Almost 9 months p/o & still no restriction! Is this band not going to work for me??

[miminms 0]

I'm so confused and frustrated! It has been almost 9 months since I was banded. I have 8cc's in a 10cc band. Surely!!!..I should feel restriction by now!! Each fill, I am so hopeful that "this one" will help and do what I "thought" the band was supposed to do. I tell myself each time that I feel a difference, but after a few days, it's obvious that..once again...no difference. I have lost about 70lbs. to date and I know that is GREAT, but I have done it with my own fortitude (I want to succeed!!!!), and the FEAR of hurting my band and screwing up my last chance to change my life. The last couple of months, I have lost and gained and lost and gained. The same as I have done my whole life. I have reached the "set point" that my body gets to.....between 60-70 lbs. and I just stop losing. That's when my willpower fades and I start to overeat. I was counting on my band to get me through this and so far, no luck. My band never tells me I can't eat a particular food. I can eat anything I want---bread, rice, Pizza Crust, steak, chicken, ANYTHING!! I could eat as much as I want (I choose NOT to, as I'm trying to make this work!)---my band doesn't say "No..that's too much..stop!" What my band DOES do for me; I can't eat too fast, and I can't take large bites and "gulp" my food or drinks. I get chest pain if I do and I have PB'd and slimmed a few times, but only if I eat or drink too fast. Never because I've eaten to much or the wrong things. Is this all the band is going to do for me???!!! Am I going to pay all this money (I was self pay...that was HARD!) and be able to gain weight as long as I chew good and slow down? I know this is not a "cure all". I know this is a "tool". I know I have to do the work...forever. If I was not willing to do all that, I wouldn't have lost the 70 lbs., but I certainly thought that I'd get to experience a "full" feeling. I thought I'd have a band that would tell me "your full...stop". I thought it might just say "no....you can't eat bread, or steak, or SOMETHING, but nothing doesn't agree with my band. I'm nothing like what I read on the message boards. I'm worried that this is all I'm going to get! Do I have to do it all on my own even with a band, or is something wrong with me or my band???!!! I just went for my last fill 2 wks ago and no difference. My doc said come back in 2 months. I am losing willpower every day. I could be up 10-20lbs in that time, and who's to say the next fill is going to do anything either! Please forgive me for going on and on, but I just need to know if anyone else has experienced this. My doc is pleased with my weight loss, but as I keep telling him....I've gotten this far and I'm thrilled, but I need some help NOW from my band. If I could do it solely on my own, I wouldn't have needed the band! Please don't misunderstand....I KNOW I wouldn't have lost ANYTHING without having my band put in. It totally has put me on track and gave me incentive to do my best, I just need more help than I'm getting. Can anyone help me please?

[Queen Jane 0]

I can truly relate to your frustration--in fact at my last support meeting I was asking some of these same questions as to how to "keep the faith" when you feel nothing and really could eat the house if you wanted too...(the visiting psych asked what I do with my anger--I said nothing what can I do---I am now the angry woman in the group--not angry at life but angry this $$$!!! piece of equipment is not doing what I dreamed it would) I would really like to hear what some of the seasoned people say. I understand it part of the "process" and that I just have to find that "sweet spot" but life sure isn't very "sweet" and I am having your same problem staying focused when I had this done to stop the smorgasbord of life......

[miminms 0]

Dear Jack,

Thank you for the encouraging words! I have read your posts in the past and I know you have had a long and successful journey. You made a lot of good points....it is different this time. I'll take your advice and try to work from there. Thanks again and good luck to you in the future.

[miminms 0]

Queen Jane,

I'm so sorry to hear you are having the same problems. How many fills have you had and how long have you been banded? What is your doc telling you is the problem???

[shortgal 5]

I would like to know if the Dr. (or whoever does your fills), do they just add saline at a fill or do they withdraw what's in there already and then add? That is an easy way to measure for leaks.

I do think your band is working for you. you say you can't gulp and it slows your eating down. Those seem improvements to me.

