Band Failure

[browneyedgirl52 0]

Was real excited about finding a tool to help me in my Quest for better health and was so happy and excited to learn of lapband. I jumped through all the hoops for my insurance and did as I needed to do. I had the surgery, did pretty good with it and then looked forward to a healthier me. My doctor took me off all my meds immediately and I was so thrilled. I went for my first fill, then number 2, then 3 and all the way to 8.5. I have absolutely no feeling of fullness or satisfaction after eating anything. I can still eat as I did before the band. Now, I know that everyone is different and so is the body. My band is 11cc and I just dont think this was the right thing for me. Im so upset and back on my meds. I have done what is necessary to eat right, excersise and Portion Control. I'm still so hungry after small portions that I end up eating even more of the "right" stuff. Im so frustrated and wishing I didnt do this thing. I guess i have to accept that this just isnt the right "tool" for some people. I also wish that I had been better informed by the professional people leading me and alos maybe I could have done more research. Through all of this I only ever heard that a person may fail if they dont follow the instructions of eating small portions, excercising and following doctors orders. I have. The band is failing me. I cry.

[jenn79co 13]

Don't cry please.

Your right the band doesn't work for everyone, but have you talked to your doc about this? If so what did he/she say? You might have a leak you never know.

Whatever the answer I wish you luck. I hope there is a simple explanation for the problem.

Keep your chin up and please don't beat yourself up about this!

[TKW 501]

I'm so sorry to hear about your problem. It could be that you just need a lot of fill to feel any restriction. I had never heard of the "band" failing prior to my surgery either. I have seen a handful of people on here who the band just does not work for. I wish you the best.

[ElfiePoo 109]

I'm still so hungry after small portions that I end up eating even more of the "right" stuff

Through all of this I only ever heard that a person may fail if they dont follow the instructions of eating small portions, excercising and following doctors orders. I have.

If you're eating small portions, exercising and following doctors orders, you will lose...but then that was true before you were banded. What the band has apparently failed to do is control your hunger so you don't overeat...if I understand you correctly. Unfortunately, it does affect some that way.

I recently found out that eliminating grains, starches and (of course) sugar eliminated my hunger. Wish I'd found out before I got the band.

.

[Amanda1982 142]

I’m sorry you are having this problem after the lengthy process to get the band; this is the last thing you need. Try talking to your nutritionist and your surgeon perhaps they have had others in your situation and can offer some help. Also try speaking with a therapist maybe your food and weight issues really don’t have anything to with food. Tackle the root of the problems and maybe you won’t need the band. I wish you the best of luck in your journey.

Ps. I’m sorry you’re right the band does not work for everyone. Some people don’t want to admit that but it’s true. Don’t worry and you’re not a failure.

[Soexcited 64]

I went through a time where I thought my band had a leak or something. I went from restriction to being able to eat everything in sight! I went in for another fill and my doc pulled it all out to make sure there was no leak, I had no leak it was all still in there it just wasnt enough anymore. So they filled me again and now I am at 8.5 in a 10cc band. Can they add more to you or is it all the way filled to the tippy top?

[Soexcited 64]

I just re read your post. You are at 8.5 in a 11cc band??? Get some more put in! 1 more cc for you might just be what you need~!

[koreabandster 1]

Please please please don't think that you're failing!

You've only got 8ccs in your band! I have an 11cc band too and i'm still trying to find my sweet spont 9 months out. I've been up to 11ccs (too tight) and currently I'm at 10ccs with some restriction. Will be going back next week for another fill.

Give it time. Eat right. Exercise. It will work.

[Lisa65 3]

I agree with the last couple posters - you have lots of room left in your band - don't give up yet! I had to practically max out my 9cc band, even a tad over (Doc got manufacturer's approval, since some cc's are in the tubing etc and not all in the band, plus they are designed to hold a tad more than the "label" says). I was SURE that it was going to max out and I still wouldn't have restriction. My doc reassured me, "Oh, we will get you restricted, don't worry." Alas, he was right, it just took me longer than most. Anyway, it's very possible that you just don't have enough fill yet. It took me over 6 months to reach good restriction.

You are doing wonderfully by following all the rules, and I sincerely applaud you for that! Keep it up, but also stay in touch with your doc and follow up on those fills. You won't regret it, I pretty much promise you. By the time you would have normally gotten tired of "dieting" and be ready to fall off the wagon, you will likely reach good restriction and it will help you to continue with the healthy plan you've started - without the hunger. I know it's tough and frustrating. Hang in there - we are all here to help while you wait for restriction.

Lisa

[koreabandster 1]

That's true Lisa, my doctor is always telling me that it's possible to go over 11ccs. Have been at 10.5 and 10.8 with some restriction but everytime he goes to 11ccs I can't even keep my own saliva down. I'm hoping my sweet spot is 10.9!

My doctor told me that he had one patient who he took up to 15ccs (in an 11cc band) before she felt restriction. She then went on to lose all of her excess weight and reach goal.

