I had my Band put in place on 7/20/11 I lost 10 pounds after surgery and now I have been up and down with the same 10-14 pounds. I have no restrictions I am completely discouraged and I am on my third fill as of today. I feel like I am the only person in the world who has had lapband and hasn't lost any weight. I am the same size I was when I left the hospital. I just don't know what to do. I expected the band to help me fight my hunger, restrict me from making poor food choices...I am struggling if not more because now I feel like a complete failure....Someone please help me!!!!

You're not alone!!! I was banded June 20, 2011 and have only lost 16 since then....I've been at a plateau for the last month, since my last fill, not losing but gaining then losing then gaining the same pound or two....

I've heard this is normal though....I've also heard when this happens, up your exercise and change your calories...I've also heard plateaus don't last too long.

Hoping you will start losing soon!!!

I go for a fill on Thursday and hoping I will find it easier to lose more!!!

Hang in there!!!

You're not alone!!! I was banded June 20, 2011 and have only lost 16 since then....I've been at a plateau for the last month, since my last fill, not losing but gaining then losing then gaining the same pound or two....

I've heard this is normal though....I've also heard when this happens, up your exercise and change your calories...I've also heard plateaus don't last too long.

Hoping you will start losing soon!!!

I go for a fill on Thursday and hoping I will find it easier to lose more!!!

Hang in there!!!

Thank You it is good to know that I am not alone.. I told my Dr today I am not 100% with my diet I am on 2 protein shakes a day and one meal. I feel it to be extremely challenging and I end up completely giving up and eating whatever but smaller amount. It is just really scary bc I can get just about anything down. Do u have that same problem?

From what I hear you should cut out the protien shakes and wat real foods. These will make you feel fuller longer as the shakes are a slider food. Try some oatmeal with protien powder for Breakfast, chicken or tuna salad for lunch. And a high protien dinner??? I also heard it can take up to 3-4 fills to hit that sweet spot!!

I hope you have success soon!!!

oops... wat should read eat....

I had my Band put in place on 7/20/11 I lost 10 pounds after surgery and now I have been up and down with the same 10-14 pounds. I have no restrictions I am completely discouraged and I am on my third fill as of today. I feel like I am the only person in the world who has had lapband and hasn't lost any weight. I am the same size I was when I left the hospital. I just don't know what to do. I expected the band to help me fight my hunger, restrict me from making poor food choices...I am struggling if not more because now I feel like a complete failure....Someone please help me!!!!

just don't give up! I too took a long time to start losing. I have had my band 3 years and have never regretted getting it, but it is a tool.. once you get restriction, you will start losing. I have about 50 pounds more to go and need a refill, but I am self pay and have to wait on funds. Just keep fighting the fight. It will happen! Good luck and hope to see "less of you" in the near future!

I write about this stuff on my blog. The band does not EVER help me make good choices, I have to do that. But I have mine tight enough so that eating requires thought and patience, and once thought and patience is added to the mix, I tend to make better choices. My theory has always been that the challenge (for success) is to see HOW LITTLE you can consume, not HOW MUCH. Making this mental shift is critical. When someone says I can eat anything, I think, but why are you? The challenge is not to see what you can still eat. The challenge is to diet until you get great restriction, which can take some time.

I took the time to read your blog and it is rather inspiring. You know what I just realized that through my Entire process I refuse to take pictures, I ask to not see my weight just the weight loss or gain....Maybe part of my problem is I am in avoidance with reality. This site is the only place I have been honest. I cheat, I eat anything I want and then complain that I am not losing. I just feel as though if I had the will power to stop eating I would. I have not thrown up once and the amount of food I can put down is absolutely sickening. I just was hoping for more restriction...I am slowly starting to see I need to more a whole lot more effort into this....Maybe I just haven't reached my sweet spot yet....I must say I love your saying...It should be how little I can eat not how much....

I know what your going threw, but !!! until you get a nice tight fill, you are going to feel HUNGRY. You know this.. So it'e up to you to do something about it, or ! deal with it until you get enough restriction that deadens the Hunger Hormone.

I went in the Hospital, and this time I had them take me to my fill level, under Fluoroscope. That was it, done.

