Joyce Real

This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band.
The ALLERGAN protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band.
Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band.
Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week.
The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows:
1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to 4 weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to 4 weeks after the fill. That is why the ALLERGAN protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill.
2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band.
3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food.
4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient.
5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again.
6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food.< /span>
7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again.
Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater.
It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

Thanks for posting this, Wendell. It is GREAT information to have. Maybe it will become a Sticky.

When I was too tight, I could not swallow Water. Sometimes there is swelling after your fill. If water goes down give it a few days.

I know I know we are not suppose to use the F word but thought this was funny.

I do not think you can stretch your band, you can however stretch your pouch (stomach) by over eating.

I do not think you can stretch your band, you can however stretch your pouch (stomach) by over eating.

LENGTH ALERT! (This has very detailed tips and tricks, so this is not a short post. Just a "heads up")
People asked me a lot how I went from Slow Loser to getting to goal. I did better my second year of banding and when the weight came off - it really came off.
This is something that worked for me, and I recommended to other Bandsters.
Granted, these are tips that's not in any LapBand brochure or doctor's manual, and YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - but if you already think of yourself as a Slow Loser like I was, then maybe you will be open to trying something to shake things up a bit.
When I needed a weight-loss push, I didn't cut down on calories much (if I'd recently had a fill adjustment, that's different) but in general:

I *added* Protein to every thing I ate.


This helped me to lose steadily (although it sped up my weight loss, more importantly it kept it steady). And it worked! Some Bandsters in my same banding date were better at counting calories - I wasn't. Some were better at counting carbs, I wasn't, but I excelled at ADDING protein. And I did well and later, other fellow Bandsters were asking me for help and tips. :crying:
How did I do it? I did not reduce calories or the amount I consumed (without a fill it wasn't much need to try that) and yet, I still lost. (I added a little bit of Beans, or a sprinkle of cheese (my favorite), or eggs - whatever I could. I didn't reduce what I ate, but I "upped my protein" - and it worked.
With the band, if you eat more protein, you generally will find yourself eating less overall - it doesn't feel that way but you do.
Every single time I added more protein to my regular Band-friendly meals, I lost more weight, even though I wasn't eating less calories sometimes. Sounds crazy - but in my particular case, if I didn't keep my protein levels up, my body held on to calories a lot more. Who needs their bodies "hoarding" calories? :thumbup:
If adding a bit of food meant I would lose more, it was worth a try. It worked.
And I paid attention to the TYPE of protein I ate. (Even before banding, I didn't eat beef or pork at all. And the band was developed in other countries where the pork and beef consumption is a lot lower than it is here in the 'States. I'm not a vegetarian, I just eat seafood and poultry only. My doc said this helped my weight loss a lot because the protein I ate was leaner, not fattier protein like pork/ham/bacon or beef/hamburger/fatty red meat. So I didn't have to regulate my portions as much as some Bandsters did. My can of tuna did more for me than a hamburger ever would have.)
Also, I'm a single/childless Bandster who lives alone, so I eat out for almost every meal. If I could make it to goal - while eating out - ANYBODY can.
How did I do it? Here were some tips.

At Breakfast, with my morning egg(s), I added a bit of cheese on top. Or I would have cottage cheese added. For protein and hunger reasons, cottage cheese did better than yogurt for me - unless I just had a fill or was very very filled or adjusted. The most filled I am, the less I eat in the mornings. So especially if you are not at your sweet spot, try Proteins that "stick" with you more to keep hunger away. Yogurt alone was not good enough of a Breakfast for me, with the band it just went through, and wasn't really filling. Now if I charged up my yogurt with lots of nuts, seeds, and wheat germ - then BAM! I'm not much of a cold Cereal eater (I prefer hot cereals) but if I had one I made sure it was a protein-packed one (I LOVE Grape Nuts cereal best. Go Lean is awesome, and several of the Oatmeals & Cream of Wheat cereals have good protein content. I also added a few nuts to those, too. If I had a yogurt smoothie drink as a snack, I had them had a half scoop of Protein powder (a full scoop can make it too thick sometimes) or some soy or nuts.
Lunchtime was easy to get more protein in. I'd eat a scoop of tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch - and have them add some shredded cheese, some seeds and/or some nuts. I also love Soup. Usually a cup is a nice start to my lunch if I'm having a scoop of salad or tuna. If it's my whole lunch I get a bowl of Soup and eat what I can from it. My band will tell me when to stop. Almost any kind of any soup is great with a sprinkle of cheese or nuts added. Beans, too!
With my dinner I always like a cup of soup to begin. Gets me going, jump starts & 'primes' my band and it's a great protein opportunity. Then if I could, I concentrated on seafood. ANY type of fish worked great with my band - From catfish to salmon to snapper to Tilapia. Or even shrimp or my all time favorite, calamari. I enjoy oysters in season and clams all year. The weeks that I ate more seafood, I lost more weight - across the board. Usually grilled is a good choice to be honest I even ate it fried (sorry, weight loss experts) and I still did well. And with my seafood, if I could I added beans to almost everything. With my steamed veggies, I added nuts and a sprinkle of cheese sometimes. I know it's not very It really does work!

