Last month when I went in for my one year post-op checkup my doctor was out of town so I saw another doctor who works out of the same office. She put me under the x-ray machine and said that my pouch was stretched - I was very upset and said really? I have never had any problem and she said yes it looks stretched - it is bigger than it should be - then she looked at my file and said "oh no your pouch isn't stretched that is how it has always been, every person is different." Ever since then I have worried about my pouch being too big and that is why I am losing weight so slow because it holds too much food. She said that a normal meal with the band is only a half of a handful of food. I am changing doctors because (a) they never even told me I needed to do bloodwork and come in for a 6 month and a 1 year check with the doctor - if I hadn't have called after a year had passed and never seeing the doctor again after my surgery except after 6 weeks and asked they wouldn't have told me (:thumbup: I don't think she should have scared me like that without looking at the file first and © when I showed up for my checkup after having it scheduled for a month they had me down for a fill instead even though I had had bloodwork done the week before and they had to track a doctor down to see me. I also have to wait an hour or an hour and a half every time I go in for a fill. Very poorly run office. Thanks for letting me vent.

If you don't think you are getting good follow up care, then by all means change doctors. Just make sure you find one who will accept you. Go for a second opinion and take all your medical records pertaining to your band and all test results. Don't burn any bridges until you find a new doctor. Also, I'm not sure what you mean about not being told you have to come in for a 6 month and 1 year check up. Shouldn't you be seeing your doctor on a much more regular basis? I see mine every 8 weeks. And by the way - I changed surgeons. I was banded in Sept. 2008 and changed doctors in April of this year. My former doctor was too inexperienced and he overfilled me and really didn't understand how the band works. I am happy with my new doctor and maybe you will find one too. Good luck.