Im being banded on Jan 18th.

I was looknig through millions of profiles and photos on here.. and a trend im seeing, is people who have only lost between 20-30 lbs in a YEAR or more after being banded!

Is this a normal trend? Is there something these people are doing to hinder the effectivness of the band?

Im wary about surgery ( since im terrified of anesthetic) if the average weight loss is only about 30lbs over a whole year. I can gain 30lbs in a week if i tried hard enough LOL it seems like its not very much at all.

Im getting the pre surgery jitters and havnig the standard second thoughts... but seeing these pictures and profiles has shocked me.....

I was told by my doctor that older patients usually lose weight slower, or less weight in total... whereas younger patients seem to melt before his eyes... and i have seen some young ladies on here who look like super svelte supermodels and find it hard to believe they were ever heavy at all let alone obese!

Im 27 right before my surgery... and am now starting to wonder if all this stress will be worth it if 30 lbs is where people generally seem to stop losing.

Stories and suggestion please :rolleyes2:

It's my opinion that the banded people who are not losing much weight either have a medical condition that is affecting their weight loss or they are not following the lapband rules.

There are a number of reasons why someone might not lose after surgery, but most seem to be follow up and compliance. You have to be diligent about going back for fills until you get the the correct level, that can be a pain in the butt and some people stop at 2-3 and decide it is not working for them. For me I think I had 7 fills before I landed in a good spot. Otherwise there are medical and psychologial issues in overeating that also need to be addressed. I think some people think the band is a magic bullet and they dont have to do anything to lose weight, that is WRONG, it takes work and commitment. The band makes it easier, no question but you still have to work at it.

i don't know about other people but i have lost 90 pounds in 8 months and 118 from my highest and that's w/out exercise. i have a severe spinal injury that stops me from working out right now. i'm 42 w/ an underactive thyroid and i'm losing pretty steadily. no regrets on my end. i need to update my profile pic tho - it's one month post surgery and 20 pounds down. i'm a lot smaller now

The way my surgeon explains it, the band works well for people who are willing to follow the rules and also exercise. As part of my psych eval, the psychologist wanted some examples of things that I did in my life that were hard and took a lot of time and dedication because this is what the band requires. My personal observation is I think the band works best for people who are capable of losing weight on their own (meaning they can stick to a program long enough to lose a sizeable amount of weight such as 30+ pounds), but can't keep it off (meaning eventually they get too hungry). This is my opinion only.

I don't know if your surgeon does other WLS such as RNY or the sleeve, but I would highly recommend you talk to him/her about your own specific struggles w/food and weight to make sure lapband is the best solution. With WLS, there is certainly not one best solution for everyone. I wish more people would at least go to a seminar given by a surgeon who does ALL of the procedures so they would understand how the surgery you choose has to really be specific to you. Simply put, not everyone can succeed w/lapband. It takes quite a bit a discipline and its important to be honest with yourself before going under the knife. I seriously considered RNY because I had doubts about whether I really had the discipline in me. It took me a long time to come to grips w/it all and feel confident I was making the right decision w/the lapband.

Hi:

I think that having your mind in the LAP-BAND® mode is what makes people the most successful with their bands. You really have to be ready for the changes that will make your weight loss successful with the band. I didn't have any complications (except gallbladder removal after 9 months) with my band and I lost most of my weight in 15 months.

People can make poor food choices and graze with the band. I was grazing for about nine months and gained 20 pounds back. Once I made up my mind to get back on track I lost ten pounds in a month. So, it's great to know that my band was there to help me to get back on track once my mind was made up.

I only have one regret with the band. I regret that I didn't get it done alot sooner.

Best wishes to you.

I love my band and my new flat tummy!

Sue

Curefortheend my question is this.......it shows your highest weight at 330+ and current weight at 210. How did you lose over a 100lbs the first time? I am assuming eating well and exercise which is what is required for the band. It is just a great tool to help you continue on the same lines that it seems like you were headed on. Also, do you have comorbidities because I would not have qualified at 210.

I personally don't think the band is the answer for everyone. It takes hard work and dedication that some people just aren't willing to do. If someone is looking for a quick fix or any easy answer--then the band isn't for them at all. It takes the right mindset because it is easy to graze and eat around your band!

I was banded in 2006 and have LOST and kept 165 pounds off, and I am not alone by any means! There are a lot of people that work very hard--and a lot that don't. But in the end it comes down to what you are willing to do to make it happen!

I've been banded for 15 months and am now less than 10 pounds from goal. The band has been an amazing tool for me, and I love it. I've kept a blog through the last 15 months -- feel free to check it out (link in signature line).

There are some people who don't lose with the band, and it's usually due to them having an issue (whether it is a complication or to the bandster not being proactive about getting proper fills) with getting to restriction.

I wouldn't worry about only losing 30 pounds with the band. It is rare that someone would lose so little over the course of an entire year.

