Seriously Need Help! Lapband Failure

[georgiarose77 0]

Hi my name is Georgia and I am from Queensland, Australia.

Come September 2012 will be my first year after the surgery, and to date I have lost less than 5kgs/10 pounds.

I am 21 years old and 97kg/213 pounds and 165cm tall.

To begin with I had the perfect surgery, no complications whatsoever and only 4 entry points to my abdomen. I was out of hospital within 24hrs.

Btw I have a Swedish adjustable lap band with 7ml capacity.

I went home healed perfectly and waited to see results.. and waited and waited.

Originally I wasn't exercising, but for the last 6 months I have trained every weekday with a personal trainer for an hour of gruelling pain.

I watch what I eat (even though I can barely eat anymore anyway.)

I have seen four dieticians and a food psychologist.

Been back to my surgeon 16 times for 10 adjustments - my band is currently over-filled to 8ml. Every time he assures me we just need to find my ‘sweet spot.’

I have travelled interstate to receive a second opinion from another surgeon to no avail.

No one seems to know how to help me and no matter what they do nothing changes.

I have had every test know to man, barium swallow, full blood work, thyroid and x-rays - I am medically perfect!

I even had the contraceptive bar removed from my arm and am on absolutely no medication except for pariet for reflux.

I vomit every day pretty much every meal. I can't eat in public anymore unless I know where the toilet is and if I can get there unnoticed. It has become a real mental and debilitating issue for me.

I can't eat Breakfast or even swallow Water quickly in the morning, lunch is usually salad or scrambled eggs and dinner is something light like Soup or mince.

I haven't been able to eat bread, rice, Pasta, Cereal, pastry or oats since the surgery - so basically no carbs. And definitely nothing like steak. I am allergic to seafood. I have completely cut sugar from my diet.

I don't have any children, I work full time, study law full time and sleep well.

On paper I am the perfect lap-band complication free success story - but I haven't lost any weight.

I have never been overweight before, up until I was 18 I weighed a healthy 62kg/136 pounds then within 18 months I gained 40kgs/88 pounds. I don’t know this happened, as I didn’t dramatically change my lifestyle at all.

It is the most horrible thing after spending so much money, time and effort to see no results. I cannot explain how upsetting it feels every time I see my family looking at me expectantly – only to disappoint them and myself. I went clothes shopping for the first time in a long time and absolutely broke down in Target to find that I was exactly the same clothes size as before the surgery.

Everyone else, who has had problems, seems to have a slippage or something else wrong or can’t take the fills. I don’t have any of these troubles. I have included an x-ray of my band and its position.

Any one have any ideas? I am at my wits end I don't know what more I can do or what is wrong with me. I am young, fit, healthy and trying everything =(

[maegan 51]

Wow! I am no expert, buy from everything I have read, you sound like you need an unfill! Yiu shouldn't be vomiting with every meal. You should be able to eat and drink. If you are taking in too few calories, and I bet you are since you cannot eat or keep food down, then your weightloss will stop or slow. See what others on here say, but I would look into an unfill!

[elcee 3,341]

Well it does sound like you should have lost heaps of weight but maybe what is happening is that because you are so tight that you are actually filling up on high cal sliders. Are you drinking your calories?

If not then maybe there is some other kind of issue. You probably need to go and see an endocrinologist to make sure all your hormones are in the correct balance.

[A New New Dawn 1,695]

I would wonder if your metabolism has slowed to where your body has gone into "starvation mode" from eating too few calories. Are you eating a small meal/snack every few hours to keep it going? Hang in there. I can imagine how discouraging that could feel. Also, since you are working out a lot (and presumably building muscle) are you noticing any difference in your measurements? Sometimes the weight loss shows up that way instead of pounds.

[georgiarose77 0]

I am only overfilled for the moment - who knows what it will be next month. I can be anywhere from 5ml to 7ml fill. Elcee I do wonder about my hormones does that kind of stuff not show up on blood work. I don't really eat slider food - any foods I can get down I try to make sure it has nutritional value. For example I slow cook my mince with as many vegetables and lentils as I can. I don't drink any calories no soft drink or juice. I limit myself to 2 skim milk coffees per day. I have to drink lots of Water for the vommitting. I never really took measurements per se but I am still the same size in my clothes. In regards to working out I am definately more toned and less floppy - but I still look huge =( I just can't seem to shift the fat.

