lap band failure

iluvlongnecks · June 30, 2008

I'm with Kaiser and have a good dr, only frustration is the 1cc fills that they give every 4 weeks. I live in Sacramento, but have to travel to the Kaiser in San Francisco. Gosh! I wish he'd give me a 2cc fill this next trip there, I'd be happy with that, since I'm hearing that I may not fill any restriction for awhile in my 8cc band doing it 1cc at a time.

I know everyone is different,but when will I have more restriction?.....How many more fills will I need till I have some restriction? This July 11th I'll only have a total of 2cc in my band....UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vicki J · July 3, 2008

When did you get your band? The reason I'm asking is because at SSF they put 2-3 in the new band at the time of surgery. That would put you at around 4cc's. Not that that means anything if you're still hungry.

I have a total of around 4.5 cc's in my band and I feel I'm right where I want to be. I don't have a strangle hold on my stomach but I'm satisfied with the amount of food a bandster should eat and don't get hungry between meals. I'm near the end of the weight loss portion of my journey and therefore I'm loosing slower but I'm still loosing. I really love where my band is set right now so I guess I've found that elusive "sweet spot" and have been here since early May.

iluvlongnecks · July 3, 2008

I had my surgery in SSF Kaiser with Dr. Le, he wouldn't give me a fill till 6 wks after my surgery. So if what your saying is true, then how come I didn't get that kind of fill from the get go......maybe then I'd be at a better spot with losing weight. You say you have 4.5cc in your band....I'm not even half way there!!!! I'm soooo going to ask him to give me more of a fill this July 11th, at least 2cc.

I have NO restriction what so ever!!! Isn't this why I got this band is to lose this darn weight! I have joined a gym and I'm still not losing1

I NEED RESTRICTION DARN IT!!!! I know it's a tool and I'm prepared to use it as a tool, only I want it to help me as it should. I want to be where you are now.

Edited July 3, 2008 by iluvlongnecks
misspelling

Vicki J · July 3, 2008

If you had 3cc in during surgery (they prime the new bands) and you have had a fill of 1 cc that would put you at 4 cc. I had 2 cc in at the time of surgery and received the other 2.5 cc over 4 different visits. I received 1 cc on my first visit and .5 cc the next 3. Ask him how much they put in the band at surgery. If you have one of the old bands (if you were banded prior to Nov 07 - I think it was) then you may not have had any in at the time of surgery. But I thought you were banded after me.

I have Dr. Le too and at first I was frustrated because he was so conservative. I too have to come from the Sacramento area. BUT I have never been stuck, pb'd or slimed. I have had an easy trip with the band and now that I am at my sweet spot I'm sort of glad he took it slow. I know of 2 of Dr. Alamai's patients that have had some problems. That doesn't mean that I think there's a problem with him but I do know that he is/was more agressive with the fills. Just wondering out loud here so all you Dr. Alamai fans don't lynch me. He seems like a nice guy. <smile, grin, ducking my head>

I know how frustrating it is waiting for restriction. Hang in there it will come. Oh yeah, I had to wait 8 weeks for my fill because he was on vacation over the holidays. That sucked. It took me 6 months to get where I am.

iluvlongnecks · July 3, 2008

I had my surgery on April 21st and Dr Le told me that he doesn't put any fills in during surgery......what the heck! You did, so come I don't ? I'm seriously going to talk to him about giving me 2cc this next week. I'd be happy with just 2cc and .5cc after that......I think that's taking it slow enough, wouldn't you say? If he gave me 2cc, then that would put me at 3cc total for now.

Your lucky that you haven't had any pbing or food getting stuck. I have due to my own fault and not chewing real well and taking small bites......I have always been a fast eater and I have had to learn to break bad habits....believe me the band will make you break those bad habits after you've had food get stuck a couple times. I have to really watch chicken and scrambled eggs and chew, chew, chew, can't say it enough!!

iluvlongnecks · July 4, 2008

Hey can you tell me how to change my ticker weight?? I need to up date it, even tho it's not much more. This is why I want more restriction and will be talking to Dr Le about giving me that 2cc that I want and need. I sure hope he agrees and wil do it. I'm a bit frustrated after hearing that others have gotten fills at time of surgery. I have also read that most of the first time fills are in our port tubing, which makes sense, No wonder I'm not having any restriction, nor will for some time if I'm only getting 1cc at a time.

Do you think I can talk Dr Le into a 2cc fill next week???

Vicki J · July 7, 2008

Hi there. Sorry I was out of town for the weekend and not even around electricity let alone a computer. But at least the air was clean!!!

To change your ticker you need to go to the page you made it from and follow their updating instructions. They're usually pretty easy.

As far as Dr. Le giving you 2cc's, I will be surprised if he does that. I think (and I could be wrong) that since you've had some of the signs of restriction (i.e. pbing, getting stuck, etc.) I think he is going to be causious because Dr. Le is very concerned about people having problems. I know that one time when I went in for a fill he balked at giving me one because I was loosing weight. I informed him that I restricted my calories to 1200 no matter what and was exercising and therefore would loose weight by that alone. I then explained that I was getting hungry in less time then I should be. He gave me 1/2 cc. Think about how you're going to approach him because you have to paint the whole picture for him. I believe this is the way with most conservative doctors. If you go in demanding from him (from what I've heard - not from experience), he pretty much gets stubborn. I never had much trouble with him so I can't say for sure. Keep in mind he's VERY concerned about getting someone in the position of needing an unfill and having problems from that. He's looking at the long term.

I know it's frustrating right now because you haven't found the "sweet spot". I'm so happy I finally found mine. My band has decided to tighten up a little on its own and I haven't been able to eat as freely as I had prior to this. Still no troubles but she lets me know she's there more often.

Maybe the "fill" at the time of surgery was Fluid that the band came with and he isn't the one that actually filled it. Maybe that's the confusion. All I know is that he said I had 2cc's when I went in for my first fill and he gave me 1cc.

Let me know how you do down there. Good luck!!!