My 2nd Time to have a lapband.

[Daniel]

One week ago on 19 Aug 2006, I had my old lapband removed and a new lapband installed. I was one of the few unlucky ones that had a defective band that leaked every time the doctor tried to adjust it

[mysterymachine]

Wow, sounds like you've been through a lot. I'm happy to see that you have not given up yet!

Good luck to you, I wish you the best!

[mommyrkr]

I'm so sorry for all you've had to go through. We know those things can happen, you just don't want to be the one they happen to. I'm sure your new experience will be much, much better.

Becki

[ROSE]

Daniel,

I am so sorry for all that you have been through. It is the nightmare that we all fear. Did the same surgeon put in the second band? Was it an INAMED product? Was the company who made the band willing to give you the second band for free? The band itself is expensive, even if a friend does the surgery. All we can do is send you our best wishes and pray that this time will be successful.

I would love to hear from those people who have successfully lost weight. Are you really satisfied with only a few ounces of food. I had my first fill yesterday with 4 cc's in a VG band. Although I felt full sooner than usual after breakfast and lunch, I am very hungry just 2 hours after I have eaten. I made a 3egg white omelet for breakfast with feta cheese, tomato and spinach. I had half for breakfast and the other half for lunch, along with a small piece of canteloupe. And all afternoon I keep looking at the clock and cannot wait to eat supper. Is this realy what it is supposed to feel like??

Sheila

[LoriBecky]

Did Inamed take care of the cost to replace your defective band? My understanding is that there is a warranty on the band and if it is truly a defective band (not a puncture to the port or tubing) that Inamed will replace it. I could be wrong, but you might want to check into that.

[Daniel]

The band replacement was not free, but I did get a discount on it... I am not sure how much but the doctor fees were very reasonable... just the surgery cost me $8500. But how can you put a price on living longer and enjoying life more?

Its been 18 days since my band has been replaced I have dropped 23 lbs. I even started on solids a week after the replacement because my stomach is used to having a band, but I am trying very hard.

I have such fast weight loss because of the following:

1. I have not had any carbs... less than 10grams of carbs per day.

2. I eat 3 small meals each day and very small portions. For breakfast i will have egg white omlete with 3 egg whites, Lunch - 2 very thin slices of Osc. Myr ham wrapped around small slice of swiis cheese, Dinner - four oz of lean hamburger meat springled with shredded cheese....

3. I chew my food extremely well and take very very small bites. I dont swallow until my food in my food is like mush.

4. I dont drink 15 mins prior to eating and dont drink 1 hour after eating.

5. I focus on my meals... no disctractions like TV, computer, newspapers ( I think this was a problem why I gained some weight in the past). Now, I can enjoy just a very small breakfast of 3 eggwhite omlete by taking my time on focusing on my food... then in the past I would eat a 5 egg omlete while watching TV and not even think about my food or how much I enjoyed it.

6. I can say now I am somewhat restricted, but not like when I first started going to solids 2 years ago on my first band. But I have found by eating slowly.... I dont really feel FULL that much, but i DONT feel that hungry. And this is helped me drop a lot of weight even though my band is not currently restricted like it should be.

7. I have a sit down incumbent excersize bike and I am riding it every day and going for walks around sunset.

8. I am drinking tons of water. Before I have always drank diet coke and coffee (even with my leaking band) but now its only water or the non calorie fruit2 0.

9. I am taking the flinstones chewable vitimans, but still I have a lack of patassium... I have woken up twice with muscle cramps in my legs and its very painfull. I have make sure to drink lots of water before bed.

10. I know in each of my meals, I could eat more, and last weeked I had a business breakfast and was able to eat 2 fried eggs and a very small ham ... and I felt somewhat full or a light bit of discomfort in my upper stomach. But now I only eat till I am not hungry vs full. I noticed that there is a lag time for the not hungry sensation to respond to my brain.

My goal is to continue this until I can get my band tightened in the first part of October. I think most of us have been able to stick to diets in the past (prior to our band) but were never able to keep off the weight.... and my weight has been a rollercoaster ride for the last 4 years. I am sure I can continue this for another month, but would have a real problem doing it for a year... and if I did it for a year, I would know all the weight would come back in less than 6 months.

but if I can hang on for another month, and my band gets tight, then I can level off when I go back to carbs ( and I expect to gain a few lbs) but only temporary. Its not healty to stay on noncarbs for an extended period beause its to hard on the kidneys.

From what i read on these forum, some think then band itself will cause weight loss, and thats totally wrong. Its only a tool to make it easier. If the band works correctly it will restrict your intake but if you drink after eating... it wont.

I think something else to consider is ... why did we each gain so much weight to begin with. We are all differnt and examinng why we gained so much weight must also be put into the equation of how to take off the weight... even with the band on.

I gained so much weight because of an accident I had just before I retired from the air force. I had a back injury while surfing. I was a complete health nut 6 years ago and was used to eating 4500 calories per day because i would cycle over 25 miles per day. After my injury, I was used to eating so much and when you cut out the excercise...the weight would just go up. I was used to eating till I was full and that is what i am fighting now with my new band.

I hope this info helps somebody else who is struggleing with the band (leaking or not).