See when I restrict my calories or even when I try to cut down on fat - I usually just end up cutting down on protein. And no matter how "well" or how much less I eat, if I cut my protein my body won't 'burn' up the fat. It holds on to it. I know that protein is the fuel that helps the LapBand machine work and not trying to diet or 'cut down' was a blessing to me.
I've had other Bandsters try this, and yes they are skeptical at first but when they start seeing inches lost (muscle really does weigh more than fat, so your clothes tell you before the scale ever will) then they get on the bandwagon. So don't just 'cut down' - ADD some food on your plate. That's right. ADD MORE nuts, boiled/diced egg, beans, cheese, seeds and other yummy forms of protein. Your body and your LapBand will thank you for it. Also adding protein allowed me to eat fewer carbs and save them for what was really a nice treat - a nice martini or occasional glass of wine, with dinner. Yes, I'm a drinking Bandster. All the successful European Bandsters I knew drank a glass or two now and then and they were my role models. I can't drink a lot AT ALL - a little goes a long way, but it was nice to get to goal weight without ever missing a Friday Happy Hour. I got the band to enhance my life, not take away some of the things that make it enjoyable. I eat out at restaurants, I go have drinks with friends - and I feel and look great. BRAVO!
Good Luck to you. (And since so many people asked me the same question in private posts - that's why I am posting it on the Slow Losers board too...)
Keep up the good fight. I did it - and you can too.

It was more than just a slip, from what she said there was also a cut or tear to her esophagus from the slip, (she was in one of our Facebook groups) said she was coughing up blood, also that she had died on the table and they brought her back, I can not imagine them sending her home after that. But what ever happened it took her life. She will be so very missed, I know for me the lesson is if I ever feel something is not right I will be beating down the surgeons door! We all miss her so much!!

they make a surgery for that.

Same deal here, my company does not have that as an option in their insurance, but in the long run, self pay was much easier, without having to jump through the insurance companies hoops. I just paid and had surgery, no pre op stuff except an ekg and egd which my insurance did cover.

You are really not suppose to drink carbonated beverages (soda). The Doc says it can cause damage to your pouch! The crystal light would be a much better choice. The Protein can come from food or drinks. I use my fitness pal to keep track of how much I get from everything.

Not if you want to loose weight. Otherwise knock yourself out!

I had no preop diet except for the usual nothing after midnight, and my doctor has been like otters38. Also when I have a fill fluids for 24 hrs. I usually go 48 because I feel the need to.

How is everyone!  
I love my new life and body!

I just had to read this when I saw the tease on Facebook, I should have recognized you right away lol I still come here daily to read and support. You have done amazing. I know that for some people it is a really hard change. For me, and I know it will drive you crazy, but the band really does all the hard work for me. I have been banded since october, and I just got a great fill and am now really losing. But I have been very passive in the exercise department. I think it will come and I will want to do better. I have the equipment, just need the gumption to get er done.

I just had to read this when I saw the tease on Facebook, I should have recognized you right away lol I still come here daily to read and support. You have done amazing. I know that for some people it is a really hard change. For me, and I know it will drive you crazy, but the band really does all the hard work for me. I have been banded since october, and I just got a great fill and am now really losing. But I have been very passive in the exercise department. I think it will come and I will want to do better. I have the equipment, just need the gumption to get er done.

I just had to read this when I saw the tease on Facebook, I should have recognized you right away lol I still come here daily to read and support. You have done amazing. I know that for some people it is a really hard change. For me, and I know it will drive you crazy, but the band really does all the hard work for me. I have been banded since october, and I just got a great fill and am now really losing. But I have been very passive in the exercise department. I think it will come and I will want to do better. I have the equipment, just need the gumption to get er done.

I am down 110lbs since my August 2010 surgery. Dammmm it hard to lose the weight. I did it and I am ohhhh so proud of myself. Now on to bigger and better this. Maintanance day 1 here I come.

I can't see why not, you are past your mushy stage lol (sorry could not help myself) I was banded in Oct. too, and I am not down as much as you but me and hubby are still enjoying things more!!

I have been hungry since I was born, and people remember me from being what my daddy called a human garbage disposal. He said from the time I was eating table food, I would eat my food and clean everyone elses plate too. Why would they allow a child to do that? They thought it was cute. Because I was not over weight as a child they saw nothing wrong with this behavior. The man who said that to you probably was not even realizing that you have a problem now. But that I know does not make you feel any less hurt, But look where you are now! You are on your way to changing all of that and you are going to feel so good!!

I have used fitday.com and Sparkpeople. I am using sparkpeople now because they off so much for free!! You can get meal plans exercise plans just everything.

My second fill was awesome, I lost 11 pounds the first three weeks! and have lost a few more since then.!!

Im confused of your fears.
The band is ONLY a TOOL to control the amount of food you consume. No more over eating.
This isn't placed to MAKE you lose weight, it's placed to help while your changing all your BAD eating habits and help with Portion Control.< /p>

I wanna name my band after my husband because I love it so so much!!
My frineds are calling me the incredible shrinking woman!!

I swell a lot every time I get a fill. It takes a couple weeks to go back to normal.