I am two years post-operative. I am not sure if my level of support for the lap-band has been satisfactory. I had the bad put on Jan 2010, I only lost 30lbs total weight. I was very disappointed. I thought that I would at least lose about 55lbs..however, I traded eating for drinking alcohol. And now, I am gaining the weight back. I have gained at least 15lbs within the last year. I think that at this point my band is too tight. I am eating really small plates of food, but I am continuing to throw up and even gurgle after most of my meals. I complained to my surgeon but his bed side manner was not all that great. And I had contemplated changing to another doctor. I am just wondering if anyone else is experiecing anything of the sort? I am trying to come-up with a plan to continue to battle this weight.

queenv319

Sorry to hear about your situation. Alcohol has a ton of calories which could be a factor for not losing weight. Also if you are not getting what you want from your doctor then yes I would find another one. I have been blessed with my doctor and so I know there are good ones out there. Good luck!

You have to have surgeon that's part of your team of supporters. If you don't feel like your doctor is giving you that support, or even listening to you, then you have the right to find a new one without feeling bad. And Yellowrose is right, alcohol is full of carbs and calories that will work against you for losing weight. I know there's a lot of controversy about alcohol post-banding, and it won't "hurt" you per se, but it's definitely not good for you (it's not good for you pre-band either!!). Maybe changing surgeons will help you re-focus on the plan and get back on track.

Thanks guys, I will definitely take your advice into consideration. The bad thing is I did not start drinking until after I had the band. But I do understand that alcohol does carry a lot of calories and carbs. And I have made the decision to give it up at least only drink it minimaly. And try to get back on this train. I have come too far to be defeated. Keep offering sound advice, it does help. Thanks again.

I am two years post-operative. I am not sure if my level of support for the lap-band has been satisfactory. I had the bad put on Jan 2010, I only lost 30lbs total weight. I was very disappointed. I thought that I would at least lose about 55lbs..however, I traded eating for drinking alcohol. And now, I am gaining the weight back. I have gained at least 15lbs within the last year. I think that at this point my band is too tight. I am eating really small plates of food, but I am continuing to throw up and even gurgle after most of my meals. I complained to my surgeon but his bed side manner was not all that great. And I had contemplated changing to another doctor. I am just wondering if anyone else is experiecing anything of the sort? I am trying to come-up with a plan to continue to battle this weight.

queenv319

queen, I would definitely give your surgeon the flick and speak to another expert. There is absolutely no reason why you should put up with lack of advice or support. A fresh perspective and a friendly doctor might well be able to address your issues so that you can feel positive about the changes you have made. Alcohol is toughie and also takes away appetite for some - I am fresh at this but for the medium term i don't really want any as it lowers my resolve with food and i am very overweight and can't afford the calories. Looking at this afresh might help you - find a good doctor to advise - set short term goals and build up to eating the quantity you need and temporarily stop the alcohol.

Sounds easier in words than practise i know, but maybe you just need to rewind and remember the enthusiasm u felt when u first got banded, and make a fresh start.

Wishing you all the best

All the comments above are accurate. You may need to seek counseling as to the reason you "replaced food with alcohol" for me, food was my friend, my constant companion, my stress relief, and utmost, my anger/anxiety relief. I have had to redirect my emotional eating to something else. In the middle of my journey, i too turned to alcohol. Weight gain scared me and so i did some soul searching and decided i needed a healtier coping skill. Recently it has been the gym and i find that i get irritable when i cant make it there. This is not only a journey of weight loss, but a complete rediscovery of who I/we want to be. It is scary to face the world and reality without a comfort so learning alterative healthy coping skills is a must. You don't want to trade one addiction to another. It's a slippery slope. This site will be a great source of understanding and support, however, you have to search within you and find what you want to change. Good luck with your journey!

Jen75 I am glad you said that! I was unsure if anyone else was feeling the way I was about the gym. It sounds funny because that was not me before, but now if I dont go I get very irritable! I also know that my sister had gastric bypass in 2004 and did not deal with her eating habits very well and after a few problems with the surgery she turned to pain pills. It has definitly been an eye opener for me. The food addiction must be dealt with.