Hi, My name is Michele I am 27 years old from New York and was banded on January 4th of this year...I figured I would start the new year off with the new me :scared2: In the beginning I had great results, I lost 20 lbs in my first 3 weeks...now that I am 2 months into it I have basically stopped losing weight and I am starting to get discouraged. I am not sure what I am doing wrong/right.

I had my first fill last Tuesday ( a week ago today) and I still don't feel that much restriction. I am also having a very hard time not drinking any fluids while I am eating. I realize this is important because if you drink you wash the food down and then you don't feel full as long, but I am having such a hard time breaking this habit...any one have any suggestions/tips??

I am new to this site and I am really looking forward to meeting some great people and having people to talk to that understand what I am going through

Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Michele

Hi Michele, I didn't have any restriction after my first fill either, as a matter of fact I gained weight during that time. But after I started getting fills I started losing an average of 2 pounds a week. It gets easier. I have a hard time with water too. I never even think to get a drink until its time to eat and then its too late. If I drink with my meals it hurts, because of the restriction. So I try and have a water bottle sitting out in front of me at all times, then I will mindlessly sip on it. Then I put it up before I eat and don't get it out until 1 hour later. This has been the hardest thing for me. I also like to have a glass of wine with dinner and that is over as well.

Congrats on the band! I am new as well (2/17). I don't have any silver bullets only my experience. As with any dramatic change, effort will be required. Part of my process was becoming aware of those changes and accepting them. You present a couple of different issues:

1. No restriction - that seems to be something you should work on with your Doctor. I have not had my first fill yet but I already have restriction. I notice it when I eat too quickly. From what I have read, the amount of fill is not really an exact science as each of us require different amounts.

2. Your inability to stop drinking whilst eating may be contributing. When you say you are "having a problem" not drinking when you eat (and with all due respect), what is your problem? I know that habits are hard to break. 30 minutes before and 60-90 minutes after are the guidelines. To be discouraged about the band when you are not actually following the guidelines may not be the right response.

When you are able to follow the drinking guidelines, do you feel restriction? How are you doing with your diet (quantities and foods)? Are you still on what amounts to (seemingly) around 1200 Calories per day? Are you getting your protein (my doc has me on shakes and powders to insure protein levels...some others don't)?

I am a complete noob so my opinions may not mean squat, but so far things are going well for me. There are huge changes to lifestyle but I knew that coming in. I would encourage you to celebrate the weight you have lost and the decision to make a fundamental change to how you eat (and drink) in the future rather that focus on the plateau. This is a learning process for all of us.

Did your Doc get you information about support groups of "Band Buddies" in the area? Maybe that would help?

At any rate, good luck and I hope you take my comments in the supportive manner in which they were intended.

thanks for writing back!! The problem that I am having is that when I sit down to dinner, I am so accustomed to drinking that I still seem to get a glass of water right before I sit down, then I realize that I can't drink anything and its almost as if I don't enjoy my meal as much. It's also hard for me because when I do sit down to eat, I am eating with at least 3, sometimes 5 other people who are all drinking Soda and such and I get jealous! I know that may sound crazy and you are absolutely right, I should focus on the success I have had so far.

I think I am going to have to learn to always carry a water bottle with me during the day, maybe that will keep me from wanting the fluids while I am eating. As of now I am not getting in the recommended 64 ounces a day...maybe once I get to that point it will help??

I'm still a newbie here as well. I found that if I don't get enough water in throughout the day it hurts my weightloss.

Also, I haven't been working out at all this week and I find that that isn't helping me either. Are you working out? My doctor suggested that I walk a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Yeah, I think that I am definately not drinking enough! I am going to start making more of effort to bring my water with me everywhere I go!

Well I just got the clearance from my doctor to start working out...I have been walking everyday since the week after my surgery...I have a 2 year old puppy who needs to get walked all the time or else she has way too much energy LOL! But I planned on starting the gym next week...I really want to dive into the working out part cause I am so nervous about having excess skin.

For your drinking during meals issue, don't even have a drink near you. If it's there with you, of course you're going to drink from it. It's habit, that's its purpose. Leave your beverages in the fridge!

Are you journaling your food? It might help occasionally, that way you can see exactly what you're eating and where you might be going wrong. Also needless to say is exercise. It's a must.

Its normal not to have any restriction at this stage. It commonally takes a number of fills to reach ideal restriction. In the meantime you can still be hungry which is why it is called bandsters hell! There are lots of threads on the topic - look some of them up and you will see what you are experiencing is perfectly normal.

Don't stress if you eat slightly more than you should or even if you gain during this period.

It is important though that you stop drinking with meals as if you continue to do that your band WON'T be able to work properly. As others have said it's a habit and they are hard to break but it can be done.The sooner you break it the better