SnowWhite760

My surgeon mandated I lose weight before surgery - as may be the norm - and I lost, and lost and lost and lost. I was the smallest person he's ever operated on at 144 lbs. I thought for sure I'd never see my weight above 145 lbs again. Boy was I wrong. I have had my band since October of 2008 - been in and out of his office for fills and unfills and am not seeing results. I won't lie, I have considered seeing a bypass or sleeve doctor to have this modified because I'm feeling hopeless. Friends who have had bypass one year after me are skinnier than I am. Not sure how much frustration I can handle. Nobody seems to understand and I am hoping to get some form of support or wisdom from you guys. Any suggestions besides go in for another fill? He's reluctant to fill me as I get tighter around "the time of the month" and it's hard to get stuff down. I will note that I do have PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome) that makes it hard to lose weight as well as a thyroid problem I'm still working on getting balanced. (I have heard the medications I am on for depression do not aid in the slightest to lose weight either...) I've been traking what I eat on sparkpeople.com and honestly, I don't know how I'm not losing. The Jillian Michaels 30 day shred is what I'm working out to. My last resort is to sign up for a 10K and do it by my birthday 9/12. I was a cross country runner in jr high and high school until I blew out my knee. I'm hoping I can do it again because I am just at my wits end!

I was banded 10/08. I have NO SIGNIFICANT weight loss, in fact, I had weight gain. I'm ticked off as I was 20 pounds lighter before I went into surgery. I am in and out of the surgeons office and it's just frustrating. Totally in the same boat. Bleh. Half tempted to tell him to take it out or lock me down so I can do nothing but drink.

I was banded 10/21/08 and it's not been an enjoyable or worthwhile time for me yet. The first go round with fills was miserable. My first fill for my 10cc band was 4cc's because the doctor assumed he put me in a 14cc band - which was the standard - but somehow the smaller got into the operating room and instead of remove that band, he left it in... but the first few days I couldn't eat or drink much. I went into the ER and they had a doctor come take out 1cc. I went to the doctor two days later and he took out one more... and still it was hard to get food down, well the protiens anyway. So I went in again, and it was surprising to the surgeon... so he took out the last two cc's that were left in my band and then double checked my chart, and that'[s when he discovered that I had a small band and it was just not me making up the difficulty to eat and drink. He thinks that my stomach tissue was swollen and irritated... An aggressive fill for a first go round is 1.5 cc's and I got 4! I was still experiencing acid reflux bad, so two weeks later - all the air and any Fluid (a 5cc syringe container full) was removed and I was on negative pressure for 3 weeks. I went in for a fill 2 weeks ago because my weight is creeping up on me... and my port site is still sore, as is the area where I thought my band is... I'm frustrated, and I think I had a rough start which has made it hard to do a meal plan from "go" because most of the first 2 1/2 months were hard to get any protien down... I was told I went into starvation mode and that's why I didn't lose... whatever the case, I have a fill tomorrow, but I am just having a hard time thinking this was even worth it... I've only got a little to go until MY goal... as I lost a lot of weight before surgery, but he wants me to lose another 40 - 50 and I'm thinking 20 - 25... however my psychiatrist said maybe 5.... what a mixed review.... Geesh. It's been so frustrating. I keep getting told - "I told you so..." and "see???" And it's ticking me off. Any feedback would be so appreciated. Thank you...

i did notice a difference within the first 15 pounds with sleep apnea just disappearing.... (I am one handed at the moment, I'm babysitting a friends 3 month old) the cholesterol, back and knee pain have all improved too... weightloss is slow right now but i'm ok with slow :0)

My doctor submits to insurance at your highest weight, but mandates you lose 10% of your weight before surgery. The approval or paperwork - I can't remember wich - took a while to get in, so while I waited, I kept losing because I was told if I gained ANY back, he'd not operate. We're told to lose that so it shrinks our liver - less complications - and to prove we can do the diet after surgery I suppose. Ideally, he'd like me at 97 to 107, and for me that's rail thin... I am happy at about 120-125... so, that is why I say I've got like 20 more to go. And yes, the insurance paid. I had co-morbs that were apart of my obesity. (I think you can find all your previous posts you've done, so you can see my story, or even hop by my blog and read about it there. I started my Crash diet in July, so if you go to my blog, you can start reading from July and then move forward. I have sleep study info, weights as I was losing, pics of weight loss, current pics too...) soapboxamy.blogspot.com :thumbup:

It was stuff stuck from lunch on Friday... I kept that stuck for 18+ hours... it was terrible as lunch was cottage cheese.... GAG. Totally turned me off to that now.

I went from 175.8 to 142.5 before surgery on pre-op diet

I know from here on out that it's okay to be vocal and question things. Initally he was going to put some restriction in my band at surgery, but decided against it... So, when I went in for a fill I figured 4cc's is what I needed since he didn't fill me and that HE was the surgeon... I should trust him. I also learned to trust my guts... no pun intended. Never assume anything... I learned my lessons...

Hi guys, wanted to let you know what happened today at the doctors. He was incredibly puzzled that I would still be in pain after only 2cc's left in my band, so he removed it all out, then checked his notes. There was a bit of dead silence for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. He said that he was just talking about the last 10cc band patient he had done, it was an accident as he's mainstreaming all surgeries to the large 14cc band, but they left it in anyway... guess who got that band? ME!! So, 4cc's was indeed WAY too aggressive of a fill for me, he said more like 1.5cc's is what should be considered aggressive for a 10cc band fill... and we get to start all over Monday, with "smaller" fills... *sigh* All this poking around... yuck. At least I know food is moving through now, I felt it slop to the pit of my stomach once I stood up and moved a bit... so that was what caused the terrible sour stomach garbage...

Everyone I talked to thought 4cc's was really agressive, seeing as I have about 20 to lose until MY goal weight. He still wants another 20 lbs on top of that. I think what bothered him and why it was so aggressive was because I admitted I could eat bread... I've not had problems with it yet, and I'm sure that concerned him... but, I'm back to taking it easy. Liquids and whatnot are not fun, but I'm just tired of throwing up...

I've had one fill - 4 cc's and two unfills 1 cc each... I'm not at a sweet spot though I think he filled way too agressive to start, and it irritated my stomach tissue... it's been rough going for me...

no fever, no chills, nothing in my labs... I had the runs from not having anything but little bits come and go through the stoma... kind of like post surgery stuff... I still feel like crap, all achy and sore... but I hope I survive 'til Monday when I can talk to my doctor... this sure doesn't feel normal.

I went in for my first fill December 1st and got 4cc's.... right off the bat. I had to go in two days later and get 1 taken out. However, last night I started sour stomach symptoms, throwing up, the "trots", and pain in my chest after probably overdoing it while cleaning the heck out of my house. I was worried my band had slipped because on another thread, my symptoms were that of slippage. So, I called the docs office but my surgeon wasn't on call. A co-worker of his was and told me to go to the ER to get an unfill... but I thought it would be better to totally unfill me, and let me recouperate. Nope. I got there, got stuck on fluids as I hadn't had anything stay down in more than 24 hours and was barfing for 18 hours after eating cottage cheese, cheese chunks. It was terrible. They gave zofran for nausea, and the doc came in and did a terribly rough and uncomfortable unfill... yanked the needle out, shoved it in sideways, took forever.... etc. It was terrible. I still have a pain in my chest near my collar bone and I ache like bad where the band would be, but never felt like this before, even after surgery. Anyone else have slippage with sour stomach symptoms? I am so belchy still... after removal... and I am pissed they didn't do a barium swallow to check... and even more so that they didn't do a complete unfill... GARH! Anyone help?