lapband not working

[Headhunter 6]

I just wonder if the band does not work for all people.

Well, the simple fact is that no, the band does NOT work for all people. Nor does the bypass or the sleeve. Nothing works for EVERYONE. There are some people for whom NO WLS will work. Those people are quite rare, but they DO exist.

In your situation, you are doing the right thing, in getting a second opinion. You need a fresh set of "eyes" to see what is going on.

HH

[Unforgettable 0]

I think I've decided that nobody should be allowed to be a band surgeon until they've had a lapband for themselves.

I agree! Sure there are good surgeons who haven't been banded, but I really do think that having that insider's perspective is totally priceless. I'm thankful my doc was banded, as well as like 90% of his entire office staff. It's nice to know that someone else understands.

[wellsshirley 0]

how are you doing now? I have not lose any weight in the last 5month losed about 20 pound in 10 months.

[joiful 0]

I don't know who you are asking, shirley, but I am doing very very well. Today marks 3 weeks of eating healthy with no sweets. The book I got by David Kessler has been a god send. I am losing weight on my own with out the band. He says to have daily meal plans and stick to them. There was other helpful hints to of getting of the road of obsessive eating. He also talked about how the restaurants and food companies have specific departments to make the food addictive, and they know what they are doing but they rather turn a profit. Very interesting and enlighting book!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I don't know who you are asking, shirley, but I am doing very very well. Today marks 3 weeks of eating healthy with no sweets. The book I got by David Kessler has been a god send. I am losing weight on my own with out the band. He says to have daily meal plans and stick to them. There was other helpful hints to of getting of the road of obsessive eating. He also talked about how the restaurants and food companies have specific departments to make the food addictive, and they know what they are doing but they rather turn a profit. Very interesting and enlighting book!

May I ask the title of this book?

[joiful 0]

The End of Overeating , it was published this year or 2008. He used to be ahead of the FDA and he is the same person that went after the tobacco industry. He says he is going after the restaurants and companies that make food addictive. He talked to big wigs at the companies and they gave him some secrets. Of course they wouldn't give names but you can tell who they are. They even take Water out of foods and put fat in to replace them. He gave an example of Chilis Southwest Eggrolls and how they make them full of sugar, salt and fat so we would crave them. I used to eat them all the time so it was ironic reading about it!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

The End of Overeating , it was published this year or 2008. He used to be ahead of the FDA and he is the same person that went after the tobacco industry. He says he is going after the restaurants and companies that make food addictive. He talked to big wigs at the companies and they gave him some secrets. Of course they wouldn't give names but you can tell who they are. They even take Water out of foods and put fat in to replace them. He gave an example of Chilis Southwest Eggrolls and how they make them full of sugar, salt and fat so we would crave them. I used to eat them all the time so it was ironic reading about it!

You know, this is exactly what I have been looking for all day today. I have literally spent most of the day today trying to find out what it is about fast food that is nothing short of addictive. I mean McDonalds doesn't even taste good, the restaurants stink... so why do people go there day after day?

Have you seen this?

There is no way any rational person would eat there again after seen that yet they do. They aren't rational anymore.

There has to be a chemical that's like a drug in these products for people to eat it knowing just how bad it is for the human body.

I'm going to order the book, thanks!

[elcee 3,341]

I've never liked Mc Donalds as most of the food there doesn't even resemble food although with the wraps and things now on offer it has improved. If I eat a burger it has to be made of meat, not plastic and I also prefer it not to be so greasy that it slides off the very sweet tasting excuse for a roll!

There is no way any rational person would eat there again after seen that yet they do. They aren't rational anymore.

This can be said about lots of things. Smoking, drugs etc etc

[joiful 0]

It would surprise you how much sugar and fat and salt they even put in their wraps and then the meat is loaded with all the above. Try even finding a wrap at a grocery store with no sugar added. Not one thing at McDonalds is with out sugar even Chilis. I even called Chilis several years ago and asked corporate if they had anything with out sugar and the answer was "No". I even went to Chick Fil A cause they say how healthy they are. The "natural" chicken breast is loaded with several types of sugars. I left. The book talks about why there are several different types of sugars listed in ingredients list. The reason why is if it was the same sugar it would be the first ingredient. This way it spreads out the sugar and makes it look not so bad. Tricky Tricky so glad I found this book. Yesterday marks 3 weeks of getting off the crap and my life is changing so much. I can focus on my family instead of going to my room and eating bowl after bowl of ice cream. The same problem I had before my band was the ice cream. Now I can safely say that it is over and I focus on staying away from the foods that draw me to more sugar. I bought my book from Borders and worth every $28 that I paid for it.

[hope4newlife 0]

1 year out -- 9.1 in my 10cc band -- I am curious if anyone has had their band come unlatched? I don't seem to get any restriction like everyone else. I go for an upper gi tomorrow and am worried. i don't have problems eating anything breads, meats, whatever...

