Lapband problems, feeling alone

Hi, I am new to this forum and still trying to find my way around. I had lapband April 16, 2009. I am 56, I have lost 45 lbs. I have been super excited thru the whole process. I am an educated patient. I have followed all the rules. As I started having my fills, I was very excited. But when I had my third fill, I couldn't eat solid food at all. My 10 cc band was at 2.1 at this point. My surgeon refused an unfill. He prescribed zantac and said keep trying. I kept throwing up everyday. So finally I went in and had an unfill, back to where I was when I could eat. So then I had no restriction and no hunger help at all. After a few weeks I had another fill. Again I couldn't eat solids. I waited a couple months as my surgeon said it was all in my head. I relaxed, I chewed to death, I took teeny bites, but I KNOW what stuck feels like. And what getting unstuck feels like too. So, last week, my surgeon took out .3 cc and now I am wide open. There is something going on here and it's not about tightening or loosening the band! But the surgeon says everything looks fine. He always does his fills and unfills with flouro and barium. He says my band is properly placed and wide open. He says it's in my head and sent me to see a therapist. I knew this was absolutely ridiculous...but I went anyway and of course, the therapist didn't think it was in my head. So now, I will not go back to my surgeon after how I was treated last week by him. And I am totally wide open, no hunger control....I am on my own and I don't know what to do next. ANY ideas? 
There is a PA at the clinic who is very good and I like her alot. But I still don't know if I want to stay with this clinic. Should I get another opinion? Tracy

So sorry Tracy.  Have you gone to the band forum and talked to those with more experience?  I always get support there.  Post there and I feel sure you will get some answers to your questions.  I have no advice, but tons of support.  Good luck sweetie!

Filcor, thanks so much for the support! I will check out the lapband forum. Tracy

I had problems with my band as well that lasted for my first year.  Finally a friend on this board pointed me to Dr. Buchwald (Click Here) at the University.  I went from ready to accept my road was over to losing a 100 lbs or so because he listened.  If you get to your wits end and your program is not helping, consider making an appointment with Dr. B.

Paul

Paul, I would be interested to hear more of your story if you want to share it...like what kinds of problems you were having the first year...I have been totally loose now for a week and I have gained a pound already, even with trying to eat the right stuff. I have this hunger calling to me and I say no most of the time but even then I am slowly feeling the gain...you can email me privately if you want at [email protected].  thanks! Tracy

HI Tracy,
It shouldn't be like that - so sorry to hear you are going through this. You and your band might be real sensitive to fills and if so, even .3 cc's difference could make a huge difference in your restriction. My doc doesn't do fills under flouro, unless there is a problem of some sort. He does it based on how we feel and how food is going down. Paul had a good suggestion to check out the docs at the U of M. You know how you feel and if your doc isn't listending, it might be time to at least get a 2nd opinion. Good luck!!!
Jean B.

Jean and everyone, today I talked to the PA in the clinic. I made a formal complaint against my surgeon and I am getting switched to another doctor there who will not know about my experience with the other surgeon. The PA is finding a good fit for me. She is wonderful and I will work with her mostly. She validated my experience. She said she wants me to wait 2 weeks, let the stomach and band get completely relaxed (since I was throwing up everyday) and then we will do small tiny fills until we get to the sweet spot.

Since my unfill, I have been super hungry. I hadn't eaten any solid protein for a good month. So some of it was catch up time. And today I was back in very good control. I had been eating larger amounts and still being hungry. But today things were much tighter...weird...but in a good way. I put one cup of tuna salad on a plate, thinking I would need more food. I couldn't eat half of it! Then at dinner I had a larger peice of fish than usual and I couldn't finish that. So maybe I am really close to my sweet spot. I think I may be a very sensitive person and when I am anxious I feel more hungry and my band seems looser. I am going to do what someone on this list suggested and learn to get to know my band and my body and kind of relax in to it. And learn to accept my band as it is! Thanks...for all the support. Tracy

I also had problems with my band (that's why I just had bypass done).  I started not even being able to eat cream soups at times without problems.  My doc thought it was beacuse I was eating the wrong things (I couldn't eat by the way) so I was really frustrated.  Well, I persisted and we finally found out the problem was that my esophagus dilated.  Do you, or did you have problems with heartburn/reflux?  That is what caused my problems.  I was one of the clinics first lapbands and so I think they were kind of on the learning curve with me.  I hope you figure it out whatever it is, and don't take the "it's in your head" answer.  You know when something is wrong. 

Christine, i would love to hear how your journey is progressing with the bypass. I didn't have reflux at all and my band has been so loose that my esophogus hasn't gotten enlarged. If I had to have my band out, I would definitely get another surgery, if I could...now my bmi is down. But I would really like to hear from you what is different and how different it is, etc. tracy

I'm so sorry to hear how your dr treated you. I hope the new dr will be a better fit for you and your band. Jean is right, you may be very sensitive and even a tiny fill could affect you. If you can't eat solid protein then you are too tight. Remember that as you lose weight, you will also lose the fat between the stomach and your band. That will make a difference in the amount of fill you need for restriction. It can be frustrating waiting until you find your sweet spot, believe me, I know! Keep follow those band rules and hang in there.

Jean and I go to the same band support group on Sunday nights at 6:30. We meet in Coon Rapids off Hwy 10 and Foley at the Startbucks. That might be too far of a drive for you, but feel free to join us if you care to.