So, after months and months of misery and dollars spent, I have FINALLY found a doctor who was honest and thorough. He performed a flouroscope diagnostic and it turns out my band has been drastically overfilled which has caused all of my problems. Reflux, GERD, vomiting, and now pouch dilatation and weight gain. He removed .5cc and still the barium was back washing up my esophagus and not even trickling through the band. He wound up removing 1 full cc and now the fluid trickles through like it is supposed to but now my pouch is stretched and I have probably gotten all the weight loss I am going to get from it. Which totally SUCKS! Thousands of dollars, pain, discomfort, frustration, etc. etc. for a 60lb weight loss.

I can warn those considering Lab Band enough, that just because you can eat doesn't mean you need a fill. Fill centers and "certified" doctors will take your $$ and just keep filling and filling. If your having reflux and gurgling etc, it's TOO TIGHT. Also, I don't know how many doctors are telling the truth about the expected weight loss, but 60% of your starting weight is on the high end of what the expect and as little as 10% is considered success.

I have posted elsewhere on here about my health issues and weight gain and frustrations, only to have most of those on here blamed me for overeating and not "taking care" of my band. Why doesn't anyone ever look at the doctors who are supposed to know what they are doing?!?!?!?

I wonder if I can repair the damage done to the pouch and get anymore benefit form having this thing in my body.

tmf...I am not going to indulge your childish behavior with an online argument. I don't know you and you don't know me. I suggest that you recheck your facts with the BEFORE you bully. I am happy for you that you had nothing but a peaches and cream experience. I did not. And people should know ALL the sides to the story.

Taken from portions of WWW.ALLERGAN.COM directions for use LAP-BAND adjustable gastric banding system with access port 10.0 and VG.

"......CAUTION: Esophageal distension or dilatation has

been reported to result from stoma obstruction due to

over-restriction, due to excessive band inflation."

"Mean weight decreased steadily from 293 pounds

at baseline to 235 pounds at 30 months. Weight loss

through 36 months was significant when compared

to baseline. Mean excess weight was reduced from

156 pounds to 98.2 pounds. The weight changes from

baseline were statistically significant at each visit (paired

t-test p<0.0001).

The observed level of weight loss at 12 months and

beyond is equivalent to almost 20% total weight loss,

substantially more than the 10% weight loss that has

been reported in the literature to improve or resolve

comorbid conditions associated with obesity...."

Allergan, and most bariatric surgeons view success as 10% weight loss to an upper range of 20% weight loss. I do not see that as EXTREME WEIGHT LOSS. If you do, then more power to you. How many prospective patients would jump on the Lap-Band bandwagon if they knew that at a starting weight of say 350 pounds, Allergan considers 35 pound weight loss at success!?!?!

My last suggestion, if you don't like to hear negatives about the Lap-Band, DON'T READ THEM.

Likewise, if you don't want to be called on the carpet for posting untruths, don't post. People come here for support, not lies. I'm sure most people view your posts and scoff, but there are some bandsters who are struggling and posts like yours could be very damaging. I'll be watching!

tmf

I didn't read her post and scoff. I read her post this morning and realized that my first fill was actually too tight, so I went back to the doctor to get unfilled... As someone one month out after surgery, I'm not on this board to look for rainbows and unicorns. I'm looking for information, and I absolutely want to read posts like hers so I can learn from her experience.

I appreciated her post. And I also appreciated yours, and love hearing that you've had a great experience... I can't speak for everyone here, but I do realize that her opinion of the surgery, like yours, is based on her experience and hers alone... Some people have good experiences. Some have bad. This isn't religion, so I don't see any reason to be dogmatic. There's room for everyone to have, and share, their point of view.

I, too, was able to learn from her post. I received a fill on Tuesday that resulted in the gurgling and pain of being stuck that whole day and the next morning when just consuming liquids. I knew something was wrong and called the doctor right away. She had me come in and took out 1/2 of what was put in. I immediately felt better and was able to get liquid Protein down. I have a very small fill in my band, but am very close to the green zone.

It's very important for people to understand that those feelings aren't normal and you have to get back to the doctor ASAP for an unfill if they are experienced. I refuse to live my life in pain everytime I eat because of an overfilled band.

Gayla, I hope you can turn things around and make the band work for you again. I never perceived the band as a miracle cure for my obesity. I just wanted a tool to help me limit my portions. As of today, I've lost 27% of my starting weight. However, I started dieting on my own in April 2011, so it's taken me a little over a year to do that and 6 months of it were on my own with no band in place. I'm happy with my progress and I would like to lose another 80+ pounds in the next year.

