When will the weight come off?

[donnalemaster 4]

Thanks to everyone who has offered advice!!!! I've actually LOST a few pounds. I think I was eating TOO MUCH! Since I've started keeping track of my food and exercise (fitday.com), I've come to find I was taking in too many calories for the activities I was doing. Not to mention- my husband likes to eat burgers and bad food every weekend so I think that was doing me in too! This weekend I told him to only go where I can get something healthy. Threw a wrench in his plans, but he's always telling me to increase my workouts so I can eat what I want- nevermind that that is what he does and he has high cholesterol and high uric acid. No thanks!

Anyhow, I am increasing my workouts to 5 days from 3, staying at 30 minutes, but I'll be doing the treadclimber Tues/Thurs and the stationary bike M/W/F. PLUS watching my food intake- I think I will start dropping much faster very soon.

I DEFINITELY need another fill! They are wanting me to eat 3oz. of meat and I am still easily at 6 oz. This is much smaller than before the band but still too much. I can still eat quite a bit.

Anyhow- I will give you all another update in about a week! Thank you all so much again for your great advice!!!!

[donnalemaster 4]

UPDATE:

Per my Doctor it isn't me, my activity or my diet. . .it's the fact that my port is leaking. Sooooooooo. . . . . . .waiting for my insurance approval to have it replaced and I'll be back on the right road.

[waterwish 0]

That sucks, but at least you have an answer now!! It must have felt awful to not know what was going on when you seemed to be doing so much right. Good luck with the surgery to fix this!

[donnalemaster 4]

That sucks, but at least you have an answer now!! It must have felt awful to not know what was going on when you seemed to be doing so much right. Good luck with the surgery to fix this!

Yes! It has been very frustrating. . . .of course it doesn't help that so many people on here who have had textbook results are so judgemental- immediately going to what they assume the banded is doing wrong.

I am so glad to know that this is what has been going on! I only wish I had known sooner so I could have gotten back on track! I hope this repair will make everything perfect. I hope.

[Day Dreamer 23]

Just curious: but how does a leaking port have an effect on weight loss? Thanks in advance

[donnalemaster 4]

Just curious: but how does a leaking port have an effect on weight loss? Thanks in advance

The Fluid they put into the band leaks back out so the restriction disappears.

[donnalemaster 4]

Once the P.A. shares with me that something is wrong with my band, they schedule me out 2 months again for port replacement (BTW- there has been NO testing to ensure it's the port over tubing, band, etc). SO, since I have NO restriction right now and a month to go, I called the office to get in for a fill. First, I had to leave a message that NO ONE called back on (surpise, surprise). SO I call back again a week later and get a live person to speak to. WHat happens? They say they have nothing and put me on a wait list.

I am done with Dr. Krahn's office and staff. I have an appointment today to see Dr. Owens.

I do not recommend Dr. Krahn until he cleans out his staff.

[fly4kidsrt 1]

At least you have some answers. The NP in our doctors office told us the other day in our nutrition class that when she has someone saying that they are not loosing that they are NOT getting enough Protein. Try keeping track of your protein intake. The chart that we were given at 1 year post op you should be 100 grams of protein per day. Best of luck and hopefully you will get all of this resolved soon.

[wisdomseeker 0]

Hello

I am a new member, obviously, and I was banded on 3/17/11. And I have GAINED 3lbs!!!! I spoke with my Doctor and he said not to worry that is probably Water weight and some swelling from surgery. My surgery was a little more involved since I also had a hiatal hernia repair which was not anticipated. My Doctor also told me that since my band has no saline I should not worry about a great weight loss and just focus on healing drinking Water, maintaining a 1000-1200 calorie diet and EXERCISE!!!!!

But, still, I worry, does this sound reasonable?

Any advice, suggestions, ideas?????

Thank you!!

[donnalemaster 4]

Hello

I am a new member, obviously, and I was banded on 3/17/11. And I have GAINED 3lbs!!!! I spoke with my Doctor and he said not to worry that is probably Water weight and some swelling from surgery. My surgery was a little more involved since I also had a hiatal hernia repair which was not anticipated. My Doctor also told me that since my band has no saline I should not worry about a great weight loss and just focus on healing drinking Water, maintaining a 1000-1200 calorie diet and EXERCISE!!!!!

But, still, I worry, does this sound reasonable?

Any advice, suggestions, ideas?????

Thank you!!

