So I am almost 3 weeks post op and I eat very little. I get full quickly and stop eating. I notice that I am still not losing much weight. I figured if I'm eating 1/4 of the calories I use to so I should be losing weight. I'm following my portion sizes and most of the food suggestions, the doctor has given me, but still the weight loss is way way slow. I've lost 17 lb total from start of the pre op diet and until now which is about 4 weeks of eating completely differently. I know I shouldn't complain, I'm just wondering what difference a fill is gonna make. I'm not hungry as is and I'm not eating more then I should, so when I get a fill and I gonna be eating even less?? I thought I understood this whole process, but I'm starting to feel like I'm missing something? Any words of wisdom out there would be greatly apprieciated,

Thank you !

Nicole

hi, have you talked to your surgeon yet?

Do you keep a food diary? I cant live now without one. I use myfitness pal to log everything to see how many calories I'm getting.

Are you drinking lots of Water?

I have a checklist that I went over and over through and tried everything before finally going to see my regular doctor.

Don't worry. It will come off in time. Right now all you need to do is heal and any weight loss in the process is bonus. You might even gain a little after you get back to reagular food. It will take a few fills before you start having good restirction. For me it was my third fill that gave me restiction so don't be worried if it doesnt happen right away. That is the period everyone calls bandster hell because it's all on you with no help from your tool. Good luck.

You should be happy that u feel restriction because I am 3 weeks post op and don't feel no restriction at all, like someone just mention I feel as I am doing this on my own no help from my band but I hope when i get my first fill it will get better.

There's no big mystery, Nicole, the calories we eat have to be less than the calories

we burn. If you're losing about 2 lbs a week, that's 100 lbs a year. That would work.

hi, have you talked to your surgeon yet?

Do you keep a food diary? I cant live now without one. I use myfitness pal to log everything to see how many calories I'm getting.

Are you drinking lots of Water?

I have a checklist that I went over and over through and tried everything before finally going to see my regular doctor.

I use sparkpeople.com to track my food and I under 1000 calories every day, it's usually 600- 900 calories a day. I haven't talk to the doctor yet I see him Friday, so I guess lets see what he says.

So I am almost 3 weeks post op and I eat very little. I get full quickly and stop eating. I notice that I am still not losing much weight. I figured if I'm eating 1/4 of the calories I use to so I should be losing weight. I'm following my portion sizes and most of the food suggestions, the doctor has given me, but still the weight loss is way way slow. I've lost 17 lb total from start of the pre op diet and until now which is about 4 weeks of eating completely differently. I know I shouldn't complain, I'm just wondering what difference a fill is gonna make. I'm not hungry as is and I'm not eating more then I should, so when I get a fill and I gonna be eating even less?? I thought I understood this whole process, but I'm starting to feel like I'm missing something? Any words of wisdom out there would be greatly apprieciated,

Thank you !

Nicole

Stop beating yourself up. What was the last diet you were on that you lost 17 pounds in 3/4 weeks? I know we would all like to loose 50 pounds in a week but it is not going to happen. Slow and steady wins the race. Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!

Your doctor won't force you to get a fill. I've never had a fill and my band is completely empty.

Don't fix it if it's not broken. If you aren't hungry then don't get a fill!

17lb in four weeks is actually excellent weight loss. I think people think weight loss surgery and imagine weight literally falling off, but remember, this is a surgery which really only has a pretty minor effect on your digestive system at first - maybe mild restriction, certainly a week or two of being unable to eat normally until the swelling goes down. Its not like bypass where you're instantly and forever altered. In the fact of that, what you've been doing is pretty much dieting without much assistance and as such, 17lb is fantastic!

Complain all you like though, this is a frustrating process at times. I dont think there's many of us who can truthfully say we didnt secretly think the band would be just a little bit magic. Its a bummer to come back down to reality and realise it isnt. But it will get easier with restriction.

the other thing is that I think many of us have bodies that are terribly efficient at processing what we eat and storing it away and are terribly good at not letting go of it. D'oh! that's why we're fat. So many of us truly eat no more than what a lot of people out there eat and they dont get fat from it, yet we do. I know personally that I lost weight well and successfully, but it took me a lapband to do it of course - I'm 5ft 10, 140lb and run 8 to 10kms most days. All the charts put my caloirie needs in the 2500+ category - guess what? I maintain on about 1800 and begin to gain on any more than that. It just doesnt add up - but it gives credence to my belief that whilst I ate badly it was no worse than most people and they never got as fat as I did. Likewise, we all know many people cut out alchohol, switch to skim milk and walk half an hour a day and voila! That pesky 20lb bothering them is gone. If only hey?

Stop being discouraged. I am 2 weeks post op and also down 17 pounds BUT i had 3 weeks of pre-liquid diet. You're supposed to be losing a steady 1-2 pounds a week and from my calculations, you are over that amount.

You are doing a great job. I understand that it is frustrating. You are probably like I am and you have waited so long, you want to see results. Yes, 17 is a lot of weight but I know when you have a lot to loose it can seem slow. I have also been impatient at times. (Like most of the time I knew that it wouldn't just "fall" off and yet, as I watched other people I know loose weight after weight loss it did seem to fall off from my view point but I wasn't in there shoes at the same time. I lost weight pretty fast at first, I lost 11 pounds pre-op diet, then by 4 weeks post op I was down 36 pounds total. It was awesome because it did seem to fall off. Then after that it slowed down dramtically to about 4 pounds per month, then about 3 months ago I hit a plateau- then gained 2 pounds. To say I was frustrated was an understatement.

I thought I would have lost 100 pounds by now. I have been working out 5 days a week, recently went from 30 to 60 minutes, I am determined and I felt cheated because as you say I feel like I am barely eating anything. I know this is a long story, sorry, but want to encourage you- so about 3 weeks ago I went in for a fill and there was a problem so I had to have surgery to fix my port. Basically, I hardly had any restriction, and now I have lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks and I keep losing inches.

All this to say, I understand it is hard and frustrating. You will probably have your ups and downs, times when you are doing great and times when you struggle but if you stick with it, you can do it. I am down 67 pounds and I am feeling great. Yes, I have about 80 more pounds to loose, but I am a lot better than I was this time last year. Hang in there- you can do it. Oh, and one thing I use is my fitness pal. com - it is free and really helpful to keep track of calories and exercise.