Advice.........please help!

chandatay · February 13, 2009

HELLO TO ALL,

IT'S LONG LOST CHANDA.........I SURE HOPE I REACH SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO UNDERSTANDS WHERE I AM COMING FROM THIS MORNING.TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT.........I HAVE HAD UMP-TEEN FILLS AND I STILL DO NOT HAVE GOOD RESTRICTION. MY LAST VISIT TO THE DOCTOR WAS NOT GREAT AND I AM WONDERING WHAT I SHOULD DO NOW. HERE ARE MY VITAL STATS. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT U THINK I SHOULD DO......

# OF FILLS - DATE - WEIGHT - FILL AMT. POST-OP LOSS - TOTAL LOSS

1/1/07 - 304 - B4 SURGERY

7/9/07 - 284 - SURGERY DAY - (20)

7/24/07 - 265 - 2 WK POST OP - (19) - (39)

1 - 9/4/07 - 267 - 5cc - (17) - (37)

2 - 10/23/07 - 266 - 4+5 = 9cc - (18) - (38)

3 - 12/11/07 - 263 - 9+2 = 11cc - (21) - (41)

4 - 1/22/07 - 257 - 11+1 = 12cc - (27) - (47)

5 - 3/4/08 - 248 - 12+.25 = 12.25cc - (36) - (56)

6 - 3/11/08 - 247 - 12.25 +.60 = 12.85 - (37) - (57)

7 - 4/29/08 - 239 - 12.85 + 1.0 = 13.85 - (45) - (65)

8 - 6/5/08 - 230 - 13.85 + (.50) = 13.35 - (54) - (74)

9 - 7/29/08 - 231 - 13.35 + .40 = 13.75 - (53) - (73)

10 - 8/19/08 - 234 - 13.75 + .40 = 14.15 - (50) - (70)

11 - 9/9/08 - 231 - 12.17 (53) - (73)

12 - 9/23/08 - 229 - 12.17+.50 = 12.67 (55) - (75)

13 - 10/3/08 - 234 - 12.67+.50 = 13.17 (50) - (70)

14 - 11/11/08 - 229 - 13.17+1.00 = 14.18 (55) - (75)

15 - 11/14/08 - 225 - 14.18 + (.50) = 13.68 (59) - (79)

16 - 1/27/09 - 230 - 13.68 + .30 = 13.98 (54) - (74)

I HAVE NOT LOST ANY WEIGHT IN OVER 6 MONTHS. ON MY LAST VISIT TO DR. BRODY HE BASICALLY SAID THAT I HAVE GOTTEN ALL THAT I CAN GET OUT OF THE BAND AND THAT I SHOULD BE REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT. THE VISIT B4 THAT HIS ASST. TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD CONSIDER THE SLEEVE BECAUSE THE BAND REALLY DOES NOT WORK WELL FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. I AM AT A CROSSROADS... MY HUSBAND NOR MY FAMILY WILL SUPPORT ME EVEN CONSIDERING GOING UNDER THE KNIFE AGAIN. THEY SEE THE WEIGHT LOST THUS FAR AND LITERALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT MY PROBLEM IS. I KNOW THAT I WILL NEVER BE A SIZE 8, 10, OR EVEN A 12, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET UNDER 200 POUNDS. I DON'T THINK THAT IS ALOT TO ASK. THE scale JUST WON'T MOVE. I AM WONDERING IF I SHOULD SEE ANOTHER DOCTOR. WHAT DO U THINK? MY DOCTOR DOES NOT USE A FLUOROSCOPE DURING FILLS SO I AM CONVINCED THAT THEY REALLY NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE FILL THAT I AM GETTING; THUS HAVE NO CLUE WHAT MY RESTRICTION IS. DO ANY OF YOUR DOCTORS USE A FLUOROSCOPE DURING FILLS? I KNOW I AM RAMBLING......BUT I HAVE NO WHERE IS TO GO FOR HELP. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS BANDSTER PROBLEMS BUT FELLOW BANDERS.....SORRY I HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE LOOP SO LONG, BUT I REALLY HAVE LOST HOPE WITH THIS BAND.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY,

CHANDA

P.S. I HAVE THE BIG VANGUARD BAND...WHICH THEY SAY CAN HOLD UP TO 16CC'S!

Edited February 13, 2009 by chandatay

Kimmy in MD · February 19, 2009

Hi Chandra,

I probably won't be a big help as i have been fortunate enough not to have any issues with restriction.

I think you should see another doctor and would suggest getting another fill under fluro.

I have never heard that the band doesn't work as well for African American women. This sounds ABSURD to me! and i wonder if that point was made to you when you first started considering the band. If not, it should have been!! Maybe you would have made a different decision.

You have done a great job with your weight loss as it looks to me as if you have lost about 70 lbs and kept it off for 18 months, so that is something to be PROUD OF!!

I was banded in Mexico so i had to find a different doc locally to do my fills. I use Dr. Susan Brinkley in Frederick MD. She has been SPOT On with my fills, however she doesn't do them with Fluro, but she has access to fluro if needed. She does not accept insurance and a fill is $200. Here is the thing...she herself is also banded. So she is great to work with and really empathetic to our cause. Maybe it would be worth it to give her a call. 301-668-2800. Couldn't hurt.

Just looking at the other stats on here, you should be able to lose in excess of 100 lbs. with your band and you aren't there yet, so you should be able to hit your goal.

Finally, are you keeping a food journal? Going to weight watchers for additional support? i would suggest trying the food journal first and see if that works. I use Fitday.com but I have also heard good things about sparkpeople.com both are FREE!

Best of luck to you!!