Okay....so to Otnas' reply. I'm sorry, have you had the surgery yet? Are you actually experiencing the frustration? Seriously, the last thing I need is someone telling me to chill out! I get that you may have meant well, and intonation is always lost in posts, but that's not a very supportive thing to say. Okay, moving on.... I made the original post that started this thread over two months ago, and every time someone comes to this forum and refreshes it on the list by making a reply like once a month or so it gets all hot and steamy again. So I guess first I should update. Since then I have had 3 fills for a total of about 2cc in my 4cc band. From the first to second fill I lost about 5 lbs, second to third fill about 5 lbs and since the third fill a week ago about 3 lbs. That brings me up to 24-25 lbs. Okay, 3.5 months out it's not what I was hoping for, but it works. What I will say is that the worst part of this, and this was NOT told to me by the surgeon, and you can all have a field day on that statment, and I did know it happened to some people, but my hair is falling out as of about 3 weeks ago. Went to the dermatologist, said it was telogen effluvium, very common with major body traumas, surgery, childbirth, sudden weight loss (which this doesn't qualify as). Google it and you can find out more. Anyway, it really sucks. I'm up to my ears in supplements and vitamins and I am getting in enough protein. As I was just laying in bed watching TV half hour ago I started running my hands through my hair, and just for the hell of it I counted what came out. 170 hairs! Normal shedding is between 50-100 a day. This doesn't include what I lost this morning or all throughout the day. They say I won't go bald, but it will get thin, and it is, but the good news is that the hair is falling out because my body has decided it's response to all the change is to grow new hair, and all at once, but HOPEFULLY it should stop soon and it's growing back! I told my surgeon and he said he never heard of it with the lap-band....doesn't seem to matter lap-band or not lap-band, but again, if you google the condition you will see it's triggered by the sugery and about everything that goes with having it. So, here's to being thinnER and bald? Hooray! BUT, I will say that I am happy with the weight loss, so it's better than nothing, and for now with the amount I'm able to eat after the third fill, it can only get better! Thanks for all the words and kindness (not so much the other stuff), and I think posts like this are really no longer about me, it becomes a common experience adn a place to ***** ***** *****

ONe thing that I have learned as a bandster is that b/c our bodies work "normally" it is going to respond "normally" to the weight loss, calories....anyway, I would suggest seeing a nutritionists, one hard thing for us bandsters that is that sometimes we tread a fine line of losing and not losing when we are restriction calories and exercising at the level that you are. My OB, who you would think as a doc would have great success, has a VERY hard time losing unless she UPS her calorie intake or REDUCES her exercise...GO FIGURE! Since learning that I know that I have that issue when I plateu...it is usually due to my lack of calories and too much exercise...sometimes I take a few weeks off from exercise and then bam...weight starts falling off, or I eat more protein and again it falls right off! But, the best advice I can givce is to journal every calorie you eat and total protein and exercise for a week and then take it to your nutritionists and see where you are truly at, that is what they are there for! GOOD LUCK! BE BLESSED! Rachel

I'd have your doctor contact Inamed about your band. A faulty band has been covered by them before. I can't recall which poster told us about it. The doctor submitted bills to Inamed and they paid. Hope things get better for you. GrannyLaLa

Sue, Thanks for telling me your saga! Goodness...it sounds frustrating! I will read the article as soon as I remove the parental controls that are blocking me from reading it, LOL! It blocks the craziest things.... I was particularly interested because I had my pre-op UGI the other day and the doc said my distal esophagus was abnormally large but that I don't have reflux. We certainly are learning more about the digestive system than we ever thought! Thanks again! Susan

Thank you very much for your reply and encouragement! You have been an inspiration to me and I wish you nothing but the best! I am one month post op and so far it has been great! I am dealing with a kidney stone, my first one ever, I guess there is a thing as too much calcium! ha ! Take care and best wishes. Jen