Dr. Cobourn

[kat44 0]

Hi all,

My surgery is August 1st with Dr. C. I'm on day 6 of 3 weeks of Optifast and still feeling hungry and miserable. Any suggestions and who else is suffering? I know it will be worth it but I'm hungry.

[heidi49 0]

With the Optifast, you should start to feel a lot less hungry by about tomorrow (when ketosis kicks in). The veggies which are allowed did help me a lot, especially when I prepared them in different ways - at least for me, hunger is as much mental as it is physical. It's not all about how much you eat, but how interesting and "satisfying" it is in other ways as well. I used veggie broth, a little soya to make stir fries, and also ate a lot of crunchy vegetables like radishes and dill pickles. But maybe that's just me...

You can also have some veggies which aren't on the list which the clinic gives out (e.g. tomatoes both fresh and canned), as long as they are low-glycemic. Check some of the calorie/glycemic lists on the internet to be sure, and also don't hesitate to contact the clinic if you are really struggling, as they are really helpful with any questions or concerns.

[argon 3]

He had apparently printed off a list of clients who had stopped with their follow-ups; there are a lot of them

Oh, you made me feel guilty! I wondered if I was one of those people he looked at as not following up and thought me a failure! I looked back at my old sent emails, and my last official "I weigh "this much"" email was back in January! I was 180, by the way.... BOOoooooo! I've had contact since them, but only 'I need a fill, or I need a defill!"

So I did it... mentioned my frustrating flucuation, and asked for an opinion. I'm scared to get another fill, because my last one was a DEFILL of 0.2cc! And it helped my 'reflux' at night, but I still need to make sure I don't eat (or drink) less than a few hours before bed... and I don't want to get another fill just to have to go back in a week for a defill. (once again, I'd be all over trying these things out if it were a matter of an hours drive, and were free.. but 8 hours of drive time and $200 would be an expensive way to get me back to exactly where I am now. :phanvan)

By the way... he said that he had a 80-90% success rate? What makes for a success?

[Cindy_D 1]

Argon I doubt he was thinking of you specifically, but the literature I had read quoted an 80-90% rate of success - success being measured as 60-80% loss of the excess weight. His response was that follow-up was essential to ensure you were getting the most from the lapband. The group that does not get the success they need is because they stop going/contacting the clinic - they can't help if they don't hear from you.

Knowing how little 0.2cc is, I would expect that you should be able to get some results and the ability to increase your next fill. I am guessing right now that our biggest enemy on this journey is fear - fear of failure, fear of pain, fear of just about anything we can come up with.

In my humble opinion, maybe you need to strengthen your support system in your local area and then get on the phone/computer to the clinic and let them start working with you again to sort out this issue. They have made a committment to us to provide followup for 5 years - I would certainly hold them and myself to that.

Good luck Argon - I can only imagine your frustration. I have a 3 hour drive to the clinic, so I expect to be on their doorstep on a regular basis. After the amount of money we are spending on the procedure - to not take advantage of the follow-up is really letting ourselves down. Just my opinion.

[Gaffer 1]

So I did it... mentioned my frustrating flucuation, and asked for an opinion. I'm scared to get another fill, because my last one was a DEFILL of 0.2cc! And it helped my 'reflux' at night, but I still need to make sure I don't eat (or drink) less than a few hours before bed... and I don't want to get another fill just to have to go back in a week for a defill. (once again, I'd be all over trying these things out if it were a matter of an hours drive, and were free.. but 8 hours of drive time and $200 would be an expensive way to get me back to exactly where I am now. :phanvan)

I am in the same boat with my fills, although my situation is not quite as bad as I only need to drive about 15 minutes and pay $100.

I have been struggling with my fills as well and am on the defill ride to find the "sweet spot" I was filled to 6CC (in 14CC band) and that was hell so down to 5.5CC that was okay for about a 2 weeks so down to 5.3CC. That was good for about 2 weeks but it slammed shut on me last week and I have not been able to eat properly so I am going on Friday to go down to 5.1 or 5.2CC, I have not decided yet.

