avoiding it either, we got prego around my year post op surgerversy. By Oct 28th, my pregnancy failed via Ectopic and I was rushed to emergency surgery. From that point further, my band has not worked properly. While it had already been inconsistant, it's finiky ways got worse. One extreme to another most times. Too tight, too open, off and on. I stopped losing weight and started to gain, even though I stayed with the rules and program and was working out 5 days a week. Come to find out, my upper ppouch was dialated. Perhaps it was from being too tight and tryng to eat, or maybe from internal swelling from my ectpoic surgery? None the less, I got unfilled to let things relax. I slowly went back and got refilled and my weight started to come off.. but verrrry slow. Thankfully over a YEARS time, I lost the weight I gained, which was 30 lbs. Yes... it took a YEAR to lose 30 lbs. Now as of today in the middle of year 3, I am still at the same weight. I flirt with a 10 lbs gain and loss, but I have maintained to stay around the 230's. This last year my band has still be inconsistant. While most times I feel the "restriction" when swallowing, I am not feeling the proper feeling of being satisifed or "full". So basicly, I have an out of control appitie like I used to have. When I eat, I feel my food hesitate, it goes through, it does take awhile for me to eat, but a cup is not doing the job. At most, I stop myself at 2 cups, but shortly after I am back looking for more to eat. I can not help but think this is realted to my hormonal issues caused by PCOS and Insulin Resiatance. I am supose to be on metformin to help with those issues, but the side effects were too much so I took myself off. This last month I started on them again in desperation that it will help my body and band reset and start losing again.

All in all I am considering getting completly unfilled since the band is not working to make me feel satisifed. If all it is doing is making me eat slow and burp all the time, then I dont see the point. I feel focusing on my underlying medical issues should be #1. Perhaps once my body back under control, I can go back and use the band in hopes it works again. Like I have been from the start, I am on a 1300 cal diest, keeping carbs at 80 max per day and I cross fit 4xs a week, some times 5 when they have a free community WOD on Saturdays. I can not express the frustrations I have knowing how much effort I have and still am dedicating to my goals and not getting the results I should have. At times I resent the band, but am thankful for whats its done thus far and have to reemebr that its lack of work is more than likely due to my body sabatoging its self. Then again, I read blogs with women who have PCOS and Insulin resistance and have been extreamly sucessfull with the band and claim it but their syndroms in remission. So my question is:

Has anyone gone through this, have PCOS, and or INSULIN RESISTANCE, or had a failed lap band post a failed preganacy??? Could my band truly be faulty, since it was inconsistant from the start, or do you think it is more internal?? I am set to get unfill on the 28th.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Amberlishious

[Lady VS 1,147]

Hi there. I'm sorry that you are experiencing the problems that you are having. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about PCOS or insulin resistance; however, if you are eating as much as you say you are, don't you think you may possibly need just a small fill rather than completely being unfilled? If you are unfilled, you are going to eat even more than you are now. At any rate, I hope it all works out for you.