so i was banded 11/09 and i lost a total of maybe 15 lbs since then. most of it was within the first 3 weeks of being banded. I had 2 fills so far totaling 4.5cc in a 12 cc band. i definitely eat a lot less.. but i am not at my "sweet spot" i don't feel full for long and i can eat more than i should. when am i really going to start to lose? i know about exercise and gotta diet thing. but i see lots of people on here that lost like 50 lbs in 4 mths and so on... why not me?? i feel like a failure sometimes.

so i was banded 11/09 and i lost a total of maybe 15 lbs since then. most of it was within the first 3 weeks of being banded. I had 2 fills so far totaling 4.5cc in a 12 cc band. i definitely eat a lot less.. but i am not at my "sweet spot" i don't feel full for long and i can eat more than i should. when am i really going to start to lose? i know about exercise and gotta diet thing. but i see lots of people on here that lost like 50 lbs in 4 mths and so on... why not me?? i feel like a failure sometimes.

I was banded 6 days before you and I've lost 45 pounds...almost 20 of that in the last 3 weeks since I've reached restriction. Up to that time, I wasn't losing much because I could still overeat...and did often enough to keep from losing any substantial amount of weight. I have 8.5cc in a 12cc band by the way.

Some will tell you it's all about willpower, but you know, that begs the question, "If they could do it just by willpower, how'd they get fat in the first place and why did they need the band."

Your doc should be able to give you a fill every 2 weeks until you get to restriction. My first fill was 3cc, two weeks later another 3cc, then over the next two weeks 1 cc, then we started doing .5cc at a time and one of those was only a week after the one before because I was tired of losing restriction that second week and gaining back what I'd lost. Bingo. In the last 3 weeks I've lost around 18-20 pounds and kept it off.

Hang in there. Be proactive and ask your doc for a fill every 2 weeks if you need it. My doctor defined 'need' as, "You're hungry and/or can still eat to excess...and do."

.

wow. good for you!!! thanks for the feedback... soooo frustrating. and for some reason my Dr only does 1cc per month. which will take me 8 mths to get where you are.. if that's "my sweet spot" of course. i'm gonna say something on 3/3 when i go for my 3rd fill..

wow. good for you!!! thanks for the feedback... soooo frustrating. and for some reason my Dr only does 1cc per month. which will take me 8 mths to get where you are.. if that's "my sweet spot" of course. i'm gonna say something on 3/3 when i go for my 3rd fill..

I think it says right in the band literature (at least my Realize band did) that a fill is needed when we are hungry and/or able to eat to excess and there is nothing that says the fills need to be a month apart.

I can't imagine taking 8 months to get to the sweet spot. I probably would've gained everything back and then some ;-p

.

I know how you feel! I am on my third fill and though I can't eat what I used to, I know I need more restriction. My doc does encourage us to let them know if we are hungry, etc. My surgery was 12/11/09 and my first fill 1/14/10, the next 2 were about 2 weeks apart. I get another on 3/2. Just hang in there and insist on getting fills more often. we did not go through all this to have to use WILLPOWER all the time. The band is the tool to make it somewhat easier to control hunger! I am with you girl!

DF

I used to see you a lot and you just have re-surfaced. We were banded within a few weeks of each other. I have lost 67 lbs since pre op. You ask "why not me?".

Can I ask a few hard hitting questions?

Are you honest with yourself?

Can you truthfully say you are following a high Protein diet of about 1200 calories a day?

Do you exercise 5 to 6 days a week for 30 to 45 minutes with your heartrate above 130 BPM?

Do you lie to yourself? Get depressed and eat? Let head hunger override your motivation to lose weight?

At 15 lbs, you really have not had the successes that will come when you lose 50 lbs. When people notice. When clothes fit and you change lots of sizes. I assume you are down on yourself and in a spiral of it isn't working, therefore, I should eat head games. Time to get real with yourself.

If you think a fill will help, demand it. But realize, it is just a little help if your head is not in it.

Come on DF. Look in the mirror. Get real about it. Eat Protein and veggies only. Protein shakes. Move your body.

You have the band. Now get the head you need.

Good luck.

TJ

Edited February 23, 201016 yr by tarajim

TJ:

I appreciate what you are saying, but let's be serious if anyone or everyone did your entire list no one would need the band. If someone has no restriction then they might as well have saved all their money and and the risk of surgery and just followed your list.

If you were able to do that entire list and ONLY eat Protein and veggies which is the ATKINS diet why did you get the band?

Just sayin...

Dragonfly:

I am also right where you are! Had surgery 12/30 and have only lost about 12 pounds. First month I lost 12 pounds, the 2nd month I lost zero. I have had two fills and still have no restriction. I get my 3rd fill on 3/2 so hopefully we will be on the same page. Please keep in touch with me and we can try to help each other out. I do have tried to watch what I eat but like I said to TJ if I wasn't going to have restriction why did I spend all this money on surgery.

