2004 NEVER A FILL

I won a lapband surgery in 2004 and i have never had a fill. i am now ready to start using my band. i wonder if there is anything wrong with it if they can xray it and see etc before i start.

How did you win a lapband? Most doctors make you go through an approval process. It seems kind of odd that one did a giveaway lol. No offense or anything, just saying it's a little out there.

If there's anything wrong with it believe me you'd know.

There is/was a company called belighter.com on the internet. I entered 10k times lol and I was april 2004 winner. it was done by dr alberto rumbault in monterrey mexico. he is well known here in the states so i felt safe letting him do it. 

This may be one of the weirdest threads ever!!  Theoretically, there should be no reason why you could not start getting fills but I think any doctor is going to want to check things out first. For a start, this will be one of the old bands which are no longer used and will have been put in by a now obsolete implantation method.

There were good reasons for the  development of the larger bands and even better ones for the new surgical techniques. So a doctor might be reluctant to start doing fills. 

Did you have no effect from the band? With the old bands, it was common to get some effect even without a fill. 

What happened was I won the surgery from a contest and because I went out of the US to get it it was hard to find a dr who would take me on. I found one in celebration fl but he charged me $1500 to become his patient and i paid it and he gave me a "sample" fill not even a whole one & my granny is the one who paid it. i lived about 150 miles from there atleast. at the same time my husband ot a job doing bridge construction which took us all over the US and we could be in 1 place a week and sent to another state. and his went on until 2011 so fills and dr's were out of the question. now im disabled and i live near st augustine and i found dr marema who will do fills im waiting on the closing of my house to start seeing him.

I have actually heard of these band surgery give aways and now wouldn't take one even if it were free, but that is my opinion after my experience with the band. I would think at the very least the new doc would want a fluroscope to check the band and its position. Whether fluid would go thru and all that.

If I were in your situation I would go very slow with any fills, just a tiny bit at a time. You'll want to see how they affect you. Just be very aware of problems being too tight like acid reflux or night time reflux like choking, then you will need at least a partial unfill. If you start getting pain up under your rib cage or issues being able to swallow, those were what forced me to get mine removed. Good luck you may do fine or you may have nothing but trouble it is a crap shoot with the band.

After reading all your post and profile.  I would highly recommend you see a therapist and get help along with seeing the new surgeon.  I am working with one with my sleeve.  

As stated with that old band and technique you are at higher risk of erosion and slipping than even the new bands.    It is a shame the took your $1500 and that didn't give you a set number of fills at least or fills for a year or such.  I heard of the company that gave it away and not to long ago they where still in business.

I would havea thorough exam, including UGI or endoscopy before thinking about a fill.

What is your weight now compared to when the and was placed?  

I had to have fills as I lost every 15-20 pounds because the band was too loose ... If you have gained since your band was placed, it may be too tight already.

My doc warns about weight gain after band surgery due to risk of erosion if the band becomes too tight.  If your band is too tight while empty, the only way to reduce that pressures removal.

i was 345 when it was placed. im now 352 or so says THIS weight (hospital bed that weighs ya) I have been to one doctor theyd weigh me and a week later be somewhere else and have a 30 lb difference. when i applied for social security their dr said 398 so how in the world do i even know the truth. when i wake up in the mornings it feels like im tight but i dont know if it is the band or just last nights supper. i usually cant eat before 11-12 in the mornings unless i have to. but i have got to where i cant eat as much as i use to. i think the hardest thing is going to be not drinking with my meals. i honestly havent even tried to lose weight because i have this band and cant even use it. maybe this all will change soon but im going to have to go about it just like someone who is just now wanting and getting surgery im just 10 years behind.

Well, I am  confused.

If you are too tight to eat before noon, what makes you think that your band is not working and you can't use it?

Until you try losing weight with a truly band-friendly diet (lean, solid protein, weighed and measured, no liquid calories besides low-fat milk, etc) I would not even consider adding a fill to that band.

It sounds like you don't follow band rules if you are drinking with your meals when you do eat.

Why not try 5-10 days of truly compliant band eating .. You might be surprised to find that your band is just fine.