Lap Band Not Working

Hello!! I had my lap band surgery December 8, 2009 so it has been 1 year.  I have only lost 30 pounds and am gaining it back.  My problem is I feel no restriction at all.  I am at 8 cc and tell my DR.  I can eat anything with no restriction and nothing is being done.  Has anyone had this issue.  Not sure if I should try a different procdure or if this one is just failing.  I exercise 3 times a week and am at about 1200 calories a day.  PLEASE HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS ISSUE!! I AM FREAKING OUT!!  THANK YOU

Don't put up with no action from your Dr. Go back to see him and demand that he give you some answers as to why you have/feel no restriction. "Nothing being done" is not acceptable. Ask him what needs to be done to get some restriction.
-Wanda

What was your doctor's response during the first year of you losing just 30 lbs.?  I know with lap bands the weight loss is slower and less, but during the first year any problems should have been identified.  Does your program have a nutritionist?  Maybe he/she could help you identify foods that naturally make you feel fuller (high density foods) while you pursue addition help from your surgeon.

Try posting this on the lapband forum...

I have a few questions for you though:

Are you eating your protein first, then a small amount of veggies and limiting carbs?
Are you tracking your food and water intake in a food log?
When you go in for a fill, does the doctor remove all of your saline to ensure you don't have a leak?

The band isn't for everyone, in some people it just doesn't work the way it is supposed to.

Go back to your doctor and have him remove your saline and measure it to make sure you don't have a leaky port or tubing.

Good luck to you.

I agree that you should go back to your surgeon and find out what is going on. You may have a port problem or just not enough fill. Don't give up. You have to be the squeaky wheel. Mona

Yes! My solution was I CHANGED SURGEONS to a surgeon that ONLY DO LAP BANDS and specialize in the band and fills, and since my last fill with my new surgeon, I lost weight with NO exercise I thought that was not possible for me, I used to kill myself with exercise daily with my previous surgeon because I've NEVER had long lasting nor good restriction with him, I thought something was wrong with my band. 

Before you look into getting a unnecessary revision, you may just a need a NEW surgeon that will fill you properly, I have perfect restriction with no vomiting, or reflux, I even suffered reflux and being too tight with my previous surgeon I was either too tight or not enough, now I've found my sweet spot with no side effects, so the sweet spot DOES exist with properly filling. I did not want to believe my old surgeon was not filling me properly I like him a lot, but again he favored RNY so perhaps he was hoping I failed where he could revise me...lol.

Just search for a new surgeon and request your medical records, and I would highly recommend a surgeon that ONLY does lap bands they are more dedicated to band patients.

Good luck

Edited to add: if you are in PA, you may want to invest in traveling to northern Virgina , Dr Pinnar ONLY does lap bands and they are very good with fills and aftercare.

I had the same problem no lose with the lapband in a year. Jan 08-Nov.09. Had revision 11/09 approved without question to RNY. Best thing that has ever happened to me. I'm half the woman I was in 15 mo.s and my health problems are resolved or the existing ones are much better. I have had very few problems and learning and enjoying more evedryday. Good Luck!

 Remember that HE works for YOU and remind him of that fact. If you don't have restriction, you need your band adjusted. You paid him a lot of $$$ for that surgery and HE has to help you make it work optimally for you. 

As the others say. You doc needs to give you some answers.

But I notice you are eating 1200 cals a day.  Well that is about what many bandsters eat. I know you are doing it by yourself without the band's help but getting more restriction will just help you stop feeling hungry, ti won't necessarily make you eat less than that (some people do but many don't).

So perhaps you need to see a nutritionist. On 1200 cals a day, you should be losing.

Kate

Hello. It took me almost 3 years to lose 117 pounds. My band has 8.2 ccs in it. Maybe you need a small fill. I also had to stay around 800-1000 calories a day and exercised 4-5 times a week, about an hour a day. Right now I'm maintaining at 1200-1300 calories a day. Hope this helps.

Diana