I got my lap band last August 2007 and have had problems ever since. The surgery was fine, no problems there. The problems started with my fills. They misjudged the size of my band so for the first four months I barely had any thing in my band and I could eat whatever I wanted but in my head I thought it was all my fault.

Then by the third fill they realized I needed more because I had the large size band they gave me the correct amount for the time and that's when I started having problems with food.

I had no problem with "liquids" which for me were things like sugar free Jello mixed with sugar free or fat free "Coolwhip" and fat free yogurt.

If I tried to eat Protein and veggies they filled me up too fast no matter how much I chewed or how slow I ate. So of course I would end up eating more of the "soft foods" and what my body really needed protein and fruits and veg etc...

Anywho I then began to gain back the weight that I had lost prior to surgery when I was on the liquid shakes, which was about 25 lbs back in July/August.

I met with the "filler" of my port and explained my probs and got another fill which again made it more difficult to eat the "good" foods.

Once more met with "filler" and then mistakenly put in too much fill and had about 12 hours of vomiting up my own saliva, went to ER to have the excess fill removed.

Long story short I'm at the point now where I know that I'm eating wrong because I can't eat the good foods and believe me, I actually want to eat a salad and protein but now the thought actually makes me feel ill.

I knew prior to surgery that you can't drink your diet afterwards, meaning eat ice cream or milk shakes etc... but I honestly thought that I would not be able to eat chocolate like it was Water or even Cookies or cake or chips even. Why is it that I can eat all the bad foods but can't tolerate the good foods? I wish someone would have told me that or I would have found a site a year ago so that I would have had the gastric bypass instead.

I am in my mid forties so I wasn't in a rush to lose the weight and had gotten down to around 225 when I had the surgery so I thought it was a slow proceedure but I still thought it/I would be successful. Anyway I'm back up to 245 now and it's been seven months since the lap band surgery and I feel terrible, has anyone else had an experience like mine, thanks for letting me vent.:thumbup:

That last posting was for Susan 4794

Thanks. How do I post as a thread?

bafranco, Go back to "Home Page" and then scroll down to "Complications" and then go near top of page and it says "New Thread" near top left.

BrandyII:

I think that a new start with a complete unfill, and a new commitment by you and your band doctor (maybe a new band doctor) should help alot. Seems like you never got off on the right foot, so I hope that your doctor will help you through this difficult period. I know that it can work, and cannot imagine I could make it work if I was going through the difficulties you've been going through.

I hope you get a chance for a new start with a doctor that really wants to help you through the process.

Best wishes for a better band experience for you soon.

Sue

Thanks Sue for your support I appreciate it. It's so difficult not be hard on yourself and give up. I don't live in a "major" city so there really is only one place to go and I have confidence with them but they're more gastric bypass than lap band. I don't know if most places are like that or not and they're probably not used to having someone fail pretty much from the start like I did.

Do you ever feel like your fill is at a place where you don't eat the bad stuff anymore? That is a question anyone can answer me. I'd like to know what makes people so successful because there are more of you out there than not, thanks brandyII.

BrandyII

I haven't had my band yet but I have been overwieght all of my life. Part of what I have learned along the way is only I can decide what I eat. There is no such thing as good or bad but just our habits of eating them. Sounds to me like you don't know how to use this tool that you have and that is all that it is. It can decide for you what you put into it. Believe me I used every excuse for my poor habits but the only person you are hurting is you. If you trully can't keep down healthier solids then there are still very good proiten based drinks that can be used. Being in a small area is not an excuse either I have to drive over 3 hours for even the nearest doc but I am worth it. You need to find some help and maybe some therapy to help you over these feelings. You may need to see your PCP about hormones and depression since you did this so soon after very major and stressful time in your life. You will regret it always if you don't follow through with this. You miss out on so much of life and your children because of the power that food holds over you. Believe me at some point the stress of the extra pounds will catch up with you. Please try to find some emotional help. I come to this website but I also see a lot of nay-saying here instead of real true support of the decision you made and help to get you over the rough spot. Yes I know I probably sound like your mother and I am probably old enough to be. It has been a very long and emotional journey to get to were I am today and I know it is not easy and there are no quick fixes. Hang in there and see what you can find in the way of positive support instead of another person who enables you to continue this destructive spiral you are in. I am scheduled 4/10 and I can't wait to enjoy things that I never knew before. This like a whole new adventure for me as I have always been overweight. Good luck to you and I hope you will overcome this battle with food.

