kkmcgriff

This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band.
The ALLERGAN protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band.
Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band.
Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week.
The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows:
1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to 4 weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to 4 weeks after the fill. That is why the ALLERGAN protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill.
2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band.
3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food.
4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient.
5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again.
6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food.< /span>
7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again.
Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater.
It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.

It seems so far away....I'm the only one on here for May and it even might get pushed to June .
Is anybody with me?

Unfortunately, band surgery happens in your abdomen, not your head. Your band can't do its job alone. You have to be in charge of making good food choices, monitoring portions, exercising, dealing with emotional/stress/boredom eating, and so on. It's very hard work, but if you somehow managed to lose 100% of your excess weight without breaking bad habits and making lifestyle changes, your chances of weight regain would be very high.
Can you think of just one good thing that's happened because of your band surgery? For example: your appetite has decreased, you're hungry less often, you're satisfied with smaller food portions, your mobility is better, you have more energy, or whatever? Even if nothing springs to mind immediately, spend the next few days considering the question, and when you find that one good thing, Celebrate it. If you keep up the hard work, more good things will follow. In the meantime, keep on keeping on!
Jean

Fat2flat: Take a breath ... you are relatively new to band life and still need to adjust. You say you don't want to lose quick, then the band is the right "tool" for you. You also say that you want to lose faster than you are currently losing ... but you don't say how much you've lost. It is likely that you have not yet reached your sweet spot, so more fills are needed along with diet and exercise. Are you consistently exercising? Have you made "lifestyle" changes where your food is concerned? The band is (for most, for a few the weight falls off like GB) a tool that works only as hard a you work. Please note that "hard" is a relative term, it doesn't have to be hard -- if you are willing and ready to change your life. The good news is that if you are not quite ready to jump into the deep end, but need to walk from the shallow to the deep -- you HAVE the band and it will be there when you get to the deep end.
I have always been a slow loser, but I am still very happy with my progress. I had been banded a little over a year before I started exercising consistently. I have a number of health problems that prevent me from doing strenuous exercise, but i do absolutely everything I can -- because I want to reach my goal and I am WILLING to do what it takes. I have been in physical therapy for months building muscle to strengthen my spine which is riddled with a degenerative disease. My ortho says that the only way around this issue is building muscle to take on the work that my spine can no longer do. This is a win, win because you lose more weight when you have more muscle.
I would first recommend that you let go of the frustration ... it will only distract you from achieving your goal (i.e., losing weight). As you are working your way to your sweet spot do little things to change your diet, things you can live with; so that when you get to your sweet spot you will have many lifestyle changes already in place. Pay attention to how foods effect you. Some people are very sensitive to carbs and have to stay away from them; others require a more balanced diet to lose weight. Find what works for you ... let this be your focus and before you know it you will be at your sweet spot with a great new lifestyle AND you will lose weight. YOU CAN DO THIS. Be kind to yourself and ... patient. This journey is individual and very personal. What works for one person may not work for another.
mamastwo; hate to say this, but fills are really necessary. It took 7 or 8 fills before I was got to my sweet spot. If you don't have time to get your fills, you can't really expect the band to do it's part. Again, the good news is that you have the band and when you have time to get enough fills to get to your sweet spot, your band will do it's part to assist you with weight loss. Don't give up. Try to make yourself a priority in your life so you can work this band. Find the time for fills, exercise and consciously making time to prepare your meals. Don't let frustration overtake you .... that will only put you on a cycle to nowhere ... we've already done that and all we got for our troubles was weight gain. Move as slowly as you need to, but KEEP MOVING FORWARD. Be kind to YOU!
All the best to you both on your journey. This is a great website, with great support. Make it happen in 2012!!!
~Fran