I just got banded yesterday. I've done a lot of reading here about people who feel no restriction before their first fill. So I'm wondering, how much weight did you all loose in that period between surgery and the first fill? It's too early for me to tell if I'm hungry or not. I lost 15 lbs. during my one week of liquids pre-op, and I'd like to keep that momentum going! Thanks for your responses.

I initially lost about 17 pounds but when I started eating real foods again I was right back to maintaining the weightloss and have even gaind about 3 pounds. Frustrating. I get a fill onThursday but have heard that that doesn't always work (restriction on the first fill). I think we are all so so different all we can do is share our stories and find others with similar experiences to chat with.

I lost 15 pounds in 12 days post-surgery and maintained that loss for 3 months before my first fill, then was able to lose another 10, then another small fill, now another 5 so far. So, total loss is 30 pounds so far. I didn't gain back what I had lost, but it took a fill to kick-start that downward trend again. Good luck!

I was banded on the 19th of October and lost 15lbs... gained back 5....I have my first fill scheduled for the 21st of November so I'm hoping it works!

Since starting my first pre-op diet 3 weeks before surgery (July 5, 2005) I have went from 238 to 196. That is really good for me. I lost most of that the first month after surgery during the terrible time of liquid diet, mushies, and soft foods. Since then I have been a couple of months only losing around 8- 10 lbs. more.

I have started to exercise to get more momentum going - and that is helping - but I didn't have a fill yet (Surgery was July 25, 2005) and I am trying to make it without a fill.

I have also never experienced a PB and hope to never experience it. Nothing gets stuck so far (Thank God) and I still do not eat the way I did pre-banding.

Right now I feel like I can try anything - but I don't want to much of anything.

Like yesterday - I stopped to get one of the hot-n-ready little ceasars pizzas for $5.00 to go. I wanted pizza. I went home with it - ate one slice - felt full and then called up my kid to come over and take the rest of it home for him and his girlfriend to eat for dinner. That one piece was enough - that would never have happened before the band.

I am trying to do the right things - I am keeping my mind on the knowledge that the band is a tool - and I intend to use this tool to it's full advantage.

Take care - I hope you feel better and I hope that you find the right ticket to get where you want to be with the band.

Good luck,

nancy

I lost 14 pounds before my first fill! Got the girst fill and kept on losing. I'm down 76 pounds!!!

lost over 20 post op to fill, after first fill 3 weeks ago i have lost another 10 and im getting another fill on Wed as i have lost my full feeling.

I lost 10 before surgery.

I lost about 25lbs right after getting banded, then I gained back about 5lbs once I went back on solids. I started losing again after my first fill.

Darn it Darn It! I have lost a ton of weight pre and post op since early September....and then just before Halloween I completely stalled. I gave up caffeine...but then when I hit solids I have actually put on four pounds. It's probably becuase when I say "Solids" that included ice cream...a few donuts...pasta...and a bunch of other crap. Rediculous that after all of that work and momentum....I shot myself in the foot by old habits. I think for me it was such a shock to go back to solids.

So I'm refusing to change my weight loss ticker....because instead I pulled out my little measuring cups and healthier food choices...and I'm going to drop that four off and lose 5 more before I get me first fill on the 17th!

I think like most people I said that I knew it was just a tool....but I hoped and kind of expected it to just fall off easy after surgery. The people that are true success stories in bandland are the ones that decided that they were going to make a life change...and not use the band as a crutch. The catalyst has to be your own heart and perseverance! SO I'm picking myself up, dusting myself off, and starting all over again.

So when you feel hungry and able...fight it! Stick to that diet. Enjoy the amazing results of discipline!

Jon

i lost 27 pounds till my 1st fill one month after the surgery!

i wish i could lose that much and fast always

I lost an initial 12 or so pounds after sugery on the hellish liquid/mush phase. I have not been able to have a fill (see my recent post for details) and I had my surgery on the 1st of August! I have now put back on every single one of those pounds, and I am back at my starting weight. I have almost no restriction, I can nearly eat an entire pizza like I used to do. And I have never pb'd. If I could follow diet rules you can be certain I would have done so rather than have the band, but I cannot. I will never diet again. But I still have hope that my band will (eventually) be able to help me to eat like a normal person.

Hi,

I lost 18 lbs between surgery and my first fill at 7 weeks. I was afraid to do damage to the new surgical site so I followed the doctors eating guide lines almost to perfection. I know that "dieting" is hard for most of us but I would recomend trying to stay with in your doctors guidlines during this time so that you don't do any damage to your new pouch or band. Now that I've said that - I did eat a couple of things that I shouldn't have but I made sure that I chewed well and kept the portions very very small. The first 6 weeks is for healing so don't be to concerned about loss during this time, just pamper your pouch and keep your foods soft.

Good luck,

I lost 23 lbs. between my surgery date (9/16/05) and my first fill (11/3/05). Prior to my fill, I was still eating significantly less than I did pre-surgery but now my restriction is even better. With that said, I hope to lose an average of 5-10 lbs. per month from now on.

I had my surgery 10/20 and 6 days later was down 23 lbs - just weighed again this morning and am down a total of 35 lbs - I have been following the directions pretty closely - liquids and mush that are low-calorie, low-no sugar. Here is an example of the foods I've been having during the mush phase:

Motts Natural Apple Sauce - no sugar added - 3.9oz

Yoplait Light Fat Free Yogurt - Harvest peach or strawberry - 4oz

Knudsens Low-fat cottage cheese - 2-3 oz

Egg Beaters w/light cheese and butter spray - 2-3 oz

various low-fat Soups

When eating out: (adding sour cream for flavor and to liquify the food more)

Wendys Baked potato w/sour cream & cheese - only eat 1/3-1/2 - no skin!

Taco Bell - Pintos N Cheese w/sour cream - can eat about the whole thing

Strings Italian - any ricotta cheese stuffed Pasta - eat only stuffing and skip the pasta - sauce is ok!

other places like steakhouses - just get Soup or mashed potatos and have a tiny plate.

Protein shake - Instantized whey, Gold Standard - 8oz/twice a day

stats including fat-free milk: Fat-1g, Cal-210, Carbs-16g (only 3 from powder), protein-33g

I haven't added exercise yet but plan to sometime this week - I go in on Friday for my "official" weigh in on the docs scale - and I think they'll take me off of mush then as well.

Hopefully this helps someone. by the way I am only having 1 of the foods listed as a meal not combining any of them.

I lost about 15 post op. Some gain, some lose. I think it is all individual. Mostly water weight is lost I think. I didn't notice a change in clothing size until after the fill.

I lost 20 lbs from surgery to first fill.