Hang in there. I've read where lots of folks get their 3rd or 4th fill and then the weight starts to fall off again. Hopefully this will happen for us!

I was banded on 1/28/10 and at my followup visit with the nutruitionist I had lost a total of 20 lbs (pre-op and post-op). That was 2 weeks ago, and I have not lost a pound since then. I started eating soft foods, but don't think I've over-eaten. It is very frustrating because I would like to see the 2 lbs / week. I know my calorie input is 1000 or less per day.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I am 5 years off the band (had all fluid removed due to health issues) and have gained every pound back and then some. I have just had my 2nd fill in 2 weeks to get back into the program. I haven't lost any yet, however I have firm memories of what it too me to lose the 100 lbs back in the day after my surgery. Sure the liquid diet helped, but it has everything to do with calories. It has everything to do with the quality of the proteins you are putting in your mouth. I remember the first time being so careful to limit the calories and fats I put into my system. High quality proteins and shakes only. I have to get back to that. Sweets are off limits. The band is only a tool to help but you ultimately are in control. I remind myself of that ever day.:tongue_smilie:

hi. first time on. i had my surgery 1-7-10 and have lost 4 lbs. i do not exercise enough but i am sticking to the small meals ect. i have not had a fill yet but have it scheduled. also frustrated with this slow start!

I was banded on 1/28/10 and at my followup visit with the nutruitionist I had lost a total of 20 lbs (pre-op and post-op). That was 2 weeks ago, and I have not lost a pound since then. I started eating soft foods, but don't think I've over-eaten. It is very frustrating because I would like to see the 2 lbs / week. I know my calorie input is 1000 or less per day.

Has anyone else experienced this?

You say you've overeaten but then say your calorie input is 1000 or less per day. It can't be both. :tongue_smilie:

The things that will help you consistently lose every week:

• Make sure to drink your 64 oz of Water. Our bodies operate at peak when we keep the machinery oiled. Don't drink enough water and your organs will be too busy dealing with that problem instead of doing what they should be doing.
  
• Keep your calorie intake between 1200-1400 per day. Studies show that the farther we drop under that 1200, particularly when we drop under 1000, our bodies become more efficient and our metabolism drops to conserve energy. Women who ate 1200-1400 per day lost more weight than women who hate 1000 or less.
  
• Make sure you get your Protein. I start my day with a double scoop of EAS whey powder in 2% milk. I drink an EAS ready made shake (110 cal, 3 carbs) mid-morning, mid-afternoon and in the evening. This boosts my protein. For meals I eat about 1 cup of food (2-3 oz protein, 1/4-1/2 cup vegies, 1/4 cup carbs)
  

My activity level is 'light'...one step above sedentary. I do not exercise, but I do move through the day. Perhaps at some point I'll get motivated to exercise, but for now pfft...not interested.

.

I had surgery on 2/16/10 and I have lost about 8 lbs. I know alot of that is fluid. I don't care where it comes from. I feel like I have alot of restriction. I have 3cc in a 10 cc band. I guess that is normal?!?

I am not sure what is normal. Everyone seems to be a little different. I will go for fill soon and then hopefully the weight loss will speed up a bit. I think 8 lbs is great and you must be encouraged.:tongue_smilie:

I had surgery on 2/8/10, and when I weighed yesterday at the two week mark, I had lost 16 pounds. I'm not drinking nearly enough, and I'm definately not getting close to 1000 calories. I just started the mushy stage, but foods are not sitting well. I get nausea, and I have a spastic stomach. I think my spastic stomach is acting up again since the surgery. I hope things get better as my stomach didn't bother me before surgery.

Dragonflylover,

I understand and totally agree with you. I always express how I feel to my doctor, but my doctor is really going to do what he feels is best regarding my fills. Some doctors are going to be aggressive with fills and some are going to be conservative theres nothing you can do to change that. I have decided that I can not loose any weight while I am waiting for restriction or I can just diet like I would before the band and loose some weight while waiting for the restriction. I also have not been exercising or counting calories. I know after reading on this forum that the ones who are loosing are exercising and counting calories that is just the truth. I joined a gym over the weekend and started journaling my food, Water and exercise. I know now thats the only way its going to happen for me. I measure my food and stop eating once the food is gone I may not be stuffed but the hunger is gone and in between waiting for my next meal I drink, drink, drink water. The weight will come off just be patient it will happen for you and me to. Lisa

Banded 10-7-09 Starting wt 242lbs Current wt 228.4

Edited February 23, 201016 yr by Lisa73