1. Pouch - -the upper small part of the stomach created by the lap band.

2. The stoma – the outlet between the pouch and the rest of the stomach.

3. The band physically restricts the amount of food a person can eat at one time.

4. Digestion happens in the pouch, just like it does in the stomach.

5. Solid food should not immediately go through the stoma so the pouch fills up with food.

6. Liquids go through the stoma readily and also help solid food go through the lumen. If you drink before, during or after meals, more of the solid food will go through the stoma into the stomach.

7. Fills (inflating the band) help to keep food in the pouch longer.

8. Fills (inflating) with saline do not make the pouch smaller, only the stoma between the pouch and the stomach becomes smaller.

9. The band can be surgically repositioned to adjust the size of the pouch.

10. Leptin is present in our digestive system to regulate our appetite (and in turn, our weight). Leptin affects the hypothalamus and suppresses appetite. It also helps burn fat that is stored in adipose (fatty) tissue.

11. When the pouch is full of food, just like if the stomach is full, the hormone Leptin is released. This goes to the brain and sates the appetite.

12. If the band is too tight, meals are inadequate and so people eat more often and tend to eat easier to digest food such as carbohydrate. This can result in weight gain.

13. It is very unlikely that you will ever lose all of your excess weight with a lapband.

I think a lot of people on here would disagree with you on #13. Those are the people for whom the band has worked as it is supposed to. However, the band is promoted as only helping to lose 50% of your excess weight, so if you have 100 lbs. to lose, the band will help with 50.

#9 - While the band can be surgically repositioned, it isn't something that is routinely or commonly done unless there is some type of complication requiring it.

#11 - not everyone achieves this with the band.

On #13 the band advertises on AVERAGE people lose 50% of their body weight. That means some more and some less. No different really than a diet. I think the numbers are what they are because, lets be honest, the people who get this done in most cases are addicted to food. Sometimes I think people get it done and revert to their old ways. It takes discipline and a lot of work. I wish it was magical, but it really is not. You still have to make responsible choices and say NO. It is an excellent tool that you must use correctly or it just won't work.:wink2:

4. Digestion happens in the pouch, just like it does in the stomach.

Not really. Typically, the stomach both chemically and mechanically breaks down food. If you've ever thrown up post-banding, you've no doubt noticed that the food that is regurgitated does not contain the bile and stomach juices typical of "normal" emesis; these are present in greater abundance in the stomach below the pouch. The strong muscle contractions that churn food with these chemicals are greater in the stomach below, as well.

9. The band can be surgically repositioned to adjust the size of the pouch.

It could be, but I don't know anyone who's had this done.

11. When the pouch is full of food, just like if the stomach is full, the hormone Leptin is released. This goes to the brain and sates the appetite.

There is some controversy whether leptin and ghrelin are significantly impacted by banding; some believe that it's purely a restrictive device, with little to no effect on "hunger hormones."

12. If the band is too tight, meals are inadequate and so people eat more often and tend to eat easier to digest food such as carbohydrate. This can result in weight gain.

This can be true, but it is 100 percent within the control of the individual. I haven't touched a carb other than those from veggie, fruit, or legume sources, since banding.

13. It is very unlikely that you will ever lose all of your excess weight with a LAP-BAND®.

Not my plan :thumbup: I am well on my way, less than 10 pounds from a normal BMI. I fully expect to reach my personal goal, which is 30 pounds further.

Thanks for the feedback, I'd like more.

Question: Solid foods can easily plug the stoma without filling the pouch. I can eat the same foods that were not a problem yesterday and get an immediate blockage today. Next thing I know I'm vomiting. It's like Russian roulette.

Generally you will only get an immediate blockage if you take too big a bite or don't chew properly. This often happens if you wait until you are really hungry before you eat as then you tend to eat too fast.

Leftovers often cause a problem as they are a different consistency to when they were originally cooked.they can be a lot drier and tougher.

yes somedays the band is tighter than others but that is generally caused by hormones, stress or dehydration. I assume (though I could be wrong) that you are male so the hormones shouldn't be as big an issue for you.

Elcee,

Even though I am a man, I can assure you I still have plenty of hormones.

13. It is very unlikely that you will ever lose all of your excess weight with a LAP-BAND®.

I am living proof this one is not true. I am now at a "normal" BMI. This means I have lost 100% of my excess weight. I still need to take off 9 pounds for my personal goal. All this was done with very little effort on my part.

Elcee,

Even though I am a man, I can assure you I still have plenty of hormones.

LOL

I don't doubt that but men's hormones don't tend to fluctuate as much as women's do. You don't generally have to put up with PMT, bloating, Water retention etc etc!:thumbup:

3. The band physically restricts the amount of food a person can eat at one time.

sorta. you can always eat around the band if you try. not advisable, if you want to lose weight.

4. Digestion happens in the pouch, just like it does in the stomach.

It may have very early beginnings of digestion, but the churning and mixing with digestive juices really happens in the lower stomach. Hence the reason that food that is pb'd tastes almost as good coming back up as it did going down.

5. solid food should not immediately go through the stoma so the pouch fills up with food.

you're right, solid, dense food doesn't immediately go through, but it doesn't stay in the pouch as long as previously thought.

6. Liquids go through the stoma readily and also help solid food go through the lumen. If you drink before, during or after meals, more of the solid food will go through the stoma into the stomach.

yes and no. my doctor does advise patients not to drink 30 min before or after nor during meals. I followed that for a long time, but have since changed my pattern. I now drink right up to the first bite, avoid drinking during the meal (but am not rigid about that if I need a sip for some reason) and don't drink for about an hour after eating. If this caused me to be hungrier sooner, I'd modify my behavior again. Some doctors are no longer giving out the no drinking with meals advice, saying sips are ok, just avoid large amounts of fluids. Follow what YOUR doctor advises as closely as you can.

9. The band can be surgically repositioned to adjust the size of the pouch. [/Quote] The only time I can think that this approach would be taken is if the band had slipped.

12. If the band is too tight, meals are inadequate and so people eat more often and tend to eat easier to digest food such as carbohydrate. This can result in weight gain.

Not necessarily easier to digest, but things that are soft and slide past the band without causing pain. These type of foods are very often higher in calories or high glycemic. I think that's the reason that weight regain often occurs with a too tight band, rather than meals being too small in volume.

13. It is very unlikely that you will ever lose all of your excess weight with a LAP-BAND®®®.

I believe that is from statistical studies. "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." I am not a statistic, I am an individual. I plan, hope and pray to beat the average. I have so far with over 150 lbs gone in 19 months. I've been told that average is 50 to 100 in one year.

Hope this helps a little.

Edited November 2, 201015 yr by Melissannde
clarification.