DELETE THIS ACCOUNT!

Normally I don't, but when I'm sick or recovering from surgery I completely lose my appetite. When that happens, I regress back to protein shakes temporarily just to be sure I get the necessary vitamins and protein until my appetite comes back.

The complication risk is based more on your overall health than it is of your age. Someone who is 60 can be in far better overall health than someone 30, hence the 60 year old would have a lessened risk. I would talk to your doctor and wherever possible, remove any risks within your power, like smoking. Best wishes.

As you lose weight your stomach also shrinks. It's possible it's shrank enough to make the band feel loser and you might need a fill.

I would start counting calories. It's the only way to be sure you're not eating too much. I know you may not think your eating habits have changed, but if you gained weight you had to have increased your calories. The band itself actually has nothing to do with weight loss, it's just a ring around your stomach to control your hunger. So, for your weight to have increased you must have inadvertently increased your calories, too. Counting calories will be a sure fire way to get you back on track. Being as you're hungry all the time, I'd definitely go back to have a little Fluid added back in. Best wishes.

Do you track calories?

The average weight loss with the band is 1-2 pounds per week. You've exceeded that average. How can that possibly be disappointing? You have to have realistic expectations of both yourself and your band. Best wishes.

Best wishes!!!

Keep in mind the amount in your band is irrelevant. All that matters is how you feel. Some people are in the Green Zone with no fills whatsoever. The Green Zone is the ability to go 4 or more hours without hunger after eating a cup or less of food. Are you able to go at least 4 hours between meals without hunger? When you get there really depends on your anatomy. There is no set amount of time, it all depends on you and your doctor.

These people are here trying to take control over their lives and health and you come in spouting complete and total BS based on a lawsuit? Can you at least try to have an ounce of respect for someone else and their struggles? They need our support not more of your nonsense. Seriously, go be miserable somewhere else. Your trolling is getting old

It sounds like you're too tight, and if you're resorting to chips and funyuns for food, you're eventually going to start gaining weight because of it. I'd make an appointment with your doctor, tell him what's going on, and let him help you decide.

I never once attacked you personally. I'm way too old for such childish antics. I'm asking a sincere question based on the fact you seem to bash the band at every chance. If you hate it so much, why not get rid of it and go on with your life? I don't see the sense in repeatedly posting false and misleading information to scare others into sharing your opinion. If you're so unhappy, why not do what you need to do be happy instead of trying to drag others down with you?

You'll have to talk to your doctor. Mine said no lifting anything heavier than 10 lbs for 4 weeks after surgery.

Wait and talk to your doctor before doing anything. That glue is there to help your wounds heal completely with minimal scarring. You don't want to mess with that.

