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Monica and Reggie!!! Long time. I lost 50 pounds with the band and not a pound more. I was down 65 for about a week but ended u in the ER so that didn't go to well. I did feel skinny though. Dehydrated and hungry but skinny for sure!! The last two years I have remains at 50 down. I go up and down about 5 pounds but stay in the general 50-55 pounds lost. My band won't let me gain which is good. I will PB if I eat to much. I think I am eating some of the wrong stuff. Most of it the right stuff. But I think exercise is what is doing me in. I have to believe it is more that because I don't eat alot. I lost my health insurance about 8 months ago. I just started a new job and get my insurance back in November. The stress of my old job just about did me in and I was on disability for 6 months. Just got off and now on to an easier job with no overtime. I am going to get a fill once I get my health issurance back. Hopefully in Elk Grove this time!! I am down 17 pounds since the last fill but was to scared of the ER to go back for another fill. Now two years later I am ready to try again. I think I am getting my motivation back again!! If I end up in ER again than on to the sleeve for me!!! LOL

It does work for many people. I know a few. The problem as I see it is that if there are complications people tend to blame the patient or their eating issues. The honest truth is for some people it just is NOT a good fit no matter if they follow the rules or not. It has been hard to deal with the attitude that if you don't lose or your having complications that the person not the band is to blame. But I do see alot of that attitude on this site and with the WLS community. For me is is just alot of medical complications that I am trying to navigate around to figure out how I can work WITH my band. I have a good friend that had to have her band out becuase she was allergic to the silicon. And I sometimes wonder if my body just wants it out and it out and is trying to tell me that. If I ever get it out I would just revise to the sleeve. I am not eligible for the RNY per my doctor. The malabsorption would be a problem for me. At the time I was banded the sleeve was not an option just band or RNY. I will say that I got banded with about 8 people and that two lost 100 pounds. Those two have since gained about 25-30 back two years out. Not bad if you ask me I would be happy. Not perfect but better than me. Two gained all their weight back and a bit more. (our doctor won't give you fills in the beginning unless you lose alot of weight first and in between fills). They never really lost and thus could not get fills in the band and never got back on track. Since they were not losing they were embarrased to see the doctor an get yelled at. After getting yelled at a couple times they didn't go back. Two people lost 80 pounds. One got pregnant and gained it all day and than some. She lost her medical insurance and so no more fills now. The other got a divorce and asked for her fill to be totally removed as stress was making her PB all the time and she was losing to fast. She gained about half the weight back. The rest of us lost about 25-30 pounds and are at a standstill. One person I know lost 76 of the 150 she wanted to lose but is at a standstill for the last three years. The success stories are wonderful to hear but not the norm in my group. But here is the thing. For me even losing 25 makes me feel so much better. And when the fill is gone I gain period. So I know I use the band as a tool because I struggle MORE without it. I know it work at least for maintenance now. And it has helped my health so I would do it again. I am just afraid of fills because my body overreacts to fills. I need to lose another 75 pounds to make my goal. I have NOT given up. I figure my body tries to make a statement with every fill that it wants the darn thing OUT!! . I am just trying to figure out how to use my band in a way my body won't fight. But I won't be surprized if I have to get it taken out at some point. RNY you just have to be careful. I have had a couple friends almost die of malnutrition issues with the RNY issues. But others did fine. You just have to be on top of your health and know when to get to a doctor if something is wrong. Waiting or thinking it would work out and not going to ER has caused a few people some issues. So the labs are a good thing. For me more than 50% of the time I have been banded I have had no fill at all. I am sure that is a large part of my not losing as fast. WIth no fill you are basically on your own like pre band and back to willpower. I could even tell I had a band. It is a process.........................

I had surgery in April 2009. I have also struggled with the band and can't get a decent fill without ending up in the ER needing an emergency unfill. Than the whole process starts all over again. I have been in the ER room in extreme pain three times. Each time I got the fill I was told I could handle it, but 24 hours later my stomach was swollen and I couldn't drink or eat anything. I have never been about 6cc's and am currently at 5cc's. My last fill was a year ago and I ended up again in ER with 5.5cc's in my band. Again I had lost alot of weight and was ready for a fill but for some reason I can't handle the fill process as my stomach swells shut no matter if I am getting filled or unfilled. Just the act of changing the Fluid level ends me up in the ER room again. So needless to say I don't have a good fill and have never been able to have a good fill. I have only lost 25 pounds with the band. At one time I was down 60 pounds but after my second ER visit they took out all my fluid and would not put it back in for almost 9 months. I finally insisted we needed to start slowly filling the band again. After the third small fill back in the ER again with all the same symptoms. I ended up in respitory distress the last time and was out of work for a week barely able to breathe. The ER doctors thought maybe the band and stomach were swollen and pushing on my diaphram and so theproblems breathing. They said when the swelling went down things would resolve and after two weeks and antivan to cope with the symptoms I was back to normal. So since than I figure three strikes(three ER visits in a year) your out.............but no after a year and not losing or gaining I think I need to try to get another fill. For some reason I am the person who has issues with the band. I have many friends that have been fine with fills even getting up to 9cc's and doing fine. Just me that has had the ER visits and problems. So I am glad to see this thread. No one wants to hear what is going on. They think I am exagerrating the problems. But as you know sometimes people just can't handle the fills for some reason. Right now I have an infected port. I am going in this week to try and figure out what I need to do. It has been swollen and hurting for three weeks. I think it may have moved if feels like it is moving around..............from what I hear it is an easy fix in the office if it has moved.

