Hi Everyone,

I was banded on 4/21/10. Since then I have lost a total of 3lbs. I am so disappointed. I got my first fill today of 4cc, and guess what? No restriction still! I feel like I went through this whole process for nothing. I guess I just need to get use to the fact that I am always going to be a big girl:frown:.

I understand what you are feeling. It took me almost 6 moths to get pretty good restriction. Don't give up yet! You have just started your journey! You CAN do this! So many people have been where you are now! I highly recommend asking questions and seeking advice here. But don't give up!!!

Your band is a tool.....it will help you, it won't do it all for you. If you follow the rules, eat 3 smalls meals / day.....you will lose weight. Its not a miracle maker....if you are still eating the way you did pre-band then its not going to work.

Yes restriction would be nice...and make it easier....but it doesnt come right away. I was banded in January and I still have very little restriction. I have been "stuck" as people call it...once...and that was shortly after the one and only fill I've ever had.

Another fill maybe will help you? limit your intake and get your exercise....it will come off....

Ayana,

Please don't give up hope! The band will work for you but good restriction is key! Tell your doctor you would like him to be more aggressive with your fills. Until you are at the right restriction for you, you have to exercise a huge amount of self control. Find ways to distract yourself when you feel ravenous....go for a long walk and change your focus because like it or not, you still have to watch what you eat and exercise to make the weight come off. There are people on this website who insist you can lose the weight without exercising but this has not been the case for me. If I don't work out regularly, I don't lose anything.

I have lost weight the most consistently when I only eat 3 small meals per day. Adding two Snacks to my day seems to keep me from losing. I try to stay right around 1,000 calories/day and focus on my Protein.

Best of luck to you and have faith.........restriction will come!

Please don't feel this way! You were just banded and are going through a time period where you don't have restriction, yet, you are banded. Very anticlimactic! I was where you are for a long time and now have restriction. It is wonderful to know that you have a band and it's working. You will get there. Do what the others suggested and limit your food intake and exercise. During this period just focus on maintaining or possibly losing a few pounds. But the weight doesn't come off over night. Even with restriction I am losing 1-2 lbs a week. So, take a deep breath and relax chica! Best wishes!!!

Don't assume that you don't have restriction the first day. My doc said it can kick in between day 1 and day 10. I felt my first fill on day 3 but not on 1 or 2.

I have lost my restriction from the first fill and am looking forward to another one. I ate things in the last three days I have not been tempted to eat for a long time. I am just trying to convince myself it is a process, not an event and I will eventually get to restriction and my sweet spot.

Hang in there. We are all in this together.

I got banded a week ago and once I started feeling good its as if I have no band at all (without the incisions of course!). I am on a Meal Replacement diet for 2 weeks and did really well until yesterday. Now I have had to give anything not frozen away today because I start to eat it: olives, turkey... nothing terribly "bad" but against the diet that was established for me.

I went back to my surgeon's guide and noted that the original band is not very tight because the stomach is swollen from the procedure. The first fill is usually weeks 3-6. I'm thinking week 1 would be a good idea lol.

I spent the afternoon at the pool. I drank lots of Water. My stomach literally growls so loud!

I remind myself of the journey, and how I felt waking up after the surgery. I'm lucky to have gotten a job last year, and insurance to cover this great tool to lose weight and get healthy.

My follow up is early next week. Until then I'm going to walk, sit at the pool, go to the library...anything to stay out of the kitchen.

105 lbs in a year! Fantastic, congratulations :-)

I had my surgery on April 27th and had my first fill. I am where you are at now. Thankfully I go tomorrow to get a second fill. I felt that after my first fill I was more hungrier, but I also realize this is a journey and there are ups and downs, unfortunately this was my down time. Just stay positive, be proactive with your doctor, make good food decisions, exercise, and forgive yourself for mistakes! Good luck!

Are you eating your protien first,then veggies. Do not eat anything that will slide through the band. Walk at least 40 mins a day. I was banded on July 14 2009 I have lost 88 pounds following these rules. I am also training to walk 13.1 miles in Nov. Write down what you are eating and when you may be eating too much. It will work it is a tool and you need to learn how to use it.