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

I havent posted here in a long time, so here is whats going on. I had a 14cc ap band put in on march 11th. sence then i have gaind 33lbs. I do not nor have i ever had restriction. i have had 3 fills a total on 6ml or cc. the last one was yesterday it was 1cc. I can eat as much now as i could befor sugery with the exception of bread (it maked me pb) my doc really dosent seem to belive me about not haveing restriction. I know im not eating all the right foods but if I had restriction i should still be loosing. she said she wants me to loose 20lbs befor i have another fill. I thing that might be hard to do if i dont have restriction to began with. the only thing is it takes me a little longer to eat (takes 10-15mins to eat 5lbs of food instead on 5 mins)..... well just though some one might have some uplifting words for me... tommy

It is absolutely and 100% false that you believe you can still eat anything you want and still lose weight.

Let me clarify. Right now you claim that you have no restriction.

So, you are eating everything you want without any regard to what a proper portion really should be?

How often are you eating "anything you want"?

Every meal?

Based on the fact you have a lap band you must have not been eating the most healthy options, am I right?

Well if you have answered yes to even most of those questions you are not going to lose weight. The band is not failing you, you are failing your band (so far).

Don't give up hope so easily. You have only been banded for not even 6 months. You got the band to 1) Lose weight and 2) be more healthy. You are not going to achieve this by continuously eating everything/anything you want. There needs to be a healthy balance in there. You need to think of healthier options to your favorite foods. Trust me, you can find some really awesome ways to cook the things you love most that will provide more nutrition, less fat, less sodium and eating only the right portion size. Too much of anything is not good for you.

Hang in there, this is in no way going to be an easy road. The band is not going to stop your decision making. It will only tell you that you are full faster and keep you there longer.

Also, a healthy balance is this... "Well, I've been really really good for a whole week! I've been losing steadily, I've been kicking ass on my workouts. I think I deserve a treat (whatever you want). I'm going to eat it without feeling guilty, but I'll make sure I'm not bingeing on it either..." That is a healthy balance. 95% Angel, 5% Devil.

I really hope this helps. I struggled too for a really long time. The band is a learning curve. Some learn immediately. Some like me take a really long time to figure it all out. It will happen for you though if you just stick it out, and also realize a healthy body does not come from unhealthy habits.

[joiful 0]

I have a 10cc Realize Band and I have had 13 cc put in. I had no restriction so they put in this thicker stuff and took out the 13cc of saline. I had problems eating some foods and PBing but I never felt full cause of my band. I don't care what I was eating I felt no restriction so I understand what Big Tom is saying. The reason people get the band is to feel full and stay full longer, I never did and I was banded July 4th 2008. I had close to 20 fills and unfills in less than a year with the band never working like it should. There is nothing wrong with the band nor the placement. I have given up and now I put the responsibility is all mine. I am no longer upset about spending $11,000 and still owe $5,000 but now I have tools that help me to stay away from the foods that I shouldn't eat. I don't eat healthy all the time but it is so much better and I don't eat any sweets. Good luck Big Tom I feel for you!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

It is absolutely and 100% false that you believe you can still eat anything you want and still lose weight.

Let me clarify. Right now you claim that you have no restriction.

So, you are eating everything you want without any regard to what a proper portion really should be?

How often are you eating "anything you want"?

Every meal?

Based on the fact you have a lap band you must have not been eating the most healthy options, am I right?

Well if you have answered yes to even most of those questions you are not going to lose weight. The band is not failing you, you are failing your band (so far).

Don't give up hope so easily. You have only been banded for not even 6 months. You got the band to 1) Lose weight and 2) be more healthy. You are not going to achieve this by continuously eating everything/anything you want. There needs to be a healthy balance in there. You need to think of healthier options to your favorite foods. Trust me, you can find some really awesome ways to cook the things you love most that will provide more nutrition, less fat, less sodium and eating only the right portion size. Too much of anything is not good for you.

Hang in there, this is in no way going to be an easy road. The band is not going to stop your decision making. It will only tell you that you are full faster and keep you there longer.

Also, a healthy balance is this... "Well, I've been really really good for a whole week! I've been losing steadily, I've been kicking ass on my workouts. I think I deserve a treat (whatever you want). I'm going to eat it without feeling guilty, but I'll make sure I'm not bingeing on it either..." That is a healthy balance. 95% Angel, 5% Devil.

I really hope this helps. I struggled too for a really long time. The band is a learning curve. Some learn immediately. Some like me take a really long time to figure it all out. It will happen for you though if you just stick it out, and also realize a healthy body does not come from unhealthy habits.

The whole point of having a band is to have restriction. NONE of us could do this without restriction, that's why we had surgery.

He's probably not going to lose weight until he does have restriction.

[pilotlisa2008 0]

thank goodness I was getting concerned, I havn't been filled yet, and I am in the mushy food stage and gradualy adding solids. today I had one slice of wheet toast and though I broke off little bird bites and ate slowly ate with cheese, it went down fine, but chicken fills me up fast. I havn't lost this week and am constantly starving I was starting to think about how I get full fast but two hours later I'm starving. you guys have hleped, thanks

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

The whole point of having a band is to have restriction. NONE of us could do this without restriction, that's why we had surgery.

He's probably not going to lose weight until he does have restriction.

Hi WASa, I understand your point - but I also think that is only partly true.

You still have to have some self control. I was taught this and chose to ignore it. I stopped losing weight and even gained. I had plenty of restriction, more than I should have. What I didn't have was self control.

Now, I have proper restriction and self control. I'm losing again. You must have both to be successful.

I mean, I wish it were that simply anyway...

Edited August 21, 2009 by LilMissDiva