suefromca

Hi all!

I have been checking out this lap band deal; however I still have a few questions.

1.) how often do you need to go in for "adjustments"?

2.) is the injection device (don't recall the actual name) noticable?

3.) once you're healed, can you ever go back to eating "real" food, (ie. Steak, pasta, etc.) if you eat smaller portions?

4.) do you realy need the lap band? Could you go on the liquid diet and post-op food and get the same or similar results?

That's a good start! If any of you lap-banders can help me with this questions, it'll really help make up my mind.

Thank you!!!

I got banded about 8 months ago. If I knew what I know now I would have either not been banded or chose the gatric bypass. On the band you may never (and I just go back from my doctor who also said this) eat meat again. In my case everytime I eat meat I get a clogged feeling. The weight loss is slow. I have lost 50 pounds in 8 months. I could have lost that by doing weight watchers. I have been in the doctors office for 4 band adjustments. The don't hurt and you can not see the port. In fact the adjustment are the easiest part of the whole thing. I will never be able to eat "real food" according to my doctor. He also informed me that to lose weight you eat between 700-1000 calories a day no more. That is really a small amount. He also told me today the full feeling longer that the lapbands are so famous for is fake. He said that should not ever be put into ads. Hope this helps. I wish I would have asked the quetions you did before I got banded.

Your story is almost identical to mine. I was banded in July and have had two fills. The last one in October was probably too much because I get sick most of the time when I try to eat. I now have a whole new relationship with food....it scares me!

There is no consistency in when or what is going to make me sick. Bread and meat won't go down but cookies and chips do.

I'm 5'6" and have lost 46 lbs. too. The band does not make me feel full, it makes me feel sick and often have to induce vomiting for relief. This is not what I expected but since the scale is finally moving, I guess I shouldn't complain. I'm hungry alot and eat sugar free popcicles all the time. Slim Fast, soup and (surprisingly) salad, are all tolerated. Trust me when I tell you that I feel your pain....literally. I'm hoping that, in time, the band will relax a little and I won't get sick as often. Good Luck to you! 46 pounds is not bad....

I don't feel so alone now. This week end I went out and got items that are 100 calorie count or less. I also figured out that anything that is crunchy I can get, (like chips, crackers, salad) yesterday I tried homemade chicken salad sandwich on wheat bread. After 1 bite I knew it wasn't going to be right so I gave it to the dog. (he really loved it). My sister suggested that I toast the bread, (hence crunchy). I will try it again. today I brought in my bags of 100 calories stuff along with some progresso soup (100 calories). I postponed my doctors appt (which was set for tomorrow) until feb 6. I know we can conquer this.

I am in a real funk. I was banded on June 18. My last fill was Nov 6. Siince then eating is a pain. The healthy food that I should eat makes me sick and the food ( like chips and sweets) go down really easy. I can't handle meat at all and since Nov I have lost 1 pound. I have tried eating really slow. Another problem is that I am always hungary. My start weight was high and I was on the border line for the lapband proceedure. Did I select the wrong proceedure. I am so unhappy. To date I have lost 46 pounds. I tried to go to a liquid diet but the hungar is really bad. My doctor is from UCSF in San Francisco and he is really not a very nice man. Any suggestions would really help.

Sue

I was banded on June 18, since then I have had about 3 fills with the last being on Nov 6. Up until then I was losing weight at about 10-12 pounds a month. Since Nov I have only lost 3 pounds. Most of the time when I eat, unless it is liquids or soft foods I end up feeling sick. I no even attempt to try to drink when I eat and my sugar cravings are crazy. I kept a food diary and I am eating anywhere from 800 to 1500 calories a day. I haven't been super good about exercising but I do walk. Is there something wrong. I am afraid to go back to my doctor because I know he will have a fit that I have only lost 3 pounds in 3 months. Any advice?????????????????

Sue

I was banded on June 18, since then I have had about 3 fills with the last being on Nov 6. Up until then I was losing weight at about 10-12 pounds a month. Since Nov I have only lost 3 pounds. Most of the time when I eat, unless it is liquids or soft foods I end up feeling sick. I no even attempt to try to drink when I eat and my sugar cravings are crazy. I kept a food diary and I am eating anywhere from 800 to 1500 calories a day. I haven't been super good about exercising but I do walk. Is there something wrong. I am afraid to go back to my doctor because I know he will have a fit that I have only lost 3 pounds in 3 months. Any advice?????????????????

Sue

I really don't think anyone can give you a weekly rate of weight loss, because everyone is different and your beginning BMI is going to play a large role in the number of pounds per week that you lose. I started my pre-op diet with a BMI of 35, while my husband started at 45. Consequently, he is losing quite a few more pounds per week than I am.

I did find these figures for lap-band success rates:

After monitoring 271 patients who underwent LAP-BAND surgery between November 2000 and September 2002, results show:

The mean body mass index (BMI) decreased from a baseline of 45.3 to:

-- 36.5 at 12 months

-- 35.9 at 18 months

-- 35.1 at 24 months

Mean excess weight loss (EWL) achieved was:

-- 40% at 12 months

-- 43% at 24 months

-- 47% at 36 months

Your weight loss rate is also going to depend on how well you are eating with the band. In other words, if you are like some people who drink milkshakes just because they go down the easiest, don't expect a whole lot out of your band! Your age, metabolism, activity level, diet, and starting BMI are all going to influence your rate of loss. And as you can see from the figures above, the average person does not become a swimsuit model even after 36 months with the band.

