Let me explain. I researched the band back in January decided it was the surgery I wanted. I drained my entire savings and went for it. I lost 27 pounds on the pre op diet. I did the healing and just got my first fill yesterday.

I now have 2 Ccs in my band. Im still so hungry I could eat a small buffalo. I feel no restriction at all and my scale is still stuck at what I was after my pre op diet.

When will the weight loss come? I'm so tired of waiting. When will I feel less hungry?

I can't talk to my doctors because their morons. They don't even want me counting calories... I feel so uneducated. I just want information. What to expect!!!! When will results show.

I have all this pressure from my family to loose weight and they are now saying things like I wasted 16,500 dollars.

It's really depressing. Can someone just tell me what to do to loose some weight!!!!!!!

Well, to start with... get the negative people to shut up about it. Their bitching isn't helping anything.

You may very well not have restriction yet, I had some restriction from the moment after surgery and have never "not" had restriction although many people experience what you have. Can you honestly eat the same amount as you were before? Or can you just eat more then the recommended lap band amount?

In my opinion this is what has to happen to loose weight.

Keep a food journal. I have noticed most people eat between 1000 - 1200 calories, more than that, weight loss may be slower, less than that you may go into "starvation" mode. Counting calories really makes me aware of what I am eating in a day. Make sure you are getting the 60g of protien.

Protien fills you up... stays with you longer, helps make you less hungery.

Exercise - it makes a world of difference.

Water - drink at least 64oz a day (I drink 100oz)

Lose the negativity, don't listen to it... put an end to it! If you think you are a failure I'm going to say it is a pretty good chance you will be. You have to believe in it, in yourself and be proud of every single pound. 1 pound motivates me like you wouldn't believe.

Bottom line to me it is all about calories in vs. calories out.

It takes 3200 calories to gain or lose a pound.

Here are my stats.

I sit at a desk 9 hours a day. Just existing at my weight I burn 3000 calories a day.

I work out everyday and burn 500 - 600 calories.

I eat about 1400 calories a day

daily existance 3200

exercise 500

Total Cal. burned 3700

Cal eaten 1400

Daily calorie burn 2300

2300 cal a day x 7 = 16100 cal divided by 3200(1 pound) = 5 pounds

At that rate I should lose 5 pounds a week. I don't, why... some days I eat more some days I exercise less or not at all, and your matabolism comes into play. But I just keep doing the same thing. I have consistantly averaged 10 pounds a month since my surgery.

Burn more than you eat.... eventually you have to lose!

It takes time to get to the proper restriction, don't sabotage yourself in the meantime. Eat healthy, follow the lap-band rules, eat protien, drink your water, exercise etc.

Your band is (in my opinion) is 1/3 of the equation... the rest is up to you.

It's hard, but you can do it... I've said it many many times, If I can, anybody can.

I wish you the very best of luck!

Teresa

TKW is spot-on! I especially like the bit about the band being only 1/3 of the equation.

I, too, was very hungry after that first fill. Welcome to bandster hell! I regarded that phase as kinda like bootcamp to learn & train how to be a bandster.....lots of Protein, small bites, lots of chewing, Water, etc, etc.

The restriction will eventually come but you may find that your habits have already changed for the better even before hitting a sweet spot.

One last thing....exercise, exercise, exercise. I do a combo of cardio & strength training. It has been absolutely essential for me.

Best of luck!

chloe

The absolute worst thing you can do is get frustrated and give up...

It wasn't until my 5th fill that I achieved the restriction I was looking for. I had none after the first. I only had a limited amount of restriction that didn't last long after the 2nd and 3rd...

The band is truly a journey! And even though you've been at it awhile - you're really just now beginning... It will get better just hang in there - it is SO worth it!

In the meantime learn good eating and exercise habits. Treat food as fuel. IMHO exercise is really the key to long term success. And the exercise needs to be of sufficient intensity to always provide a challenge. If it's not a challenge then it's time to increase it, because your body will adapt and get stronger.

Don't get discouraged - trust me - it's worth the effort!

Brad

Let me explain. I researched the band back in January decided it was the surgery I wanted. I drained my entire savings and went for it. I lost 27 pounds on the pre op diet. I did the healing and just got my first fill yesterday.

I now have 2 Ccs in my band. Im still so hungry I could eat a small buffalo. I feel no restriction at all and my scale is still stuck at what I was after my pre op diet.

When will the weight loss come? I'm so tired of waiting. When will I feel less hungry?

I can't talk to my doctors because their morons. They don't even want me counting calories... I feel so uneducated. I just want information. What to expect!!!! When will results show.

I have all this pressure from my family to loose weight and they are now saying things like I wasted 16,500 dollars.

It's really depressing. Can someone just tell me what to do to loose some weight!!!!!!!

I want to know how much weight does your family expect you to lose in less than 3 months time. According to your stats you've already lost 27 lbs., that's GREAT progress to me, especially since Lapband patients are only expected to lose about 1-2 poundes per week (realistically). After I began eating real food I GAINED weight, at least you haven't done that. I've read this board so much I knew what to expect and plateaus are VERY normal. No one gained enough weight to be a candidate for WLS overnight and there is no way that one will be able to take it off overnight. TKW gave some great tips! All you have to do is change up your routine and your body will respond accordingly. As far as being uneducated goes, you just have to educate yourself. Alot of Doctor's offices do not educate self pay patients because they aren't required to do so (like with insurance requirements). I loosely count calories, have never measured or weighed my food. I just find it very unrealistic (in my life) to have to do that for the rest of my life. Everything works differently for everybody. You just have to work with your band and it will start working for you!

