I was banded on 2/26/10 and lost 23 lbs from 2/19/10 (pre-op) thru 3/22/10. Since then - to this day I have lost a total of 3 lbs. :smile: Sometimes it is 5 lbs and sometimes it is -1 or 2...so I estimated the loss. It gets really depressing when I read of people having a steady weight loss of 1-3 lbs a week or to lose 100+ lbs in 11-12 months. At this rate it will take me 3 years to reach my goal :drool:. What am I doing wrong? Did anyone else have a really slow start and did it change. I have already had a fill and do expect to receive my second one soon.

Hang in there! You probably don't have restriction with only one fill, it will get better. Also, try not to just focus on the scale. How are you feeling? How are your clothes fitting? You may want to start measuring yourself. It's possible your loosing inches without the scale going down.

As far as what your doing, my biggest advice is to get plenty of lean protien, at least 60 gms per day. If your not excersiseing, starting that would help greatly. Best of luck to you!

I've only lost 3 lbs since 3/15/10 and I was banded 1/13/10. It has taken my sister 4 years to lose around 80 lbs. Personally, I would rather have a bite of really yummy food that I enjoy (and I can do that now b/c I get full on much less food) than eat stuff that doesn't satistfy my tastes buds but is low in calories. I haven't had time to log my calories in the past month b/c of my work schedule but now that I am not working 70+ hours a week I do plan to get back to logging my calories so that the weight will come off a bit faster. I am still happy to have lost 3 lbs in the past month. Usually this time of year I gain weight b/c of all the food that is catered to my office and not having time to plan meals. Anywho, didn't want you to think everyone consistantly loses 1-3 lbs a week.

The band really isn't geared for fast loss. Aside from a month-long plateau, I've lost 1-3 pounds a week, on average. That's without restriction (for most of the time), but following a pretty stringent diet.

You need to have realistic expectations. As every Lap Band doctor should tell you, the actual time it takes for Lap Band patients to lose all of their excess weight IS 3 YEARS.

By your estimates, you are right on track! PLEASE DON'T compare yourself to anyone else! Just because someone else loses more, doesn't mean you are doing something wrong!!!

We are ALL DIFFERENT and all lose or gain completely differently from someone else. You will sabotage your success by focusing on other's successes and not your own-you are not even 2 months post-op yet and you are doing GREAT!!! I didn't start losing anything for several months. I have lost on average 1lbs a week since banding and I work off like crazy and am very strict on food intake. I KNOW what I am doing is what's best for me and will give me LONG TERM success!

Focus on what YOU have accomplished, not what OTHERS have!

You need to have realistic expectations. As every Lap Band doctor should tell you, the actual time it takes for Lap Band patients to lose all of their excess weight IS 3 YEARS.

By your estimates, you are right on track! PLEASE DON'T compare yourself to anyone else! Just because someone else loses more, doesn't mean you are doing something wrong!!!

We are ALL DIFFERENT and all lose or gain completely differently from someone else. You will sabotage your success by focusing on other's successes and not your own-you are not even 2 months post-op yet and you are doing GREAT!!! I didn't start losing anything for several months. I have lost on average 1lbs a week since banding and I work off like crazy and am very strict on food intake. I KNOW what I am doing is what's best for me and will give me LONG TERM success!

Focus on what YOU have accomplished, not what OTHERS have!

Hi,

I'm going to share with you what my surgeon's office shared with me:

A lapband patient is expected to lose an average of 1lb per week once proper restriction of the band is achieved. They fully expect the weight loss to go on for 1 to 3 years and were very honest and upfront with me about this before surgery. I am not sure all surgeons tell their patients this.

I am 8 months out now and had very little restriction until 7 months out and just now reached optimal restriction earlier this month. Up until now I've lost on average .9lbs lost per week. Now I am averaging 2lbs per week.

Based on a lot of what I read on message boards here and OH I gather that most people think an above average weight loss rate is the "norm" and what is expected. Of course you can always get faster weight loss by rigorous dieting and exercising and many people do and are very happy with doing that and that's okay too.

My point is that you likely feel bad because you think you are not on par with the above average losers, but you shouldn't compare yourself to others and start worrying or belittling yourself. I think you are doing awesome! Especially since you are not at a point yet where the band is helping you out as much as it can be; that makes a lot of difference.

Well Hello there... someone in my boat. I was banded on March 8th. Lost 19 pounds pre-op. that was 19 pounds in two weeks...insane. I was so excited. Then nothing. I had gained .2 lbs the month. Wow from 19 to .2 in a month talk about a shocker. I had my first fill April 5th=5.5cc. I felt nothing. No restriction at all!!! Boy am I having a hard time with this.

I have my next fill May 3rd. Unfortunately I have been reading that it can take months like many before restriction. My expectation was totally off. I knew it would not be easy but it has been hell. I try very hard to eat right and exercise but it is hard. I thought i would feel physically different so that I could work on the emotional stuff, but it has not happened for me yet.

