Hi Jacksbanster,
I was banded back in 2004 and weight loss was great. I went from 322 pounds to 140 pounds. In 2010 my band seem to stop working and i started to gain weight (plus I stopped following the bandster rules) but that is because again I didn't feel I had the control the band gave me originally. Anyway, after gaining 60 pounds I was fed up and decided to investigate if others where experiencing the same thing with the band and if there were other options out there for me to look into. So I did a lot of reading and research and found out about the plication surgery. So I met with my Lap Band doctor and he told me more about this new investigational surgery called Plication. Fast forward, I had the surgery Dec 8th 2011. The surgery was a success, recovery was a breeze, the liquid diet was hard, but I got through it. My first post op visit I had lost 8 pounds. Then I got walking pneumonia and had to go on prednisone - this made me ravenously hungry and of course I regained all the weight I had lost back. I was so disappointed and frustrated that I wanted to die. But my doctor told me that prednisone is know for weight gain and I'll get back on track soon. So fast forward, my next appointment with him I had only lost 4 pounds which did not make me happy because before I had lost 8 and now I was starting all over and at a slower pace. It is now Feb 16th 2012 and I've not gotten on the scale because I don't feel like I've lost any weight. All my clothing fits the same and I just don't see any change and I've not weighed myself since my last fill. I've had two fills since my plication surgery and I'm still hungry (more than) I thought I would be with the band and the plication. This is a different experience than when I had the lap band surgery, the lap band surgery had the weight come off very quickly. I didn't even have to think about dieting I just wasn't hungry. With this surgery (albeit it is a revision of the previous band, new band with more capacity, and the plication) I'm not as pleased as I had expected. With all that said I think my expectations need to be adjusted. I wonder if people who have had the band and have had some type of complication with it (slippage, erosion, etc) it the pouch that is above the stomach is premanently stretched out of shape. I don't have the answer I just know that the experience is not the same. I'm having to really monitor what I eat and exercise everyday. So I eat around 900 to 1000 calories a day, and I exercise on the stairmaster for an hour/ or I go for a jog. I know that I need to incorporate some weight training but I'll just have to get to it when I can.
As for your questions above:
How was your recovery?
Recovery was great. The first couple of days there was a little pain but after that it was a breeze.
How soon did you go back to work?
Surgery was on a Thursday I went back to work on the following Wednesday.
Do you follow a low carb diet?
I followed the liquid diet they put me on for about 4 weeks. Since then I've tried everything - right now I'm basically eatting lean cuisines or smart ones. But I think I'm going to try a one week Medi fast - we will see. Right now I'm so hungry between meals I doubt if I can pull that one off.
Have you had to have any fills in your band?
Yes I've had 2 fills since my surgery and they don't seem to have made that much of a difference. The doctors, are being cautious because they don't want me to get too tight and have another band slippage.. I understand that but in the meantime I wish I had more restriction.
How is your hunger level?
Higher than I thought it would be. But if I try to stay on an eat every 4 to 5 hour schedule I do okay.
How much can you eat before you feel "full"
If I allowed myself I could eat a lot. The think is I count every calorie that goes into my mouth. I use www.fatsecret.com they have an incredible food database - almost everything you can put into your mouth in in their database, So that helps.
I hope that my story has helped you and I will keep you informed on my progress - I hope that you will do the same.
Regards,
Willowsdoweep
