RobinGirl

I'm sorry you had problems, but it's obvious something was wrong with your band from the day it was placed. Maybe it's in the wrong place, maybe your anatomy simply doesn't work well with the band, I don't know. But I do know the fact you've been living on slider foods since the first month being banded means something is wrong.
I might also add you have a 4cc band. There's a reason those are no longer used in the United States- because the company said there were way too many complications with them and now only approve the larger bands. Again, that is completely not your fault, however it stands to reason that band was too small for you from the beginning hence forever being too tight even when empty.
I hope you find what you're looking for after it's removed and I mostly hope you find good health. But please don't come on here acting like everyone who is banded is making a mistake.
We're not you and the statistics are in our favor, especially with the new bigger bands. I've lost almost 150 pounds in 9 months and I couldn't be happier. I never PB, I've never vomited, and it's extremely rare that I get stuck. In fact, I can and do still eat whatever I want without any problems. Some of us are extremely happy and successful with our bands.

Now that I am shopping for some new clothes to go with my new figure i find myself buying nothing but pants, shorts, skirts and jeans with buttons, hooks, snaps and zippers. I didn't plan it .... but it hit me over the weekend that everything I owned ... once I topped the scales at 200 had an elastic waist. And over the years as I packed on 10, 20 and even 177 lbs to the 200 I had... My elastic waists were forgiving and loved me. I didn't even think to buy a zipper... Too uncomfortable. Elastic grew with me and when I was sure my favorite pair of shorts or skirts has shrunk in the wash yet another time I would buy a bigger size because once again the elastic loved me and made me comfortable.
As I was losing weight I found I could go 30 or 40 lbs before the elastic just let me down and I had to go to the next size down. But when I hit sized 14 i bought a skirt that had a zipper and no elastic. It didn't occur to me at the time... I was too busy celebrating the size 14... But I was finished buying elastic anything except maybe leggings and undergarments.
The 14 skirt falls off me today. The difference between that and the 10s I am wearing wouldn't be so extreme if they had elastic waists. But they don't and I am promising myself to let my clothes govern my body. If the pants I bought today are ever tight... I won't buy anything else until they fit again. Sorry elastic but you just lost a customer!

I completely agree. I actually haven't been on here lately because I got tired of the "I ate too much. How come I'm not losing" posts. Also -posters please proof read or at least spell check your posts and don't type in text shorthand form or in phonics. It's annoying. Sorry that's my rant. I hope I'm not a troll.

i dont want newbies or prebies to think of this or any WLS as a joke.
none of the LBT friends/members on here are rude or trying to be mean (or stalk people)
some of use are just really tired of dealing with BS trolls and people who make sh** up.
this surgery is not a joke and its major and not a game (so enough with the cheating stories and listen to your doctors).
i take offense to those who try to make it out to be a farce and these petty games are really for OH forum and not this one.
so block me also if you want a
but remember we are not in middle school.
sorry have to vent alittle this a.m.

This is not a time to beat yourself up over noncompliance with your pre op diet, but it is a time to come to terms with the reality that perhaps you are not sufficiently motivated to have your surgery. If you want to be successful with weight loss with the band, then it will require your daily compliance with the diet that your surgeon recommends and exercise.
I'm not trying to discourage you, only to share the realities of how much accountability for weight loss is placed on the patient. There will not be anyone but yourself to comply with your diet. I do understand that we are human, and as such we will not be 100% diet compliant every day, however, if pre op you have not been able to change your eating patterns, my concern is that post op you will be one of the posters who becomes discouraged and angry at yourself for not loosing the weight you wanted to.
As we all know, the band is only a tool to use to assist with weight loss...you have to make the commitment to be successful. At this point in time, you seem to have not made that commitment.
Best wishes...

I love that I can scan UPC codes with my iPhone. It really helps.

My mom lifts up one of her arms over her head and pulls it back down like honking a diesel truck horn. It always cracked me up as a kid. Not so much now when I catch her still do it .