[Birinak 19]

Was real excited about finding a tool to help me in my Quest for better health and was so happy and excited to learn of lapband. I jumped through all the hoops for my insurance and did as I needed to do. I had the surgery, did pretty good with it and then looked forward to a healthier me. My doctor took me off all my meds immediately and I was so thrilled. I went for my first fill, then number 2, then 3 and all the way to 8.5. I have absolutely no feeling of fullness or satisfaction after eating anything. I can still eat as I did before the band. Now, I know that everyone is different and so is the body. My band is 11cc and I just dont think this was the right thing for me. Im so upset and back on my meds. I have done what is necessary to eat right, excersise and Portion Control. I'm still so hungry after small portions that I end up eating even more of the "right" stuff. Im so frustrated and wishing I didnt do this thing. I guess i have to accept that this just isnt the right "tool" for some people. I also wish that I had been better informed by the professional people leading me and alos maybe I could have done more research. Through all of this I only ever heard that a person may fail if they dont follow the instructions of eating small portions, excercising and following doctors orders. I have. The band is failing me. I cry.

I don't want to advise you to do anything that is against your better judgement or your own more thorough knowledge of the current state of your own body and emotions. I only write this because it sounds as if you're ready to completely give up, quite understandably of course. However, I would say that I think you should stick with the band, even if you don't follow all of the dietary rules. I don't mean that you should neglect those rules that are for your safety or for the maintenance of the band, but possibly loosen up on those rules that are for strictly losing weight quickly. If you don't feel like you can take bandster hell anymore, instead of throwing the band overboard, just make bandster hell more tolerable for you in small ways.

If you don't have any restriction or satisfaction, I'd just really want you to wait before removing the band unless it was causing you pain or illness. Look, in my own case, my most rapid weight loss has been after the last fill of mine, in February. And, if you compare my loss to people who had their surgeries in the same month or even a few months after me, I'm behind most of them. But, ultimately, I don't really care. I'm doing my own thing, making small but lasting changes, and not putting myself through any stress over diets. I plan things so that I can have about 2 cheat foods that I really enjoy a week, of 1-2 official serving sizes, (only buy this much of your cheat-food in a single week, never store extra cheat-food in the house for the next week). If I ever feel like being less strict for a special occasion, I do it knowing that I'm not on a strict plan and, therefore, I don't end up feeling that I've failed and that I have to start from square one again. I just keep monitoring my weight. The second that I start gaining or stop losing, I get a little stricter and cut back on my daily intake (except for the 1-2 single serving cheats a week).

Before two months ago, I really felt like the band was just a foreign object in my abdomen and I was worried that I made a mistake. Other than the occasional annoying stuck episode from not having learned to take small enough bites, the band didn't affect my ability to eat normal portions. But, it did make me eat slower and that's a benefit of its own, over time. Even if you just lose about 20 pounds a year, and increase your portions to about 2 cups of decent food (which will likely be still drastically different from your pre-band habits, if you're like many of your fellow bandsters), in 4 years, you'll be 60-80 pounds lighter and you'll have made changes that have actually become ingrained as habit by then. None of us got to the weight that we're at by eating 2 cups of normal and balanced foods, about 3-4 times a day not including Snacks. So, if you even do that, as long as it's lower than your previous usual calorie intake, you'll lose weight. You'll lose it slowly, but without all the mental suffering, guilt, and physical deprivation. The one thing is that you should at least check the scale once a week to see if you ever begin to gain weight (and modify your intake if you are), and always stick to the one rule that, although you will allow yourself little cheats (like I mentioned, once or twice a week in 1-2 servings), but you will never binge again (order the usual take-out, buy a huge multiple serving bag of chips).

Also, I know many bandsters who had restriction at 4 ccs. I don't think that I have restriction yet (I think people usually know when they have it), but I do feel satisfied with much less food than I did a few months ago. I never get that "I can't take another bite" feeling yet. But, I'm at about 8.7 CCs already. And I'm probably going to need more fills to reach real restriction. Our anatomies are very different from one person to another. There could be differences in the thickness of the stomach wall and the thickness of the fat-pad between the band and the stomach.

Don't give up. Try more small fills (don't get too much at any one time), make small but permanent changes, and keep monitoring your weight. So many people think at some point before restriction that the band isn't going to ever work for them. Keep seeing your doctor regularly. Never avoid going because you feel like you haven't lost enough weight. The most successful bandsters in the longterm are those that regularly see their doctors. Good luck!

[Lisa65 3]

GREAT advice Birinak! Super post.

[browneyedgirl52 0]

Thanks to each and everyone of you that took the time out for me to reply to my message. I really mean this. I was having such bad thoughts about this band and I guess still not understanding all the possibilities yet. I realize I must be patient, talk to the professionals and go from there. Thanks to all of you for your support, I will NOT throw in the towel. I will push forward and keep trying. God bless you all for your support, words of encourage and sincere concern for me.