HD Gloria

Anyone else getting tired of eating cold food!

CoachCher - If you can eat a normal meal then what's the band doing? how's it helping? What's different?

Fluffycat - how do I find the sleeve info? Are you losing? How's it working? what are you feeling?

How are you losing weight? What's the band doing? How is it making you feel? I've been a year and lost nothing. Either I get something stuck and/or throw up or there's no effect at all. I"M VERY FRUSTRATED!

Are you losing weight? What does the band do? What happens that stops you from eating? How's it working? I've been a year and lost nothing. So far $15,000 down the drain.

Hi Tammie - congratulations. I hope you get the results you're looking for. I don't have the symptoms you describe and I had my band inserted a year ago. I get hiccups occasionally but if I eat too fast, blah, blah, blah - I'm sure you've heard it. I think your doctor's office should be seeing you to consider exactly what's going on for you. Personally I have a sad story - as I said I've had my band just over a year - I've lost nothing! Either I get something stuck and get pain and/or throw up or I have no effect at all. I've tried this site many times to get input from people who are having success but all I get is advice on good food choices and exercising - yeah, I get that but what about the band? What exactly is the band supposed to be doing? What am I supposed to feel? How do I know it's doing what it should - I'd say it isn't since I haven't lost weight! Do I need a fill? Do I need a de-fill? I'd really like to hear from others. Sorry to be such a downer Tammie - good luck. Gloria

You've been smart enough to realize what I didn't. I had my surgery a year ago and am down about 10 lbs. You have to make smart food choices and eat less - so why would you spend all the money, risk your life in surgery - exactly! I expected more from the band - you have to do it yourself anyway so save the money for a really great trip when you lost the weight! good luck.

This isn't actually a reply but I don't know how to start a new subject. Anyway, I had my surgery just a year ago and I'm down maybe 10 lbs. I can't eat good food = lean meat, salads, etc. but I can eat crackers, chips, etc. This is very frustrating. I don't know if I need a fill or a defill. Anybody have any ideas?

Hi folks - Dr. Jacob Joffe did my surgery last spring in Sarnia. I've had a number of problems and the decision has been made that I need another surgery to see what the problem is with the band, perhaps replace it. Today he told me that there has been a complaint against him made to the College of Physicians and his license has been suspended. Inspiring right!! Anyway, I wondered if anyone knew anything about this or how to find out any information.

Thanks, wish I'd known this one last year.

I don't understand what you mean when you say "only eat 600 - 800 calories per day". How does the band know if you're eating a bowl of porridge or a bowl of ice cream, so how does that limit calories?

I agree with you that you need to participate but obviously your band is not working properly. what's the point in paying for the band if it's not providing help.

I don't know how to email you from here?

Haven't heard of 'a sleeve'. What's that? How's it work?

Thanks a lot Wasa - some valuable comments. Did you have to have a second surgery? If so, what reason? g

what is SWLC?

Hi all - I was banded in April 2008 and haven't lost any weight other than the liquid time. My Dr. believes there's a problem with the band and I'm having a second surgery next month. The problem right now is that the band is tight, lost of restriction as a matter of fact, except for junk - chips, chocolate, etc. - I throw most things up. Actually had some blood with it today for the first time. But the doctor isn't able to remove anything. Don't know what the problem is. I'm really concerned because I have this strong restriction now but can't seems to manage it. How am I going to feel when I get the right fill (if they ever get a dam band working in me at all). I think it's too tight if I can't eat a small meal but the problem is I'm not losing anything because I feel the need to eat something and am eating junk. I'm worried that I won't have this 'full' feeling when I get redone. I get the pain the chest when something is stuck but I'm not aiming for that. Any advise?

Hi - I had my band put in in April also. I've lost about 15 lbs. total - that includes liquid, prep, etc. Turns out they think the band has a technical problem, maybe a kind near the band. I had a procedure with a local in the doctor's office - I'm awake and he cuts my chest open. Don't think I'll do that again. So that was in November now I'm expecting to have a second surgery in January and either have the band replaced or fixed - depending on what he finds. I agree - I paid $15,000 for some help with this - so far none. Hope your problem isn't the same as mine. I'm not looking forward to another surgery. Good luck.

Good for you - I had surgery last April, I'll have it again in January because it has taken this long to figure out the equipment has a problem. Right now it's tight and I'm throwing up a lot, actually some blood for the first time today. You'd think tight would be good but I've managed to figure out that what I can eat still is the bad stuff - chips, chocolate, etc. I think I'd probably still have gone ahead if I'd had the whole story ahead of time but I definitely don't feel that I had all the information. Good luck.

Boy - I agree. I wish I'd read some of this stuff before I got involved. I'd have known some of the questions to ask. This not getting back to people is a real pain.

to kimmaylynn - ask what kind of band they use. I'm the second Johnson and Johnson I've heard of that required a second surgery - not fun. Also wasted seven months getting to the point of starting all over again. Good luck.

Woodys - thanks for your comments. I am in London and had Dr. Joffe also but had the surgery in Sarnia. It's been a lot of travelling - to Sarnia probably about ten times and to Scarborough three times too - and still I'm not even at the starting point yet. Boy - this better work!

Hi all - you might remember that I sent a message last month about the difficulties I was having - after 6 months, no results. Well I had a procedure in the doctor's office - just local freezing, I'm awake and he cut me open - not a procedure I'd recommend for the squeamish - in fact I don't think I'll do it again. Anyway the results were that he couldn't find any problem with the port or the band at that relatively surface level. So the presumption is a problem (maybe a kink) with the tubing closer to the band or a problem with the band itself. This means another surgery. It'll be seven months since my original surgery by the time this happens next month. Anyway it's some kind of action. What I wanted to say was that after the second and third fills, I was saying that the extraction they did was less than what I'd been told they'd filled (they weren't keeping too great of records on this in the office). They didn't pay any attention to this but obviously that was an indicator right then. So if anyone is having a similar situation, be persistent - identify a problem that you're aware of - don't let the staff slough it off. You're the only one with your wellbeing as a priority. If anyone has a similar circumstance, I'd be glad to discuss. Good luck everyone.

Hi folks - I had my surgery more than 7 months ago and haven't lost anything except during the liquid portion. I've been going back regularly and we've finally discovered (although I had been telling them that all along) that even though they put so many ccs in when they do an extraction, they don't find that and now they're not getting anything extracted, although it is quite tight - too tight. I had a procedure with a local in my doctor's office the other day where he reopened the port incision and fished around. He didn't find the problem but that at least told him that the problem was deeper, either the band or the maybe a tubing kink near the band. So the answer is a second surgery. As if that isn't bad enough, he's talking about further cost. I've already spend $15,000. He's told me that I have a Johnson and Johnson band and that he's had problems with them before. So my though is why is he still using it. Anyway he's saying this may cost more and I'm thinking either he or Johnson and Johnson better suck it up. Of course I can't say that right now because I don't have my problem solved. This kind of thing happening/happened to anyone else?:cursing::sad:

Yeah - what is slime? and PB? I presume throwing up but why pb? :cursing: