Trouvette

I have developed a strange issue where cannot eat while sitting down. I immediately start trapping. If I am laying on my side or standing, I’m ok. I did not have this problem before and I haven’t had a fill in a while. Any advice?

Hi Bandsters, I had my last band fill in November 2019. It put me up to 7.5 in a 10cc band. I was fine with that fill for a few months, but then COVID hit. During the lockdown my band became unbearably tight and I got acid reflux for the first time in March and was unable to eat or drink anything. My surgeon managed me through that episode, but I still wasn't very healthy. Since then, I continued to have difficulty eating, but had the added complications of blood pressure drops, causing me to become dizzy. I even fell to the ground on some occasions. I was feeling so miserable that I finally went to my doctor last week and asked to have some fluid removed. I am now down to a 7cc fill, but I am now uncontrollably hungry. I've actually forgotten what it is like to feel this way. I'm trying my best to not eat everything in sight, but no amount of protein is bringing my hunger under control. I have gained 7 pounds in 5 days. I need to get a handle on this. Have any of you encountered this on your journeys? What did you do to keep your hunger in check?

And I just hit another milestone. I'm now officially a member of the 100 Pounds Down Club!

It's the Fitbit app. It connects right to my Fitbit scale.

I wanted to share this with my fellow bandsters. As of this morning, I have broken through the 200lbs threshold! The last time I was at this weight, I had just started college 15 years ago.

My surgeon said the same thing about the sleeve. The majority of his procedures are bands. Apparently the real problems are with the older bands, which are smaller. Regarding your other comment about compliance, you are spot on. I also find that the people who struggle the most with the band are the ones who do not live close to their surgeon, so can't get their adjustments. They make it very clear up front that the band is the most burdensome of the procedures in terms of the maintenance. Since I live in New York City, my surgeon is a subway ride away, so going to appointments has never been a problem. If you have to drive an hour each way to see your doctor, you probably won't be as successful with the band. The point will come when the time commitment is a huge inconvenience. That's an example of when I would say the sleeve is the better option.

With greatest respect, this thread is meant for people with LAP Bands. We have had too many instances of people coming here and criticizing the procedure. I wish you well on your journey, but we are the ones living with the band. We are here for support, not criticism.

I had a similar experience pre-surgery. I went to a support group and it was all people who have fallen off the wagon, so to speak. They just told horror stories. It shook me at first, but I realized that all of these people mentioned that they had been non-compliant, either by what they were eating or how much fill they were keeping in their bands. Most importantly, everyone's journey is different and what works for one may not work for another and vice versa. Don't let these people discourage you. Focus just how you are doing. If things feel off, bring your concerns to your doctor instead of a forum. A support group is great for tips and venting, but they become toxic when people who know nothing of your medical history start projecting their experiences onto you. Always keep that in mind.

Hi All, I've been struggling with hydration and caloric issues when exercising lately, to the point that I am getting early warnings of dehydration. I play tennis a minimum of three days a week, and the summer has been killing me. I can't seem to drink enough water to keep up with my needs. I actually just finished a weekend tennis camp and I had to put salt on my tongue every hour to try and retain some of the water I was losing by sweating. I also think I need a few more calories to maintain performance, but protein bars have been a no-go for me. I can only manage one bite. Do any of you have experience in adding more calories and water to your diet for sports? What has worked for you?

I just had my year two esophagram today. Band is still in original position. No acid reflux. 85lbs down. I have had no problems. My doctor said that the complications are with people who have smaller bands. I have a 10cc band. I tend to think he is correct because bands are the procedure he performs most often.

Keep in mind that your body is still recovering from surgery and the pre-op diet. It is not at all unusual for things to move a bit slowly right after surgery. Stalls at this point are normal. Also keep in mind that you have no fluid in your band, so your restriction is minimal right now. Be patient. Trust me, once things settle, you will start seeing progress.

I'm a patient of her husband's. I love the fact that he has a band. He understands me when I discuss issues with him.