Losing it in ne,

I have a therapist so that's not an issue for me. I have an endocrinologist also. I really don't feel that the doctors are a problem for me, it's truly me. I still don't believe you can treat all obese people the same way as they all have different issues, physically, mentally and emotionally. What works for one may not necessarily work for another. I'm no spring chicken either so I've been around the block shall I say. I want to be at a healthy weight and am not concerned anymore with being "size cute" any more as that is not important to me, I've been there, done that. The older I get the more difficult it is to take off and keep off the weight and my meds have a bit to do with it. Alot of the cravings I have come across "could" have something to do with not getting the satisfaction from a bite of turkey and a bite of veg. It's hard to explain until you've actually experienced it yourself. Some people do well with just having that "hunger" part taken away but not all people do. So it's something that you may not know until you've actually had the operation if no one is there to tell you this ahead of time. It's not really something you can practice and a Protein shake is good but it's not a piece of cake right before your period! Good luck to you on yours, I hope you succeed, brandy II.

Hello all - Boy it sure sounds like brandyII and mummybandit are having troubles. Ok, ok, I know that's an understatement. After reading the posts of both of you I have a few suggestions. Keep in my this is just my humble opinion and I don't have any medical degrees.

Susan4794 asked why brandyII got a fill if she was already having problems. I'm curious about this too. I'm also curious why when you can only eat small amounts of good food you're switching to the bad food. I could be missing something here. If you can only eat small amounts of good food and you don't feel you're getting enough nutrition in, eat a couple of extra "small" meals. Journal your calorie count and make sure that you don't go over 1200 per day but this would definately be better than eating the "bad" foods.

Mummybandit - Grapes have skins that can be a problem with people who may be too tight. I don't mean so tight that you can't swallow your own spit but a little too tight. Also, sandwiches have bread and possibly lettuce both of which are nutorious about being hard on bandsters. Some of us can eat them but a lot of people can't. Try tuna with crackers (start with saltine since they are the mildest). The left shoulder pains can be from the problems with the band and overeating. When I first got my band in December '07 it happened to me if I ignored the soft spot.

Now I think that both of you should give your stomachs a break and do a couple of days of liquids, then full liquids, soft food working your way up to regular foods. One of the things about meats and regular veggies are that they are dense or if the veggies are raw they can be hard. My doctor didn't want me to eat fresh veggies (carrots, brocolli, etc.) for 6 months to let the stomach heal. They are very hard to digest. Your meats need to be extremely moist or they too will give you a hard time. Some people suggest ff graveys or something like that to moisten them.

Watch what you eat for a while. I still will look at a dinner roll and start to nibble on it...then I squeese the piece in my hand to check and see if it might be something I'll have a problem with. I have learned from others that if it balls up in your hand (like we used to do as kids) then it can potentially give you trouble. Rice and Pasta can do the same thing.

Also, consider a slight unfill. If you're really in a bad way, yeah I would do a full unfill but if you're able to eat the wrong things, I think probably a small unfill will help. You might find out that giving your stomachs a break as I mentioned above and carefully choosing the right foods afterwards might just do it. This is a tricky process. Also, try a cup of tea (hot) before eating and let it relax your stomas. Stop eating at any sign of fullness or trouble. Pain while the food is moving down is usually your esophagus spasming. Unless of course you've taken too big of a bite, not chewed well....etc.

I hope this helps. Keep us posted and feel free to PM me if you have any questions. This can be worked out and you will be a success once it does. The frustration has to be huge. Keep your chin up and be persistent about making your doctors hear you.

Good Luck!

Vicki

Thanks Vicki J - and congrats on your success. I am going to go back to one day at a time and stop putting so much pressure on myself to get this weight off yesterday. It is coming off VERY SLOWLY but I am not gaining so that at least is one positive. I also know I need to try and make more time to concentrate on my eating so that I can get good food down, although this is very difficult with a 3 year old and an 8 month old. I always feel like I am in a rush particularly if we are trying to go somewhere hence it is easier to eat something that I know will go down as opposed to things that I may have trouble with - I also know that I was expecting this band to stop me from wanting to eat "junk" food but the only thing that will do that is between my ears and I am still fighting myself every step of the way. I am very grateful for all the support and comments posted by people because they do help you know you are not the only one and force you to look at what you could be doing better. Thanks!!

