food

I feel like I'm able to eat more than I should. I have a fill on thurs. of next week. I'm not happy with weight loss. I lost a lot of weight on liquid diet. This will be my second fill I'm at 2.5 right now. I've only had 1 fill since surgery... I'm getting frustrated... and I'm contemplating revisional surgery... Is there anyone that is completely happy with lap band that can tell me to be patient to get my fills and wait out the process? I'd rather that than cutting my stomach for the sleeve... however, if the sleeve fulfills my wishes of being in a bathing suit without worrying about my weight this summer, I will go for it. of course with the permission of my doctor... I have a low bmi but I also am 5'1"please give advice I can use all of the advice that I get.

You really shouldn't even be contemplating revision surgery. You are less than 3 months out, it takes a few fills to get restriction sometimes more than that, I didn't have any restriction until probably my 3rd or 4th fill.. Unfortunately with the band a lot of people don't get immediate restriction, some people don't have to have any fills and have restriction, others have to have many fills. I didn't have decent restriction until I reached around 6 cc in my 11 cc band.  The first few months are going to be tough, hopefully this next fill will get you decent restriction so you can start using your tool the way you should be able to. Just be patient and speak to your surgeon about how you are feeling about this. Good Luck.

It seems you have some unrealistic expectations of the band. It is very rare for someone to have restriction after just one fill, it usually takes several to reach restriction if you are going to (many of us never get restriction. After 17 fills I never got it). However you did opt to get the band, and you need to read up on how the band is suppose to work and do all you can to work with it. Again, the band may not ever work for you, but you'll never know unless you try. Hopefully you'll be one of the lucky ones.

The band may, or may not "fulfill your wishes of being in a bathing suit without worrying about my weight this summer. I don't know how much you have to lose, but since your BMI was high enough for WLS, I doubt very seriously that this will be the case for you this summer. There is no reputable Dr. that is going to revise you after just a few months so you can get into a bathing suit in time for summer!

Please do more research about the band so you understand how it is suppose to work and see what kind of timeline you are looking at. According to band stats, the average weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week (with restriction). Some lose more, and some ppl never even lose an ounce. The band is a complete crap shoot. But since you have it now, do alll that you can to try to realistically work with the band so you are less likely to be disapointed.

Like the others have said you are too early out to even be concerned about a revision. It took me 4 fills before I felt any restriction and I had to wait a month between them. There are reasons for taking time, there;s no better way to start band problems than by rushing the fill process. The minute you end up too tight you are looking at continuing problems so take it slow and easy. Some folks don't even feel the fill for 2-3 weeks so most docs wait several weeks to make sure you don't get too tight. Just relax and patience is the word with the band. I have issues with my band but it didn't start until a couple of years out and I'm certainly not one to praise the band but you DO have to give it a chance before jumping into another surgery, besides most surgeons would make you wait at least a year I imagine. Good luck but have patience! 

I agree with Ashley.
I think the average amount is somewhere between 4-6 c****il people reach their restriction. (of course some more, some less) As you lose more weight you will need more fluid because your inner stomach will get smaller, too. The band does take longer to lose weight and you need a little more patience. It does take work, eating smaller amounts of food, even when you feel you are very hungry (I used to say my Dr was starving the weight off of me, LOL) But it does get easier with each fill.
I hope it gets easier, soon. Hang in there.

I'll put it simply....slow and steady wins the race: You may have unrealistic expectations of the band......I was a slow loser but still managed to lose 90 total, it takes a lot of work all surgeries do.

Never rush fills, start practicing and eating as if you have restriction...slow, small bites, chew well....

As the above posters stated, some never get restriction......the best restriction I can get comes with heartburn (which is listed as a side effect) so I know keep a less full band.....I will try again with another little fill next month..........no magic numbers, what works for others won't for you but to already be talking about a revision is not the right frame of mind to have your best chance of success.

The right frame of mind is a big component of success with the band........you made the band decision now just go with it, work it the way it is supposed to and with luck and hard work success might be yours........

Michele

I think I was banded right around the same time as you...12/1/11.  It's only been a few months...I'm still learning, still trying to make this work for me.  It takes time...and if anyone can voice frustration thinking this should go faster, I should loose more faster...it's me!  I'm under the gun!  My main factor to get this weight off quickly is the need for a hip replacement.  My right hip has come to the end of its usefulness...it's time.  The pain is consuming my life, but I have to focus on getting it replaced and working on my diet, my life, my LAP Band is what I need to do.  I could have had a more aggressive surgery, but I chose this. 

I'm down 43 pounds as of today.  I have a fill on Monday.  My second fill felt like nothing, like it didn't do a thing for me...talk about disappointment.  It is frustrating, but tomorrow is another day...and Monday is another fill and I'm moving on.  I don't care about fitting in a bathsuit...I care about living my life without so much pain.  I care about walking...I really can't exercise because I can barely walk without PAIN!!  I care about being here for my kids and getting my life back with my husband.  Will it take time...YES.  Am I frustrated...YES  But I'm not giving up...you shouldn't either.  My LAPBand is just the tool to help me loose weight faster...so I can get my life back, so I can walk, so I can climb a set of stairs without pain.  Hey, if I happen to look good in a bathing suit...that's a bonus!

Lisa Powers

thank you for all of your feed back, I agree that I was being very hasty with my undecided choice to switch to another procedure. I guess I don't know what to expect and my resources have been limited. Thank you for all of your support. Like I said earlier I'd rather not undergo another surgery. The whole bathing suit thing, is more of me just feeling uncomfortable in my own skin for so long, I'd like to see results. I have a sister that is going to zumba and just fit into a size 8, and my aunt had the sleeve the same time as I had lapband, so I guess I've been under some pressure and I feel like I should be losing more weight. I know I was having some unrealistic expectations, but I was hoping that this year, I could go to the water parks and not feel self conscious. The way I have to look at it, is at this point I'm 23 lbs lighter than last year, and hopefully I'll lose some more weight. I'm almost at my pre pregnancy weight, maybe I should just go to zumba and enjoy myself and maybe I'll see more weight come off.

23 pounds lighter is nothing to sneeze at!  That's great!  You should go to Zumba and enjoy it.  That is just another tool in the box you have to help you get to your weight loss destination.  I so look forward to doing some sort of exercise when I eventually get my new hip and do some healing.  I expect to have an ugly scar, but the pain will be gone and I'll be able to do some serious walking without all this pain.  I also expect more weight loss after I start moving more.  I believe my journey will be a longer road than most, but I'm not giving up!  You shouldn't either!

On to a fill on Monday!


Lisa Powers
43 pounds down since 12/1/11