If I was close to the clinic I would not be so worried, but man it is a hit going in for each defill and I really have to tell myself not to try and ride it out until it gets better.

Argon, I would definately consider you a success so dont think of yourself otherwise. Also, why is it up to US to report to the clinic, maybe they should have a list of people that they contact if they have not been in touch with the clinic for so long. Kinda like my gym, they phone me to ask if everything is fine if I dont come in for a couple of weeks. It may be helpful to the clinic to follow up with people in order to imporve thier own stats. As well, people are sometimes embarrased if it is not working for them, so maybe a call from the clinic could get them on the right track.

Andrew

[sweetforlife 0]

Andrew,

I noticed you said you had to pay $100.00? Was that for a fill/defill? I thought those were free for five years?

[Gaffer 1]

Andrew,

I noticed you said you had to pay $100.00? Was that for a fill/defill? I thought those were free for five years?

Those of us who are out of town, and not able to easily return to the clinic have to pay our fill providers in our respective cities.

My fill Dr. charges $100 but others charge more or less.

I am welcome to go to the clinic and get a free adjustment, but being in Calgary makes it a little inconvenient.

Andrew

[argon 3]

I am guessing right now that our biggest enemy on this journey is fear - fear of failure, fear of pain, fear of just about anything we can come up with.

In my humble opinion, maybe you need to strengthen your support system in your local area and then get on the phone/computer to the clinic and let them start working with you again to sort out this issue.

Right now my fear is aspiration into my lungs. I hope you never have it happen to you. Waking up choking after inhaling a mystery Fluid is not enjoyable, and knowing how much WORSE it was with that extra 0.2 cc, I'm a little hesitant. Maybe if I'd lost someweight since that defill, I'd tell myself that maybe my stomach fat has shrunk, and the band might actually be a little looser, and I could manage the 0.2cc's again.... but I haven't, and I can't see how going back up 0.2cc's this time will be different. That's my fear.

My local support system? There is none. I have my boyfriend... that's it. I've been virtually on my own up til now, and I guess I've done well enough that way. (and this place, I would say, has been my biggest source of support) I guess I would be considered a success, because as of right now, I have lost more than 80% of my excess weight.

Andrew, I agree. It would be kinda nice if there was someone giving US a check-in call every now and then. That's something they should work on.

I feel your pain with the fill/defill train. Even being as close as you are, it's the paying part that's the kicker. Maybe I should be looking into moving to Mississauga. :cry hehe It would have been really nice to have seen some kind of discount, or maybe the clinic kicking in some of the expense of our fills. I don't know who decided $100 was a great fee to charge for what (for me at least) is about 2 minutes work. It really sucks.

Mandi

[Gaffer 1]

Right now my fear is aspiration into my lungs. I hope you never have it happen to you. Waking up choking after inhaling a mystery Fluid is not enjoyable, and knowing how much WORSE it was with that extra 0.2 cc, I'm a little hesitant. Maybe if I'd lost someweight since that defill, I'd tell myself that maybe my stomach fat has shrunk, and the band might actually be a little looser, and I could manage the 0.2cc's again.... but I haven't, and I can't see how going back up 0.2cc's this time will be different. That's my fear.

My local support system? There is none. I have my boyfriend... that's it. I've been virtually on my own up til now, and I guess I've done well enough that way. (and this place, I would say, has been my biggest source of support) I guess I would be considered a success, because as of right now, I have lost more than 80% of my excess weight.

Andrew, I agree. It would be kinda nice if there was someone giving US a check-in call every now and then. That's something they should work on.

I feel your pain with the fill/defill train. Even being as close as you are, it's the paying part that's the kicker. Maybe I should be looking into moving to Mississauga. :cry hehe It would have been really nice to have seen some kind of discount, or maybe the clinic kicking in some of the expense of our fills. I don't know who decided $100 was a great fee to charge for what (for me at least) is about 2 minutes work. It really sucks.

