I’ve heard some patients ask why they have to come in every 4-6 weeks. There are several answers depending on why you think you shouldn’t come in. In no particular order:
“I’m losing weight, why should I come in?” Remember the scale is not the only judge of whether or not you’re successful. Some people lose weight dysfunctionally, i.e., they lose weight ‘cause they’re throwing-up all the time or are not getting enough protein and are losing muscle mass. Sometimes even if you’re not hungry and even if you’re losing weight, you still need counseling/advice/needling about making good food choices or exercise or both. Plus we get lonely and like the company J
“I’m gaining weight and I’m too embarrassed to come in” This is especially silly to me – when you’re gaining weight is precisely WHEN you need to come in. You may need a fill, you may need an unfill, you may need a shoulder to cry on, you may need the re-start diet, but whatever it is, it’s not at home. It’s here with us. Our whole job is to help you lose weight, not just to be cheerleaders when you do well. EVERYONE has plateaus, EVERYONE has setbacks, so that’s when you need to come in for a mental/band/educational adjustment.
“Nothing ever seems to help, so I’m giving up” Some people need many adjustments, some people get many adjustments and un-fills over the course of their weight loss journey. While this can be frustrating, I often think at least some of the blame lies in the eating behavior of the patient – eating too fast, eating things that are difficult to chew adequately, eating beyond the “full” point. Sometimes it takes patience to learn how to use the band, how to feel “full” and when to stop. Again, all of those things are learnable during clinic visits and especially during support groups.
24. April 2009 at 2:30 pm
i wanted to throw in… that the waiting room is a very good place to hear from others and there experiences too
25. April 2009 at 9:22 pm
Yes, learning from others is a great resource. That’s one of the many reasons we suggest attending one of our support groups. Also, encourage all your friends to leave comments on the blog here, so we can have an “online” support group of sorts. All the best.
25. June 2009 at 9:08 am
O.K. I am guilty. I had my lap-band done August 2007. I kept regular appointments for the first year and lost 86 lbs. Then, I let life get in the way and didn’t continue to go for appointments or stay “in the box”. I finally decided it was time to put myself first again. I went for an appointment earlier this week. I had gained 10 lbs since the last visit a year ago. Sandra lined me out and put me on the restart diet. I expected to get a fill but she explained to me that I hadn’t been doing anything I was supposed to do and she wouldn’t have any idea how much to put in until I came back next month. I’ve been on the diet 3 days now and have lost 3 lbs. Thanks Sandra. I will see you at my scheduled appointment next month.
25. June 2009 at 6:11 pm
hooray! yet more proof that fills are not always the answer, but staying in the box usually is
3. July 2009 at 1:18 pm
I too have been guilty of not coming into the office for just follow-ups. I believe my band is perfect and I feel in control of my eating. I don’t vomit ( unless of course I break the “in-the-box” rules). I can eat whatever I want (chicken, tune, deli-turkey, eggs, yogurt, etc). Nothing gets stucks. 8 months out and 65 lbs lighter seems very good to me. As long as I abide by the rules which of course is my new lifestyle, I feel great. I do followup with my family doc and my blood tests are perfect. One question that has come up for me is a possible tonsillectomy. I have heard that if you have a surgery then my band has to be loosen up and I really don’t want to start over. Is it a MUST to loosen the band if pb’s are minimal (less than once a week) for a T&A surgery?
24. August 2009 at 3:09 pm
[Comment edited...]
Can you go into a discussion about people over 50 and the fact that we won’t lose weight as fast as the younger ones will?
25. August 2009 at 10:50 pm
I had to edit your comment because we cannot answer specific questions about specific individual issues over the Internet. We are happy to discuss things at your next visit.
We have had many people in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s lose weight very successfully. Eat proper foods, eat the right amount, and exercise, and you will do fine!