Tell the naysayers that if they have nothing positive to say to keep it to themselves. This isn't a bypass so you aren't going to lose weight as quickly. You'll feel hunger until your band is at the right restriction. In the meantime, just try to make good food choices. Eliminating things that have an immediate impact on the body's insulin (which may increase the hunger) may help - grains, starches, fruits. Focus on Protein and low carb vegies. At some point, the band will start working too.

.

TKW, have you had metabolic testing done to verify that you burn 3000 cals daily just living? I am 48 yo, 5'7", 246lb. My resting metabolic rate was 1860. I too work a desk job. I only question as 3000 sounds very high. I shoot for 1200 a day, but almost always go up to 1500-1600. I am almost 5 mo post op. Lost 31 lb so far but it has stalled. I feel no restriction, have had zero fills. Dr does a flouro and says my band is working perfectly and tightening it will only cause me issues that I am not having. I know it's up to me to move more and eat less. I reaffirm to myself everyday. I am just resigned to a slow loss of 3-4 lb a month. I just wish I had some restriction to scare me from eating extra bites. It is very difficult to have people around you thinking the lapband is some magical fat melting device. I have had to explain so many times that it's just a tool and the diet is up to me with some support from my band. It does get frustrating and depressing. I journal and track foods Nd just reaffirm my efforts and confidence to myself daily.

Well I definately understand what you are saying. I was banded last august. I had lost 40 lbs pre op. I was so excited that I would finally looseweight and not be hungry. Wow was that a lie. I never had any restriction until January of this year. I lost 7 lbs during the first couple of weeks after surgery cause there was swelling. & just on liquids. as soon as the swelling went down I was sooo hungry I cried. there was a person that had written to me welcome to the wonderful world of hunger. I thought he was being silly. I was wrong. it was a month before they game me my first fill. So back to liquids. Lost 5 lbs. not hungry. bam! soon as the swelling went down starving again. this went on for months. Also I am the lucky on that got a staff infection with the surgery. they gave me meds and I got hives. I was a mess. still staring and not itching. I felt I got no support from my doctor cause he was out having surgery. went to er. I am to this day still fighting the staff infection. I have spent lots of money on gas and meds. Finally I had had enough. I was tired of going into the office and everyone smiling and saying how great I was doing. BS! I was staring and hadn't lost weight wasn't gaining either. I deserve what I was promised. I wrote a letter detailing everything that had happened and how I felt. I gave it to my doctor. I didn't want to hurt any ones feelings but I was at the end of the rope. after he read it we started to talk. that month I had lost 12 lbs. but not from the surgery, I had some pfentermine which I had decided to take so I would not be hungry. But because I wrote the letter, action was taken and I got a big fill. it was the first time I ever felt any restriction. After that I have had a couple of more fills. I now have restriction. but it took six months and finally complaining to get there. it has been 8 months since my surgery, I now loosing weight. I have lost a total of 85 lbs. I am no longer hungry. I weight all of my food to be 4 0z. and it is now ok but it was hell and hard feelings for the first 6 months. DON'T give up. Tell them that you want more now. go ing until they get it right. but unless you complain. You deserve it. (now if they can just clear up this lasting staff infection)

error

TKW, have you had metabolic testing done to verify that you burn 3000 cals daily just living? I am 48 yo, 5'7", 246lb. My resting metabolic rate was 1860. I too work a desk job. I only question as 3000 sounds very high. I shoot for 1200 a day, but almost always go up to 1500-1600. I am almost 5 mo post op. Lost 31 lb so far but it has stalled. I feel no restriction, have had zero fills. Dr does a flouro and says my band is working perfectly and tightening it will only cause me issues that I am not having. I know it's up to me to move more and eat less. I reaffirm to myself everyday. I am just resigned to a slow loss of 3-4 lb a month. I just wish I had some restriction to scare me from eating extra bites. It is very difficult to have people around you thinking the lapband is some magical fat melting device. I have had to explain so many times that it's just a tool and the diet is up to me with some support from my band. It does get frustrating and depressing. I journal and track foods Nd just reaffirm my efforts and confidence to myself daily.

No.. I have not had metabolic testing done. I know that that is not accurate because I do not lose the 5 pounds it works out to be. I got that number off a web site when I entered my info. I average around 2 pounds a week, but it was a starting point for me (i did weigh over 400 lbs) and it helps me stay on track to see what i eat and burn in a day. Good Luck to you, I know sometimes the weight moves slowly but as long as it is moving we must be doing something right!

It took me 5 months to get any restriction and another month to hit my "sweet spot" where I feel full when eating and can go 5 hour without being hungry. I am not a patient person AT ALL. I do an hour of cardio 7 days a week. I have been a slow loser. I do however lose inches which is positive. If you have'nt already done so buy a good food scale.

I didn't lose any weight on the 6 months required diet. In fact I gained. I guess I just didn't take it seriously. On the 2 week pre-op diet I lost only 6 pounds, but now after 2 fills I really do not have any issues except with bread, hard chicken and dry or hard rice. I am hoping my next fill in a few weeks will make other things tougher. I have only had about 3 sliming episodes. (YUK!) I am guilty of wanting it all to happen right now and fast. This is a journey I have already learned...that is not going to happen overnight. I have a support group and I have to quit comparing myself to others as this is MY JOURNEY. Comparing just makes me think I am not doing well enough. I just try each day to keep my food and exercise journal. Seem like I eat right when I have to add it up! Don't be hard on yourself or let the pressure from family who know how much you spent cause you worries. THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW IT IS. Give them a book to read about the band so they get that this could be a several years and lifetime journey. A good book I read is called Bandwagon. Good luck!