Had lapband fitted in October 2007, have never felt restriction, going for 4th fill next week, thought I'd join to meet people with same issues/experiences as me.

xx

I know exactly how you feel about the lack of restriction - I can eat (and want to eat) anything! I was banded a month before you. Have you lost any weight at all?

Hi Leigh, Mia

I was banded in September in the UK (I live in Ireland). I had 4 stone to lose. By two weeks after the op I had lost 12 lbs about and was delighted. Then my appetite returned and I lost only 2 lbs more roughly between then and Xmas despite 3 fills (involving 3 treks to the UK).

I must say I was beginning to lose hope until I had my 4th fill last week. Now suddenly I have serious restriction, almost too much in fact. Im back on Protein Shakes and have lost 4-5 lbs since last week. Im in no hurry to get a defill in order to get back on solids when the weight is coming off so nicely. Now in fairness I am exercising daily as well but am very happy to finally have restriction. (Im at 8.7 in a 10 ml band). My doctor was willing to give me an additional fill every 2 weeks until I got good restriction. The limitation was on my side due to the effort involved in going over and back to England.

I would recommend to keep going back for the fills until you are in no doubt that you have restriction.

Wishing you both the very best.

Ellen

Thanks Ellen - thats good to know. I think my Surgeon is making me lose the weight myself to encourage good habits. I do need a fill though, so will ask for one the next time I see him which is in a few weeks.

Are you ok getting through the day on just Protein Shakes? I thought that you had to eat real food or your hair fell out - thats what they told me anyway!

What a pain having to travel over here everytime too! At least its working, thats the main thing.

hi,

Had band fitted on 17 December in Paris, through ACS, I had lost about 17lbs and had a further fill on 4th January, however feel no restriction and have gained about 5lbs even though seriously and honestly I have been very careful and conscious of what I am eating. I feel horrible, that ive wasted this money, am embarrassed in front of family and friends. Asked for an appointment and was given one for this Saturday, but its my daughters 21st so have arranged to go to see Lou on 2nd February. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?

HI all, meeting in the great southern hotel dublin airport this sat at 12 noon in the lobby area, all welcome.

Hi Paulina

Hang in there. I read a quite comforting quote on another websiite recently. The gist of it was that most people (some exceptions) cannot expect restriction until fill 4 or 5. Apparently if we were given substantial fills early on our stomachs would swell unbearably and we'd become ill. Therefore to avoid this they give us tiny fills initially which are intended to familiarise the stomach slowly to the notion of the band without incapacitating us altogether. If this were emphasised to us sufficiently beforehand it would prevent the feelings of failure and disenchantment many of us feel for the first 4-6 months when we stop losing say 2 weeks after the op and even start gaining and dont experience lasting restriction until much later. In most cases howevr this is not emphasised and disappointment results in the short term.

Light at the end of the tunnell? Yes but i think we have to find comfort in the fact the it will happen slowly and that we'd be in a worse position if we hadn't had the op......

Best of luck

Ellen

I agree with Ellen and it will get better. I think you should get a fill or at least an apointment to talk about it with someone soon. Is your doctor any help? Some are really supportive. Not that mine was! When i went to talk through all my options and surgery came up, she said " Oh for God's sake, why don't you just stop eating rubbish and do some exercise!" If only it were that simple!! Good Luck Paulina.g - will keep my fingers crossed for you