itsyvonne

Ok, well it helps to know what your first fill was. There's LOTS of room for you to get an unfill and still have restiction. My first fill was .75 -- significantly lower than yours. I think you should go for an unfill --- 1.4 may simply be too high for you at this moment in time. It may be that you can just get a teensy unfill and all the reflux will disappear. Please do not suffer much longer with this. Just because your doctor's average patient does fine at that level for a first fill doesn't mean that you will. Everyone is different; in rare cases, some people even lose all their weight with NO fill. LISTEN to your body!!! Take care, Yvonne

Newlife4me, I hope the omnipaque fill stays put for you!

If you don't start feeling better soon ... go back to see your doctor and he might possiby recommend a slight unfill. Do you know how much your fill was, by any chance? You said he went "light" on the fill, so I'm just wondering how much room there is for an unfill without removing all the fill.

Well, now you know that there's lies, damn lies, and statistics. haha. They probably don't say you CAN'T lose 100% of your excess body weight with the band - they probably say that on AVERAGE, people lose X% of ebw with the band (I seem to remember pretty dismal sounding stats ... like 30%? What are you seeing?). You and I have both beat the average ... I am also below a BMI of 25 now ... and I'm shooting for 22. :) -Yvonne

My best guess is that you've lost 100% of your excess body weight when you reach a BMI in the "normal" category. You are below 25, so I guess you've lost 100% of your excess body weight. Be happy! Now, whether or not you are *satisfied* with that weight is a whole 'nother can of worms. -Yvonne

Here are my BMI stats. I struggled w/reflux the first two years and slippage & rebanding the third year. Now I'm great (good restriction and no reflux!!). BMI Stats July 17 2002: 39 (severely obese) July 17 2003: 34.9 (obese) July 17 2004: 30.9 (obese) July 17 2005: 25.5 (overweight) July 30 2005: 24.6 (normal * normal * normal * normal !!!! ) Eventual goal: 22 (right in the middle of the "normal" range)

It has been a harder, slower, and more frustrating experience than I expected. I was banded in July 2002 (3 years ago!). I had a Midband, also called a "French band," and it is a larger capacity band. Therefore, it took about 4 fills for me to get to a point of good restriction. Two days after my 4th fill, I started experiencing reflux, and so began my difficult struggle. Over the next 6 months, I had a couple of unfills, and finally a complete unfill. My weight loss over the first 1.5 years was pretty dismal. I had lost about 30 lbs overall (including the 10 lbs gain I had after my unfill). After a couple of months of being unfilled, I got a fill that was about 60% of my previous highest fill. I remained at that level for the rest of the time I had my Midband (about a year). At this time, I also started an exercise program (swimming 3-4 times a week). I didn't have the level of restriction I wanted, but I let it be because I did not want reflux again. About 4 months into my new fill, I started to experience a bit of reflux. Terrified, I immediately went on all liquids for a couple of days and then started being ultra careful with my diet, following all the general rules that one should follow when trying to control reflux (except cutting out coffee--never could do that!!). This really stepped up my weight loss. I then started experiencing sudden increased restriction. This, along with the reflux, should have been a clue to go get a checkup. Somehow, though, the onset of symptoms was gradual enough that it didn't occur to me that something could be drastically wrong. When I started having to throw up every night before I went to bed, I realized I better get an upper GI. Despite all the symptoms, I was still surprised when the surgeon told me my band had slipped!!! The good news is that I was close to my goal weight. About 10 weeks ago, I had a new Inamed 4cc band placed. So far, I am having a better experience w/this band. I have only had two fills, and am already at a level of restriction that is working for me (I am losing weight). No reflux so far, either (knock on wood!!). I am now 16 lbs from goal. -Yvonne (260/166/150) 5'8.5" tall

Flaxseed has been working great for me...I grind up two tablespoons every morning and mix it in my yogurt.

Well, Frering is one of the top lap-band surgeons in the world. He has his reasons for placing the port the way he does. I don't think something is really "wrong" with her band or port. It's just the way it is, and she's finding it annoying. I did too, but not to the point where I would have had surgery just to fix that.

An unfill would be about my only suggestion.