HEATHER==been counting down the days with you. You so deserve this.....................too bad Kaiser Richmond didn't see how motivated you were. Their loss!! So is everyone going to the next and final West Pointe meeting? IF so I will go to. Last few times I went I didn't see many people I know and it seems like it was more a sleeve and RYN group. Sorta got bored with the meetings. I am really busy. I am not losing or gaining. Eating healthy just to much. I guess for me that is the magic of the band huh? I know I need a fill but I have been debating. I got a fill over a year ago. It was to tight and had to make an umplanned trip to Richmond the next day. Third time I got to tight so I sorta gave up on fills got discouraged with the whole thing. I think I need to only get .25 fills at a time not .5ccs. Seems like my magic spot is hard find. I have been at 5cc's for a year. I am afraid to go higher but I am not losing or gaining. Seems that is a sign it is time. I can't eat unendeing amounts, but I can eat more than 1 cup easy. Bread is not a problem either anymore. I know it is time. So one of these days I will call Kaiser for a fill. I figure it will take awhile for me to get in so the sooner the better. I guess it is time to go just a bit tighter. I am being lazy not using my band as well as I could since I am not getting the regular fills. CHRISTINE: I was also told I could get fills even if I lost Kaiser. Liz told me that. Dr. Baggs said no. LOL. He was right in the end. I went and got a fill with Dr. Alchurlez in Novato through the fill center awhile back. I Liked her. She was more willing to talk and it was a slower visit with more time for the psychological issues. You have to sign up with the band center which I did. What I like is that she still calls me every six months to check on me and I only saw her twice. She thinks I need to come in for a fill ever 3-6 months or at least a check in. I haven't been doing that. But Kaiser never calls me so I sorta felt shocked and special that she still calls me to check in with me. I can give you the information if your interested. It was only 2 miles difference from RIchmond. Same distance and time to get there but nicer area to take a road trip. So one reason I am hestitating to call Kaiser? The last time I talked to the consultant they told me "you have been dealing with this for a long time now, you would think you would have gotten it by now. Whats wrong? Why aren't you getting it? ." I didn't like the attitude or comment. I have struggle alot with fills and it not my fault I have ended up in the ER three times really sick with the band now. Never been to the ER in my life before, and afraid to have to go back. Doesn't help when your struggling to hear that kind of response. I got off the phone beating myself up thinking, "yea why can't I get it." I realized later that the comment was imappropriate and I should only beat myself up if I didn't KEEP trying to figure it all out. I don't plan to do the diet consult again, just to schedule an appointment. I honestly don't really need that part of the follow up anymore at two years out and I am hard enough on myself without the consult and inpatient attitude. If that happens ever again I will stop and confront the issue head on. I don't want to let the negetivity prevent me from wanting to follow through. I know from other people I can skip the consults and just get the fills. Thanks CANDRA!!! Right now my port is swollen and very, very sore. It has been tender for three weeks. So I am going to call Richmond and try to get in this week just so they can poke around and see what is going on. I saw the PCP here and she said to watch it call Richmond if it doesn't stop hurting. I am hoping it is just a passing thing but I would rather be safe. It sorta feels like it has moved further up my stomach closer to my ribs. Is that possible? It feels like it is moving around in there. I was hoping it would stop hurting on it's own. But ah well maintenance check ups. It is time for one.............more than a year is a long time!! LOL. If it did move I hear it is a very easy fix in the office. Maybe even the same day with a couple of stitches. Happy Weekend all. I am playing all weekend having fun with my daughter :-) A couple years out the band is not the focus or an obession like it was the first few months but now it is truely just a tool in the process and a way of life.

Congratulations Heather!!

I totally agree with Pam and Riley. I don't get full on the protiens but I do get stuck. Never realized that until you guys said it. THat is exactly right. I don't stay full folr 4 hours when I eat protiens. I can only eat a little bit at a time but get so hungry I am ready to eat ano hour or so later. Wow I need to let that sink it. YOu guys nailed it. Heather you SO SO deserve this. I sorta would like to have it in Kaiser RIchmonds face that your getting your surgery. LOL. But that is just me!!

