The LapBand is Not Human

[Lady VS 1,147]

Hello fellow bandsters, ex-bandsters, and bandster wannabes. I am not posting this to beat anybody up or anything like that so please don't take it that way, but I'm just writing because I can't understand why so many people feel as though the band has fell them. So I'm ranting basically. I have been reading many posts in which people who have had surgery around the same time as myself and even after me are having or has had complications with their band and I can't understand that. Grant it, I do understand that many have had success and because of other issues with their body they had to have their fluids removed for either pregnancy or other surgeries and for whatever reason, the band is selfish. It doesn't apparently want us to have babies or other surgeries that we need for our continued overall good health. Okay, I get that and the band stops working and needs to be removed. Okay, cool. However, I have read other peoples stories and apparently funds were not available for aftercare to get the proper adjustments needed to stay restricted. I keep reading posts that state they never achieved the "sweet spot" and all I can say is I'm sorry. If you are self-pay, again, I'm sorry that you weren't able to keep getting your fills because proper fill capacity is the key. Yes, I realize many of you also have to drive miles and hours just to get that and believe me, I understand gas and money these days. But at the same time, you should have been given the guidelines to follow in order to successfully lose weight (types of food to eat and avoid and amounts) and if your bariatric team did not do that, then shame on them. The band can't say, however, "Don't put that ice cream in your mouth. Don't drink this or eat that." Only you have total control of what goes in your mouth. I have also read many people's journeys in which they didn't even need fills and have lost impressive amounts of weight. To you I applaud and congratulate you because I was not that fortunate. I had to get my fills and unfills when I was too tight. That's another problem I keep reading about over and over. If you are too tight, you will not lose weight you are in the red zone and are setting yourself up for failure. I hated that I had to get an unfill or two or three because I loved that tightness and I wanted to lose weight so bad, but I'm so glad that I listened to my professionals because it paid off in the end. So what am I saying, the band does not fail. YOU FAIL, I'm sorry. There are some unfortunate souls that well your body just doesn't want as you say something "foreign" in you. Well, God bless you and I hope you have found another way to lose weight. For you new people, IT IS NOT EASY!!!!!! Even in maintainence, it's not easy. Again, if you have the proper restriction YOU WILL NOT OVER EAT PERIOD. Can you eat anything you want? Yes for some of us but not everything. After being banded, some foods and drinks we just can't do and that is a plus for many of us because we don't need them in the first place. Why is it still hard in maintainence? Because you have to still be careful about not eating too fast and chewing your food really good so that you don't get stuck. For me and I'm sure for a few others, that is a daily struggle. So all in all, the band is a great tool to help you lose weight if YOU REALLY WANT TO, but YOU have to do the work. The band is just placed around your stomach and that's it. It doesn't think for you. Again, I'm not trying to disrespect anyone but just clarifying the fact that the band doesn't fail by itself. Best wishes to all of you.

[Makinchanges4me 44]

I'm getting the band on 8/5. Your post was appreciated. Everything I have read (incl book from True Results) states that it is a tool and not a magic cure. I have to do my part as well. Thanks for the tips!

[cheryl2586 3,053]

I really think people are misinformed or do not research the band enough if at all. It can't tell you what to eat and not eat. That is your decision and your choice. It does become a daily struggle in maintenance because you still have to watch what you put in your mouth. I also agree that the band does not fail. People fail the band. Even with erosion it occurs because you are too tight and eat too much forcing the band into the stomach wall. Your pouch is made to hold 2 to 4 ounces of food and if you are eating more then that at one sitting them you are over eating. It's not magic it wont pick and choose what you eat. You just have to get the mind set that you will be doing 90% of the work and the band 10%.