I believe that the degree of elasticity your skin has is not really related to exercise. You just need to give it time to see if it still has enough elasticity to bounce back ... and if you build your muscles, it won't have to bounce back quite as much as it would otherwise. I think the skin elasticity is more related to the following factors: age, number of times you have lost/gained weight, the degree to which you have been overweight, and amount of time that you have been overweight. -Yvonne

Hi Ali, I would describe your symptoms as reflux, not ulcer or gastritis, but I guess there is some overlap in symptoms of all those things. If the medication doesn't help, then you may just need a teensy unfill. Don't let it go on for too much longer. Take care, Yvonne

Hi there - my band also slipped. What kind of band do you have? I had a French Midband; I now have a 9.75cm Lap-band. Did you PB with your band ... or did your slippage happen absent any PB-ing? I PB'd more often than I should have w/my French band; I think that is what caused my slippage but I'm not sure. I have not PB'd yet with my lap-band, but I only just got restriction a couple of days ago. I'm trying very, very hard to avoid PBing this time around. -Yvonne

I assume you're talking about the port. No, there's nothing you can do about it, short of having surgery again to get it placed deeper and sewed down. If you plan to get a tummy tuck, it might be a good plan to get the port repositioned at that time. I am guessing you had Frering as your surgeon ... that's just how he does it. He places the port right under your skin and doesn't suture it down. I personally much prefer having it deeper and sewed down, but I have to admit it made my post-surgery recovery much harder (my first band was done by Frering, my second band was done in the U.S. ... that's why I can compare). -Yvonne

What symptoms are you having? I had confusing, seemingly contradictory symptoms...increased restriction, reflux, but at times I would have decreased restriction with delayed emptying of the pouch. I did not know my band had slipped until getting an upper GI. I had to have surgery again, and the surgeon removed the slipped band (which was a Midband) and replaced it with a LapBand. I am getting my first fill in my new band on Friday! -Yvonne

I first went swimming exactly 3 weeks after my surgery. I swam laps, too. I still was pretty sore in the port area, but took it easy & was okay.

If you want to read any article w/o registering for the site in question, go to http://www.bugmenot.com and put in the URL of the site you are wanting to access (in this case, www.nytimes.com) and it will give you a login & password to use.

I imagine the proposed location could make fills a little less convenient cuz you'd have to pull down your pants. I guess I wouldn't agonize over it too much more. If it appeals to you, go for it!

Hi Alex, Do you have any idea what the symptoms would be of taking too much? I *was* super tired at one point which is why I asked my PCP to check it (I thought my dosage was too low, though ... lol). Hmmm, well the fact that your PCP is checking it while you lose weight lends credence to the idea that the dosage may need to be adjusted for weight loss. Maybe it becomes an issue more when you get closer to goal ... it seemed like this cropped up suddenly for me. I don't think that hypothyroid is *caused* by being overweight, but I think it can contribute at least slightly to causing weight gain (although I know not as much as what people tend to want to believe...lol). -Yvonne

You are doing GREAT! Never a fill or a PB ... you are doing BETTER than great ... I'd say that is AWESOME. You have established the foundation for a long and very healthy relationship with your band!

Well, I'm hesitant to say that the weight loss is why my dosage needed adjusting, because I don't know if that's why (I am wondering if other PCPs have just not noticed that it was off?). I get my TSH tested every time I get a physical, which is supposed to be once a year, but has actually been more sporadic. My current PCP recently adjusted my synthroid based upon my TSH level. I was taking .1, and she adjusted it to .075. Then we did a follow up test a couple of months later and she adjusted it even lower, to .05!! I haven't had a follow up since then (this was about 4 months ago). I guess I should get it checked once more to see if it looks good now. I am close to my goal weight ... I am 170 lbs and 5'8.5" tall. I was 290 back when I was originally diagnosed with hypothyroidism and put on the .1 synthroid dosage (about 8 years ago). -Yvonne

I was hypothyroid for years before I got the band. The only thing I have noticed is that my doctor reduced my dosage of synthroid recently, based upon blood tests. I do not know if there is a connection between my weight loss and the reduction in the dosage ... but I have lost 90 lbs so I am thinking perhaps there is a connection... Does this answer your question? My hypothyroidism was a non-issue when considering the band...I'm not sure why it would have any bearing on whether or not you are a good candidate for the band. -Yvonne

Maybe you need some suggestions on yummy mushy foods that would help satisfy your cravings? I could use those suggestions too as I will be able to do mushies in a week or so .... in the meantime I am still on clears (ugh).

In my mind, the most valuable thing the band offers is a way to MAINTAIN weight loss. Most of us have lost weight a number of times and very successfully, but MAINTENANCE has always been more difficult. The band increases your odds of successfully keeping the weight off. That's why it's worth it.

I'm sure I have some. I'll take a look.