Good luck to you!!

You are right tighter is not better. My surgeon has educated me enough to know that too much restriction is a bad thing. I thank God that he listens to me, my nutritionist interviews me, and they are thorough so they don't overfill me. It does happen, and it's our job to listen to our bodies and I know this is tough. Amazing what we learn in hindsight.

It seems to me a common problem I see here over and over, thread after thread, is people walking around with bands that are way too over-filled. What's sad is the lack of education and understanding about the band going into it, so when they are over-filled they just write off the vomiting, cough, and reflux as normal.

It's not normal, and if people would simply take control over their own health and actually educate themselves a lot of pain and suffering could be avoided.

Here's a very simple chart the explains how the band should, and should not, feel and be.

I love my doctor and his team. We have good open communication. I was filled to 5.5cc in February. I had one rough month of symptoms you all have mentioned. I told him today and he had hoped that I would have called him ealier. I realize now that if you aren't feeling normal' date=' than something isn't right, possible overfill. Now...after 17 pounds if weight loss since February, I am finally in the green zone...meaning we should not have any of those nasty side effects if overfill. I also learned that just because you drop weight does not necessarily mean you need a fill. In fact a person could go eight months with weight loss and no fill during those eight months. Every individual is different so we must listen to our body.[/quote']

Can I ask what is the green zone?

I like to think of the green zone as the time when your band is adjusted(filled) to it's utmost potential. That's not to say it's filled 100% but the band is working in harmony with your body, mind and stomach. It's the place where your pouch/stomach is telling your body after a small meal, "OK, I'm satisfied now". Some may call it restriction but what we truly seek is to be no longer hungry i.e. satisfied.

It's where there is no or very little discomfort eating food, it's where we are losing 1-2 lbs a week. It's a balance we all seek but it's also a moving target as we travel towards our goal.

tmf

I like to think of the green zone as the time when your band is adjusted(filled) to it's utmost potential. That's not to say it's filled 100% but the band is working in harmony with your body' date=' mind and stomach. It's the place where your pouch/stomach is telling your body after a small meal, "OK, I'm satisfied now". Some may call it restriction but what we truly seek is to be no longer hungry i.e. satisfied.

It's where there is no or very little discomfort eating food, it's where we are losing 1-2 lbs a week. It's a balance we all seek but it's also a moving target as we travel towards our goal.

tmf[/quote']

Thanks for your reply I hopefully will get to the green zone one fly soon

Can I ask what is the green zone?

Green zone is when you are not hungry between meals, good steady weight loss not necessarily fast but steady, and satisfied. You aren't having those slimy vomiting experiences...you feel somewhat normal as you follow rules of bite size and chewing.

Thanks for your reply I hopefully will get to the green zone one fly soon <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Also, my doctor said that you don't necessarily have to have your band tighten every time you lose a good amount,..you could possibly stay at the same fill for months...even with weight loss. That is green zone!!!

I agree, i think people are sometimes looking for magic and even as a successful and experienced bandster, ive been guilty of it myself, and gotten myself into trouble because if it. Im peased to report a coupke if days fter a small unfill, i am feeling better, but i think i still need a bit more taken out. I have just been reminded that i cannot try o abdicate responsibility for what i eat to my band, it is NOT that easy.

Even once successful wright loss has been attained, it takes hard work to keep it of. In fact i ork harder now than i did to lose it.

To the OP i really want to urge you to go back and take more ir all of your fill out. Your band us not doomed, pouches often recover from an unfill and short spell on a liquid diet.

I appreciate everyone here that chooses to act like adults and try to learn from others experiences. Too bad on bad apple can ruin a perfectly good pie. Thank you to all those who spoke positively about my post or at least could see the point I am trying to make. Good luck to all who are trying to make the best out of having the Lap Band!

I think it all boils down to good medical care and pre op education I was banded in nov I am crossing 100 pounds lost. It is my golden ring but I was educated about the risks, filled under X-ray and opted to stop fills when I felt like I had good restriction but minimum eating issues. Everyone has different experience I don't believe the band was the culprit. It was the doctors. It's not a magic cure I still have to watch what I eat exercise and take my supplements it's a tool not a cure. I feel for anyone who had the great expectations I did and was not able to succeed. I love my band, no regrets for me. I am sorry for anyone who has that bad of an experience and I celebrate my fellow bandsters success.

1.5cc's removed yesterday and feeling 110% better, down to 2.25cc's.