I had my surgery done over two years ago in Houston by Dr. Speigel who has done THOUSANDS of lap-bands here in the U.S. I have to say, I am very disappointed in the end results. I can't eat anything before suppertime without drinking lots of hot liquids along with it. It has made having lunch out next to impossible and I haven't lost nearly all the weight I expected to lose. I was on the low end of the scale (comparatively speaking), I guess, to begin with and so I didn't have AS much to lose as maybe some others but still, I would think after 2+ years, it would be more than 40 lbs. I still get choked and have pb if I am not extremely careful with every single bite. It's been this way from day one and so here I sit, still overweight and miserable at every meal. Dr. Speigel has absolutely no bedside manner. I would trust him for fills but if you're looking for a doctor you can talk to, find someone else.

Unhappy with the results all the way around-:wink2:

Tammy

okay,

I have the same DAMMMM thing I eat junk food all day long because I wont get sick from it, anything healthy forget it.. It is coming right back up, I was band mid 2006 and since have lost about 45lbs, that is it..

I get so frustrated, I just want to cry...

Thanks for your post I thought I was alone...

Michelle

:cursing:

Hi Tammy, the good news is you haven't gained it back yet. The bad news is you're not losing and that's depressing enough for you. I agree with the other bandster it sounds to me like you're probably too tight.

I've been struggling with mine for 9 months now and have a 10cc band and have had quite a wild ride on the band fill wagon! I gained back the 25 pounds that I had lost on my Medifast liquid diet prior to surgery.

At my last appointment I asked my surgeon, well kind of pleaded, if he would take out 2ccs out of the 4 so I could see how I would do. I had been eating the softer foods before because I was tired of pbing up all my food before and still had the urge to eat and it was pretty much physiological to me. Especially if what I'm eating is crap my body wanted good food but I couldn't give it to it. All I wanted was a big salad!!!!

I didn't realize before my surgery that most of the bad stuff goes down quite easily and the healthy stuff you'd take a couple bites and bam you're done. Most bandsters find this a bit looney that I didn't know but all I was told and or read was that sugary liquids like sodas and ice cream would go down and add those unwanted calories. I didn't know I could eat an once of Protein and be full but could still eat Cookies, chocolate, candy, cakes etc... on top of it. I know those were to be avoided but I didn't know it was because they'd go down like water!

Anyway I'm sorry you're disappointed, I am too and still am trying to get things working but I don't know if they'll ever work as well as some people who are more or less "bulk" eaters and find a couple bites of food does the trick for them and they can leave the table feeling satisfied. I don't know if my brain would ever let that happen.

So basically find a good doctor now that you've moved and discuss the issues you've had and see if you can work out something and start over again with a fresh attitude like you had when you first had surgery and lost those 40 pounds. Maybe you can post to people in your area and they might have suggestions for a new doctor with a "good" bedside manner. Hopefully you'll be able to get back on track and things will work out for you again, take care brandyII:smile:

I have been banded for almost a year and have only lost 20lb. I could have hired a cook and trainer for the amount of money I spent and would have lost a hell of a lot more than 20lb. It's disappointing and embarrassing to say the least.

Liz1531,

I know how you feel and I have no answers. Have you gotten a fill lately. It might help, I had to be filled till I can eat almost nothing and still I have watch out the all the bad stuff because it still goes down really easy. So now I can't even eat some of the bad stuff like chips, but I would like to eat some of the good stuff. I've often wonder if I wouldn't have been better off doing weight watchers. I still don't like to exercise and I believe I have to or I will never lose.

Oh well I'm just ranting on and on. Thanks for listening.

Carol

Hi Tammy,

Did you ever solve your problem? I'm going through exactly the same thing, and I couldn't talk to my doctor if he would help -- he has negative bedside manner, and has a PA do all the fills. I'm sick of choking, pain, nausea -- and not losing weight!

I am struggling too. Banded 11/09/2007. Have lost about 34 pounds and then nothing... I still eat lots of Protein and good stuff, its just the 14 miniatures (chocolates) throughout the day that screw me up. That and a total failure to incorporate consistent exercise. I am really pissed at myself, and no one asks how much I have lost anymore.

But damn it, I am going to make this thing work. Some how, some way....

(Sorry, I read this, I cuss a lot)... Protein is key, you need to be able to get some in. I might have only lost 34 pounds but I am down to about a 20 from a 26. Folks think I have lost a lot more.

Anyway, hang in there... Let's figure this thing out and change our lives.....