I am starting to get depressed. I was banded 6-23-2010 and I have had no restriction since about day 4 and my first fill is not until 7-21. I know everyone says this is the bandster hell period but I am starting to think this was all for nothing. I have not lost any weight in the last week :-(

Chin up! I had to wait six weeks for my first fill-- so the 21st isn't too bad. Only one more week.

In the meantime, focus on foods that will help you feel full for less calories-- whole grains, Fiber rich foods, veggies, lean Proteins, and yes, a little bit of healthy fat.

Basically we have choices during bandster hell-- diet to lose weight, or wait until you have restriction (which, unfortunately, is not likely to come with your first fill.)

And like all other things in life-- this "bandster hell time," too, shall pass... :grouphug:

Thanks Jen...I know I need to hang in there. I always get this way when I dont see the scale moving.

I expected this to happen (and it sounds like you, did too) :grouphug: so I'm just using this time to get used to being banded, learning good habits and focusing on what needs to be done to be successful in the long term.

I was banded one month ago (June 14th) and am sitting at a 10lb loss. My first fill is Friday and I'm not expecting too much from it.

There are tons and tons and tons of threads on this. Many people have been where we are right now and have had incredible success. We will, too.

I'm not going to judge (or sabotage) my future on the few weeks immediately post op and hope you don't either.

Wishing you the best of luck!

kagead

I am on the same boat...I was banded May 18th and have only lost 30 Lbs and since then I am stuck I excersice on a daily basis and eat right and NOTHING!! I have no idea what I am doing wrong I hope once I get my first fill I will start to lose some more I too feel discouraged right about now :grouphug: ~Karina

I was banded in February, and I am 2lb lighter today than then, having put on weight in the middle, and now starting to lose it. I have have numerous fills, some of which Fluid has gone into the tubing and so is no longer counted, so I have 9.5 mls in a 14cc band.

But I did lose 7 lbs over the past five weeks - after recent fills I felt fuller more quickly (although not unable to eat more). Today I was filled again, and the consultant said she expected the real restriction to kick in now.

you may need to get up to 9 or 10 mls before the restriction is really felt. Even if you are not experiencing it after 4 or 5 months, it doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong.

I think bigger people take longer to get restriction, but that may not apply in your case, and in any case you were very recently banded.

Even the first fill might not give you restriction. It may take several.

I say this not to be a downer, but to remind you of what you probably already know. Bands don't provide us with immediate post-op weight loss. It will happen as you proceed with fills and gain gradual restriction.

Keep working on good band habits, and it will happen.

I didnt start losing weight for about a month after surgery. At this point you need to have self control!

My nutritionist said during the FILL process, don't even worry about not losing weight.... EAT HEALTHY it is a process... your weight did not go on overnight, and it will not come off overnight...

You got BANDED, its for life... your new eating habits will be for LIFE...

Be patient and let your bandster lifestyle unfold in its time!

Best wishes,

Candice

I understand exactly how you feel! I was banded on June 14, 2010 and have only lost 5 pounds since then. I am only eating about 500-600 calories per day. I am wondering if this is even going to work for me. People keep telling me that I may not be eating enough to lose weight, so I can't help but wonder what is going to happen when I have restriction and can't even eat that much?! They really didn't prepare me for the fact that there would be minimal weight loss after surgery. I was losing more weight before the band!

Stop getting on the scale. It will make you crazy. Numbers don't mean anything. It's all about how your body feels and it's probably already started feeling better. Hang in there!!

Bandster hell is tough. By the time we get banded we've been in this fight for many years - or even decades. We want relief from the fat and we want it now! But you cannot subvert the band process. It can take months... yes months... (because most fills are at least 4 weeks apart) to achieve satisfactory restriction.

A lot of people have the attitude, "well I didn't get this band to have to exercise, eat right, and have will power. If I had that ability I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place." This attitude is a one-way ticket to failure in the fast lane.

Restriction will, in time, come. And that is when the band becomes the "tool" to help you. But YOU will still have to do the work. It is not easy - but you CAN do it!

Be determined - let no demons stand in your road to success!

Brad

I understand exactly how you feel! I was banded on June 14, 2010 and have only lost 5 pounds since then. I am only eating about 500-600 calories per day. I am wondering if this is even going to work for me. People keep telling me that I may not be eating enough to lose weight, so I can't help but wonder what is going to happen when I have restriction and can't even eat that much?! They really didn't prepare me for the fact that there would be minimal weight loss after surgery. I was losing more weight before the band!

Did your doctor/nurtritionist prescribe a long-term diet of less than 500 calories per day? That seems very low to me for a daily long-term eating plan.

Many of us eat 800-1200 (women bandsters, that is) daily during the losing phase.

Bandster hell is tough. By the time we get banded we've been in this fight for many years - or even decades. We want relief from the fat and we want it now! But you cannot subvert the band process. It can take months... yes months... (because most fills are at least 4 weeks apart) to achieve satisfactory restriction.

A lot of people have the attitude, "well I didn't get this band to have to exercise, eat right, and have will power. If I had that ability I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place." This attitude is a one-way ticket to failure in the fast lane.

Restriction will, in time, come. And that is when the band becomes the "tool" to help you. But YOU will still have to do the work. It is not easy - but you CAN do it!

Be determined - let no demons stand in your road to success!

Brad

Congrats Brad on your STATS... awesome results.... keep it up.

Also, you gave sound advise... the Band is a TOOL in our weight loss journey... it is NOT the answer to all our problems...

You will still have HEAD hunger to deal with... that is my major DEMON but I am still trying to strangle the DEMON, I will not give up.

I also concur that 500-800 cals per day is insufficient.... make sure your GOALS are PROTIEN... 60 grams per day minimum... low cal diets and low protien and you'll lose your hair honey!! I've seen it in folks that try to loose their weight TOO fast...

1 - 2 lbs loss per week is a good goal... How tall are you? HOw much do you currently weight? How much exercise are you getting??? Remember its not all about the calories, but reving up your metabolism...

If you eat too few calories, you will slow down your metabolism... not what you are wanting to do.

It took me 5 fills to find restriction and a sixth one to find my sweet spot. I actually gained from a month after surgery until about 5 months post-op. And then my head and my band seemed to find their sweet spots at the same time - and BAM! I'm down nearly 100 lbs in less than 8 months.

Bandster hell sucks, but once it's over, you'll hardly even remember how bad it was. I promise!

I wasn't prescribed the low calorie diet, but it seems that if I eat more than that, I gain weight. I am just trying to stick to 3 small meals a day. I go for my 2nd post-op appointment tomorrow, so I will see what the surgeon has to say. THanks for the info!