I'm 10 months out and have lost 76% of my excess weight. It's been a steady loss of a pound a week. That's without exercising. I've managed to shed 60 pounds since surgery and 73 total. My band is real light rite now and I'm barely in the green zone. I think. Anyways 18 months is what ny dr said is the average amount of time it takes most patients to hit goal. Just this past week I realized I'm not Fat anymore. I'm not even chunky. This is getting weird!!!! But in a good way.

I was banded 8/3/12 and have lost 25 lbs. Amazing!! I go in for my first fill on Tuesday 9/4. Hoping to lose another 25!!!! My eating/ interest in food has gone wayyyyyy down but I am still having moments where I have cravings or eat something bad. I am also hoping my first banding will help more with that. People have been commenting on how great I look and it is SO nice to hear. I still have a LONG way to go, but I definitely think I am on the right track and just have to keep making small goals and daily successes. I call my band my Willpower. GOODLUCK TO ALL, we can do it!!!!

I had my monthly post op visit with my surgeon today and she gave me a fill! I was hoping for one, but wasn't expecting her to agree. The best part is that it DID NOT hurt at all. Before she did it I asked her if she used lidocaine and she said only if I wanted to get two shots (she's a funny one.) Anyways, she had me hold my stomach in while she felt around then she put the needle in. I didn't even feel it! Awesome! By the way- she put in 3 cc's of Fluid. I love my doctor!

I had my monthly post op visit with my surgeon today and she gave me a fill! I was hoping for one, but wasn't expecting her to agree. The best part is that it DID NOT hurt at all. Before she did it I asked her if she used lidocaine and she said only if I wanted to get two shots (she's a funny one.) Anyways, she had me hold my stomach in while she felt around then she put the needle in. I didn't even feel it! Awesome! By the way- she put in 3 cc's of Fluid. I love my doctor!

I had the same issue, that is once I started "going" again (about 3 days post op). I called the Dr about it and she said "when you only put liquid in, you only get liquid out." I was told not to worry about as long as I was keeping my fluids up. Once I moved on to thicker Soups, it got better.

I actually had bad stomach gas (yes some of it made its way out) from all the Protein Drinks I had to drink. 80 grams of whey Protein with no other real food can do a number on your digestive track. Gas- X was my friend during the first two weeks.

I didn't even know I had a hiatial hernia until after surgery. My surgeon said about 50% of his cases have hernias and don't know it. Made sense; I had horrid heartburn no matter what I took. I had uncontrolled Migraines for about 3 years and threw up a LOT, the surgeon said I most likely caused it during a vomiting episode.
I didn't notice any additional discomfort, but having them both done at the same time I wouldn't know which pain was which. I only had the regular 5 incisions for the band placement.
Almost 3 months post-op, I haven't had heartburn once. It's AMAZING!

I had major acid reflux for over 14 years. I was on multiple medications for it and still had break through reflux. It was horrible. My doctor used it as one of my co-morbidities as it was a result of my weight. Once inside to place the lap band they found a bad hiatal hernia which was causing the reflux. It was repaired during the surgery. Since the day before surgery, I haven't taken one pill for the reflux with not even a hint at reflux. I am so happy to be free of the reflux, oh and the 25+ pounds I've lost so far.

I had mine repaired during the lap band surgery. I didn't notice any issues, but I wouldn't know the difference. I'm super happy now, with no more reflux!!!

"Sounds" like it would have been your family's friend too.

I actually had bad stomach gas (yes some of it made its way out) from all the Protein Drinks I had to drink. 80 grams of whey Protein with no other real food can do a number on your digestive track. Gas- X was my friend during the first two weeks.

I don't have any big mirrors in my house. I haven't in some time. They always made me feel sad and discouraged. But today I went shopping for new furniture and passed a full-length mirror.... I had to stop and go back and I just stared for the longest time. I couldn't believe how good I looked.... well compared to how i looked before. I'm at my lowest weight in over 10 years. I was so excited!!