Thanks Vicki J,

Sometimes we just get down on ourselves and it's nice to be able to vent and also find out if we are alone out there with similar probs. I think because I wasn't with a normal fill for the first three months after surgery that it kind of screwed up my head a bit and I really needed to get back to the basics like a lot of people suggested. I have been saying I'm not giving up yet, I'm not giving up yet but in a way I was.

I really, really, really thought that all foods would be difficult to eat, including Cookies and cakes, chips etc... I knew that ice cream would be easy so I kind of was under the wrong impression. So if I sound like I'm b''chn about the good foods alot I am but I know now what I'm dealing with and have to go on and not give up. I still haven't completely decided whether to remove more of my fill is necessary or if I should just try harder and as they say choo choo choo! Thanks for everyone's advice and help I always appreciate it, Brandy II who still needs to get a cute pic up on the screen, not of me of course but a cute pic!

I'm glad to hear the two of you haven't given up. As the banded bariactric nurse on another message board says "only a few people cannot loose weight with the band and we're not that special". She also says that the band is a fickle b***h. Most of us just need to figure out the attitudes of our bands and then we're off and loosing.

I went around trying to reach the old "full" feeling for a long time. I caused myself some discomfort before I figured out that that feeling isn't the same anymore. I also have to battle myself because I simply love the taste of food and I have to make myself back away from the table. The old saying that this is the "easy way" out is a crock. It's work and if we don't do it right we get punished.

Start easy again and be willing to take time out for yourself. Trust me kids, family and friends will benefit from a healthier, happier you. It's not a race it's a journey. Enjoy it.

Keep me posted. I'm rooting for you to get past these problems and find the skinny person inside.

Vicki

I know you guys in America will be amazed but there was no pre operation anything here with my surgeon in Australia. I was referred by my GP (General Practitioner) because I asked to be. I drove 2 1/2 hours to where the surgeon is - spoke to him for 10 minutes and that was it - was booked in for surgery after my son was to be born around 8 months later. No tests, no pre-op diet, no psch counsel - nothing. He didn't even ask me what my specific food problem was. Just knew that I was a former elite athlete (6 foot tall basketballer who already weighed 92 kgs (around 202 pounds which was quite a good weight for me) who had put on a huge amount of weight with pregnancy and not being able to exercise as much and told me this would work wonders - there would be no problem with breastfeeding etc etc) Since the surgery, no dietician, nutritionist, nothing - just sent on my way and told to come back whenever I feel I need another fill.

Sounds like you got a dud deal with your surgeon. Mine is Blair Bowden from the Wesley in Brisbane (I think I love him :crying: - hehe). Anywho, I had to meet with his Nurse to go through everything - theres quite an extensive questionairre to fill in regards health history, food history etc, have 2 consults with Blair and then even the night of the surgery he came to see me in pre-op, put in my canula and asked if I was ok with everything and was there anything I wanted to ask or know. Then he came to see me the next morning to check I was ok and go through the post-op info and to see him in 2 weeks. My GP had sent me to a dietician a couple of months prior so he was happy with that.

One thing that has concerned me while researching lap banding is there are some surgeons who appear to take advantage of fat people. They seem to have an attitude of 'get em in, get em out, take their money, if there's problems - oh well, plenty more fat people out there to take money off.'

Theres a big difference in surgeons who go out of their way to make you feel comfortable with everything and those who don't give a damn.

It's interesting what different people want from their doctors. I had researched the lap band for almost two years. When I had my consult with the surgeon, I thought he would NEVER quit talking. lol

He's a very good doctor and took pains to know what I was getting into. (I did).

I have a surgeon that is wrapped around the statistics. He keeps trying to tell me I might not loose much more and I keep telling him to hold on to his statistics because I'm going to blow them out the door. I, too, did a lot of research which was fortunate be cause Kaiser in No. Cal just started doing them about a year ago and gave a lot of RNY info.

BrandyII and mummybandit - How are you two doing today?

VickiJ,

I'm doing a bit better although last night I had a craving and went for some chicken and it decided it didn't want to stay there for long so that was fun. Today though I just had Protein and eating slower and chewing more and it went down fine but it was scrambled eggs so I guess they are easier. I still need to walk on the treadmill, keeps me regular in many mays, I know TMI. Anyway I'm feeling better about the band and am hoping by the time I see my surgeon in about 3 weeks I'll either get a fill or stay the same and not remove any because I'll be getting a hang of it, thanks brandyII.