Lapband Just Did Not Work For Me

[womanof1000secrets 4]

Hello. My name is Jenny and I have posted on here around the time of my surgery back in August of 2010. I'm not really sure where to post this but I'm guessing that the "General Lap Band Support is the right place because I do need support but I also want to share my story.

I was banded on August 24, 2010 by Dr. Luis Reyes. On my pre-op diet I had lost around 10 pounds and on the day of my surgery I weighed 220 pounds. I recovered quickly and an appointment was set up to see Dr. Reyes in 1 week's time after my surgery. During that first week I drank nothing but pain medication in liquid form, chicken broth, and Water and could only drink all these liquids from a 30 ml medicine cup and it would take me about 45 minutes to get it down. I thought all this would surely drop a few pounds and it did. I went from 220 pounds to 217 pounds in about 3 days, but when the 7 days were up and I was set to go to my appointment I was 224 pounds. While in the doctor's lobby there were other patient's that either had lap band or gastric bypass and they were all excited and I found out that they were also there for their 1 week check in and they were all on cloud 9 saying "I already lost 10 pounds. I have lost 15 pounds. I have lost 20 pounds in a week!" some of these were lap band patients saying this. They seemed so ecstatic about the weight loss and I was happy for them but then I thought about my reality of gaining 7 pounds when these people had lost all this weight in 1 week after surgery. I got called in and was weighed and I was so embarrassed when I saw 224 pounds and I had to fight to keep the tears in. I was sent to a waiting room and when Dr. Reyes came in he discussed my weight and I guess at this point he mentally pinned me as a patient that was going to be noncompliant with the surgery's rules and the diet.

He regarded me with suspicion because of my weight gain and I told him I was doing everything the rules stated and he told me that the gain was probably due to swelling. I went on my way and made an appointment to return in 1 month. In the middle of that month I was given the thumbs up to start exercising lightly so I chose Walking off the Pounds with Leslie Sansone and did it about 4 days a week for 40 minutes. I was still in the stage 1 of the eating menu and was slowly making my way to stage 2 and was feeling good. I got down to 212 and I surprised that I had because I was also in the middle of finishing up my last year of nursing school and it was pretty hectic. I was so excited that I was 212 because it was the first time I had hit that number in about 12 years.....but it didn't last. I kept with the same exercise regimen and transitioned fully to mushy food when I got the okay to do so by the doctor's office and the weight began to stagnate at 212 pounds and then slowly crept up all the way up to 224 pounds again. By the time my 1 month appointment came around I was furious and annoyed by all the happy people in the lobby proclaiming that they lost this amount of weight and that amount of weight. I was almost in tears when I saw the 224 pounds on the scale and thought "don't cry. the doctor will know what is wrong with me. he'll know why I'm not losing weight." I had my mother with me at the time and even she wanted to cry because of the anguish I was going through and she was also frustrated that the weight loss was not happening.

The doctor came in and shook our hands and asked me how everything was going and I blurted out. "I don't know what's happening. I don't think it's working" and I think he took it as a personal attack on him and his work which I didn't mean it to be. It was out of my desperation. I told him what had been happening. That I got down to 212 then all of a sudden I was 224 despite the dieting and despite the exercise. He proceeded to cut me off mid sentence and told me "It's your fault. You must not be following rules. You have to change your eating habits or it's not going to work." and I furrowed my brow in disbelief and just stared at him and finally said, "No. I'm following the rules. I'm eating nothing but liquids and soft mushy foods. I stop when I get full. I try everyday to get in 60 oz of water a day. I'm exercising as much as my surgery allows me to at this moment. I'm following the rules but I keep on gaining!" He talked over me and told me, "Stop drinking the sugary drinks. Stop eating the candy. Stop drinking the cokes. Stop eating the chips. Stop eating the pizza because this is why you're gaining."

And I looked at my mother for help because there was no point in telling him again that he must be talking to the wrong person because I am not cheating and I'm following the rules that he set for me. My mother told him "Look doctor. Before she had the surgery and when she was little I let her eat whatever she wanted, but this surgery was big and I don't think she would throw this all away to cheat. I live with her. When she's cooking her food I'm there in the kitchen as well cooking for the rest of the family. I watch her. She does not cheat because we both want this to work." and it was the God honest truth. I wasn't cheating. I did have cravings when she was cooking for other people I would resist tasting and leave the kitchen immediately and would be successful in doing so. So he told my mother "Does she have her own room?" my mother said yes. "Does she go to sleep after you go to sleep or does she stay up late?" and my mom said she stays up as long as she wants to stay up. And mind you I'm 26 years old and a nurse and he still treated me as if I was a child. then he told my mother "well, ma'am. that's it. there's the problem. She's sneaking in food late at night while everyone else is asleep. The candy, the Cookies, the sodas." At that point, I zoned out and was unresponsive to anything else he said after that. I hated him for accusing me of behaviors that I was not exhibiting.

