MyHighway

I have been hesitant to post this as I know there are several folks who do not want you to post anything that is considered negative about the lap band. I'm just posting my truth, because I feel like there are people who come here to try to make a decision as to whether or not the lap band is the right decision for them and I think that it's fair for them to have all of the facts. I was banded on 12/5. I didn't really lose any weight on the pre op diet or after. It was frustrating. I had restriction, was eating healthy, it didn't make any sense. I posted my frustration and I was accused of "bitching and moaning". I wasn't, I thought a support group should allow for voicing frustrations, but there are some avid band advocates that think if you have a complaint it's you being impatient, not working the band correctly, not exercising or cheating. I'm not doing any of those things, and that seems to be very hard for some to understand. What it seems to be is that I have a very difficult metabolic issue occur that is not allowing me to lose weight. It's not the lap bands fault but the lap band was not the effective tool that my doctors promised me. Now, I say this so others will know because if I had known I would have never had this surgery. Quite frankly even if I was losing weight I don't know if I would have had this surgery. I think that is important for people to hear that when they are considering this option. There are a lot of healthy food options I can't eat because I can't make them small enough, when I'm working out and forget to sip Water and instead take a gulp it comes straight back up, sliming is a disgusting experience, if I lie on my side I can feel my port pushing in and it hurts, when my band was filled too tightly I PB'd everything and my esophagus still hurts and hasn't healed from that period. This isn't for everyone. Now I am stuck with this band and all of its restrictions, eating about 800 healthy calories a day and not losing a pound. My doctors don't know if I will be able to lose weight... Ever with what is occurring in my body and this is my cold, hard, truth.

By no means was my surgery free. I did have blood work ahead of time, these issues were not caught. The issue I have is not caught in normal run of the mill blood tests. It was caught as a result of me crying to the dr, because I knew they didn't believe I was doing things by the book even though I insisted I was. With 7ccs I can only eat about 6 bites of yogurt for lunch and a very small dinner. I've gained weight... There should be no reason. There would be no way for me to cheat. That's when they finally started to believe me and I went to a specialist who helped to diagnose. I'm trying no to lose hope, thanks for the note.

Yes banded on 12/5

I appreciate your insight but I'm neither throwing in the towel nor being impatient. I did all of the research ahead of time and was fully prepared to be patient for a slow but, hopefully, steady weight loss. I've have had several fills, I have 7 ccs in my band. My doctors have discovered a medical issue that has a metabolic side effect that makes me weight loss resistant and gain weight easily. I do have hypothyroidism so that is also a contributor but the main issue is newly discovered as I have gone through this process and had not lost any weight my doctor ordered several tests and we went over my health and well bring in great detail that is where we stumbled across this other issue. I don't wish to disclose those details.

Thank you both for supportive. Yes, I am in the process of exploring band removal. I will have it removed, just getting insurance approval, etc.

Oh... Well you girls should be me. Working out, have restriction and have not lost weight since surgery. My doctor thinks I have a metabolic issue and maybe the surgery wasn't needed and maybe won't be a solution. Now that is depressing.

I had the same thing and I'm not going to lie it is frustrating. This is the time when you hear you will be losing fast at least for a short while, so when it doesn't happen it's a bummer. The thing is it seems to be pretty common to not lose right now and it is ok to be irritated at the fact that you aren't losing right now I was frustrated and still am lol but I know it will happen and my doctor promises me it will. So hang in there. The good news is while the scale hasn't moved, people keep telling me I look like I've lost weight so something must be going on

So may I ask, what do you want to get from here? I think I saw the post where you were frustrated and I wasn't sure what you wanted from the folks participating. I don't mean this rudely, I'm just trying to understand what a veterans expectations are from this site after reaching goal. Is it mentoring, continuing education, something else? Long before I ever signed up here, I was a lurker and something I always see many of the veterans post is do what your doctor advised. Well I've had enough health issues in my lifetime to know that it is smart to do your own due diligence with any health related issues as you can help to design your health plan. I've told previous doctors about new medications, new treatment plans and demanded that they be implemented for my own betterment. I'm not going to have blind faith in my dr with my band. sometimes when we ask questions here of what people are experiencing I see veterans jump in and say don't ask us ask your doctor. I'm always thinking... We're not a bunch of dummies who are going to do whatever the internet says... But can't we ask about others experiences? In my case my surgeon is pretty liberal... Perhaps too liberal? I don't know, so I like to know more about those with more restrictions and why. It's just for my own education. In the thread where I think you were getting frustrated, I think what is confusing to newbies is that we here so many people say listen to your doctor.. But when it comes to eating most veterans seem to not follow a real diet. That is hard for newbies to comprehend. Especially after hearing listen to your doctors from all the veterans, because our drs are telling us to only eat healthy foods. Mine made me sign a contract promising to do so. Just explaining the other side of things as I don't think the vets are the only ones who get frustrated but the newbies are so desperate for info that I don't think you see as many leave because this is such a new world and we're hanging in because we don't know what else to do. So I say this with good intentions, but may have unintentionally angered another vet.

While your waiting for surgeons office to open... Mine told me that low calorie Gatorade will help if you are at the point of dehydration and feeling nauseous. Hopefully someone can run out and get you some and you can sip some down. The electrolytes help. Hand in there.

My surgeons office didn't set any parameters against drinking immediately before/post or during meals, but I see so any of you mention that you don't drink with meals and it seems to be per doctors orders. I'm wondering what the reasoning is, and if it's something I should consider incorporating into my routine. Thank you!

