I had lap band approx. 2 1/2 years ago. All went well at first. I lost approx. 20 lbs. Then my weight stalled. I started to gain weight. I have had 2 fills. I'm hungry frequently...I find that I "graze". I know what I can eat and cannot. My surgeon & staff give "bad vibes" if you have gained any weight.... to the point that I just stopped going. My general doctor says..."lap band doesn't work for everyone"... I assume meaning me. I thought the band would help with hunger feelings... which after a couple years does not. I would very much like to turn this around but don't know how. I discovered after my last fill (approx. 1 year ago) that heartburn was a frequent problem for several weeks....but eventually did stop. I need to loose at least 60 pounds and it seems impossible. I have gained back most of what I lost.

I suggest you get a referral to go to a surgeon at a bariatric Center of Excellence and get a 2nd opinion on what to do next.

Why not just go back to your current surgeon and talk to him about your situation. Not only does the lap band not work for everyone, you can say the same for all forms of WLS. I doubt most doctors will just pat you on the back and tell you it's OK to gain weight.

But if you graze, I doubt you'll find much success with any form of WLS? All WLS requires a change in lifestyle. With the band it means no grazing and eating Protein first. It means watching for the satiety signals and obeying these signals. It means chewing all food to mush before swallowing, it means eating slower and taking smaller bites. It's a big change but for most of us, but it's worth it to be healthy.

Edited July 7, 201412 yr by 2muchfun

Go back to your surgeon. Don't let others treatment of you keep you from your goals. But be ready to get serious and follow the rules. You have to be patient until you get your fills to the green zone. Along the way, you have to stop grazing. It's okay to have healthy snacks every now and then. Just follow the rules religiously and exercise. You can be successful!

Did you follow it 100% from the very start?

It is never to late to get back on track! You took a big step in gaining control of your health by getting the LapBand. It's not about the band "not working for you" it's that you have to MAKE the band work for you. If you restart, follow the rules, and be patient, and diligent, the band does work, I promise

I think you should totally go back to your surgeon or find another one you feel more comfortable with and get back on track. It often takes more than just 2 fills to get to the right level so you feel full. This is the part that takes patience. Until you are able to find that right fill level with your surgeon, yeah, it is going to take a lot of hard work on your part. You're going to have to count calories, say no to foods you really want, and essentially be on a "diet." But once you get used to all these habits, it's much easier to stay on track. But you have to be committed to it or the LapBand won't do much for you and you'll gain weight. That means you have to stay active too. You don't have to become a runner overnight or anything, but daily walks are a great start. Anything you enjoy that gets you up and moving.

It's hard. As a recovering food addict and chronic couch potato, I get that. But if you just push through the hard parts, you'll be amazed at yourself. You can do this if you put your mind to it! I know I already said it, but it's not too late!! You can still make this band work for you.

What I find motivational is reading other people's success stories on here or on blogs online. I have a blog and I can say that most of us LapBand bloggers are super honest about our successes as well as our failures. Nobody is perfect. But it's nice to see what worked for other people and when I was first starting out it gave me hope and motivation to see others doing so well. So if you feel in need of inspiration, I highly suggest checking out some success stories or blogs. The link to mine is in my signature below and here are some of my favorite bloggers

Banded Wendy

LapBand Gal

My Bandemonium

cheese and Sunkist