After that he decided that what I needed was a fill. It was my first fill and he told me I have a 7 cc band and he put 2 CCs in that day. He made me left my own feet so band can protrude out making it easy for him to eye the port underneath my skin. It was hard holding up my legs especially as an obese person. He saw me struggle. Then he poke and prodded me with the needle and hurt my with each stick. and that was that. He sent me out, I went home, drank some Powerade, couldn't keep it down, couldn't keep my own saliva down, and ended up having to have a cup with me for more than 24 hours to puke my bile into. I called the office and told them that I needed an unfill and they told me I couldn't come in right away that I had to wait til 2 pm and I had called around 10 am. I was miserable. I went in and they weight me again after a day and I had gone down to 217 pounds and the lady that weighed me was all "OMG! 2 pounds in 1 day! that is awesome!!" if only she knew the hell I was going through in that 1 day. I was told that Dr. Reyes wasn't in because he was busy at the hospital and I would have to see his colleague Dr. Garza. When I began talking to Dr. Garza. He actually sat there and listened to me and didn't interrupt me while I was talking. I told him that it wasn't working and that I was having more difficulty trying to lose weight than when I was trying to lose it on my own without the lap band. I told him I was following at the rules and he told me "well, it's different for everyone. but I don't want you to give up. Keep trying and if nothing helps then come in and we'll try to figure out what's wrong." So then he got me ready to removed 1/2 cc from my band and he actually had one of the ladies come in and hold up my feet for me which was so much more comfortable and when he stuck me with the needle his hand was steady and gentle and it didn't hurt. But what surprised me the most was how after I got unfilled he sat me down and gave me a a tiny cup of water and told me to take my time drinking it and if it goes down without any complications I was free to go and if it didn't then I'll come back in and I'll readjust you again. I wanted to cry because Dr. Reyes didn't even care enough to do this for me. He just told me bye without testing if I could drink and keep down the liquids after having my band filled. So I went home and I could drink and eat but less which was how the band is supposed to work. I lost about 2 pounds and ended up going back to see Dr. Reyes.

He told me he didn't know what was going on but not to blame the lap band because it's the patient's job to to work with it. So I went to my main doctor and there was this new PA there and she diagnosed me with hypothyrodism because of my symptoms of not being able to lose weight and stuff and I went back to Dr. Reyes and told him I had hypothyroidism and I guess to him this was the reason I wasn't losing weight and he seemed to become nicer after I told him that. So then the PA calls me to tell me to buy some potassium pills to take with the thyroid medication she gave me and I did because I finally thought that the reason for not being able to lose weight was finally revealed. A couple of days later my doctor called me and told me to come in and when I did he told me that he had fired the PA because she was diagnosing multiple people with diseases they didn't even have and prescribing medications for these "diseases" so he told me that I don't even have hypothyroidism and told me to stop taking the pills that the PA gave me. So I was at square 1 again. Around this time my enthusiasm started to dwindle. I didn't care about losing the weight anymore. I didn't care about exercising. I didn't care what I ate. I thought what for? I'm a failure. I've been doing everything right. I followed the rules and maybe it just wasn't meant to be. I stopped going to Dr. Reyes' office and now weigh 230 pounds and have weighed this much for months. I recently went to the my main doctor for a 3 month check up and saw my weight at it was 232 pounds and something just clicked...that I need to continue losing weight and get rid of all the negativity and let go of the past. There was a time when I thought of revision to gastric bypass or gastric sleeve but I don't think that I could do this all over again.

So, I'm trying to become more positive and I feel like this is my time to really lose the weight this time. Without the band. The band means nothing to me anymore. And one day I want it removed. I'm not focused on it anymore. I'm just focused on eating healthy and exercising. I'm currently doing the 17 day diet by Dr. Moreno and doing turbo jam and/or zumba 6 days a week and I have lost 10 pounds so far and contribute nothing to band anymore. It's all me! and will only be me.

I would still like to come here on these boards for support on my weight loss journey though. I find that music really helps in situations and I just wanted to share a song that resonates with me and relates to my lap band situation with my doctor and everything and wanted to share it here. You can look for it on youtube. It's Called Monarch by Natalie Walker.

[123crod 170]

Nice long post but hard to read, you should edit it and put in some paragraphs so more people can read it. Hurts the eyes.