I had my surgery on 4/29, got my first fill yesterday (2 cc) and I dont' feel a lot of restriction but I can tell the difference from pre surgery to now. This fill as another poster indicated hasn't hit me yet, but the doctor said it could take up to 10 days to really feel it. He advised me to not even go out to eat for 2 weeks while I relearn the band.

Don't get frustrated. 5 weeks in and I haven't lost the weight I wanted to but I also realize I have to relearn how to eat. While I am better I see things I have done that have caused my lower numbers. We just have to look at the bigger picture.

Hi Everyone,

I was banded on 4/21/10. Since then I have lost a total of 3lbs. I am so disappointed. I got my first fill today of 4cc, and guess what? No restriction still! I feel like I went through this whole process for nothing. I guess I just need to get use to the fact that I am always going to be a big girl:frown:.

Don't be so hard on yourself. You sound like you're depressed about the whole situation and that can be from the surgery. If you doctor failed to tell you that this takes time, then he/she did you a great disservice. The first couple of weeks are for healing and the first few months are very difficult without having proper restriction. Basically, without the restriction, you are doing most of it on your own.

You need to keep your appt's for your fills, follow the band rules, try and eat healthier and exercise. The band won't do it all for you. They don't call this "Bandster Hell" for nothing. Just be realistic...you didn't get overweight overnight, it isn't going to come off overnight. But if you follow the proper rules and get to restriction, you will have success. Keep your chin up and please be patient. It will come.

Don't be so hard on yourself. You sound like you're depressed about the whole situation and that can be from the surgery. If you doctor failed to tell you that this takes time, then he/she did you a great disservice. The first couple of weeks are for healing and the first few months are very difficult without having proper restriction. Basically, without the restriction, you are doing most of it on your own.

You need to keep your appt's for your fills, follow the band rules, try and eat healthier and exercise. The band won't do it all for you. They don't call this "Bandster Hell" for nothing. Just be realistic...you didn't get overweight overnight, it isn't going to come off overnight. But if you follow the proper rules and get to restriction, you will have success. Keep your chin up and please be patient. It will come.

Good point, and congratulations on your weight loss!

I had a friend ask me last night why I didn't do the bypass -- I didn't qualify for it -- and she said -- you have to work harder with the band. True. But learning how to eat healthy, work in exercise, and just think healthier is the process I'll be going through, and I've accepted it with a smile (most days lol).

I had my surgery on 4/29, got my first fill yesterday (2 cc) and I dont' feel a lot of restriction but I can tell the difference from pre surgery to now. This fill as another poster indicated hasn't hit me yet, but the doctor said it could take up to 10 days to really feel it. He advised me to not even go out to eat for 2 weeks while I relearn the band.

Don't get frustrated. 5 weeks in and I haven't lost the weight I wanted to but I also realize I have to relearn how to eat. While I am better I see things I have done that have caused my lower numbers. We just have to look at the bigger picture.

So what do you think the odds are of me getting my first fill next week? (probably 0). I'll be interested in hearing how you feel the next couple days! Good luck...............

These first few months after banding are torture! I'm 4.5 months post-op and I've had 4 fills (total 6ccs in my 10cc band). I feel that I'm getting closer to restriction with this last fill, but I'm not there yet. The first three fills did N-O-T-H-I-N-G for me. Every little drop of my 28 pounds lost has been all me, baby! Exercise, eating right (protein first, and no snacking!), getting proper sleep (SO IMPORTANT!), drinking water, taking vitamins -- all those rules WORK.

I have my Fill #5 in two weeks and I just know I'm going to have another "be careful what you wish for" episode. It is sinking in, now after 4 months, that it's for real, and I have to chew, chew, chew and make the right food choices. It's been a little surreal these last few months not having restriction, and I've had days where I have really regretted what I've eaten. But, as another poster said, forgive yourself and move on to a new day tomorrow. I'm on a "new day" today. :confused:

In these first 4, 6, 8 months before you get restriction, you owe it to yourself to learn healthy habits, and figure any weight you lose during this time will be a BONUS!

Great points. I think in some ways even though I had had a lot of counseling on the band, I looked at it like a magic wand that got waved, I felt bad a couple days and then looked like Cindy Crawford :-). Reality is setting in. It is a good reality and one I'm accepting with a smile, but it is still reality. Eating, exercising, taking care of myself are the three priorities :-).