I'm unclear why banded people are unhappy, when they are able to eat all foods. What is wrong with being able to eat steak and chicken. Those are solid Protein that should stay in your pouch and help hunger. If you get to the point where bread or pizza don;t go down, maybe you won't be able to get chicken down. I think being able to eat pizza and choosing not to, is one of the things we have to do to help our band work, just like we have to choose not to drink for one hour after eating. Our band can't decide to do that for us.

Before I got some restriction, I thought I was using only willpower, too. But any previous attempts to lose weight did not produce the same results, so I had to rethink that and realized the band WAS helping me, just not enough, yet. But it was my head that needed to catch up to my band. And tho' I have better restriction, that is still true.

I can feel full and actually recognize that I feel full, but still feel like I am craving something. It also took me some time for my brain to understand the "new" feeling of "full". It's not the same old lower belly fullness.

Sliming and PB's, to me, would be a sign that my band is working, but that my brain is not understanding the signal.

I would first investigate a possible leak, to relieve my mind of that issue.

And then I would begin to stop worrying and calm down and start letting my brain and band catch up. Slowly, eat a portion of solid Protein. Stop. do not drink for one hour and wait 20 mins and assess your level of hunger and look for signals. Is there a little tightness in your chest, that says your pouch is full? Now, time how long the slight tightness stays in your chest.

I hope some of this helps becasue I struggle with the same issues, but I really believe my brain is mixed up, not my band.

[miminms 0]

Thank you sooo much for your input! Yes, my doc only puts saline in and does not take any out to check for leaks. I asked the time before last if it could be leaking and based on his feeling of how the port "felt?" (I guess), he said that none had leaked. I'm not sure what he based that on, but with Jack stating that and now you, I think it's time to definitely have that checked out for "sure". As for the points you made (and Jack too-God love him-he is full of encourgement and wisdom!), I have to admit that my band is doing more for me than I have given it "credit" for doing. Yes, I know I have a band. That was "huge!!!" for me when I finally realized that. I have just been so frustrated with no restriction to date. I knew it would be a process, I just wasn't prepared to have it take this long. As I said in my original post....I am thrilled to have this band!!! I just needed to know if others have never reached the "sweet spot", as I apparently have not after 9 months. I know without a doubt I wouldn't be down this much without it!! Your point about me not being happy because I can still eat steak, chicken, etc.....I understand COMPLETELY. I agree. It's not that I don't LOVE steak, chicken, etc. and that I don't still...want...to eat them and basically most foods, it's just that I read so much about people NOT being able to eat foods and I've never experienced that. Thus my confusion....is it working for me? I do wish I couldn't eat breads, potatoes, carbs, etc! ha! That would make life a lot easier! Steak, chicken, protein...I hope I never have to give that up! Anyway, I appreciate your input more than you'll ever know! Thanks for taking the time to write me back. The "head" needing to catch up with the band makes total sense to me. I will "mull" that one over and try to "retrain" my way of thinking and dwell on the positives. I've truly done that to date....except for this last fill and my "eagerness" for "restriction". I just needed to vent and get another prospective from those who have "been there". Again...thank you and I'll do better...never give up...and definitely have this band checked for "leaks".

[Penelope 0]

However, somewhere on this post since last November, I read a thread someone started who had the same problem as you and found out the doctor hadn't even hit her port with the fill and it just went to waste.

That was my first thought when I read your post, but it really is unlikely if you are going to a qualified doctor, so I think I would check out what the omniscient Jack surmised and find out if you could have a leak. There has to be SOMETHING or lap-band wouldn't be saving so many of us!

Good Luck!

Penny in Portland, Oregon

[snowbird 2]

My doctor told me the band system is pressurized, and you have to take out the Fluid when you have a fill.

Does your doctor use fluoroscopy to check band position?

I have also heard of doctors who are not truthful about the fill amounts.

If you are not happy with your results, you may want to find someone else to do your next fill just to get a cross check on what is going on with your band. I would recommend fluoro with the fill to be sure the fill is going in the right place and the band is positioned correctly.

Thanking my lucky stars I went to Mexico, where they don't say "Come back in two months" regardless of how I personally am feeling about my restriction level and when I will need another fill . . .