Band or no Band I think you should come here for support and support others too. The Band does not work for everyone and everyone doesn't work with their Band. Lose it however you can safely. You can always message me if you need to talk.

cheri

[123crod 170]

Lyrics to Monarch :

Poison

Into my eyes

Swallow

All of the lies

I'm trying my hardest

Not to be a target

Don't try to save me

I'm going my own way

You must think that I'm a fool

Butterfly in winter out of my cocoon

Now the wind blows so bitterly

I will never know my destiny

I could have gone your way

Something inside wasn't right

I tried to please you

To do just as you asked

I followed you

I swear I tried my best

You must think that I'm a fool

Butterfly in winter out of my cocoon

Now the wind blows so bitterly

I will never know my destiny

Now the world is mine

I'm flying all alone

I can see for miles clearly in the glow

You may think I'm scared but I know I am okay

In this moment I am safe

Sounds like you need to let go of the anger . . .let the past be the past and really start a new start. Good luck!!

cheri

[Toddy 758]

I couldn't read your entire post, but are you tracking what you eat, and I mean every blt, bite, lick or taste? If not, do that. If you are, and you really aren't overeating, there may be some other medical problem and you need to see your primary care physican.

[zinhaa 363]

couldn't finish . But if i got the gist of it find a new dr.

wendy

[CHEZNOEL 4,061]

I agree... new doctor!

[123crod 170]

Ok sorry for all the posts, but I made myself read the whole thing. You just need a new Dr to help you with aftercare. You need to go to support groups. Not everyone loses really fast, I did not, mine was slow and I did not have anything wrong with my thyroid until after I was Banded. Not sure why, hey I just take the meds and lost the weight and try to keep it off.

I might go up 5 - 8 lbs and then back down and then up again but I keep it in that range. But I am living and eating the best I can. You sound like you are giving up and gonna go it alone why?? You have an expensive little tool in you that can help if you you let it. Find a new Dr, get your fills slowly, I got mine a ½ cc at a time and it worked for me. Some people can work with bigs fill but I could not.

I say don't give up, the Band really can help, get new Dr, find support group, be honest with yourself, workout and give it time. Sorry you had a bad Dr. but it is not written in blood you have to keep seeing him.

cheri

cheri

[womanof1000secrets 4]

Thanks for all the response. Especially Cheri. There is anger that I need to get rid of and I'm trying very hard to focus on the positive.

I'm sorry it was so long. It was more of a vent that I needed to get out more than anything. I'm also going to start keeping a food journal and using myfitnesspal. But what I really need to do is see a new doctor. Thanks to everyone who replied and again I'm sorry it was so long.

[123crod 170]

Hey get it out. Only hurts you to keep it inside. Long is okay, but parargraphs help lol. Feel free to message me anytime. I will help cheer you on . . . we all need that. Remember they are only Doctors not God. Plus you are paying them to do a service for you.

There are a lot of really great doctors out there and a few not so good, just keep looking and don't be scared to go in. So what if they say you gained . . . well that why we are there right? Otherwise we would be in our bikini on the beach right?

cheri

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

Out of your post I got several things...

You are very angry and seem to want to blame your failure to lose weight on the band, the dr and other medical issues.

You may have a dr who shoots from the hip but you want someone who will baby you. The band only does 70% of the work. You must do the rest. Even a new dr won't help.

You mention doing everything right but do not state how many calories you eat or what portion sizes you are able to consume. Even with a thyroid issue you can lose weight if you burn more calories than you consume. That's a scientific fact. I do think you can get pills to regulate the thyroid but don't blame it.

You said you are eating until you are full.... Bad idea... As bandsters we are supposed to eat until we are satisfied. I eat 3 oz of Protein, 1/2 c veggies and 1/4 c carbs at each meal.... With proper restriction that keeps me full for 4 to 5 hrs? I never eat until I am full... Because often that would mean I eat too much.

I have lost a lot of weight. But I worked my butt off to make it happen... I weighed and measured everything I put in my mouth except toothpaste. I counted every calorie including a breath mint. I wanted thin that badly..

It sound like you want it... And I am sorry that you have a tool that cost a lot of money which could help you dramatically which you refuse to learn to live with.... But I hope someway you at able to drop the weight....your life depends on it.

[marfar7 1,533]

". I recently went to the my main doctor for a 3 month check up and saw my weight at it was 232 pounds and something just clicked...that I need to continue losing weight and get rid of all the negativity and let go of the past. There was a time when I thought of revision to gastric bypass or gastric sleeve but I don't think that I could do this all over again."