Mandi

I had a night of the lung aspiration thing last week and I can relate to it. I was up every 30-45 minutes and my body is going "Holy crap you are drowning" but it was acidic which was oh so pleseant.

I am frustrated with my current fills as I think I am at a spot where I am eating the right amount, but I am having trouble with eating whole foods especially hard protiens like chicken. That, along with the constant acidic stomach and the ever present fear that something that NEVER got stuck previously will stick. I guess my guage for a fill is it is working if I have more good days than bad days with it. Right now, there are more bad days with this one. What I do like is that the weight is coming off well with this one, even though my diet has been dreadful. Why is it that a Wendy's frosty is the best thing out there for when my stomach is sore? I have basically been eating a mushies diet for the last week, which included alot of ice cream.

I am not sure what to do though. I was too loose at 5.0 and I am too tight at 5.3. Dr. Coburn said to me that with the band that I have .1CC can mean the difference between too tight & just right. So... do I go to 5.2CC and hope that I will be fine there and not have to go back for another defill, or do I go to 5.1CC and run the chance that I will have to go back to put some more in. Ugh.

As for the support network, I am not much of one to sit around with a bunch of people and talk about stuff (Oh wait, that is what I am doing here.)

For people like myself, I am better off on my own to work through it. I know there are groups here in Calgary, but for the most part they are middle aged women who go out for cheesecake. As a 31 year old male, this is not the support group dynamic I am looking for. Dont get me wrong, I am sure they are great people, but I dont want that type of support group. For me LBT is about the best support group I have found.

Andrew

[Gaffer 1]

Knowing how little 0.2cc is, I would expect that you should be able to get some results and the ability to increase your next fill. I am guessing right now that our biggest enemy on this journey is fear - fear of failure, fear of pain, fear of just about anything we can come up with.

Trust me, although .2CC does not sound like alot, but once you are banded it will change. That small amount can seem like a galllon (or about 4L if you want to keep it metric ) if you are overfilled, or if you are creeping up on your "sweet spot". It can mean the difference between eating fine, and not being able to drink.

So far, being overfilled has been the worst part of the band, and what is worse is that many of us who do not get back to the clinic for free fills are paying to have this done to us. I paid over $500 to my fill provider in June alone.

Andrew

[loriely 0]

I agree with you Gaffer and Argon. I have been on the fill/defill rollercoaster also. I am afraid to get another fill because of being sick. I am so glad i live 2 hrs away.

[Cindy_D 1]

My Lord I'm scared. I am so sorry if I seemed to have trivialized the impact of such small amounts of fill. It is so hard to understand that it has such an impact - one of my biggest fears is being unable to breathe - aspiration included. I am going to be very, very careful with this - having trouble in the middle of the night or on a weekend without ready access to the clinic must make it seem like we are on another planet as opposed to just another province. I really admire you all for persevering through these set-backs; and you continue to work toward your goals. Well done....

[loriely 0]

We are not trying to scare anyone.The band is great but small complications can and do happen.The band is unpredictable and finicky.One day i can eat something ,next day i can't.If i am stress my band tightens up.

[Gaffer 1]

We are not trying to scare anyone.The band is great but small complications can and do happen.The band is unpredictable and finicky.One day i can eat something ,next day i can't.If i am stress my band tightens up.

You are right. I am not trying to scare anyone, and I would mot trade my band for anything, but there are times it will throw you a curve ball.

At 5.3CC I felt great and was sure I was at the sweet spot, and then 2 weeks later I am up at night apirating and just generally feeling crappy. It happened again last night, fortunatley I am going for a defill of either .2 or .1CC.

Andrew

[sweetforlife 0]

Please let me know more about aspriation?? What exactly is that...and how do I avoid that?