Zero weight loss, only continued gaining, VERY FRUSTRATED!!

I had the realize band surgery August 19, 2010.  Just yesterday I went in for my 3rd fill....I have a total of 8.5 cc's in the band.  I have not lost ANY weight since the surgery but have gained about 20 pounds!  I do not feel any restriction, and can eat anything, just like before the surgery, breads, pasta, rice, you name it....everything goes down just fine!  I actually feel like I do not even have a band in me!  This of course is the total opposite of where I want to be and I am beyond frustrated!  All I do is count down the days until I can go get another fill and pray that "this time" I will feel some sort of restriction and see some weight loss.  I would like to know if anyone else has had this same horrible experience with the realize band.  I don't know what to do!

I feel your pain! Nov. 3 was my 1 yr. bandiversary and at that point I had had 13 fills and still not restriction/sweet spot.

Unfortunatly some ppl never reach restriction/sweet spot. That is something they NEVER tell u before surgery!!! So are either too loose or too tight. No happy medium. There was someone else that posted on my one yr. update that got her band about a wk. after I got mine and she had just recently gotten restriction. Unfortunatly it can be a very long process for some ppl!!!

I hope the next fill does it for u but if not........well u do have plenty of company!

That's too bad.I feel terrible for you!I had the band placed Feb 2010.My weight loss has been slow at times,,then,I finally got restriction.Have you been getting all the water in?Protein?Those are the two things I found make all the difference in the world.And when that doesn't help..I count calories.It took me a couple of fills..then suddenly,restriction!Dont give up!You went Thur a surgery to help fix this..keep working at it!My doc sells this stuff"prostate"Its liquid shot of protein,,really helps.Hang in there!

I had surgery 7/20/10 (a month before you) and I also have 8.5cc now in my 11cc band.  My first fill I had 5cc and then 8/25 I had 1cc, then I didn't have any restiction and thought something was wrong, so I went back in and 10/4 he extracted it all to make sure there wasn't a leak and I lost .5 cc's - he added 3cc's and I feel better restriction now.  What I know now is food doesn't have to get stuck to be working, I feel more satisfied after eating a meal but just have to learn my stopping point.  It's going slow, but it's going.  I try not to get on the scale much because it makes me discouraged, but I keep trying.  I feel better by just following what I know is right and feeling my clothes fit better and looser.  I hope your next fill will keep you satisifed after you eat.  You shouldn't be gaining... that's not right.  Maybe you should ask your doctor to expel the saline to make sure there's no leaks too.

Good luck and keep us updated.

Folks, while I understand everyone’s frustration here are the two questions I need to ask: (1) Are you following ALL the RULES a MAJORITY of the time (2) Have you been in constant contact with your Doctor and/or Nutritionist?

 

(1) If you’re not following the rules most of the time, that could be the issue. You need to have the 64 ounces of NON-CARBONATE/DECAFFEINATED liquid. You need to have your 60 to 80 grams of protein. You need to make sure you don’t drink 30 minutes before/after or during your meal.  If you are, then stalls are natural part of weight loss. It seems the body “catches on" to what we have been doing, and holds onto everything. After a while, the lost restarts and things go well.

 

However, stalls can also because by eating (a) too much (b) not enough. I know it sounds a little contradictory, and I will try to explain.

 

Too much: While we need to make sure we hit our protein requirements (60-80 grams, or whatever your Doctor told you), we need to make sure the carbs, calories, etc are “acceptable". Remember, you don’t want to make your 80 grams of protein by eating 4 gallons of ice cream or a starchy carb.

 

Not enough: Again, make sure you are meeting your daily protein requirements. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO WEIGHT LOSS. The body is a marvelous machine, and it will protect itself. If one doesn’t eat enough, the body’s metabolism will slow down - in order to keep itself functioning. If a person intake is less then what it expels, the body will start to “store" food. This can happen when you're exercising too. You may need a little more protein then you normally take in. Speak to your Doctor/Nutritionist.

 

(2) You need to discuss your frustration with your Doctor and/or Nutritionist. That’s why they are there. If you feel you’re not getting the support from them, then you need to go to another Doctor and/or Nutritionist. Remember you are the client/consumer. If you’re paying for a service, you want the best service for that money. If not, move on. You are worth THE BEST because YOU ARE THE BEST!!

 

If not already done, you may want to demand to have your next fill done under fluoroscope. While it may be more expensive, in the long run it may SAVE you MONEY and AGGRAVATION. Sometimes it takes fewer visits to get to the “sweet" spot with fluoroscope then with blind.

 

No matter how tight the band is, hunger will be a problem. What you need to remember is they put the band around your stomach, and not around your brain. You will need to use some self control when it comes to food. If you are hungry stop and ask yourself is this real hunger or head hunger. Asking that alone will probably be an indication it’s head hunger, so you know what to do. Get busy doing something else. If it’s real hunger, then EAT – but SOMETHING HEALTHY. Have some PROTEIN, salad; vegetables, etc.

 

Know I am here to help if you need

 

 

 

 

 Hi , I can empathize with your situation. I had the surgery April 29th and filles every single month after that sometimes under flouroscopy sometimes not. I just don't feel full and was shaking because I was so hungry. Initially i followed rules exactly and lost 35 lbs. but because I was starving all the time I couldn't keep it up. Now I still follow the rules but eat between 1/2 - 3/4 cup of food. My problem is that I can't figure out how to get the protein in each meal and only eat 1/2 cup. I don't keep anything unhealthy in the house that would be a temptation for me to eat. And I still gained 10 lbs recently which has really bumbed me out. So I joined Jenny Craig last month, to jump start the weight loss and it has given me new resolve. I lost 10 lbs, and this is the real kicker, I went to a different surgeon last week who asked if I kicking foods off the protein list "that was givaen to me". I NEVER got a list! Once I saw the amounts of food and the gms of protein it has made it somuch easier to pick high protein foods. and I've been struggling for 6 months. I'm having an upper GI this week to see if my band stretched(done before and it wasn't stretched), and I'll follow kthe advie this new doctor gives me. My suggestion to you is to go to another surgeon in the group if you are having questions about the band and it's not working. Also see a nutritionist(I've been 3 times, nohelp) so he's sending me to a different one to discuss volum control, grams of protein, and menu planning.Hopefully all this is going to be of some help to me. Let me know how yu continue to do. 

