I am sorry if I sound a little fustrated, but I keep on reading that bandsters need to make proper food choices, exercise, and keep calorie intake low average 1200. If I could do all of these things, then why would I have gone through with the lap band surgery. I am also very fustrated because I am 12 days post op, and I am keeping my caloire intake low; it is taking a lot of will power because I have no restriction, but yet I still have not lost any weight since the first week of surgery. I really don't know if this is going to work out for me. This might just be a really expensive failed diet attempt. I have followed doctors orders exactly. I reallly don't know why the scale does not move, I am starving and really disappointed with this decision.

Please do not get frustrated--if you would search, you will find hundreds that went through the plateau soon after surgery including myself. I am 6wks post-op come Thursday--I plateaued around the second week and stayed the same until last week--I dropped 5lbs out of the blue. This week--no change. I get a fill Thursday and looking forward to hopefully getting a little restriction. Think about--you are doing it. You are managing to eat like you have restriction--that willpower is something to applaud in itself. I also guarantee you are losing inches!!!

Edited February 23, 201016 yr by shadst8
typo

I know how you feel. I actually gained weight between my surgery and first fill. I over eat that is why I had lap band but remember if they could just put it in and have it work it wouldn't even have the port. Fills are more important than the band itself. By the way I paid for my band too so I thought holy crap! a $10k failed diet! but no, just as soon as I started getting fills I started dropping weight. I am averaging 2 lbs a week (and that means 4 lbs one week and none the next) but I try and keep the long term in mind. And yes I was starving until I started to get my fills. You are in what everyone calls bandster hell. Ride it out. Don't give up. When is your first fill?

I had a hard time drinking all of the water we're supposed to be drinking. When I finally did get my water in consistantly the weight starting coming off. Just take it day-by-day and be sure to walk as much as you can and drink water! :tongue_smilie:

Once you have at least some level of restriction 1200 calories per day is ok. try that for a lifetime without the band and I think it would be struggle. Many get frustrated because it doesen't melt off. My loss has been slow at about 40 pounds in 5 months but I am not discouraged. Once you can come to grips with the fact it is a long process the easier it will become. We didn't wake up one day obese and it won't come off overnight. Just keep doing what you are doing and it will happen.

Greg

Yes, you are going through a time period that is very difficult. Before you get your fills and hit true restriction you may have a hard time losing weight. I did not lose anything for a month and struggled just to keep my weight the same. Now that I have restriction the weight is coming off. Eating 1200 calories is no problem now. Actually it's a bit hard to eat that much. It will happen. Hang in there. You can do it!!!

You need to have some patience and give the band a chance to work. After you have restriction, sticking to a 1,000 calorie/day diet will be easy. There are days when its an effort to get 1,000 calories in.

Oh sweetie, hang in there. Your not losing yet because your not eating yet. Once you have restriction, you will eat each meal, feel full and not snack in between meals. You'll then have more energy with less weight, exercise more and that helps weight loss. You'll get there. You are going through what we call "bandster hell" but it doesn't last. So keep your chin up. It does get better.

Hang in there it does get a little easier once you are fully up and running!! Once you are healed and back on regular food you will start to see a difference.

However, the band will only control your appetite, you still have to make good food choices, and if possible to help increase the speed at which you lose....Excercise!! The head hunger doesn't go away, but we do learn to control it a little better.

Good luck!

I am sorry if I sound a little fustrated, but I keep on reading that bandsters need to make proper food choices, exercise, and keep calorie intake low average 1200. If I could do all of these things, then why would I have gone through with the LAP-BAND® surgery. I am also very fustrated because I am 12 days post op, and I am keeping my caloire intake low; it is taking a lot of will power because I have no restriction, but yet I still have not lost any weight since the first week of surgery. I really don't know if this is going to work out for me. This might just be a really expensive failed diet attempt. I have followed doctors orders exactly. I reallly don't know why the scale does not move, I am starving and really disappointed with this decision.

I have been reading the posts of some of the more experienced bandsters out there, and they all seem to say the same thing. YES, you will have to watch what you eat and stay active, but the band is the tool that actually helps you do those things. There is no way I would make it on 1,200 calories a day indefinitely without the band. I would go bonkers.

I'll be that once you get restriction and start eating solids, you will feel much better.

Hang in there, trust me I felt the exact same way my first week post-op. Fortunately, my insurance paid for my surgery, but that doesn't stop you from feeling like you have made the biggest mistake of your life. The pain, the food deprivation seemed pointless. Now nearly three weeks post-op I am down 22lbs. The weight loss will come just stay focused, don't let the slow process get you down. Good luck, and remember don't feed yourself that negative stuff it's not good for you.

I agree with everything that has been said -- but wanted to add that right now your body is busy healing -- and most surgeons warn their lap band patients that you might not lose weight until after the first 6 weeks because of that healing process. Stay off the scale, follow your doctor's instructions and try not to worry about it right now - concentrate on healing. Until your first fill you will be hungry, it's a hard time to get through, but after your fill you will feel much differently. Remember, the band is not a "magic cure" -- you still have to work hard by eating the right foods and exercising. I am thankful every day for the band -- there have been many instances during the past year where I would have said "the heck with it" and eaten a huge, calorie laden, high fat meal - but with my band I wasn't able to do that -- and I was grateful. I've lost thousands of pounds during my life and never kept it off more than a year - with the band, I know I have the tool to help me maintain my weight loss for life. But it's hard work, I exercise 90 to 120 mins. every day. Right now I'm experiencing a huge 2 month plateau, but I'm still working the program and working towards goal. The band gives me the inspiration to keep on going. Remember, they didn't band our brains, they banded our stomachs. We are all food addicts and we need to address the addiction as well. Good luck to you and to all the others who have commented here.