Yes, from what I can gather, the majority of his procedures are still bands. But he is a pioneer in the field and lives with the band himself, so he has a unique perspective. I also wonder about the practices of the other doctors that banders have used. Not every doctor has the advantage of how huge the NYU Langone network is. The care is exceptional. Earlier this year I had to go to the ER unrelated to the band (dehydration because I played seven hours of tennis without realizing that I was dehydrating!) I couldn’t keep down a sip of water as a result, so I went to their ER. As soon as I mentioned that I was a Fielding patient, they had the on-call doctor from Fielding’s office doing a consult, did an esophagram, did an unfill, gave me more fluid via IV than they would a non-band patient because they understood that I would have more trouble than most for a while. It wasn’t even a bump in the road because I got proper care. If you don’t have easy access to your team, I can totally see how the band is a less attractive option. I wouldn’t, for instance, do the trip to a doctor in Mexico for the procedure because you won’t have your team when it’s all over. I’m a battleaxe. I have to stay active here so we all have that support base. But I do think the website founder should do a dedicated forum for revisions.

This is just one thread. A few months ago there was someone here who went out of her way to comment on any post she could find about the band so she could trash the procedure. There was someone who asked for advice on what to eat after a food trapping who got flooded with negative commentary about the band!

Jendkopp, understood. But consider this from the point of view of someone whose only option was the band. We all chose our procedures knowing the risks. I understand that people want to and need to share their experiences, but it is not helpful to flood those of us who have the band with horror stories. Perhaps there should be a dedicated forum for procedure revisions. But I don’t participate in this forum to be told that my choice is wrong and that I will fail eventually. I’m not saying that you personally have done that, but it has been my experience here. I come here to speak with other banders about their day to day with the band. This is supposed to be a support group.

Hi Arhus011! Don’t worry, you will be fine. It’s a super fast procedure. And you get to look forward to getting off of the pre-op diet! I’ll be thinking of you this week.

I have had my band for a year and a half now. It has been discouraging to come on to this website because I come here looking to share tips and advice with other bandsters and instead all you see are horror stories and people trying to dissuade others from getting the band. It's incredibly unhelpful and I wish that more of my fellow bandsters would come out of hiding to re-balance the conversation. I won't sit here and tell you that my experience will be the same as your experience. I will tell you that my experience thus far has been overwhelmingly positive with the band. My weight has gone done, my energy levels have gone up, and I exercise vigorously at least four times a week. In fact, I play tennis tournaments and league matches with no issues. But most importantly, what procedure you chose to get is a decision best made between you and your doctor and not a bunch of strangers on a forum. My surgeon is still a big believer in the band. In fact, he has a band himself and has had his with no problems for many, many years.

Water seems to be fine in sips. Anything else has been problematic. I've only managed a few sips of a protein shake in the past hour. Just got back from the doctor. They took half of the fill out. I feel much better. Thanks everyone!

Hi All, I went for an adjustment this past Thursday and my doctor added an additional two cc of fluid into my band. For the first time I am facing serious resistance in my band. I ate two small shrimp over the course of an hour on Saturday evening and could not keep it down. I had coffee on Sunday morning and could not keep it down. I had two pieces of penne on Sunday night and could not keep it down. I struggled to finish half a cup of Activia yogurt on Sunday night. I tried to eat a sous vide egg bite this morning and could only get through about a third before I started feeling sick. Is this what normal ideal resistance should feel like, or do I need to go and get an adjustment?

I wish there were more people who shared your opinion.

I've disappeared too. I've limited myself on this website because I have experienced too many instances of people who elected other procedures critiquing me or other Banders for the procedure that we selected. It's incredibly discouraging when you are on your journey and you have all these people who are telling you that you are going to fail within a few years. I had to spend a lot of time telling myself that other people's experiences are unique to them and that mine is unique to me. If it didn't work for others, that does not mean that it won't work for me. The band was the only option available to me. I have Celiac Disorder, which means that I cannot undergo a malabsorptive procedure. My doctor is still a big believer in the band. He still has his own without problems. It has been 16 months since I was banded. I have lost a decent amount of weight and I am playing the sports that I love.I have no regrets and at most, I have experienced minor inconveniences from time to time.

Water seems to be fine in sips. Anything else has been problematic. I've only managed a few sips of a protein shake in the past hour.

Hi All! I’ve had to take two round trip long haul flights since I’ve had my band and it hasn’t been the most pleasant experience. More than likely, the change in air pressure is impacting the band, which in turn is making my stomach feel incredibly gassy to the point of pain. Do any of you have experience flying with the band? If so, what do you do to minimize impact?