should I be disappointed????

It has been almost a year since I had my lapband surgery ( I had the surgery February 16, 2011) I started at 208 lbs and now I'm down to about 170, so I've lost about 38 pounds,  I have 8 ccs in a 10 band,  I try my best to follow the diet and excersise, but I'm still discouraged because I'm still obese, I'm only 5 ft 3 in tall.  I went to the doctor day before yesterday and had lost 4 1/2 lbs since my last appointment,  The nurse practitioner was kind of rude to me and was like maybe you've had a slippage and you need a upper gi.  I was a self pay and I know I can't afford to have any test done.. I guess I'm just so mad that I wish I would have had the gastric bypasslll

Should you be disappointed? Yes and no. Yes, because you had probably set your sights on a higher loss number. No, because you lost 38 pounds. How many would you have GAINED in a year without your surgery?

You NP has no business being rude to you for any reason, and you should call her on that. These people work for YOU, and need to be reminded now and then. Next, you need to ask her WHY she thinks you've had a slip. Do you have any symptoms of one?

Then, you need to evaluate what's going on with you. You say that you're being careful about diet and exercise, which is good. But how is your eating? Are you getting full and staying full-feeling for quite a while? If not, you may need a little more fill.

No you should not be disappointed....based on what? BMI...please that is not an accurate measure in my opinion and even if you want to go by that you are 1 point from being in the overweight category and when you began you where in the morbidly obese category so even by that archaic measure you have come a long way.......and every pound lost counts....

The band works even years out, so no worries about not getting it all off in the first year......I am almost 4 years out, gained some 30 back and once again the band is starting to help me get back on track and get the weight off.....so no worries there it will happen....

Not sure why the NP would be rude and imply that because you only lost x amount of weight your band must be slipped........if you are having signs of a slip then a GI is in order.

No weight loss surgery is a guarantee of weight loss, so no reason to think that if you had another surgery things would be different, even bypass depends on how you work it. Don't measure success by what others have done......where would you be now if you had no surgery??

Try to keep a positive attitude and if you don't think that what you have done this year is satisfactory to you to get the weight loss you want then change it up......insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.......... 

We are all here to help......post what a day is like for you...food wise, exercise wise, calories, carbs ect.....  also did you take measurements??? some people lose inches more so than calories.....

Don't give up.....and by all means if you are having issues or signs of a slip then try to find a way to get that GI...

Michele

 Your weigh in was a 4 1/2 lb lost..That is a great amount for a month.. I have my band 13 mos. ago and stopped lossing lastJune much do to my bad eating habits.. My surgeon would not give me a fill until I got upper GI which  I did 2 days ago. There was no slippage which I new cause I had no side effects to indicate such. I had also just got my new insurance.. These test are so not  needd.. Your weight  loss is great. I lost under  50 lbs. I'm now seeing a Nutritionist and have lost 5 lbs. with watching thesugar index. I'm not diebetic.. 3 meals snack every 2 lbs. great program. Keep up your good work...and don't be disappointed your not in a race and we expect too much from ourself sometimes. Youwill get there..I'm sure.....

I think that you have done a wonderful job with your weight loss.  You might of been morbidly obese when you started but you weigh a 170lbs now and to me that is awesome.  I started at 339 and now weigh 224 it will be three years for me at the end of April.  I quit losing because I got comfortable with being 224.  I had gained back up to 235 after not going to the dr for a year but it was on my own doing.  The dr gave me a fill and I hate to say some diet pills for a month.  I am now back to 224 and hopefully will get to a 170 and I would be thrilled I got to learn to stay away from Candy thats my biggest down fall..  I dont get why your dr would recommend that right off espically since you have lost those 4 1/2 lbs.  From my stand point and i am no doctor  but do they not remember the band is just a tool and we can even when we are trying to diet and exercise slip up and not eat what we should be eating and not lose as much.  I dont see why that would automatically say you need a Upper Gi espically if you tell them about any problems you are having besides not being happy with how fast or slow you are losing they shouldnt just say go get a upper GI and lets see if there is a problem espically since you are self pay.  They need to be reasonable and talk with you first.  But just remember you are 30 lbs under 200 and that right there is great.  Dont give up and dont feel bad about question your dr or nurse practionier.  Its your body, your money, and you have made a major step and are healthier than you were a year ago.  Keep your head up and your eye on the prize and you will get there. 

Hey, gal, I'm almost exactly a month ahead of you, 3 inches taller and my weight loss is at 45 lbs, and stalled.  I got to where I was afraid of fills (of getting overfilled and doing damage) so I stopped getting them.  I'm a bit older than a lot of WL patients and was hoping if I did it slower, maybe the skin would not be so saggy and baggy.  My theory is I certainly carried the extra weight around for more than 2 years, so if it takes me more than 2 years to get it off, that's only fair.  Also, think of the percentage of body weight you've lost, and how much better you feel now and what you can do more easily than before. 

Should  you be disapointed? Yes. You have just wasted a hell of a lot of money on that POS! I was self-pay also and I am not only disapointed, but mad as hell! Wish I had done RNY or VSG also.

Join the failed band group. The link is below.

hey there

yes you should be livid. You paid your hard earn money on a lie. You couldve lost that on ww or jenny craig and paid a lot less.

So dont be disappointed in yourself be upset with the band.



My weight was way higher than yours when i got mine lost about the same and now having major issues with band.



Getting this thing out on feb 7th and getting revised to the gastric sleeve.



Good luck with yours. Who knows maybe there will be a major recall and we all sign a class action lawsuit and win :)

i would be disappointed.

also, i'm just bumping up your post for those who are seeking WLS - not those who already have the lapand.   being a self paid patient, requires more funds after the fact for follow up.    it's a valid concern those researching should take into consideration.

what if you had REAL pain & problems and couldn't afford a test to diagnose you properly?  forget just lack of weight loss?

your NP was rude & i would have told her so on the spot.

sorry for what your going through - but this post is a good PSA of sorts.

I'm 5'2 and once weighed 280 I now weigh 157 and am three years out. I have kept off the weight for one year because it took me two to loose that much. I was also self pay and I let that motivate me to loose and not gain back. I'm sorry but the band as u know is a tool not a miracle you must learn to use it. For me when I gained 10 lbs it was because of eating around the band . Cookies and candy and soup and pudding got me the extra weight. I then remembered the 18,000 I spent and started back with the proteins and fruits and veggies. Don't let yourself defeat the band. Our blame game when we are obese (for me anyways) was to blame my genetics or family or depression. It is and always will be a choice of what we put in our mouths. You have the choice of how you use your band. Maybe I'm in the minority but I realize I can work with the band or against it. It's your choice. If you need any help please message me and don't give up! YOU CAN SUCCEED if you allow yourself. God Bless You