Best wishes,

Catherine

Im being banded on Jan 18th.

I was looking through millions of profiles and photos on here.. and a trend im seeing, is people who have only lost between 20-30 lbs in a YEAR or more after being banded!

Is this a normal trend? Is there something these people are doing to hinder the effectiveness of the band?

Being banded does NOT cause weight loss. The lapband does not make you lose weight!! You can be banded for 50 years and gain 100 pounds.

You lose weight by consuming less calories than you burn NOT by having a piece of plastic placed into your abdomen. No matter how long ago.

The lapband is a tool that when filled appropriately will make you feel full sooner and quell hunger.

Once again, YOU have to lose the weight, the little, plastic thing is just a tool.

A patient who chooses to can "eat around" ANY weight loss procedure. I remember when gastric bypass was just becoming popular and a friend had the procedure. She had all these cautionary guides about food. One of the ones that caught my attention was that "melted ice cream is not considered part of a liquid diet".....point made, I think.

The band is an assistant. If you utilize it, you will be successful. During the holidays, I gained a couple of pounds but have already lost almost 2 of those and I'm not complaining. The band stopped me short of craziness. Now, with all those extra temptations out of the way, I'm back to working WITH my band. That's how this works.

And remember one other thing...there are a lot of people who got banded looking for a magic "fat gone" moment and then discovered they were really still going to have to make a personal effort and they chose not to. But those same people are often the ones you hear from first. "this isn't working".....and for everyone who says "this isn't working" there are quite a few people for whom it is working but they aren't on any forum proclaiming their successes.

Check out my blog (the link is below) and then read the blogs of others that I follow. There are VERY successful bandits out there. Read their stories and learn what has made them successful and also what they have struggled with. I am getting banded on 1/27/2010 and reading these blogs has really prepared me and Enlightened me.

Dawn

Check out my blog (the link is below) and then read the blogs of others that I follow. There are VERY successful bandits out there. Read their stories and learn what has made them successful and also what they have struggled with. I am getting banded on 1/27/2010 and reading these blogs has really prepared me and Enlightened me.

Dawn

I suggest reading every blog. The success stories are inspirational but I learn just as much from those that have failed. Knowing why they failed is going to help me I hope.

Getting my date tomorrow!!!

I`m getting my band on Jan 12, 2010. I`m scared as hell cause I`ve been a life long "foodie"! I did`nt put on my weight eating Little Debbie Pastries from the Seven Eleven or drinking cheap domestic beer....but, still got morbidly obese eating the finest of foods. Willpower? Exercise? I`m going to give it my best shot. I figure if John Daly the PGA Golfer was able to drop 100+ lbs in 11 months being a 2 pack a day chain smoker, case a day beer guzzler, 4 time divorcee, I have half that guys baggage, I got a good chance to succeed.

Hey there Teacher!

sorry i cant change that info on the bottom of my posts.

I was banded in 2001! I got to 210 then gained back up to 275 which is where i am now!

Im being REBANDED in january. The band i had in 2001 made me the first minor to ever be banded at the time and it only holds a fill up to 2 CC. its useless and has caused my nothing but problems over the past 7 years... it worked great at the beginning, with no fill.. and thats when i lost all the weight.. but as soon as my body adjusted to it and i needed to get fills, the problems started.

My band is either loose and useless, or so tight i cant swallow my own saliva. So im getting banded with a 10CC band in a new position by a new surgeon ( who still has his lisence, thank god).

So my stats were 320 -210-275

Im going into the procedure with a new outlook... i was very young in 2001... im still yuong now, but back then i did the procedure against my will, my family forced me into it and i was never that commited to it. Now im in family mode and pro life.. and I want a band that works the way it supposed to.

I do haev bad habits, i dont exercise and i only eat once a day ( due to my horrible work schedule) ... i never even really reasearched the band a lot untill just recently and seeing that people didnt lose much weight terrified me.

To answer questions from other posts.. my surgeon in toronto does NOT do other surgeries, just the band.. and the waiting list for a RnY in Toronto is about 5 years and my BMI is not high enough for it supposedly. who knows. that is what i was told when i inquired. Plus people with certain medical issues like me ( lupus, panic disorder) arent supposed to get RnY's because of the way the duodenum is bypassed and the medication absorption rate is altered.

so there ya have it lol

In my mind, im benig banded for the first time. The last 9 years have been a blur of pain, frustration and serious weight downs and ups.

Im excited,, and have high hopes.. but if the 10CC band really is for people who can easily lose 30 lbs on their OWN.. then i cant be optimistic. if i could lose 30lbs on my own id just do that 3 times over LOL

CUREFORTHEEND! You are ready now, I can tell that by just reading your second post. A 2cc band wow yeah that must have been a crazy struggle to live with considering it didnt do what you needed it to do. I wish you ALL the luck and best wishes, this time your gonna get where you want to go!