I went in yesterday for a slight Tweak because of weight loss. (I NEEDED IT) Otherwise your done.

I went the round about way the first time, and it's a pain.

So this time I did it the right way. No more money maker for the Dr., this time it was about me.

SO you have a choice, talk to your Surgeon, and see if he will do this for you. If not ! Your stuck in a money maker, and you will have to

adjust. Go to myfitnesspal.com and keep track of your calories, and exercise.. This should help too.

Good Luck, Shirley.

could u just explain that to me in dummy terms....I am not to failure with band talk...lol

could u just explain that to me in dummy terms....I am not to failure with band talk...lol

A lot of places have a Fluoroscope to check your band, and do fills with.

Were talking about a X-RAY Machine that was made to show up your Organs. Well,,, it just so happened that it shows the whole band, and your Dr. will see it, and so will you on a screen.

They look for your fill line. Similar to something that holds fluids on a car (best I can think of to break it down) Anyway yes your Band has a fill line, and you can go in, have this X-RAY done, and they fill you to your fill line. That's it, and your done.

No more Hunger, No Guessing on fills. It's done right, and you just go on and work the band the way it should be done.

Like 1200 calories a day, 60-80G of Protein a day.

myfitnesspal.com will take the guess work out of it., and keeps everything in memory. It's free, I use it everyday, and work at losing weight.

Or you can feel like you are starving, and go on doing what your Dr. says (a fill every 6 weeks or something) He makes the money, and you still go hungry,

while he keeps doing adjustments/ or 1 fill straight to the fill line. The Hunger Hormone will be under control.

I did it the usual way the first time, then he over filled me, and thought he blew the band......

After that, he didn't want to even see me. So when I got Insurance this year, I found a DR. that would see me, and that's how I was filled.

They use to say years ago that Fluoroscope was the only way to go....

I now know what they mean.

Hope that helps. But is available, and it does work.

Good Luck, Shirley.

Okay so once they go in and do that does that fill your band all the way...I have a 10cc band. I am afraid if I get to the fill point It will stretch eventually. AM I wrong about that?

Okay so once they go in and do that does that fill your band all the way...I have a 10cc band. I am afraid if I get to the fill point It will stretch eventually. AM I wrong about that?

The fill line is just that. Where you should be with the band. You can have say 5 cc's put in, and your fill line is at 7 cc's. You don't want to go over that.. That's why there is a fill line. That's where you want to be, and that's where the fills stop.

In time like me, when I lost weight, and the stomach shrunk, I had just a tad put in to take away the Hunger. That was Yesterday. So now I will stay on fluids for 3 days, mushies for a day, and then try food. Hopefully it will be O.K., If not I will stay on mushies a little longer, until the Band relaxes.

It's complicated until you learn all these things. I'm still learning... Everyday is a different day with the band, but you need to work it the right way.

Some people like to stay with a light fill, so they can eat anything in sight. (WHY GET BANDED THEN !) I like it a little tighter, because it helps kill the hunger beast (that's what I call it) You eat lighter, less calories, Protein helps deaden hunger and we need it, Vitamins that contain CHOLINE. I use Flintstones Complete with Choline, I get my exercise 3 x a week, and record everything on myfitnesspal.com .

Let me know if I can help ? Or you need more info.

I'm NO Dr. ! Just been there before, and working to my Goal.

Shirley.

The Band wont stretch,,, It will only get tighter. Your fill line is not 10 cc's, that's where the scope, and professional can look at it and see where it is.

Personally, I'm glad I had gradual fills. Each of my fills has been done by flouroscope. I think having gradual fills has helped me mentally prepare myself for this new life.

I could have done better with my eating during those months that I didn't have good restriction, and probably would have lost more weight, but I'm happy with the way things are going. It's been slower than most would like, but I feel like I am really on the right track now.

You will do great!

It's good under Fluoro., It takes the guess work out. My surgeon put to much in, and I couldn't even swallow saliva. Water came right back up.

So he deflated me because he thought he blew the band.

This Halloween I will be banded for 6 years, and I am finally getting the chance to start over again.

As far as I am concerned,,, Fluorscopy is the only way to go.