DELETE THIS ACCOUNT!

I have thought about the same thing and often. I'm at a loss. I don't won't to ever lose my band because I've had tremendous success with it. But, the thought of having it without insurance coverage to adequately care for it terrifies me. I see a lot of self pay people and people who've lost their coverage who talk about going years without a check because they can't afford it. When they finally go back in, they have bad complications and slips because of poor after care. After care with the band is crucial. I'm not sure what I'll do I'd I lose coverage for it. Do I get it removed? Revise to the Sleeve? I honestly don't know. I only know it would force me to make some really hard decisions.

This is strictly my personal opinion, but I got the Lap Band so I don't have to do diets like Medifast anymore. To me, it seems counter productive to learning to live with the band. Plus, it seems kinda pointless. It says this right on the website: "Typical weight loss on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan® is 2-5 lbs per week for the first 2 weeks and 1-2 lbs per week thereafter." That is pretty much exactly what you can expect to lose with the Lap Band. So, why waste money on a special diet for the exact same results? I don't think the Medifast diet is unhealthy, and it if it works for you great. We all have to do what's best for us. But if you're doing it to speed up weight loss you're in for a big disappointment. Remember, the weight didn't come on overnight and it won't come off overnight either. It takes time. Best wishes.

I can eat pizza without an issue. Just go slow to see how your band reacts. Chances are good that if you take tiny bites and chew it till mush, you'll be fine.

First, congratulations on losing 100 pounds! Just remember plateaus are a normal (though admittedly frustrating) part of the weight loss process. Just keep doing what you know is right for you and the weight loss will start again Btw, I've hit more than a few plateaus too. I know how bad they suck. Hang in there!

I'm still here, just restricted to using mostly my phone app because I am in Georgia for the holiday. However, I can now easily see current Lap Band threads (thanks to Alex for fixing this!) so that makes it much easier

I have to say, the "current" tab on the app is now only showing me Lap Band threads. So, I can now easily see new posts without having to see stuff for other surgeries. Yay! Thanks for the fix, Alex!

You'll have to find out what size your band is. Ask your doctor to tell you.

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. May I ask what size band you have?

I don't know if this will help, but alot of quotes and posts look like this when using the app. I took this screen shot using my Galaxy s3. [ATTACH]37801[/ATTACH]

I was originally scheduled for Gastric Bypass but canceled at the last minute. I just couldn't justify re-routing my intestines and I didn't want to deal with dumping and malabsorbtion for the rest of my life. So, I found a new surgeon and got the Lap Band. For me, it was the logical starting point. It was the best decision I could've ever made for myself. No dumping, no malabsorbition (so I'm healthy), and my internal organs aren't cut up and re-routed. I've lost over 230 pounds in about 20 months and couldn't be happier.

I know you're frustrated, but this is a good thing. If your thyroid is out of whack then you will need to be on medications to correct it. Otherwise, you won't lose weight even with the Lap Band. Unfortunately, just because you lose weight doesn't necessarily mean you'll be off all meds anyway. That's especially true when the damage to the body is already done or can't be fixed by weight loss. Thyroid issues are often not fixed by weight loss, in fact they are what causes the weight gain to begin with. Your doctor is doing the right thing. Be patient, it's all in your best interest.

I am so sorry I agree with Bandista, appeal it. Don't give up until you've exhausted all options.

I agree. Me too. In fact I think that's a big reason for the decline in forum participation. A lot of people are just giving up, too.

With all due respect, it seems to me a doctor specializing in the issues of weight loss would know more a lot than a lifestyle consultant when it comes to health issues. If I were in this situation, I'd be trusting the doctor and following his advice. He knows not only the patient history but his current stats as well. Like it or not, the PhD does matter greatly. Again, just my opinion.

What revision did you have done?

I think going to see your surgeon is a great start. Talk to him and let him help you get back on track. You might also want to go see your nutritionist, too. Once you feel you have adequate Fluid in your band again, perhaps start concentrating on hunger control and satiety rather than what you can eat and portions. The band isn't meant to physically stop you from eating anything. If you listen to it's signals, it'll tell you when you've had enough, but if you choose to ignore it it's not going to prevent you from eating too much. Plus, having a band with proper fluid doesn't necessarily mean you won't still able to eat everything. The band is there to control your hunger- which when used properly is a powerful tool. Have a look at this link, I think it may help: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html Best wishes on your fresh start.

Good luck and let us know how you are.

If you can't even hold down liquids, you need to contact your surgeon ASAP. If he's not available, you may have to go to the ER because dehydration can set in surprisingly quickly and is very dangerous. Good luck.

I have almost lost Arnold Schwarzenegger lol!

You look AWESOME!! Congratulations!!!

Per usual, I am seeing a lot of posts that essentially say the Lap-Band has failed the poster. I see them go on and on how awful the band is because it didn't work for them, most often calling it a waste of money as well. I know the band doesn't work for everyone, but I also cases of the actual band failing are pretty rare. More often than not, it's not the band that is failing but the person failing the band. The most common reasons I see people failing their band are: -poor food choices -not following up on fills until they have good restriction -living over-filled for months and months -not eating properly (i.e. chewing, speed, bite sizes) -a lack of education and understanding of the band Whoever said the band would be easy was nuts. It's not. In fact, it's a lot of work. Life with the Lap-Band is one learning experience after another. Not only do we have to make good food choices for a lifetime, but we must constantly relearn how to eat after every fill. I've been very successful with the band but that has come with a ton of work. I do my very best to make good food choices and I'm patient with my band. For instance, I was filled this past Monday and could barely eat all week. I was getting a bit miserable, but I also fully realized it was my job to figure out how to work with the band. It took some trial and error, a lot of sliming and even one PB, but I finally figured it out. I was eating slow enough and chewing well enough but despite the fact I already thought my bites were small, they weren't small enough. This is the size of the bite I now need to be able to eat without issue: Yes, it's tiny. I took a pic of my finger next to the bite for comparison. But my point is, I had to change my behavior to accommodate the band it didn't change for me. It's my job to do the work for a lifetime. We also should be going into this surgery well educated, yet so many go into it completely ignorant. Folks this is your body, your health, it is YOUR responsibility to learn all the facts and empower yourself through education before going into surgery. It constantly blows my mind how people can spend days researching a car, or maybe reading up on facts before buying a new PC, yet they go into surgery completely clueless. If you're reading this, you're obviously online, thus there is no excuse for not learning all you can about the Lap-Band before you have surgery. If you're reading this after surgery and are clueless, then start researching now because it's much better late than never. Even ask questions here on the forum and read past posts, do something to educate yourself. But do not go into this completely ignorant then wail "oh the band sucks and doesn't work". You have no one to blame but yourself. So the next time you see a post bashing the band, read between the lines a bit. More often than not you'll find out the band did exactly what it was supposed to do and didn't fail- it's the person who failed the band.

That's still 10 pounds less than you were, right? So that's a good thing How long have you been on the liquid diet?

I think this statement in the article about nailed it!! "But juice cleanses accomplish exactly none of their physiological or medical objectives; they fetishize a weird, obsessive relationship with food, and they are part of a social shift that reduces health (mental, physical, and, sure, spiritual) to a sign of status. They’re annoying as hell."

I know it's frustrating but be patient, you'll get there. It's just going to take a little time.