Could you share the list of foods, proteins? I'm doing pretty good (I had the surgery 10/28 and om on soft foods right now. The good news is that I mostly haven't been hungry, and have never vomited, etc. But I know I'm not getting enough protein and not drinking enough water.)

 It's a 3 page list . To start with:
3oz of carp, blue fish,crab,flounder,halibut, haddock,herring,mackerel,salmon,sardines,shrimp,sole, orange roughy , tuna are between 19-22gm. protein. I'l just skim over the others:

chicken,canned, boned,wings 1/2 cup or 4 oz is between14-35gm.

beans,any kind except navy1/2 c is 7-8gm. Navy is 20gm.,soy beans 3 oz 21 gm, dry roaasted soy beans 1/2 c 34 oz,
Dairy:
milk-buttermilk 1c is 8gm,soy milk is 7gm,cream cheese 1oz is 2gm, most types cheese 1oz is 8,ricotta 1/2c is14gm,yogurt 4 oz 6gm
Beef:
brisket 3 0z 21gm, pot roast 3 0z. 23gm,, corn beef 3 oz. 15gm,short ribs 3 oz 18 gm,porterhouse 3 oz 21 gm, roast beef 3 oz 16 gm,t-bone 3 oz 21 gm, ground beef 3 oz 21 gmbacon 3 strips 6gm,

Tofu 1/2 c firm 20 gm, soft12 gm
Peanut butter 2tlbs 8 gm
pork: 
3 oz center loin 20 gm, roast 3 oz 24 gm, spare ribs 3 0z 26 gm
eggs 1 6gm,egg beaters 1/4c 5gm., quiche lorraine 3oz 15 gm,
Veal: 3 0zcutlet 30gm,ground 21gm
Turkey30z cann3d ground or roasted 12-20 gm
Hope this is helpful. Meeting with nutritionist today for meal plans, which i"ll share with you

DoubleLLs2, don't give up! I got my band on 2/28 this year and did not get good restriction until just recently. Like you, I was able to eat anything at all in almost any amount. I started off following all of the rules but gradually started cutting corners. I kept telling the surgeon that I felt more like I was dieting than that the band was helping me. I've always been able to lose weight by dieting but I've also always gained it back. He suspected I might have a leak and sent me for an upper GI to check the band. I thought the radiologist told me the band's position was good but it wasn't providing restriction.

Early last month life events threw me off of my "diet" and I spent almost a month eating emotionally before I managed to begin following the rules again. I still felt empty all the time (empty, not hungry -- a sure sign of head hunger for me) but tried to eat healthy things instead of empty calories. I saw my surgeon again last Thursday and he told me I wasn't leaking and gave me another fill. Wow! All of a sudden I had restriction and thought "so this is what it's supposed to feel like!").

After previous fills I had always been able to drink freely and move quickly from liquids through soft foods to solid food. This time, I really could only take small sips at first and had to follow the doctor's instructions of 2 days of liquids, 2 days of soft foods and then gradually introduce solid food. I can no longer get away with cutting corners like I was doing before.

The surgeon explained to me that everyone reaches restriction at different fill amounts because the size (outer diameter) of everyone's esophagus is different. Since 7 cc's is going to fill anyone's band the same amount leaving an opening of "x" mm, if your esophagus is larger than "x" it's going to be much more restricted than someone with a smaller diameter. (the band is not actually around the esophagus but around the stomach but the principle is the same -- everyone is different) Think of it like a sewing needle. A needle with an eye sized for thread is not going to be able to pass yarn. Same opening, different sizes trying to go through it.

I don't think I'm quite at the "sweet spot" yet but, for the first time, I can believe that there is a sweet spot for me. Hang in there and work with both your doctor and your nutritionist. As someone else said, if your current team cannot provide you with restriction it may be time to find a new team. As a medical device the band is quite successful but it must be adjusted properly to work. Don't forget, the band is just a tool to help us change our relationship with food. It is only a part of the solution to our obesity, not the entire answer.

Good luck in your journey.

You are def not alone.  I had my surgery August 25, 2010. First week was great. I had good restriction (from swelling/trauma) week one post-op. I remember freaking out because I was able to eat without getting things stuck, never threw up, and def was not restricted to how much I could eat. I have been aggressive with my fills and my dr's ofice has been great and have been filling aggressivly. One week ago I went back in with my band already filled 9.5cc and the PA agreed to try the max, 11cc. She filled me up and had me sip water. I was able to drink about 8-10 oz no problem. She said that she has never seen anyone hold down water when the band was completely full. I now have an appointment for an Upper GI and hope that I get some "good" news.
I was dieting and working out before surgery and that's how I lost the 60 lbs. Since having the band i've lost nothing and I have gained about 15 lbsv (obviously I don't work out anymore).  I am able to lose weight, but obviously can't keep it off. I can only diet for so long before I get tired of being hungry. I thought this band would help me with the "dieting' mentality. I hoped it would take my mind off being constantly hungry. It is still a new process and I hold hope that this test will show why I'm not restricted.