H-Lo

Hi, yes I have just gone through exactly what you are although I was told my slip was "significant"...whatever that means. Went for my first floro last Friday 7/20 after 5 years of being banded. Yes... that was the FIRST one ever. The center I go to doesn't believe in looking at them unless there might be a problem... which I have always felt was just STUPID but whatever. I know others that have theirs looked at yearly as a precaution... I think that's a great idea because looking back I'm now wondering if I have been in the process of slipping for over a year. Anyway, my band was filled to capacity. Actually a tad over... at 4.1 cc in the 4.0 cc band. I had my yearly review in June and had a slight fill and it put it over the max. I have gained a lot of weight over the past year. At that time they decided to take a look at it so they scheduled my first floro. I started getting heartburn at night if I ate to late in the day. When I went in for the floro I told the nurse I was probably to tight. Well, not only that it slipped. Band laying straight across the stomach with the top pouch flopped over... looked like a mushroom cap on top of a rubber band. The nurse unfilled me and told me to come back in so she could try and get some more Fluid out as it doesn't always all come out at first it will move around and they can get more out after a few days. Went in Tuesday and she got another 1/2 cc out. Now, after the floro and unfill I had nausea all weekend. Figured it was because the stomach is moving around or whatever. The nurse confirmed this on Tuesday. Nausea worsened after she took more out that day... then developed into a terrible stomach ache that lasted all night Tuesday all day Wednesday and yesterday... then I got diarrhea after eating a good meal late yesterday afternoon. So then I start thinking maybe I have a flu bug... but it doesnt make sense to have just pain and no vomiting/dirrhea for two days if it is a bug. Today I'm just back to feeling like crap with nausea and stomach feeling like it's bruised and my port site feels like it's sticking out more than usual... usually it's tucked in there pretty good. So I have no idea what my issue is. But I tell you I felt better before they took all my fluid away. I'm scared too about gaining anymore. I put on 30 pounds over the winter WITH the band. I go in September 6th for a follow up floro and if it has corrected itself they will start filling it slowly and was told I will NEVER be allowed to have as much fill as I had. Great... I feel like I will NEVER get all this weight off. I've never hit my goal and I'm pretty well a band failure in my own eyes. Now this. I'm afraid to eat a decent meal at this point. I just ate a banana and have been having yogurt trying to get my stomach to feel ok again. I guess I better call the doctor and see if they think it's band related or if I have a bug.

Maybe you need a fill? I do find that if I start putting weight on or not taking any off regularly I should at least go in for a tweak. They can put tiny bits in. And it does help!!!! If nothing else the liquids for a couple days peels off some pounds and puts a spring in my step and a little motivation in my brain. You know though... seems like the more tweaking I get the less I can handle even a potato chip...those get gummed up on me now and out they come. Torilla chips... they dont gum up though. Sigh.

Hi Tammy, I'm not really new here... but haven't been posting much. I too have been struggling to lose weight with my band. It's been 1 year tomorrow (May 30th) since my surgery. I've lost a whopping grand total since the day of surgery 17 lbs. Since I started with the Bariatric Center (pre-op diet and all) I lost 35 pounds. To me that's such a failure when I compare it to where I expected to be at this time. I am completely dissapointed in myself and the band. I've just started getting filled again on a regular basis to test where my restriction needs to be. I went a good 4 months without a fill when I should have had one. Anyway, long story short(er) I actually gained back up to my surgery day weight over that time and have lost it again since March. So at least the fill I had then helped and I just had another one yesterday. I just think it's a matter of figuring out what fill level you can live with. I was told at my 1 year Nutritionist review yesterday that she wasn't surprised at all that I've lost so slowly based on what I eat. I basically have what they call "soft food syndrome" where I lean towards all the stuff that is easiest to eat. Slim Fast, Protein shakes with fruit in them... cottege cheese, yogurt, soft stuff... whenever I can find it...that's what I'll eat. I get to annoyed with meat and all that and the slow eating small bite stuff. I admit that. But THAT is what I need to do and I am told to eat Solids at EVERY meal now...even Breakfast which should be real fun since I'm closed up tight in the mornings. Anyway, I just resolved to do it. I have to. I'm not walking in there in another 6 months (sooner if I need a fill) for my review and not have lost a significant amount of weight. I'm shooting for that 1 to 2 pounds a week they promised. That's all I ask for. I'm not asking for much. Ya know? It's what I expected and didn't get. But I have to re-learn everything I learned before going for the surgery I guess. It's easy to have it all down and know what to do and harder to live with and do it. Ya know? Anyway, hope all is getting better for you and you have found a surgeon in your area!:biggrin: I hear what your saying when you say not what you expected. Me neither... you are not alone there!

I was banded on May 30, 2007. Weight loss has been VERY slow so far. Although I am now either overfilled or just not used to what it's supposed to feel like to have restriction. It seems like if the food is something I can get down I can eat quite a bit of it. But if I can't get it down well I just quit and go hungry. Not sure if that's restriction or just overfill. Can experienced bandsters with restriction explain to me what it is supposed to feel like when you have restriction. And also exactly how much are you supposed to have to chew EVERY food. Even stuff that qualifies as mushies can go down hard for me even if I drink something warm beforehand.:think

My pre-op diet was 3 meal replacement shakes like slimfast every day plus one meal consisting of plain chicken or fish 3oz and then some veggies and stuff. For the variety instead of that we could have Lean Cuisine. So that's what I did. I had the shakes plus a different lean cuisine every night for 2 weeks. OH...and I could have fruit so I used frozen berries in one of my shakes each day.

Hi again... I should have introduced myself better. My name is Heather, I was banded on May 30, my lapband doc is Dr. Renee Wolff and I have lost 26 pounds... only 8 of which is post op. Most was from the pre op diet.