I got the Lapband in early December 2011. I lost 5 pounds the first week on the liquid diet. Once I moved to soft foods, I stopped losing. It's now almost March and I have yo-yoed back and forth with those 5 pounds. I've had two fills. The first didn't make a difference, I could eat as much as I was hungry for. The second fill is tighter and I throw-up if I eat too fast but I'm still so hungry. I track food daily on myfitnesspal.com and I exercise 6 days a week. I see on my food tracking that I just eat too many calories (although they are mostly good, whole food calories). When I limit my calories for more than four days, I get too exhausted to exercise and get so overwrought, I eat the wrong foods. This was my problem before the lapband, too (although then I could diet for longer stretch of time).

I keep reading about all these people who have lost so much weight with the lapband. Has anyone struggled at the beginning like I have and then gone on to lose a lot of weight? Or, am I just part of that 5% that don't lose with the lapband? Has anyone joined Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, or Weight Watchers to support the lapband? Any advice at all would be helpful. Thanks!

I struggled in the beginning and didn't lose fast either. But I stuck it out and did what I knew I had to do. My PA told me I may be the few % that the band doesn't control hunger....lucky me! I got a fill today and hoping for the best.

Weightloss surgery or not, if you eat too many calories ya ain't gonna lose weight! How many calories are you eating a day? I try and keep mine to 1000-1300 a day.

I've read several that have struggled in the beginning. I'm not banded yet but it sounds to me like you're not getting enough protein. I would also try to find a support group for bandsters if you have one near you, I've been told that makes a ton of difference too. Hope things get bettter for you....good luck!

Thank you for your replies. I have my daily calorie goal set for 1200 calories on myfitness pal. I've managed to stay right at that level for the last three days. I know that in another two days I'll lose my mind because I feel so hungry.

My Protein is usually pretty high because I do a lot of exercise. I got 100 grams today. I eat grilled chicken, egg beaters, chobani yogurt, and muscle milk light.

I also drink a lot of Water. I do have good habits but I'm more like a person without a lapband. Biologically, my body is doing everything it can to maintain this weight and I thought the lapband would give me at least some help but it's like nothing is there, just something that makes me throw up and not let me eat certain foods anymore.

I'm still confused why it's not working for me.

You shouldn't be throwing up?? Maybe it's time to check in with your doctor.

Everyone throws up some until they find out what foods to avoid. The food I could eat before fill changed after fill and it takes time to eliminate some foods from diet. You don't just bring food bad up because of over tight band I can chew a bite of lettuce until its juice and it's coming back up but I can eat a slice of pizza no problem? Weird but that's the band and everyone is different.

It sounds like u still need more fill, u shouldnt be really hungry all the time. Just because u throw up when u eat too fast it doesnt mean u are at the restriction you need. I know i need a fill when i get hungry in between meals but i still can get stuck if i eat to fast, dont chew enough etc. I am one of those people that if i am hungry i definitely eat too fast and then i get stuck so I have soup before my main meal just a ww tomato soup ( 70 cals) this goes half way to making me feel satisfied so i dont eat too fast for my main meal. The last thing u should do is turn to food just because u feel tired, you would be far better to have a day of rest and not get 'overwrought and eat the wrong foods' .

Try eating 5 small meals a day instead of 3 or if u are eating 5 meals a day then change to 3. I know if i eat more than around 1000 calories a day i just dont lose weight. Its a pain having to count calories all the time but i am not one of those that could just eat small meals of normal type food and lose weight. Try lowing your carb intake, if you eat too many it can trigger feelings of hunger ...

I would consider going to see a psychologist or food counsellor as if some of your hunger is mind based the band wont really help you on that.

JUst dont give up and try different things, theres a thread on this forum for people following Weight Watchers it might be something like that will help you, change your exercise routine, do small changes whilst you sort out your hunger issues and maybe try another small fill.

Most of us became overweight because we just didnt like or couldnt live with the feelings of being hungry, it might be u have to learn to live with those feelings for a while yet, after all none of us will starve to death.

You havent been banded very long so you are probably still in 'bandster hell', give it time and just tweak what you are doing for now.