Hey, Wisdom Seeker, DON'T WORRY!!!!! You're stressing a little prematurely ! I lost quite a few pounds right after surgery because of the liquid diet I had to be on- he does have you on that, right? Yes- right now everyone's main concern is to get you healed up- weight loss isn't even in the cards right now. After about 6 weeks, you'll start getting fills and you'll start down the restriciton path. But. . . .don't get discouraged if you gain and have no restriction for a while. Fills are hit n miss- it's never the same for everyone! It took me almost a year to get mine filled to 9cc's to finally have restriction that did something for me. I'd lost 25#. Now, there is a leak in my band, tube, or port, not sure which yet. I gained 5# as a result of the loss of restriction. My new doctor could only pull 2cc's out of my band that had held 9cc's just a month before . So. . .he filled me with 4cc's (which took me to 6) and I couldnt even swallow my saliva! I've never thrown up with this thing but I threw up twice and went back and he removed a cc- so now I'm @5cc's and doing ok, at least until I get in and get this thing fixed so it holds my restriction properly. I was shocked that so little restriction suddenly was working for me after I had had to have it filled with 9cc's to acquire LESS restriction than I was having with only this 5!!!!!

One of my dearest friends has had 6cc's in hers and has had that amount since about 8 months post op and has lost weight very quickly. I only tell you all of this to show you that everyone is different- everyone's journey is different- so please don't be discouraged! We're all her for you if you ever need advice! Best of luck to you!

[newbek 0]

Thanks to everyone who has offered advice!!!! I've actually LOST a few pounds. I think I was eating TOO MUCH! Since I've started keeping track of my food and exercise (fitday.com), I've come to find I was taking in too many calories for the activities I was doing. Not to mention- my husband likes to eat burgers and bad food every weekend so I think that was doing me in too! This weekend I told him to only go where I can get something healthy. Threw a wrench in his plans, but he's always telling me to increase my workouts so I can eat what I want- nevermind that that is what he does and he has high cholesterol and high uric acid. No thanks!

Anyhow, I am increasing my workouts to 5 days from 3, staying at 30 minutes, but I'll be doing the treadclimber Tues/Thurs and the stationary bike M/W/F. PLUS watching my food intake- I think I will start dropping much faster very soon.

I DEFINITELY need another fill! They are wanting me to eat 3oz. of meat and I am still easily at 6 oz. This is much smaller than before the band but still too much. I can still eat quite a bit.

Anyhow- I will give you all another update in about a week! Thank you all so much again for your great advice!!!!

HI! I'm brand new to the boards and the band - just had it done on 3/25/11 and only drinking so far. However, I do know one thing my doc and nutritionist have said over and over - if you drink while you eat, you can basically bypass the band. Are you drinking with your meals? If so, it just pushes the food through the band and allows you to eat just as much as before. Just a thought - obviously I'm no expert. YET!

[donnalemaster 4]

HI! I'm brand new to the boards and the band - just had it done on 3/25/11 and only drinking so far. However, I do know one thing my doc and nutritionist have said over and over - if you drink while you eat, you can basically bypass the band. Are you drinking with your meals? If so, it just pushes the food through the band and allows you to eat just as much as before. Just a thought - obviously I'm no expert. YET!

Thanks for your advice, Newbek, and yes, I know about drinking while eating. My band is leaking as sated in previous posts. Thanks again.

[donnalemaster 4]

I’m sooooo upset right now!!!! I recently found out I have a leak and believe me, it has been a loooong, hard road! I had surgery on 4/5/10 and have lost a whopping 25#!

I have been seeing the same people (Dr., Staff, P.A.) this whole time. I found out the PA had known I was leaking since 2 fills BEFORE he decided to share it with me- so yeah, I was pretty upset. . .especially being constantly questioned about what I was eating, what exercise I was doing (monitoring my intake of calories and Protein on fitday.com and working out 45 minutes a day 5 times a week) but it always seemed they tried to make it MY fault! Anyhow, he filled me up to 9cc’s (I have a 10cc Lapband AP) and scheduled me TWO MONTHS out to come back in and have my port replaced. That’s it. So, after a month, I call the office and ask to come in for a fill as I have NO restriction and a month to go still. I’m told they have nothing and I’ll be put on a wait list. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me!

I have changed Doctor’s and my new Dr. will have me in surgery in the next 2 weeks to fix this thing- THANK GOD!!!!

So why am I so upset? This is why: reading posts by another bariatric surgeon named Arturo Rodriguez where he addresses leaking bands, I found he had stated stated numerous times that the Fluid being discolored is a good indication that there is a leak. . .I had two clear aspirations from my band immediately post surgery. . .after that, they were always yellow-tinged! When I asked the PA about it, he said it just happens sometimes. I trusted him.

So, it seems that in the year I’ve had this thing in me, it’s really only worked for about 2 months!!!!!

People, please make sure YOU are educated on signs and symptoms of faulty bands so that YOU don't have the struggles I've had!