All of this happened in just 3 mths? You're giving up on the band after just 3 months? The biggest thing I wished someone had told me before getting banded was to HAVE PATIENCE. You didn't put the weight on overnight, you're not going to take it off overnight either. It was 4 months and 3 fills later when I started losing weight. The first 4 mths, I lost maybe 3 lbs. I ate whatever I wanted to, however much I wanted to. Thought I had failed yet another diet. Till that 3rd fill. Then the magic happened.

Your dr does sound like an ass. But you need to have a little more patience and take your time losing this weight. The band, while not working for very few people, works for most people who give it an honest try. I'm not a poster girl for the lapband - I don't follow all of the rules 100% of the time. But I do love my lapband and attribute it to losing almost 100 lbs. In fact, I'm probably one of the most lax lapbanders out there (I eat carbs, drink soda, and eat plenty of sugar) and it worked for me. For someone who follows the rules, I'm sure it's an even better tool.

Just wanted to let you know that you're not alone, there's people here you can vent to. Also, just to remind you to have patience. I promise you, it WILL work eventually. AS soon as you get the perfect adjustment, eat within the tiny portions you can eat, exercise, and have faith YOU WILL LOSE. I also have hypothyroidism and take Synthroid (have for about 10 yrs now), but I know that it makes little difference to my weight. I lost about 4 lbs when I started taking the thyroid pills. I knew that my 250 lbs wasn't because of my thyroid, it was because I ate too much! Good luck to you. Keep us posted!

Marci

[meyouus 415]

Transitioning to mushies from liquid will cause weight gain if you are eating the wrong mushies. What are you eating?

It's been a bad three months hasn't it? But three months in the band world is nothing! Like they said, be patient.Can you switch to Dr. Garza?

My gutt (pardon the pun) tells me that although your story was long and detailed, that there is more to the story.

Take it easy and do some soul searching...

[123crod 170]

You know mean doesn't work on everyone . . . just saying

cheri

[womanof1000secrets 4]

To Floridays:

I really don't who to blame. but I think all 4 factors come into play somehow. I blame myself for getting angry and giving up too soon, I blame the doctor for not being understanding enough or listening to me when I told him in all honesty that I was following the rules, I blame my slow metabolism because it can interfere with weight loss.

I didn't want anyone to baby me. I wanted someone who would listen to me (even though we disagreed) and not to accuse me of things that I was not doing. And I do not have hypo/hyperthyroidism at all. I was misdiagnosed.

As for calories. I kept a food diary and logged in everything I ate in my fitness pal. I was consuming 600-900 calories a day. There were days when I would consume 1000 calories. I followed each stage of liquids, mushy foods, and so on. I drank nothing but Water and when I got tired of Water I mixed in crystal light. Don't assume that just because I didn't include my food intake and calorie intake that I wasn't following the rules. And I never said I ate until I was full, in fact, I never mentioned that at all. My portions were eaten out of a 1 cup tupperware container. Everything I ate was baked, boiled, broiled, grilled, or steamed. And there was always food left over on my plate.

Just because you were extremely successful doesn't give you a right to be pompous and throw the fact that you lost LOTS OF WEIGHT, especially at the faces of those who weren't successful at all or not as successful as you were in your weight loss journey. Kudos to you though for losing all the weight and kudos to your tenacity to keep going until you reached your goal, but please understand that everyone is different, that everyone's body works differently, and that the lap band does not work for/or as well for everyone. Please understand the frustration that comes with not losing weight with the lap band because it is a real thing that many lap band patients go through, but are reluctant to admit out of embarrassment and people like you who are quick to assume that we didn't work hard enough or don't exercise enough.

I did work my butt off just like you did and would lose then the weight I had lost would come back despite eating right and exercising, changing the exercises and changing the amount of calories. And I wanted it as much as you did but apparently you were more successful. Please don't forget the frustration that comes with losing weight and gaining weight. I know you are thin now but don't become a mean thin girl please.

And I think a new doctor would help and for you to tell me otherwise is ridiculous. I'm pretty sure you have changed doctors in your life time and have had family members or friends who have needed a change in doctors. And if you say that the band does 70% of the work then you better believe that I was contributing that 30% to lose the weight but I wasn't as successful as you were.

I also want you to know that I am trying to turn this around and that in this process I am trying to reassess what went wrong and trying to work on those wrong things. You were overweight once too and please don't forget the pain and frustrations that come with that. I'm not coming on here to get "babied" I'm coming on here to receive support in continuing my lap band weight loss journey.

[womanof1000secrets 4]

I haven't had the lap band for just 3 months. I meant to say that I went for my 3 month check up with my primary doctor who is not my lap band doctor. I go to my primary doctor every 3 months. Everything with the lap band doctor didn't happened recently. It happened almost 8 months ago.

In fact, I have been banded since August 2010.