This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band.

The ALLERGAN protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band.

Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band.

Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week.

The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows:

1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to 4 weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to 4 weeks after the fill. That is why the ALLERGAN protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill.

2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band.

3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food.

4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient.

5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again.

6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food.

7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again.

Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater.

It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

Hollyberries,

Congratulations on your weight loss!

Keep up the good work!

It will be fun to watch the football on your ticker reach the end zone. When it does you should buy yourself a nice present!

brad

Thank you so much for posting on our board. Your explanation was fabulous.

We are grateful that you take the time to post. Having the band is definitely a learning experience. It's easier to learn when you understand.

thanks every one for the tips and info.. does anyone experience what i have.. banded in may,, 3 fills under fluoro, and i have been told the band is totally full up. and my restriction isn't very much.. its seems that if teh band is full up.. that it !! the band has nothing left to offer me

regards

paula

thanks every one for the tips and info.. does anyone experience what i have.. banded in may,, 3 fills under fluoro, and i have been told the band is totally full up. and my restriction isn't very much.. its seems that if teh band is full up.. that it !! the band has nothing left to offer me

regards

paula

It sounds like your band has slipped. Or perhaps your surgeon put the wrong size on you? The wrong size is just a guess, but the band slippage symptoms sound like what I have heard.

Pjrugby,

You may need a fluoro to examine the size of the pouch.

It would also be helpful to do a Fluid check to make sure the band system is holding saline.

We have always been able to get any band size tight enough.

hope that helps

brad

DrWatkins thanks for explaining how the band works.

I'm reading a book that explains all those chemicals running around in us and their effect on hunger. The booki is called

YOU: ON A DIET by Micharl Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. The book is humorus with wonderful cartoon illustrations and simple enough for the lay person to understand.

I'm ordering several copies of the book for Xmas presents.

:whoo:EVERONE, I think I am at that perfect restriction point!!!!!!! LOVE IT

Dr. Watkins,

Welcome to LBT! Thank you for your highly informative posts, your encouragement, and your positive, upbeat presence.

In case you received a confirming email from LBT, I wanted to let you know that I did I post a question to you on this thread earlier, but deleted it because I think I was misinformed about product I was asking you about.

However, the welcome still stands, and I look forward to reading more of your posts!

Crazy Ates DECEMBER Exercise Challenge

9/18 Days of Exercise

Banded 8/07/07 Dr. Miguel Zapata, Monterrey Mexico

NM Sunshine,

Thanks for the book recommendation.

Another sign that you're band is perfectly adjusted is using seven exclamation points and the words, "LOVE IT" in your posts.

brad

Frangipani,

Thanks for the welcome.

I adore gastric band patients. You guys do amazing things and inspire me to no end. You've changed my life and I haven't lost a pound.

brad

I just got approved and am supposed to have my surgery in Jan-2008. I decided to research the site for complications just to get an idea of what I am in for and handle them when they occur.

I read in a different discussion thread (can't remember which) that people were having issues with loosing weight, not because there wasn't any restriction but more because they weren't allowing for the restriction. Because of many fears, they were not switching from soft/musshies/etc. to solids or drinking liquids with meals because food feels "stuck".

Someone explained very well that without the restriction of solid foods, you loose the full sensation and eventually eat too much of the right and wrong foods. Also, what some people thought was "stuck" or "a lump" was actually the body telling them they are full but would panic thining the food is "stuck" and drink liquids or bring it back up.

It all seemed very informative and I really wish I could remember which thread it came from. I wasn't the main title of a thread but it was in the Complications area/section/forum (as you can tell, I am new to this).

Anyway, not sure if this was helpful but it seemed to strike a cord with the poeple who were reading and responding.

Good Luck!

thanks every one for the tips and info.. does anyone experience what i have.. banded in may,, 3 fills under fluoro, and i have been told the band is totally full up. and my restriction isn't very much.. its seems that if teh band is full up.. that it !! the band has nothing left to offer me

regards

paula

Being new to this, I meant to reply to you but think I replied to the entire thread. The reply should be the one above this one in the discussion thread.

thanks every one for the tips and info.. does anyone experience what i have.. banded in may,, 3 fills under fluoro, and i have been told the band is totally full up. and my restriction isn't very much.. its seems that if teh band is full up.. that it !! the band has nothing left to offer me

regards

paula

Being new to this, I meant to reply to you but think I replied to the entire thread. The reply should be the one above this one in the discussion thread.

AnthonyNYC

I understand exactly what you say about about someone thinking they are stuck, when actually they ate too much. After getting banded and after you get fills, you do have to start with liquids and progress to soft foods then to meat and regular foods which must be small bites and chewed a lot. If you start the solids too soon you will get a Strong painful stuck feeling. On liquids you don't need to be as careful but, when you go to solid foods, it will feel painful if you eat too fast, to much and don't chew well. I think that is what sends people back to the mushies. But, if when your body is ready, you eat solids (Protein first, vegetables second and carb's third), eat them correctly and not eat too much you will feel satiated. If you eat too much, it will take a few minutes before you feel it. Then it can be painful and 'stuck' feeling. The idea is to learn how much you can eat, feel satiated and not feel pain.

Another feeling I found was that when I have eaten too much, it feels 'bubbly' and burpy about halfway up, in my esophigus. That tells me to slow down and eat less the next time.

So much about fanding and fills is to learn how to eat and work with your band.

Dr. Watson

Thanks and I think you'll think that book is dynomite for people who are interested in learning how their digestive body works..........Since my band is at the '!!!!!!!Love It' stage, it's time for me to come up with a name for it...........:huggie:

AnthonyNYC

I understand exactly what you say about about someone thinking they are stuck, when actually they ate too much. After getting banded and after you get fills, you do have to start with liquids and progress to soft foods then to meat and regular foods which must be small bites and chewed a lot. If you start the solids too soon you will get a Strong painful stuck feeling. On liquids you don't need to be as careful but, when you go to solid foods, it will feel painful if you eat too fast, to much and don't chew well. I think that is what sends people back to the mushies. But, if when your body is ready, you eat solids (Protein first, vegetables second and carb's third), eat them correctly and not eat too much you will feel satiated. If you eat too much, it will take a few minutes before you feel it. Then it can be painful and 'stuck' feeling. The idea is to learn how much you can eat, feel satiated and not feel pain.

Another feeling I found was that when I have eaten too much, it feels 'bubbly' and burpy about halfway up, in my esophigus. That tells me to slow down and eat less the next time.

So much about fanding and fills is to learn how to eat and work with your band.

Dr. Watson

Thanks and I think you'll think that book is dynomite for people who are interested in learning how their digestive body works..........Since my band is at the '!!!!!!!Love It' stage, it's time for me to come up with a name for it...........:huggie:

Yes, when you're naming your band you know you're in the sweet spot.

Pjrugby!!!

Please read!

I was banded 3/1 (go look at all my posts)

We are exactly alike. I am at FULL on my band.

I am going in on Tues and Dr. said he may give me .25, he also said there are people who never feel restriction.

I am going to make other decisions after the holidays.

~pam