Hey all!! I had to express my thanks to all in the forum who have been so motivational and inspiring. I hope that I can pay it forward to the newcomers as well as the regulars!!!! Well here I go.... (rather lengthy)
I was 130-140 my whole life until I turned 25 years old when my thyroid went byzeric. I got down to 120lbs and my doctor had to "kill" it. In two months time I went from 120 to 190... Oh yes stretch marks and I haven't birthed not one child yet. Since I was 25 years old I have struggled with my weight and was diagnosed with PCOS as well as Type 2 Diabetes.....
I gained an additional 27 lbs last year in June when my ex passed away tragically. Yes we were separated, not together, but we always kept our love evident. We always said life was leading us back to one another. Needless to say his death was a tragedy and had a major affect on me.
Thankfully I have great family and friends that helped me to mourn and recover. I still felt like "Dang I'm 33 years old, with no children, and no prospects in site". I tell you God works in mysterious ways. 6 months ago, by chance, maybe fate, I had the chance to reconnect with a guy i really cared for when I was 23 years old. Who would have thought 10 years later we would have found eachother, not to mention being 80 lbs heavier. He never judged me for the weight gain and always told me I was beautiful no matter what size.
In May i decided to go ahead and get my health right, and started the lap band process. He couldn't quite understand why I wanted to get WLS because he felt I wasn't that overweight, but my health told me different.
Since losing 31 lbs, he is now my biggest cheerleader. I've even got him eating healthier!!
So basically in saying all of this is... Congrats to everyone who has started their journey. This is a start to your new life and new lifestyle. Don't ever think that it is a quick fix, but a tool to help you along and motivate you to eat right and do better. Also, that you never know who your admirers are, but I am thankful I met someone who could love me whether fat or thin, and accept me with the good and the bad!!
Have a great night!!

Thank you so much for sharing your story and for being so honest with us. I am so happy for you that you are back in the "band family." Hang in there and keep us posted!

I almost went to bed after my workout and seen that their was so many lap band friends of mine who are frustrated and worried about Not Losing Weight!! But Then I thought How selfish of Me to Keep This To Myself and Go to Bed!!
Please Know That Preparation Is Never Time Wasted!! What Ever The Reasons For Having The Surgery or Going To Have the Surgery Please Know That!! The Reason you Thought To Even Go Through The Surgery it was To Prepare For Something!! No Matter What It was, To Be Healthy to have a Better Body or to Love Yourself More, It was a reason and Know that! If You Keep On the End Results will be the Outcome of Success!!! You Have Come This Far Keep preparing for the Event or Great Outcome!!
Preparation Is Never Time Wasted!! If You Don't Give in or Give Up You will see the Results!!!
Don't Forget it took years to put the weight on and it may take those same years to get it off!!
You Can Do All Things Through Christ Which Strengthens You!! Learn to Yell Out Loud " Lord Help Me" and He Will send His Angels to Guide you and Keep Your Mind Through this Fight and Strengthen You Along the Way!!
This Word I give You and My Promise!!! Goodnight!! Love Sharon!!!!!!!