Just relax and realize that any weight loss is good, as long as it continues. Don't set artificial goals for yourself and then get disappointed and discouraged. Even a couple of pounds a month, as long as it continues steadily, is a wonderful success rate. Remember, if you didn't have your band, you probably would have gained weight instead of lost it.

You are right. I did check my BMI last night with the new scale I bought and I have gone done 5% since the surgery. I just need to tell myself that it took 20 years to get to my high weight so it may take a few to get to a good weight.

Is there a average weight loss that I should expect. I was told 2-5 pounds a week, which on the low end would be 8 pounds a month. Also does anyone have problems with getting enough water. Before my band got tighten in Sept I was really good about drinking 8 glasses of water a day now I can't even get 1 9 oz bottle down in a day. I am worried that I am not getting enough fluids. I try to diink more but it just makes my stomach hurt. :-?

Hi! I have been procrastinating getting on-line. The last time I did was in May of this year! I realize now, how much I need the support! I was banded nearly a year ago, the 3rd week in Nov. "06. I went back to TJ in early Jan. for my follow-up and fill. I had lost 35 lbs. by May 07. I have not used this website to my advantage, for help, comraderie, etc. so here I am. I had another fill the end of Sept. (I don't remember the cc amount.) My problem is that I have had some problems in my life that I have taken medication for. The medication makes me want to eat, and relaxes my muscles to the point that the band almost becomes non-existent. I can hardly feel it, when I take the medication. When I went for my fill in late Sept. the Dr. looked at me really funny when I told her the date of my surgery. She later said that she would have thought that I would have lost much more weight! Well, the fill definitely made a difference and I have lost more weight. However, I still fight the food thing everyday. It seems like I'm subconciously always trying to beat the system.(The lapband system.) Anyway to make a long story short, I have found in the past year that warm foods go down well for me. And unfortunately cookies and other sugars go down very smoothly. And like you, the meats, green salads, and other foods that seem more healthy, don't go down as well. I think I am still in my former mind set, and trying to eat the same portions that I used to! Old habits die HARD!!! I have also done my share of throwing up! If you can only do liquids, stick with warm broth (like at the beginning-in the days after surgery). I also drink Atkins shakes. They are similar to Ensure, and I love them! You can freeze them in the can, let them thaw a bit, use a can opener, and eat them like ice-cream, without the calories of ice cream. Anyway, this whole mind set of smaller portions has been hard for me. But to make a long story short, try warm liquids and liquids that have vitamins and nutrients like Ensure, Atkins, etc. There have been days since my last fill that liquids were all I could have. That's when the weight comes off. (As long as you are not drinking high calorie liquids.) Take care, and good luck.

Thank you for your reply. My problem is that I feel sick way before I even can feel fill. Anything warm does me in. Last Sat was the first time that I was able to eat a few bites of different foods and I wasn't in discomfort. I only have lost 10 pound in 7 weeks. I could have almost lost that doing weight watchers. Liquids are OK but unless I take hours to drink them I get the pressure in my stomach. I go to the doctor this wed. I hate the thought of asking to have some of my fill taken out but if I am not losing and eating is such a pain in the butt. Thank again for your help

Wait a minute, Sue. You have lost 10 lb in a month and you think that is really bad? I know we all have great expectations of the band and think the weight will just fall off of us, but think about it. A pound of fat is 3500 calories. To lose 10 pounds we need to reduce our caloric intake by 35000 calories. We lose a lot in the first month or two because much of it is fluid, but no one can keep up that rate of loss. A rate of 10 pounds a month is 120 a year, and that is a heck of a lot. The weight didn't go on overnight, and it's not going to come off that fast either. While it sounds as if you may be a bit overfilled, I don't think you should think of your weight loss rate as failure. Have some patience; you are doing very well.

I guess I thought that I would lose about 3-5 pounds a week. Compared what my eating habits were before I went from 4000 calories or probably more to under 1100. I think I need to re learn how to each. I did try taking 3 hours to eat dinner and that did help. I really crave the ice cooffee drinks, can anyone suggest a log cal iced coffee drink?

Thanks Sue >

Hi, I have a similar experience,I was banded 6-20, I'm at a 3cc fill in the 4cc band. I havent lost any weight. I just had my fill 10-8, I think I might be too tight but I just want to lose! I dont want to get an unfill, but like you I can do liquids and have a hard time with hot meals. I can drink coffee eat things like cookies and chips and ice cream, but not chkn or beef or anything good. I donrt know what to do.I throw up all the time and spit up a lot of slime yuk! Hopefully there is someone who can give us some advice.

This is exactly what I am going through. I go back to the doctors on Nov 7. I am going to cut out all of the soft foods, like ice cream, dips and stuff and see if there is any relief. I really crave meat.

I was banded on June 18. My first fill was Aug 8, 1.5 cc. After about two weeks I had no restriction and was hungry all of time. Only lost a few pounds. On Aug 29 I had another fill 1.cc. A little more restricting but still hungry. On Sept 19 I had yet another fill to 4.5cc. Now I have a hard time eathing anything hot, any meats and any bread products. Liquids go down really easly. The bad part is that I have only lost 10 pound since Sept 19 and I feel like I never really eat much. When I try to eat meat or anything hot I really feel the pain and the only way to relieve is to throw up. Any suggestions. I wouldn't mind the liquids if I was losing weight.