Roses4me

Seeking fellow Mr. and Mrs. Trahan patients and patient wannabee's for an online support group here. Are you interested?

Hi Steve Thank you for your comments to me. You are right, I do live on carbs. What isn't a carb? The 4 main food groups are potato chips, ice cream, soda, and hamburgers.

Thank you for this advice. I normally cook everything one would expect to see on a Thanksgiving menu. After reading your article, I will stick to the basics and focus on the turkey, pumpkin pie, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Part of my problem is that I don't think I am supposed to eat any of this with my lapband.

BeckySue, Dr. Trahan's office will do what they can to help you. Have you appealed yet?

This is so me. I have called myself a failure too long. Banded in 2009 w no loss. Help!

Hi everyone. No weight loss but not completely disillusioned I am going to fight for me before considering revision surgery and start over......AGAIN.

Hi everyone. Been banded since 2009 w no weight loss. I have almost 7 cc in a 14 cc band. I am not giving up and need support.

I am so sorry BeckySue! I love Dr M Trahan. I understand insurance companies are denying lapband surgeries due to failure rate. I don't know if that is 100% true. Roses

I definitely need help. Banded in 2009 and never lost weight. Debating revision surgery or trying harder ( if possible )

Thank you so much for your article. I haven't lost any weight since shifting from liquid to solid food 3 years ago with my band. Now, I have congestive heart failure and it is imperative I lose weight. I just don't know how to start.

Thank you for the article. I am so frustrated with myself. Banded in April 2009 and I only lost weight during the liquid phase after my surgery. I weigh 20 pounds more now than I did after surgery. Do you think the band is the failure or ourselves? I see LapBand failure support groups that seem to focus on the the band not working and not the patient. I am a patient that feels like I am the failure and not the band.

I also fear the sugar monster. It is hard to change and you are right, it is an addiction. I have stopped drinking soda and have started substituting sugar free jello for when I get a sugar urge.

KayTee, I don't regret having the LapBand. I am also very disappointed in myself. As someone stated earlier you cannot eat ice cream when you have a band and expect to be successful. What they miss is that after all the work and time and wanting, after not losing weight what point is it to NOT have the ice cream. I haven't given up and neither should you. Maybe, there should be a Discussion Section for those that are not losing weight to see what we can do for each other?

I haven't lost any weight either and it has been 3 years. I also feel hopeless and blame myself when I see how successful others are. I still see my surgeon as I refuse to give up. He has asked me to consider revisional surgery to a gastric bypass which he does not perform.

I am in the same place. 2009 band and no weight loss. I have a fill scheduled for jan 18th. I need support. Would you like to work together?

Struggling with no weight loss. I am still trying though. This time around I am going to use my surgeon's resources to help.

Fellow Bunny Bandsters! I have lost nothing! I have been unable to figure out the green zone and after having a barium swallow with my surgeon - we decided to remove all fluid from the band and start over in a a few months. I had esophageal dilatation and slow motility. The few months is now over and I have my first post-deflate appointment with my doc next Wednesday. I will not give up. I know part of the problem was my dependence on mushier foods than I should have been eating. He did not want me on protein shakes and I stopped drinking them. The transition to solid food is when I regained what I had lost plus a few. Other than no weight loss (which is after all why we got the band:)) and the starting over, I have NOT been miserable and I do not regret my decision to get the band. I do not believe I have any nutritional deficiencies and I do not take large amounts of supplements. I do take your basic everyday chewable multivitamin and a calcium tablet every day. The only thing I miss is a french fry. I have no restriction and even now, one bite of a french fry and up it comes. I don't know why and I don't really care. I just look at fries with a wishful look and walk away. I am not a purge monster and the thought of vomiting once I have gone beyond full is something I will avoid at all cost. Please wish me luck as I continue our journey. Unfortunately, someone had to hold down the wrong side of the bell curve while all of my fellow bunny bandsters lost "my" weight for me. vic

Good luck and I hope you find someone. My friend that had the revision had a serious hernia issue that required surgery. During the hernia repair, they performed another bypass. They did not perform the bypass just because he had regained the weight. My surgeon will not remove the band unless there is a medical problem calling for removal. He will not do revisional surgery at all. Whatever his reasons, I respect his decision and I will work harder at making my band work. As for insurance, I have a doctor that requires payment of any balance not covered by insurance and he is upfront with his policy. This may be why the surgeon you visited asked for the additional money. I have found this to be the case with higher rated/experienced physicians that I have seen. The screening paperwork I filled out prior to my first visit had this requirement specified. Your insurance sounds much better than my ANTHEM insurance. I paid just over $1,000 out of pocket for my Lapband for the various individuals involved with my surgery and the hospital.

I am not bipolar; however, I do have my own issues. I do have problems with emotional eating and it has definately stalled my progress. My recommendation is to be sure your surgeon is aware of your illness and to try logging everything that goes into your mouth for tracking. I don't know if it will help in the longterm; but, that is what I am trying right now. Good luck and I wish you well with your band!

Your post is awesome and very helpful to me! I have also been able to eat whatever I wanted except for french fries...which seems a little odd to me.. One bite of a french frie and up it will come..therefore; I don't. Bread, steak, etc., I have no problem with. Since I have never "felt" restriction, I can eat as much as I want. Before I had the Lapband I never felt full and would overeat. Now that I have the Lapband I am giving up on feeling "full" and I am starting over by measuring everything I eat and using the journal on My LapBand Journey. At the moment, I have no restriction and I will see my surgeon this Wednesday. I have gained weight and I do not want to face him. The problem is that I want to lose and I will have to walk into his office and see everyone there that is so willing to help. My doctor tells me the band is only a tool. It is up to me how I use it and it is up to him and his staff to help me be successful. So now I remember the saying: If it is to be, it is up to me

Hi everyone! How do you know when you are in the "green zone" when your band is filled properly? What is your personal experience? I have yet to achieve "green" and am looking for advice on what signs you feel to know you are there. Thank you, vic