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Last try before taking band out



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Hi... I am so frustrated. I have been banded for almost 4 years and have only lost 25 pounds since the surgery in 2006. I have soreness and pain in my port area but UGI show band placed ok and port area fine. After much thought and frustration...I may have band removed in summer. Dr. suggests one last aggressive fill before decision is made to see if I can get it to work for me. I exercise regularly and eat so much better than before band. Any advice from anyone who may now be or has been in this situation. It is emotionally taking a toll on me! :redface:

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No advice. I'm in the same boat with ya. I'm going to the dr. Thurs. to see what he says about the fluro film. Even if I cheat a day, I don't go above 1500 cals. I lost 30 lbs at 483 dollars a pound.

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I just went to the fill nurse last week because the band had tightened. I told her, THIS IS NOT WORKING FOR ME! She took out 2ccs, I had 8. She sent me for the fluroscope. I don't see the dr. till Thurs., so I don't know what he'll say. I hope nothings wrong with the band, cause I was cash. If he tells me somethings wrong I do not know what I'll do. I seriously think I may go to Mexico. I morgaged my house to get the freakin band.

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Good luck. I know the frustration and different feelings you may be going through. On one hand you hope something IS wrong with the band so at least that explains the reason for no weight loss. On the other hand who wants a problem with some foreign object in their body? especially if you are financing 100%. Emotional rollercoaster for sure and unfortunately that is when I turned to food in the best. I see the Dr. next week to make some decisions. Keep me posted with you if you can.

Take care

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I went to the doc. this morning. He looked at the films, and said my LAP-BAND® looks fine. On Feb. 14th, the nurse took out 2ccs, I had 8. She put 1 back today. I have been logging my food and exercising a lot since 2/14. I lost 1/2 a pound. Isn't that exciting?:eek:

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I completely understand your frustration. I was banded in Sept 2008 and have only lost 20 lbs. I eat great, exercise 3 times a week, have hypothyroidism and don't seem to budge on the scales. I am going to give it 3 years and may even check into the full bariatric surgery. However, I work with many people who have gained weight back from that surgery. I like the fact that I am not at the weight I was at, but am concerned that I am not dropping any weight. I am filled at 10cc and may be getting another fill in a week. I wish you luck and you are not alone. Yellowtulip:)

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Well my dr say the xrays say band is fine. I almost wish it wasnt to explain the failure to lose the weight. I go next week to make a plan about what to do next. I plan fill one last time. Wish me luck.

:cursing:

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I suggest to all of you that are struggling to journal your food and don't forget those liquid calories. I can't phantom gaining 30lbs with a band if you are exercising and following all the bandster rules. For the ones that said your only getting 1500 calories a day I would have to ask what type of calories are you getting? Is it calories from Protein? or maybe the wrong types of food. You might want to do the 5 day pouch test to see if your band is working. You can google it. It really works and can help jumpstart you. The band will work if your willing to make the lifestyle change and to say I'm eating less then I did does not by any means mean you are eating right. Please, before you say the band is not working take a look at your lifestyle it might surprise you when you see it in print. Try fitday.com or whatever calorie counting site you prefer. It might just help and I think it's worth the try before you give up on your band. Good luck to all of you. I am wishing you all the best of luck.

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It's not always something we're doing wrong though. My first year of being banded I watched what I ate like a HAWK. I made sure to stay around 1300 cal per day, exercised an hour per day, 5 days a week. I made sure the liquids I drank were zero cal. drinks. I lost a whopping 20lbs. I learned to live with being HUNGRY all the time, and kept myself to three square meals per day and MAYBE a small snack if I had been especially active that day. I am miserable because I have VERY little restriction, but if I get a fill I have HORRID reflux and nausea. As stated be prior posters, the Band is not for everyone. I am beginning the process of getting the thing taken out and going to have the VSG procedure. Some of us need something that will have more of a metabolic effect than the band.:thumbup:

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Hi,

I was 190 in 2007. Lost 30 lbs in 6 months. Stress and emotions play such a huge part of this Lapband procedure that people do not realize.....OR it could be that "us sensitive types" have a difficult time of it. My esophoagus tightens up so much when under stress. I have had an unfill due to swollen tummy and tender port area...i am going for a flouroscopy to see of there is an issue with the Band...going to give it a few more tries, but I am ready to have it removed also.

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Kimly, I agree with you about the band working. The band is only a tool and we must do our part. what has you guys drs said about you not losing? Have you kept a jouranl of food calories Protein exersice you do each day? If so i would take that to your dr and show him what you are eating. every bite that goes in your mouth must be wrote down. Then they may be able to help.I myself have to go to 1000-1100 to lose weight. I wrok out at the gym for an hour every day but sunday. I walk on the treadmill three times day for 30 minutes each.i use weight watchers to help me lose. I do not go to the meetings I have the books so I do it at home and then log in my weight on this site under weight watchers. This program lets me limit my calories but still fit in pizza or something else good i might want. I spread my points out all day i have three meals a day and two Snacks a day. Anyway it really seemed to help me so you might tey it. we are not saying you are doing something wrong just trying to give you support and more ides to try. How many of you have lapband? How many have realize band? Just curious cause my mother in law has realize and she had surgery two weeks after me. she has lost 21 and i have lost 56. I do work out and she does not so that could be the difference. Just wanting to take a poll on weightloss and which type band you have. Hope our ideas help and good luck

I suggest to all of you that are struggling to journal your food and don't forget those liquid calories. I can't phantom gaining 30lbs with a band if you are exercising and following all the bandster rules. For the ones that said your only getting 1500 calories a day I would have to ask what type of calories are you getting? Is it calories from protein? or maybe the wrong types of food. You might want to do the 5 day pouch test to see if your band is working. You can google it. It really works and can help jumpstart you. The band will work if your willing to make the lifestyle change and to say I'm eating less then I did does not by any means mean you are eating right. Please, before you say the band is not working take a look at your lifestyle it might surprise you when you see it in print. Try fitday.com or whatever calorie counting site you prefer. It might just help and I think it's worth the try before you give up on your band. Good luck to all of you. I am wishing you all the best of luck.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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