[shortgal 5]

My Dr ( in the US) does not make me wait two months for a fill. I discuss with the PA or nurse, the amount of food I can eat at one meal, how long that meal keeps me satisfied and decide if a fill is needed. I have made appts as close as 10 days apart and gotten fills at both of those appts.

Not all US Dr's are bad, not all are good. Not all Mexican Dr's are bad, not all are good.

But checking the saline in the band at each visit, seems reasonable and simple to do and can reveal a problem early. If this Dr. has not had many bands leak, it's could be just a step he started to skip, thinking the extra step is not often needed.

[kitty b 0]

hi kitty hear i totaly relate to what you are going through i am going throug the same i have lost 68lbs in 9 months also but feel the same as yourself i have had all the saline removed and it was fine no leaks can eat anything but not white bread i have to eat slowly i dont drink for an hour after i have eating but i thought i would not be able to eat a lot of things i am glad that i can eat a almost anything as i have a freind that cant eat much i think i got in to my head it would be the same for myself iam glad i am not like her as she gets very frustrated so i think as long as we are still losing we are winning i would not have done as well with out my band i think the band is doing its job but doing it different for us as we are all different in our own ways a very good luck to you i am so glad i read your message i no i am not alone in how i feel

[shortgal 5]

See, it's very funny how we all think the band is not working yet we've all lost weight. I'm willing to bet for most of us, this is the most weight we''ve lost in the least amount of time from every other diet we've tried.

For me, I have never lost this much weight, in a little over three months.. ever! And this time it has been the easiet time. Yet I thought my band wasn;t working because I didn't have enough fill. I still don't think I have enough fill, but I have learned that my band is working. Maybe it's more like getting to goal weight at 40 miles an hour instead of 60 miles and hour, but I'm getting there and I'm not feeling deprived, I don't get stuck, I dont PB.

It just took time for my brain time to figure that out. I don't know if I want my band at 60 miles an hour, if it means food gets stuck or I PB, maybe 50 MPH is good enough.

[juliegeraci 7]

I feel for you. I am 21 months post op and it seems I just reached my sweet spot 2 months ago. It took me 15 fills and unfills. Very frustrating. Just work with your surgeon. They can overfill past 10ccs too, probably at least 1 more. Good luck.

[miminms 0]

Gosh!! I'm so glad to have my bandster friends!! This has helped me to feel so much better and not alone!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I have never been offered.... as my doc has never mentioned the flouroscopy. I will ask about that. Penny, I've never even thought about missing the port! Good point! So now, I'm going to call and make an apt. (not waiting the 2 months!!) and have a talk about all of this. I'm definitely asking about the pressurized aspect and taking it all out and refilling. That way I should know if he perhaps "missed" the port or if it "leaked", right? Juliegeracil...21 months, 15 fills/unfills...bless your heart! I feel your pain! ha! Glad to hear your doing better!! Yes....we ALL agree, we love our bands and in one way or another or "many" ways, it is working for us! I learned a lot I'm going to turn this around!! Now!! I have to stay on top of it and "learn" from all of you! Thanks again and god bless each of you!!

[miminms 0]

hi kitty hear i totaly relate to what you are going through i am going throug the same i have lost 68lbs in 9 months also but feel the same as yourself i have had all the saline removed and it was fine no leaks can eat anything but not white bread i have to eat slowly i dont drink for an hour after i have eating but i thought i would not be able to eat a lot of things i am glad that i can eat a almost anything as i have a freind that cant eat much i think i got in to my head it would be the same for myself iam glad i am not like her as she gets very frustrated so i think as long as we are still losing we are winning i would not have done as well with out my band i think the band is doing its job but doing it different for us as we are all different in our own ways a very good luck to you i am so glad i read your message i no i am not alone in how i feel

Kitty, sorry to hear you're going through this too! Thanks for sharing your story and hopefully we'll both find that sweet spot...soon! ha! Hang in there and keep me informed of your progress as well. I want to hear!

[TerriDoodle 6]

You've been given some great advice. I'm so glad to hear that you are not going to wait 2 months! You paid for this band and the doctor is working for YOU....so keep going back for answers until you are satisfied.

Glad to hear that LBT has helped you! I don't know how anyone goes thru this journey without it!