THe aftercare issues is nation wide is what Dr. Baggs said..........it can't be required for any clnics yet anyway. It might be offered in one form or another but it can't be required. So you know CEOs might see it as optional and not fisically sound. I was told that we are all suppose to be going in at least once every six months for up to five years with the band for checkups. Pretty sure that isn't happening. Well I know I haven't been in every six months :-)

Hey Sheena Good to hear from you!! I agree Kaiser needs some kind of aftercare. I think we all agree with that. I did talk to Dr. Baggs about it once and he said that that at this time Bariatric clinics don't have the aftercare requirement. I was saying it should be required and he said it was a good idea but not required and not enforceable. So I think in the end it is maybe just financially not fisable to provide long term, ongoing aftercare. I think they figure that is our responsibility. I haven't felt much support in the aftercare but I don't expect much in that regard anymore. I work with Kaiser alot at work. Social workers that work for Kaiser have told me that the psychological services offered by Kaiser are not adequate and that they don't offer what most people need. I was told it was set up for crisis management not long term psycholocially services. I know they only offer group therapy and once every three month counseling visits for teens. My daughter is in their mental health program and that is all she can get. They are just to busy and it is to expensive. Kaiser social workers told me that Kaiser is not big on mental health services and other insurances do better. But I did take a group therapy class with my daughter that was six weeks long that we both really liked. I found it very helpful. I have a couple more that I would like to sign up for. I think aftercare might be controlled more by CEOs than by the clinications. THey see charts and money not the peo0ple coming and going.

I don't watch the you tubes of band diasters or problems...........I see those videos but I don't watch them they just make me feel like a failure or like it can't be done. That is what I mean by avoid negetive band talk!! There is crazy stuff out there and I DON"T wanna hear it I need to feel postive about my band!!

Making a food log has been the thing that helps me..................and keeping busy!! The food log has been the one thing that I find successful when I am on top of it. Simple but true. I think we should pull out the orignal rules again. I will have to find them. But for me a good one would be only eat in the kitchen at the table. Cause the eating in the car or in front of the TV is mindless eating for me. I lose track of what I am doing.........I just don't have control or pay enough attention when I do that.. And stress. If I am stressed out I crave sugar. Or if I eat sugar............I crave it like crazy for a few days. I had to get all my lap band books out and review them. That helped with my motivation. I have been doing that gain lately. The one thing that is REALLY HELPFUL has been going on to youtube and typing in successful lap bands or something like that. It really helps me to listen to people and see what is working and also to watch people just starting out!! Makes me feel motivated. Since our group fell apart I am finding that I need to hear from other people who are doing well with the band so I don't give up on my tool!! I would love to hear ideas too. The hone thing I notices is that people who are doing well with the band don't post enough!! I guess they have lost the weight got the routine down and moved on. But the ones that to post stuff ...................give me very good ideas I also am staying away from any neegetive band talk. I just don' t want or need to hear it. I still am determined to make this work and thank goodness my band won't let me gain more than a few pounds before it tighttens up again.

I am right there with the rest of you. Reggie I have had the same happen with my daughter so I hear you. Funny but the kids comment to my daughter when I lose or gain. Statement I guess about how our kids are programmed in our society. But ya I am doing my best but the further out you are the harder it gets to lose motivation and for real life to take over. I think Pam knows and thearpist ast South Sacramento. Maybe she will come on later. Call me if you wanna get together sometime or just talk. I am in the same place and joined WW which helps with the logging of food. But it is still an ongoing struggle. We are all in the same place. And my body SO CANNOT handle carbs or sugars at all without the weight coming back.............I am not lean, green carb machine!!

For me the protiens take alot more thought and time. I also get stuck alot on protien and health food. It is much harder to eat and I never know for sure if it will go down. Protiens are still a guessing game for me depending ont he day. If I am in a social event or just want to have a "normal" meal where I don't worry about PB'ing I go with easy and cheat my band. Not even thinking much about it my mind has adjusted enough to cheat my band without a second thought about WHAT I am doing. LOL. Except that I do know that I cheat my band sometimes if I slow down enough to think about what I am doing or eating. Food logs and planing meals ahead of time is what I have to do to avoid the cheating syndrome. I can't say I want all my Fluid out or I don't want my band. I don't even get angry when I can't eat. What bugs is me is that my band can't outfox my head hunger!! LOL. I can just look at something now and know if it will go down or not. I like before when I didn't dare try a forbidden item!! I don't like knowing some of what I know two years out. Something I learned today at a training. NOt band related and yet it so is. (in regards to assessment tools.) A tool is not a solution to a problem, it does not have wisdom, thoughts or opinions. A tool is only a way to make an assessment or to help one come up with a solution to the problem. The tool cannot solve the problem it can only lead you to find patterns tha lead to the soution." Ah why does that make me think about my band ??? ONLY A TOOL.....................NOT A SOLUTION!!!