Banders...HELP!
ok here's the thing....my mom had lapband in september09 and she has had a terrible time losing weight...first off my mom's port was freakin flipped the wrong way so she had to have a procedure to correct that 2 months later.....now she has had several fills since then and no weight loss!!!....yes to all that have asked if she is eating correctly! i mean wtf! she is very discouraged on having her surgery...i am just trying to see if anyone else has gone through the same thing....should she consult about slippage or even leakage?? I see that my mom looks at me as an inspiration to lose weight because I had gastric but I see the frustration in her eyes and I am getting there too now 
also...she feels no restriction what so ever....i know i feel restriction all the time but i am not sure how to discuss the restriction feeling of a bander
also...she feels no restriction what so ever....i know i feel restriction all the time but i am not sure how to discuss the restriction feeling of a bander
I would say that she needs to see her surgeon and her doctor for a complete exam. Unfortunately port flips happen. How often, I couldn't say. It is a risk of having a band. Also, I will say that depending on the type of band she has and what size it is, she may have several fills before she feels restriction but, by now she should have had more than just few fills. My first year, I had them almost monthly. Has she seen her surgeon regularly? Has she seen her NUT regularly as well? If not, she should have been and honestly by now, she should have her band fluoroscoped to check for leakage or slippage.
Not everyone has success with their band and there are many reason for that to happen. Malfunction is one, but more times than not, its related to how we "use" the tool we have. If she is eating well and enough (I know a lot of bandsters, including myself who struggle with this) she may be not getting enough exercise. Also, she should see her general physician because it may not be her band at all. She may need to have some blood work done to check for other things, such as thyroid or hormone issues...just to rule those types of things out.
I know it can be really, really hard. I hope things work out of your mother.
Not everyone has success with their band and there are many reason for that to happen. Malfunction is one, but more times than not, its related to how we "use" the tool we have. If she is eating well and enough (I know a lot of bandsters, including myself who struggle with this) she may be not getting enough exercise. Also, she should see her general physician because it may not be her band at all. She may need to have some blood work done to check for other things, such as thyroid or hormone issues...just to rule those types of things out.
I know it can be really, really hard. I hope things work out of your mother.
Hello Monie,
I try my darnedest to avoid the band story posts but just can't contain myself once again as I proceed with caution not knowing the full story, nor am a physician.
As always I will again say that everyones journey is different and for many the band has been very successful, but for a high percentage of people it is not and after my nightmare x 10 with the band I would suggest that UNLESS the surgeon quickly (as in within the next 6 months) finds a reasonable solution, to revise. The red flag for me in reading about your mom was when you said that she was asked if she is eating correctly. In her case it may just be that her "sweetspot" hasn't been obtained yet. I hope thats the issue because if it is then once they get to her sweetspot then she will begin to lose weight accordingly. However when the questions of "blame" begin and continue to ensue, even when she as the patient is being compliant then it's time to shift gears. I wish I had done so earlier than I did.
In my case I never had a sweetspot and then I later couldn't friggen eat unless the band allowed me to and ended up gaining more than what I weighed initially because when I could eat I went over the top not knowing when I would be able to eat again. You can read the revision story in my profile beginning with February 09 if you want more info.
After 4 years of frustration and issue after issue, I eventually had a revision which was supposed to be a DS but due to the damage from the band which could not be seen in my yearly endoscopes, he could only do the VSG (sleeve) which is another restrictive surgery that I was afraid would not work. I was dead WRONG! it is as different as night and day and I have lost weight at a slow steady pace (still losing) with very little effort. Eating has been totally NORMAL other than I can only eat a childs portion but fullness feels as if I have eaten more because it feels the same. I have yet to overeat or get sick, slime, or feel deprived. It is a good tool and I have yet to hear or read a complaint.
If you want more info. pm me, and if your Mom ever decides to revise I will refer you to my surgeon (Mustafas Hares) who is located in Madison Heights.
In the meantime, I hope that the solution is as simple as the surgeon obtaining her sweetspot with fills. Sorry that I cannot explain what normal fullness with the band is, but for me I could eat a bite or two and then that silicone serpant would lock up not allowing nothing else, including saliva to go down
, I would then get the sliming and all else that follows.
Que
I try my darnedest to avoid the band story posts but just can't contain myself once again as I proceed with caution not knowing the full story, nor am a physician.
As always I will again say that everyones journey is different and for many the band has been very successful, but for a high percentage of people it is not and after my nightmare x 10 with the band I would suggest that UNLESS the surgeon quickly (as in within the next 6 months) finds a reasonable solution, to revise. The red flag for me in reading about your mom was when you said that she was asked if she is eating correctly. In her case it may just be that her "sweetspot" hasn't been obtained yet. I hope thats the issue because if it is then once they get to her sweetspot then she will begin to lose weight accordingly. However when the questions of "blame" begin and continue to ensue, even when she as the patient is being compliant then it's time to shift gears. I wish I had done so earlier than I did.
In my case I never had a sweetspot and then I later couldn't friggen eat unless the band allowed me to and ended up gaining more than what I weighed initially because when I could eat I went over the top not knowing when I would be able to eat again. You can read the revision story in my profile beginning with February 09 if you want more info.
After 4 years of frustration and issue after issue, I eventually had a revision which was supposed to be a DS but due to the damage from the band which could not be seen in my yearly endoscopes, he could only do the VSG (sleeve) which is another restrictive surgery that I was afraid would not work. I was dead WRONG! it is as different as night and day and I have lost weight at a slow steady pace (still losing) with very little effort. Eating has been totally NORMAL other than I can only eat a childs portion but fullness feels as if I have eaten more because it feels the same. I have yet to overeat or get sick, slime, or feel deprived. It is a good tool and I have yet to hear or read a complaint.
If you want more info. pm me, and if your Mom ever decides to revise I will refer you to my surgeon (Mustafas Hares) who is located in Madison Heights.
In the meantime, I hope that the solution is as simple as the surgeon obtaining her sweetspot with fills. Sorry that I cannot explain what normal fullness with the band is, but for me I could eat a bite or two and then that silicone serpant would lock up not allowing nothing else, including saliva to go down
, I would then get the sliming and all else that follows.Que
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