Thanks all. For those who thought I was going against drs orders.. As I stated initially. He has no limitations on drinking with the band and says his patients are able to drink with meals just fine. So not drinking is not going against my drs orders. I was just curious of the division from so many of you about not drinking and wondered if there were advantages of which I was not aware. It sounds as though most of you who do not drink with meals do so out of necessity. I will talk to my dr about the concerns some of you expressed about stretching, if drinking whole eating, etc. if I deem necessary. Important to note that I would not go here to avoid drs advice. However, I do know that drs are human and that there are different opinions, and schools of thought with every medical condition/procedure and it is always important to educate yourself. So while I trust my doctor, I don't have blind trust and I educate myself. I think that is a wise choice.

You look fabulous!

I can respect your opinion Cheryl, although I do disagree with you. I do think a forum like this can be used to talk about things like pain, etc and to get perspective from people who have actually had the procedure. Though surgeons are obviously educated they, most likely, never had this surgery. So they may not have tips and tricks that people here have. For example, I saw one thread for dealing with gas pain that discussed a yoga pose that was helping people deal with the gas pain. No ones surgeon knew that would help. That was discovered through talking to people in the same boat as you and someone figured out something that was helping others. To me, that is what this is all about. Yes it was a newly started thread that discussed that topic and it had a lot of activity. I get that this is a hot button issue for some of you. For me I see the value Ina new thread, but I believe forums allow for the ability to agree to disagree. That's part of the beauty. If you ever feel like someone is seeking advice that they should be paying for... Then I hope you exercise your right to move along. In my opinion, people aren't trying to use veterans in place of doctors.. It's more about talking to people with practical experience, who may have something to offer that a doctor doesn't. I can also assure you that I will not be eating an entire pie at Christmas and seeking your input about it. I've actually never had poor eating habits, so it's also not about changing the way I eat. My weight gain was due to a medication that I took for many years. I have always eaten healthily and made wise choices since I was a young child, as that's how I was raised. I was finally able to get off the medication and my doctor recommended this path for me. With that said though, people are human. They are going to make mistakes, and sometimes they are going to come here to talk about them. I'm sure there will be a time that I will put something in my mouth that I shouldn't have and I might go here to seek support from the only people who will really understand the torture that goes along with such a decision. I suppose why I commented I this thread is because I felt like there were comments intimating that newbies just didn't know how to play here correctly. I was hoping to remind everyone that all were newbies at one point in time. Perhaps my attempt failed or wasn't appreciated. Either way, I'm going to continue to post and be a part if this community even if the way I participate is frowned upon.

If you're using your phone app, like I do, it doesn't make it so easy to go through and find past topics and frankly sometimes you want the fresh perspectives. My doctor said bands of today allow for different things from bands of prior years. Which is why he doesn't foresee problems with drinking while eating, etc. So sometimes answers from previous posts don't answer questions. So I am can understand why it could be frustrating to you all, "the veterans"; but I would hope you would understand us newbies are navigating a whole new world. And perhaps, asking some of the same questions, making some of the same mistakes, and working through some of the same emotions, daresay, that you all went through. If I post something that seems annoying to you, then please feel free to roll your eyes and move on. If you would like to share some constructive advice, then please know I truly appreciate that help.

I'm in the same boat Kim... It's tough. Hang in there. It's hard when you're doing everything right and still not seeing the results. I've was stalked for several days and now have gained. I'm barely eating... And excercisibg. Doesn't seem scientifically possible. Hoping for a turnaround soon. I'm about 16 days out.

I know we all go through ups and downs. I know I'm going through a healing process and I know I can't expect overnight success. I have always been very weight loss resistant and it is a little disheartening to think maybe that's how it will always be. Through my pre op diet and now I've only lost 7lbs. Yes better than gaining, yes better than nothing, but still a little frustrating. Sometimes I feel like we aren't supposed to whine on here lol. So my apologies in advance. To me sometimes a forum is to talk about when you are feeling discouraged. Today I feel discouraged and I feel like I should be able to discuss here.

Still not losing... Actually gaining... Ugh. Under 500 calories a day... Still on mushy food. I'm going back to protein shakes today in hopes it will at least stop the gain.

The study mentioned is referenced in the book, "Lap-Band Solution A Partnership for Weight Loss".

There was a study done for folks with lap bands and people who drank wine with dinner actually lost weight faster than those who did not. Based upon this study, my surgeons office days to enjoy a glass with dinner and have up to 7 per week. Cheers!

I really needed this today. I needed a good success story. Congratulations you look terrific.

Thank you all for being so supportive! I am still eating very little and not losing, which is tough; but you're encouraging words have been helping me make it through the day. Thank you!

That is really encouraging. I hope that I'm as successful as you have been!

I'm 10 days out. had the same thing was losing ok... Not great loss but ok... then I went up and have been there for 4 days. I've been eating all protein and low fat so I don't know if it's your cream soup; maybe just something this stage of the game. I know we're going to hear not to weigh ourselves and focus on healing... But easier said than done

My surgeon does the first fill at 3 weeks got the reasons you described. They don't want you to get to a point of hunger, eating, gain or no loss and frustration. So I don't think it would be a bad thing to discuss with your surgeon.

I never even broke out a single pain med. I couldn't believe how easy it was. The 2nd night it was a bit tough to get out of bed but that was it. The gas pain did start to get to me but not until about the 6th day. At that point the gas x strips were not helping... I put warm rags on my stomach and shoulders and that helped.