Because that is not taking into consideration PATIENT CAUSED FAILURES. We live in a society of blame. We love to blame everyone and everything else for our failures. This is another perfect example of this victim mentality. There is a huge difference between people who are compliant with their doctors and band rules and those who screw up and have only themselves to blame for their failures. For actual facts, here is a recent and long term study proving only 5% of band patients fail by no fault of their own: Weight stays off long after lap band surgery MONASH U. (AUS) — Gastric banding is safe and effective for managing obesity long-term, according to a study of patients 10 to 15 years after their surgeries. The study, the longest and most comprehensive yet reported, appears in the Annals of Surgery, and finds a significant number of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (lap banding) patients maintained an average weight loss of 26 kilograms for more than a decade after their procedure. Researchers analyzed the results in 3,227 patients who had gastric banding surgery in Australia between 1994, when the procedure was first introduced, and 2011. The patients in the study were averaged at 47 years-of-age and 78 percent were women. Of those patients, 714 had surgery at least 10 years ago and, on average, had maintained a weight loss of 26 kilograms, or almost half of their excess weight. The weight loss results were similar for the 54 patients in the study who had undergone treatment at least 15 years ago. “These results show that when you have a significant problem with obesity, a long-term solution is available,” says Professor Paul O’Brien of the Centre for Obesity Research and Education at Monash University in Melbourne. “This surgery is safe and effective, and it has lasting benefits. Substantial weight loss can change the lives of people who are obese—they can be healthier and live longer.” O’Brien says there are also important ramifications for the control of type 2 diabetes, which was strongly associated with being overweight. “In obese patients with type 2 diabetes, weight loss after gastric banding can lead to effective control of blood sugar levels without the need for medication in about three-quarters of cases,” O’Brien says. The patients included in the study had followed the rules of their treating team regarding eating, exercise, and activity and committed to returning permanently to the aftercare program. All the surgery was performed by O’Brien, an international pioneer of the technique, and Associate Professor Wendy Brown, President of the Obesity Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand. There were no deaths associated with the surgery or with any later operations that were needed in about half of the patients. About one in 20 patients had the band removed during the study period. “In treating a chronic disease such as obesity over a lifetime, it is likely that something will need to be corrected at some time in some patients,” says O’Brien. “The study shows a marked reduction of revisional procedures with the introduction of the new version of the Lap-Band 6 years ago. Importantly, those who had revisional surgery lost as much weight in the long term as those who did not need it.” The report also included a comparison of gastric banding—which can be done as a day-surgery procedure—and more invasive types of weight-loss surgery such as gastric bypass that are high risk and require longer hospital stay. The weight loss with gastric banding, and the need for future revisional surgery, was similar to that with gastric bypass. “Access to weight-loss surgery in Australia remains severely limited for many obese patients as relatively few cases are treated within the public health system. We are working hard to improve access,” says O’Brien. “We have ample evidence that weight-loss surgery is effective, and it is unfair that half of eligible patients cannot be treated, particularly as it has been shown that gastric banding is a highly cost-effective health care measure. The stigma of obesity, and the assumption that it is the person’s fault, entrenches discrimination against people who could benefit.” http://www.futurity....p-band-surgery/ BTW, if you notice, the statistics improved considerably after the NEW bands were used instead of the older 4cc bands. ....and are you bored today? You seem to be trolling for conflict far more than usual. If you hate the band so much, why not just get rid of yours and be on your merry way? Just say'n.

My opinion is, it depends on the type of exercise you're doing. It's always good to switch between cardio and weight training to give your muscles time to rest. However, walking is always good and doesn't require breaks. I usually walk 2 miles a day and honestly, I feel worse if I skip a day.

I can't believe she did that!! Oh my gosh, I'd have gone ballistic!! Whenever someone has given me unsolicited (often ridiculous) advice about my weight in the past, I usually have just said "Well I can lose weight but you can't fix ignorant. Good luck with that".

You can try to sway the facts however you like, but just because you don't like the truth doesn't make it any less true. Fact: American doctors no longer use the 4cc band because of the high rate of slips and complications. Fact: The FDA has hundreds of adverse complication reports directly linked to the 4cc band Fact: If you go to the US Allergan site, they don't even list the 4cc band as an option because it's no longer used in the US Bottom line- if someone chooses to put the almighty dollar above their long term health, that's their choice. But as the saying goes "you get what you paid for" and that goes for both products and services.

Yes, I NEED the larger band because it's not linked to high slip and complication rate. Go to the FDA website and search 4cc band. You will find literally hundreds of incident reports on complication as a direct result of the 4cc band. http://www.fda.gov/default.htm There is very good reason the 4cc band is no longer used in the US and that is because the risk of complication is way to high to justify it. I suggest you do your homework before throwing out fiction based on opinion.

It's not normal, that's for sure. It sounds like your doctor needs to be checking out your esophagus. If he's not willing to do the necessary diagnostic testing then find another doctor that will. But, it's very important you figure out the cause of this. Best wishes

You should base your decision on actual facts, not anecdotal evidence online. Youtube and forums are filled will band failure stories but very few will admit they have no one to blame for their failure but themselves. Yes, you most certainly gain all the weight back and some. The band is a tool and unless you're willing to do the work and use it correctly it won't help. The band is meant to control your hunger not physically stop you from eating anything. This is exactly why it's so important that we stick to band sized portions and make healthy food choices. It's also why it's so important to have a good nutritionist to help you establish food guidelines that are fitting for your life. Here's a really great link to give you a realistic expectation of the band and what you'll need to do to be successful with it: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Very exciting!!!