[Kathytej 134]

To loose weight is an everyday commitment, if you are not ready to give the 100 % do not do it. Before I got banded My friend did it, I saw how well she looked, she told me she was not diabetic anymore and I started thinking about it, I did research and I learned as much as I could about my options. Then, I decided to do it. On the 25th of the month it will be 10 months since my surgery, I had lost about 55lbs. My friend stop loosing weight after I had my surgery, she has put all the weight back and she is always complaining about the band, now she is telling me she will take it out to see if they can give her the sleeve. i don't think her insurance is covering because the band is not damage. But she is my friend and I see what she is doing wrong, she is eating small amounts of food all day long, she eat everything fried most of the time. she has never stop drinking alcohol, every weekend she has an excuses to drink, she can easily have 10 margaritas in one night plus 10 or 15 Tequila shots. Can you imagine the amount of calories a margarita has? it scare me. She eats ice cream almost every night and when I bring up why she is not loosing weight she start defending her actions, obviously she is in denial, it is getting to the point we are only talking once a week because she doesn't want to admit she is the reason she is not loosing weight not the band. The band is a tool to loose weight like your glasses are a tool to see better, but they only work if you put them on. So YOU have to do the work. Good luck to the newbies, be positive and now is worth it. Peace and harmony!

Edited July 26, 2014 by Kathytej

[dylanmiles23 2,198]

To loose weight is an everyday commitment, if you are not ready to give the 100 % do not do it. Before I got banded My friend did it, I saw how well she looked, she told me she was not diabetic anymore and I started thinking about it, I did research and I learned as much as I could about my options. Then, I decided to do it. On the 25th of the month it will be 10 months since my surgery, I had lost about 55lbs. My friend stop loosing weight after I had my surgery, she has put all the weight back and she is always complaining about the band, now she is telling me she will take it out to see if they can give her the sleeve. i don't think her insurance is covering because the band is not damage. But she is my friend and I see what she is doing wrong, she is eating small amounts of food all day long, she eat everything fried most of the time. she has never stop drinking alcohol, every weekend she has an excuses to drink, she can easily have 10 margaritas in one night plus 10 or 15 Tequila shots. Can you imagine the amount of calories a margarita has? it scare me. She eats ice cream almost every night and when I bring up why she is not loosing weight she start defending her actions, obviously she is in denial, it is getting to the point we are only talking once a week because she doesn't want to admit she is the reason she is not loosing weight not the band. The band is a tool to loose weight like your glasses are a tool to see better, but they only work if you put them on. So YOU have to do the work. Good luck to the newbies, be positive and now is worth it. Peace and harmony!

Wow. About your friend. She needs help. Congratulations on you doing well. I love my band. It's almost 2 years for me. I thought I would be lighter but I am not perfect and don't exercise enough. My problem not the band.

[futurbander2007 24]

I applaud you for writing this! There are too many people that blame the band instead of themselves. I stuck to the program religiously and even to this day, I exercise EVERYDAY, still count calories, and stay away from foods that give me problems. If there is a craving, I take a few bites and then throw the rest in trash, it really takes mindful behavior to succeed in a world that is obsessed with food.

[B-52 7,113]

My Dr., from day one, always said to me to "Learn to Listen to your band"

I never understood what in the world he was talking about, but now I do....

It will tell me if I am doing something improper...it will tell me what I can and cannot eat...but like LadyVS said, it is usually foods that aren't good for you in the first place, so what does it matter...

It may not be human...but it does communicate...sometimes just a whisper, sometimes it will scream at me....and by learning to listen, (with the right amount of restriction)it does handle hunger/cravings, it does limit my portion sizes, it does restrict me from eating certain foods, it does prevent me from making any big mistakes....

It was not easy getting there, did not happen overnight, and took a lot of behavior modification on my part to let the band do it's part....a balance...

Granted, stuff happens, and we have no control over other things in our lives, other medical issues, that interfere with the band...

When I read posts about failures, many times something else has happened, and because of that all the Fluid in the band had to be removed....with no fault of the user...

Then there are other times....

Edited July 26, 2014 by B-52