[2muchfun 8,927]

Calories? How many calories do you consume a day?

And I agree with some of the others, you should not be vomiting. Your band is too tight or you aren't eating properly.

tmf

[TKW 501]

Well, I'll say it too. Too Tight! You have to eat. It's just not healthy to live like you are living. Your body could be in starvation mode but there are lots of different thoughts on that. I mean eventually it's got to give but what damage are you doing to your body and your organs by starving. Unfill and start eating so you can get food down!

I have to wonder.... what is your Dr. thinking????

Best of Luck to you.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

My heart goes out to you because it's obvious you're really trying.

My first thought is that you're too tight. You should not be vomiting, vomiting leads to slips, and your ability to eat shouldn't be so limited.

A lot of people are misinformed about what the band is supposed to do. It is not supposed to make you feel stuffed full. Many, many people walk around with bands too tight by looking for that full feeling and many end up with slips because of it. The band is supposed to make you feel satisfied with less food for longer periods of time. Satisfied meaning no longer hungry.

If I were in your shoes, the first thing I'd do is have some Fluid removed. The last thing you need is a slip from being too tight. Then, start concentrating on hunger not a feeling of fullness. You want to be at point in your band where you are satisfied with a cup or less of food for 4-5 hours.

I'd also start logging your caloric intake. Most people who don't count calories are shocked at how much they're actually consuming when they do start counting. Hopefully by getting an unfill you'll be able to eat a greater variety of healthy food so that will help, too.

Good luck!

[xsentrick 194]

I have to agree with what has already been said. Sounds like maybe you aren't taking in enough calories and your metabolism has slowed. Seek an unfill and start from scratch and keep a log of your caloric intake to be on the safe side. I hope you are able to get this worked out because it sounds like you are doing everything right! Don't give up. You can do it! We are all here to support and help you in any way we can.

[jrae 38]

I could have written your post! I too had the perfect surgery & was committed to doing everything right! I wasn't loosing weight & went in for fills then unfills- being too loose or too tight. Never finding the green zone. I did this for 3 years. Starving or vomiting. Horrible way to live and it took its toll on me- physically & mentally. The only time I lost was from vomiting. Then I'd be starving & eat too many calories from sliders. It was a vicious cycle. This site helped me sooo much. It sounds dramatic but it saved me! I changed surgeons & I log everything I eat on my fitness pal. I was shocked at how many calories I was actually eating! Please get an unfill! A tiny one can make all the difference.

[judych 225]

i agree with every reply.. to me it sounds like your body is very efficient with running on practically no nourishment at all..... it shouldnt be this way.You need to tweek it.( get an unfill and start staggering the amount of calories you have day by day... even have one day a week with just Protein. )this may help your weight loss to get moving again.

Definately ask for an unfill and start tracking your food again.... are you having Protein drinks?

[LBSept09 33]

How are you doing??

[georgiarose77 0]

So just an update I saw my surgeon again today and was really straight with him. He basically said that sometimes the surgery just doesn't work for some people. He removed most of the Fluid so that there is only 2ml in there to try and kick start my metabolism and get me into some healthy eating. He said the only weight loss surgery that he think would work for me is a gastric bypass, which I am very hesitant to have. Anyone have any thoughts?

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

So just an update I saw my surgeon again today and was really straight with him. He basically said that sometimes the surgery just doesn't work for some people. He removed most of the Fluid so that there is only 2ml in there to try and kick start my metabolism and get me into some healthy eating. He said the only weight loss surgery that he think would work for me is a gastric bypass, which I am very hesitant to have. Anyone have any thoughts?

Granted I'm not a doctor and don't claim to know more than one, but you were clearly too tight, and having a band too tight can seriously inhibit weight loss because you're not giving your body the nutrition it needs to be efficient.

I would not give up on the band until you tried everything, including counting calories. Even though you may not be eating much you might be shocked how many calories what you are eating is. Or, just the opposite, you may realize you're eating way too little calories.

You do have options to try. so I wouldn't throw in the towel until you do.

[CB2 26]

I think you need to see a endocrinologist. 88 lbs in 18 months sounds like something is out of wack.