Yesterday i literally felt like i was hungry all day, i dont have any food in the house which will put on weight, i found myself 'grazing' but on food that i know wont put on weight. 0% greek yoghurt, sugar free jello, suagr free sweets, tea and coffee all helped me in between meals. I know i will need another fill soon even tho i still get stuck sometimes.

I would definitely look to getting another fill soon as it really is too early to say that its not working for you, and talking with the doctor may help sort out what is going on for you.. good luck

Thank you! I like your soup idea. I am so hungry when I start to eat but having a little lo-cal soup to start might slow me down a bit. I was just afraid of getting into the slider-food mode if I went with soup. I also like your idea of eating 5 small meals, rather than 3. I've been really trying for 3 because my doc told me to do that, but I really start going crazy around the 3rd or 4th hour without food. I found some sugar-free popsicles in the fridge at work and have been having one at the end of my day on my commute and that seems to help a bit too.

To everyone who has commented so far - thank you! You all have had very helpful tips that I can start putting into practice.

I am sure you will find the soup helpful, i got the idea from when i used to eat out i would never have soup as a starter because it fills me up and i wouldnt eat my meal .. I have eaten soup before my main meal every day since being banded and i love it .. My partner lost 80lbs by eating soup before his meals too as he would not be satisfied with smaller meals either and he wasnt even banded ... sometimes we just have to go with what works and not what is standard

Cazzy - you summed me up! I am maybe going to have a mini fill tomorrow as I am hungry every 1.5 hours.

Cheers,

Kristi

It sounds like u still need more fill, u shouldnt be really hungry all the time. Just because u throw up when u eat too fast it doesnt mean u are at the restriction you need. I know i need a fill when i get hungry in between meals but i still can get stuck if i eat to fast, dont chew enough etc. I am one of those people that if i am hungry i definitely eat too fast and then i get stuck so I have soup before my main meal just a ww tomato soup ( 70 cals) this goes half way to making me feel satisfied so i dont eat too fast for my main meal. The last thing u should do is turn to food just because u feel tired, you would be far better to have a day of rest and not get 'overwrought and eat the wrong foods' .

Try eating 5 small meals a day instead of 3 or if u are eating 5 meals a day then change to 3. I know if i eat more than around 1000 calories a day i just dont lose weight. Its a pain having to count calories all the time but i am not one of those that could just eat small meals of normal type food and lose weight. Try lowing your carb intake, if you eat too many it can trigger feelings of hunger ...

I would consider going to see a psychologist or food counsellor as if some of your hunger is mind based the band wont really help you on that.

JUst dont give up and try different things, theres a thread on this forum for people following Weight Watchers it might be something like that will help you, change your exercise routine, do small changes whilst you sort out your hunger issues and maybe try another small fill.

Most of us became overweight because we just didnt like or couldnt live with the feelings of being hungry, it might be u have to learn to live with those feelings for a while yet, after all none of us will starve to death.

You havent been banded very long so you are probably still in 'bandster hell', give it time and just tweak what you are doing for now.

Yesterday i literally felt like i was hungry all day, i dont have any food in the house which will put on weight, i found myself 'grazing' but on food that i know wont put on weight. 0% greek yoghurt, sugar free Jello, suagr free sweets, tea and coffee all helped me in between meals. I know i will need another fill soon even tho i still get stuck sometimes.

I would definitely look to getting another fill soon as it really is too early to say that its not working for you, and talking with the doctor may help sort out what is going on for you.. good luck

Hello have you checked whether you may be anemic? I am the same as you and discovered my dizziness was a symptom of a deficiency

Sarz,

Wouldn't taking Iron pills prevent anemia? I know that is the treatment anyway. It's just a blood test, right? I was going to get my blood tested again once I lost 20 or 30 pounds but since that hasn't happened, I'm delaying it.

AXA, true iron is the remedy for anemia its just a supplement to take with caution thats all and better to know the cause of your dizziness.. Anemia was what was causing mine, I would gorge myself on sweet things as a result of my dizziness. Wish all great health

AXA, true iron is the remedy for anemia its just a supplement to take with caution thats all and better to know the cause of your dizziness.. Anemia was what was causing mine, I would gorge myself on sweet things & coffee as a result of my dizziness which is Metabolic Syndrome-another epic issue.. Wish all great health