roundbeard

Uh.....Ok. YOU said it.
Let me see if I understand this. You went into surgery NOT KNOWING what you were having done?
Huh? How does THAT work?
In MOST "quality" surgical operations, the procedure being performed is verified with the patient in several steps. In my case, it was at the check in, and in the prep room by both the Surgeon and the Anesthesiologist . This to avoid a situation that you hear about every once in a while where a surgeon amputates the WRONG leg, for example. And he didn't EXPLAIN the differences between a Gastric Bypass and a Lap Band?
So, I'm gonna have to suppose that your surgeon is one of these guys who works out of a dune buggy at the foot of the Santa Monica Pier…or maybe shares space with a massage parlor in a strip mall, perhaps?

And...a Big Mac?.....Seriously....you Didn't. You Did? Ugh.
Unfortunately, this situation speaks to a LOT of issues. First, it points to the sometimes amazing lack of information provided to the patient by the Surgeon's Staff. There are some Bariatric groups that do an amazing job of preparing the patient for this process. Lots of pre-op information, coaching and classes, and spectacular post-surgical support, followup, and "cheerleading". This is CRUCIAL for the success of most WLS procedures.
BUT….there are many Surgeons who jump into this field for the quick and easy insurance money, and are not going to part with the time OR the money to set up such a program.
The other side of this coin is the patient. I am quite often astounded by what I read on this forum (and other forums) by patients who have had various types of weight loss surgery. The kinds of things they eat, their mindsets, the stuff they believe about their WLS, is often mind-boggling. It is no wonder that the Lap Band has such a low rate of success. The actions of the Patient has a HUGE amount to do with the Success of the Band, in situations where the Band was THE appropriate choice of surgeries. (Often it is not the right choice.)
Just about a year ago, a young woman on this forum asked why it was that Cotton Candy went down so easily after WLS. I had the audacity to suggest to her that perhaps consuming pure sugar….let me repeat that: PURE SUGAR….might not be in her best interest after having weight loss surgery. The response from various members was astonishing. You would have thought I had just raped her baby and set fire to her kitten. It was kind of nasty. Not so muchfrom her, but various OTHER members of this forum! But…..not totally unexpected. Because so many people here do NOT "get it".
Incidentally, the young woman who had the cotton candy? She comes and goes on this forum. She made an appearance here recently, and commented that not only had she not lost any additional weight, she had PUT ON additional weight. Gee….ya think?
I say all of this not to berate the OP (ok, maybe just a little….) but to suggest to the OP and everyone else here who might be struggling that YOU play a vital role in the success of your Lap Band. If you are not continually doing the RIGHT things, and avoiding the WRONG things then you are going to FAIL at this, plain and simple. It is a fact that the Lap Band does NOT work for everyone. And it works in different ways for different people. And to varying degrees for people who it DOES work for. YOU have to work hard to make this thing work.
If you are not acting in a decidedly proactive manner, then will not succeed at this. The process does NOT start at the moment your band is installed. It starts WAY before that, when you do the research to ascertain what kind of WLS would be appropriate for you. It begins when you Make the DECISION to have WLS. From that point on you need to do everything in your power to make this the life-changing experience for you that it has been for many other people. And if you do not KNOW EXACTLY what you are getting into, then there is a problem on one or both ends.
You need to choose the RIGHT surgeon. (there are a LOT of greedy idiots out there playing with scalpels, waiting to soak up some of your hard-earned cash) You need to make sure that a first-class pre-surgery educational program is in place. You need to be sure that an excellent post-surgery support and follow-up program is available to you. You have to ask LOTS of questions of your support staff and the surgeon. You have to follow the surgeon's instructions to the LETTER. And if you do not get you results you want/need, then you have to look elsewhere for the information that will help you achieve the results you want.
For some people, this process is a nice, easy ride. They lose the weight, and go on living their lives. For others…not so much. It can be a disappointing adventure, full of frustration and heartache and no results to show for it. But YOU can play a role in how it will turn out for YOU.
And a HUGE part of the "success matrix" in this experience is understanding the fact that Pie-Holing a Big Mac is a BAD IDEA under ANY circumstances. If you didn't learn that prior to surgery, then you have some work to do.
Here is my suggestion to the OP: It would appear that you might have an idiot for a surgeon. If he did not give you anything more than a cursory gloss-over of what your responsibilities are in this process, then it is unlikely that he/she has much of a post-surgery support mechanism in place. So, I would suggest that you look for a new Doctor that SPECIALIZES in Bariatric Support. This does not necessarily mean a Surgical group, but a Physician who understands WLS and provides support for people who have had it. You don't find them all that frequently, and if there is not one in your area, then find a new WLS surgical group that will take you in as a post-surgical patient. SOME Groups will do that; others won't. If you can find one, GET INVOLVED. Ask questions. Go regularly to support meetings. Find out everything you can about this process, and make it work FOR YOU.
I'm sorry you had this experience. I don't think you have done any damage to your Band; you would probably know for certain if you did. It can be very unpleasant if you have done anything to change the positioning of the Lap Band.
NOTE: There is a thread on this forum that was begun about a Year and a half ago. It was closed for some reason, I think, but it was one the funniest threads I have ever seen on this forum. It has to do with the subject being discussed here, people who wonder why they have problems when they consume food that might not be considered a "good" choice. It is quite hysterical. If you search for "Seriously Curious" you will probably find it.
S.
Big Mac….Jeez.