Hi everyone!
I wanted to post about my recent experience with a too tight band. Please don't be afraid of an unfill. Being too tight is NOT the answer to losing weight rapidly!!
I had been banded nearly 4 years in November 2011 when I felt I needed a slight fill. It had been a year since my previous fill. My weight had gone up just a few pounds, and I felt that I was eating more. I had an upper GI with food to be sure of my band’s state before proceeding. This is something my surgeon insists upon after the first year. We agreed on a slight fill of 0.25cc.
Things were fine for the first couple of months. In February 2012 my band tightened up. I was having a hard time getting any solid foods down. In March after fighting with my band for a while, I called to see my surgeon, which requires a preauthorization from my insurance company. They started the request. After a couple of weeks I still hadn’t heard from them, but my band calmed down. I let the request ride. In early April I had a non-band related medical procedure. I had a complication from the surgery called Sepsis. A horrifying blood infection with a fairly high mortality rate. After two trips to the ER and two weeks in bed barely eating, I managed a slow recovery. I lost an additional 10 pounds during that illness. As I recovered and began eating, my band was still very tight. I was vomiting several times a week due to food getting stuck. My diet was very limited, and I was hungry all the time. I contacted my surgeon again, and I asked my primary care doctor for assistance in seeing my surgeon. My insurance denied the request, and then changed their minds…whew!
I got the Upper GI fluoroscope with food. A grand experience, bologna sandwich dipped in barium, yummy! During the test, I drank some barium, things were fine, and then I did a few small bites, all well. The radiologist said to take a big bite. This was 9:00 o’clock in the morning. A great time for a sandwich for a bandster. A big bite, I asked? Yes, a big bite. Ok, but have the trashcan nearby. As I swallowed and the sandwich hit my pouch, I knew it would not go down. Then he asks if I could take another bite. “Another bite?” “Yes.” “Only if you want to see it in reverse!” “Ok, maybe not. I think we have enough information here.”
It was determined my band was too tight, as not much went down. I saw my surgeon a week later. I was down 12 pounds from my last visit with him, 10 of that due to the Sepsis, only two pounds lost due to my band being so tight. I got a lecture about waiting so long to be seen (7 months from fill to that point). The lecture continued on to say he understood that we get busy, but bandsters should not ignore aftercare. He said I was very lucky to have not dilated my pouch by waiting so long. I have never been one to ignore aftercare. I explained all of the above, and then he understood what had taken so long. I explained I was not afraid of an unfill, that is why I was there. I understand the ramifications of having a band that is too tight.
So, now negotiations began as to how much to remove. I wanted half my previous fill removed, about 0.1cc. He chuckled and said that amount is not what he had in mind. He was thinking 0.5cc!! WHAT? That is DOUBLE what was put in! He said that he felt I needed that much removed because I had been tight for quite some time. If I’d had any dilation, we’d have been talking 2-3cc. Seeing the dazed and scared look on my face, he assured me that after a month if all was well, he would be happy to refill. I could live with that. We did the unfill, I made an appointment for a month later.
With the 0.5cc removed, I was able to EAT again. Solids went down easily. bread is on my menu. Meals last several hours. I don’t snack, because I am able to eat a sufficient amount at meal time to keep me satisfied. I have to use just a tiny bit of self-control when it comes to stopping my meal. Which is a basic bandster rule. I monitor if I am no longer hungry, then stop eating. Not am I full, but am I satisfied? I have not been stuck once since the unfill. It has been about 6 weeks now.
Before my follow-up I decided that I would not get a fill. I rarely get on a scale these days. I’ve been maintaining my weight for over two years, so there is no point in obsessing over the scale. I knew I hadn’t gained much during the month. When I got to my appointment I was up about .6 pound. Different clothes, time of day, food in stomach, Fluid level. That was NOT a gain at all.
My surgeon was delighted to not give me a fill, and to hear that I can eat anything, but I am NOT eating everything.
The moral of this story is that getting an unfill is not a bad thing. You SHOULD be able to eat. I am now, once again, eating amounts of food similar to what my normal weight friends eat. That is the way it should be, for me. 1500-1700 calories per day is a good level for maintenance for me. Your doctor may have a food plan for your to follow, and of course, you should do so. But two to three bites does not make a meal. That is where I was. During the time I was too tight, I lost a whopping two pounds. Not really worth the risk of a dilated pouch, or a slipped band from all the vomiting.
I will see my surgeon again in two months. If my hunger levels or my weight change, I’ll consider a slight fill. For now, I am good here.

Hang in there. It really does get better. The first week and into the next I would take a nap because I was so hungry. Once you can eat some pureed and mushy food you will do better. It gets much easier.

just do better tomorrow. let today/yesterday go. its over and never to be seen again.