I guess the good news it that I am not giving up. I know that sometime in the future I will get that restriction and I will have control. Just hang in there you are not alone.

I have changed my mind set that it took my 34 years to get this heavy it is not going to fall off in 3 months! every one of the pounds that come off I am going to give it everything I have to keep it off.

I know exactly how you feel. I am 2 1/2 months post op and have only lost 20 pounds. I had 2 fills and am not due for another fill till May. I feel like this is not working as fast as I thought it would. I keep going up and down with the same 1-2 pounds. Sooooo damn angry and wonder wtf???

I have to admit, I have ate a bit more than I should, and some of the wrong things...I get so hungry some times!! I'm glad to read people are having some of the same issues. I want this to happen sooooo much faster than it is. I get frustrated when I read here someone who had surgery around the same time I did and they have lost 40 or more pounds, wtf?????

Please let this work for me, I need to get back on track, or another fill???? Any advice please, best wishes to all...............:thumbup:

As stated before, you have to stop comparing yourself to others. I went for my first fill and was down 27 lbs and was disappointed because it wasn't what others had lost. I had to stop looking at this site for a couple of weeks because it was depressing me comparing my weight loss to others. You have lost 23 pounds! Thats amazing! Don't discount your progress.

An infomercial for a workout program called "Insanity" was on my tv this morning, with lots of pictures of how people can go from "average" to "totally buff" in only 60 days.... I used to watch "the Biggest Loser" before I decided that I absolutely HATED that show and saw them post losses of 8, 10-- even 20 pounds in one week. ONE WEEK! That's insane, and so completley unrealistic, yet we come to start thinking that we can and should lose weight at rates like that.

Even at the grocery store-- the magazines shout out from the stand at the checkout-- "Lose 10 pounds in 10 days with one small change." It's just a load of crap, frankly. But deep down, we want to believe it.

Yes- we have to do the work- eat less and move more. The band helps us eat less once we reach restriction, but the eating the right things and moving more and completely up to us. And unfortunately, 3500 calories (1 pound) worth of eating less and moving more takes time and patience. And the scale lies sometimes. And its frustrating.

So kind of like AA- I think about it "one day at a time." I'm gonna do the best I can today, and give myself a break if the scale isn't moving because I know that I'm doing the right things.

Eventually- slowly or more quickly- we'll get where we're going-- IF we keep taking steps in the right direction.

jensmallwood, amen to what you said. You are a very wise bandster.

jensmallwood, amen to what you said. You are a very wise bandster.

Awww, shucks.... :thumbup:

Are you exercising? It is a good way to jumpstart your weight-loss. Remember that you lose weight when your body is taking in less that it is using up. If you only reduce intake, without increasing the amount of calories expended, then weight loss will be very slow.

Keep at it... no one said it would be easy!

You are not doing anything wrong..the time period from surgery to good restriction is called banster hell for a reason! lol You have to remember that during pre-op and post-op you are doing mainly liquids and of course you are going to lose weight. Alot of that initial loss is water weight anyway. During a liquid/mushie type diet you have to adhere to while healing can change your metabolism somewhat. "Starvation mode" kicks in because of the reduced calories and then when you add back in solid foods it's very common to GAIN some weight. Eventually your metabolism will even out and as you get to decent restriction you WILL start losing...I promise! The worse thing you can do right now is worry about it. My Dr advised me to not even think about weight loss during the healing phase and to follow the eatting guidelines once I started getting fills and the rest will fall into place. The main thing now is to focus on perfecting your new eatting habits and getting each scheduled fill.

That being said I know it's easier said than done...believe me. But since your asking I can tell you that we all go thru Banster HELL and we all get thru it! It will be alot different once you start to really feel restriction. Keep reaching out for support and encouragement it helps to know others feel your pain

I was banded on 2/26/10 and lost 23 lbs from 2/19/10 (pre-op) thru 3/22/10. Since then - to this day I have lost a total of 3 lbs. Sometimes it is 5 lbs and sometimes it is -1 or 2...so I estimated the loss. It gets really depressing when I read of people having a steady weight loss of 1-3 lbs a week or to lose 100+ lbs in 11-12 months. At this rate it will take me 3 years to reach my goal . What am I doing wrong? Did anyone else have a really slow start and did it change. I have already had a fill and do expect to receive my second one soon.

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My story is nearly identical to yours. Pre-op diet one week, banded 2/22, first fill 3/31, second fill today. Total loss 21 lbs. Lost 2 pounds since the first fill over a three week period.

Congratulations on losing 23 lbs -- that's fantastic! As others have said this quick loss was mainly due to the restrictive post-op diet we had. Most of us are not going to lose the rest super fast. But if we're patient and follow the rules the weight will come off. Just read all the sucess stories on this site and it will give you faith that the band really does work!

Just think -- what happened before when you lost weight from dieting? You gained it back right? Well, now you're keeping it off and losing more. You're doing great!