ffpandamer

What a complete and total waste of my time and sanity. I was banded in October two years ago, and in that time, the only thing I lost was my mind. I feel lied to and cheated, and wish I'd never had this horrible band put in me. I lost 30 pounds the month of my surgery, and then every single time I went in to the Dr, they would take my "weight loss", divide it by the number of months that passed, and tell me how wonderful I was doing. These "doctors" ignored me when I told them the band wasn't doing anything for me. Eventually I lost a total of 50 pounds, but let me be perfectly clear on this. The weight loss was from pure strength of will, the band did NOTHING! I went from yellow to red zone, from eating too much to throwing up every single bite that went in me, with no green zone in between. My body went into utter starvation mode while I was in the red zone, and rather than loose weight, i stayed completely the same, and eventually started gaining it. I exercised, I DIETED harder than I have ever dieted in my entire life, and I got to the point where I was having a psychotic episode over the stress and failure I was faced with every single day that passed. They told me I wouldn't need to diet. They told me the band would regulate my appetite, therefore "dieting" wouldn't be unnecessary. They promised me, no more fad diets, no more stress, just nice, easy, appetite control. What a load of bull. I kept going back to that sham of an office, and every person I talked to would give me a totally new hard-core diet to take. Protein shakes, low fat, low carb, low calorie, point systems, counting calories, eat more cheese, don't eat cheese, eat nuts, stay away from nuts, you name it, someone there told me to do it. Every single time I walked in there, I was given different instructions. Not one single bit of continuity between all the dr's and nurses. All smiles, all "you're doing fine! I know you haven't lost any weight in 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc months. I know you can't eat. I know you're stressed out and angry. Don't worry, here, try another diet. Go home now, must get more patients." My hair became thin, and eventually started falling out in clumps, and that's where the psychotic episodes came in. Every night sitting up stressing, pulling out wads of hair, crying in fear and anger. And they said, "Don't worry, you're doing fine. Try another diet." And so they took Fluid out and i went from red zone to yellow - no restriction again. And I gained back 20 pounds. On top of the failure of regaining that weight, it didn't go back to the spots where I lost it. Nope! It focused around my chin and my stomach, so I look like a demented weeble wobble toy now. I wish I'd never had this surgery. I wish I'd had more self esteem and been happy with my extra weight. I wish my life wasn't ruined with the knowledge that I've stressed myself and my family with two years of overwhelming obsession with my weight. And where do I go from here? There is no where to go from here. I'm stuck with a piece of equipment in me that failed - IT FAILED NOT ME - my so-called DOCTORS failed, not me! I've never worked so hard before in my life, exercise, diet after diet, and nothing! What a great life I have to look forward to now. Thanks for nothing lapband.

I have a 14cc band and I'm currently at 10.25ccs. I had my most recent fill on 6/3, and I was banded in 9/09. I lost 30 pounds in the 30 days after surgery, and another 14 pounds since then. Discouraged is putting it mildly. But during this last fill I asked for a complete empty and measure, and found that one fill was missed. I was only at 9cc's when I shoudl have been at 10. they put the 9 back, added 1.25 on top, and I'm sore sore SORE from it. feels like I was punched in the chest. The soreness seems to be from gas, which is finally subsiding. And i have restriction. BIG time. Either that or i'm just swollen from the unfill/fill. Time will tell. I feel your frustration on this - i don't know what i'm going to do if this most recent fill doesn't do it for me. I was told that as we loose weight, more Fluid has to be added to keep up. How is that going to work when i'm almost at max level now? I'm not very happy with this whole procedure at the moment, but i'm stuck with it. I wish I could give you advice or encouragement, but right now all i can do is sympathize, and hope we both start seeing a positive result soon. Good luck to you!

I was suspicious after my fill last month. It felt different, and I had no change in restriction, so I was worried that she missed. So yesterday I went in and, no surprise there, she had missed. The Dr. removed all the Fluid in my band, measured it, put it back and added 1cc more. She warned me doing an unfill and fill like that could make me swell up inside, and keep me on liquids for an extra day or two, and she was right! Has anyone else experienced a much harder time recovering from a fill after the levels were checked?

I"m right there with you. I was banded on 9/24 and I still have no restriction :thumbup: I don't think i stretched my pouch because i don't get a full feeling, nor and over full feeling. The food just seems to be passing through no problem at all. I can't wait for my next fill! I have a 14cc band with only 5cc's in it - still a long way to go! GL!

Most medications are available in a suspension (liquid) form. Search the web to see if your drug is available that way. If you're truly worried, I am sure your doctors will work with you to get you the liquid meds and allay your fears :drool: GL!

Subway and I do not get along :thumbup: I had the chicken terraki (i know i spelled that wrong) sub, and it made me so sick i had to get an unfill :thumbup: My doctor said it was the chicken and the bread, and that was with chewing it really really well. Be very careful when branching out into 'new' foods. I wish you luck!!