Ok.....Im 4 weeks post op....last Monday I went to the doctor and Im now on mushy/soft end of week one. I have this week on mushy/soft then I go back to the doctor.....then it will be solid for 2 weeks then 2 weeks after that my first fill. Up until last Monday I lost 24 lbs. I have NOT LOST A THING SINCE THEN!!!! I've been going to the gym 3-4 times a weeks doing the tredmill and bike and meet up with friends over the weekend who I saw the night before my surgery (they do not know I had the surgery done) and they did NOT notice any of my weight loss. I'm really not getting all that full and have to stop myself from over eating the mushy/soft stuff. Will it start coming off after I get my fill in 3 weeks? Needless to say....Im very depressed over this. Just have a feeling of all for nothing and that its never gonna come off.

No need to be frustrated you are where all of us have been in this journey. You are still in the healing phase. Put your energy into healing and the weight loss will come in due time. I lost around 18 pounds during this time so you are doing great! Not feeling full just means that the swelling has gone down and you are healing. The full feeling will come with the fills, maybe not the first one but be patient listen to your doctor and it will happen.

It actually takes a few fills, a month apart each, to start eating tiny portions. Be patient and don't focus on all the weight coming off too fast because you don't want a lot of loose skin and unnecessary stretch marks.

This is all normal. This time weight loss is totally done by your will power. As for fills yes you may start loosing weight again after a fill but it usually takes more then one fill to get you good restriction. Also something to think about is that if your body isn't use to exercise then you'll be building muscle and muscle weighs more then fat so it is normal to stall. I usually lose weight for a week then stall for a week then lose again. Be patient you'll get there.

I will be three weeks post op on Thursday. I've lost 14 lbs so I'd say you are doing fabulous! Mushy is my stage this week too (according to my health network guidelines). I have only just started getting hungry. Last week I only lost 1 lb but I'll take every pound and be happy. It took me 5 months to lose 20 lbs on my own so no complaints from me or regrets! When did you first start getting hungry? Loose scrambled Eggs, mashed potatoes, mushed up veggies all seem to work for me-I ate a mushed up meat ball the other day that had been in the crockpot all day and only had room enough for 1/2 of it which both shocked and excited me at the same time. Yogurt but I've found 4 oz of yogurt fills me up too much (I can feel it in my throat right now...) for awhile so next time I'll limit it to 3 oz.

You are only 4 weeks post op and not even back on real food yet. The first 4-6 weeks after surgery are for healing not losing, so the fact you were able to lose anything at all is great. Most people don't lose during this time period and some even gain a little.

As for being full, don't ever expect to feel "stuffed full" with the band. It is not what the band is made to do. The band is made to make you feel satisfied (aka not hungry) with less food for longer amounts of time. Being satisfied and being full are not the same thing.

Also, please keep in mind it will likely take multiple fills before you have restriction. Until then, it's up to you to control your portions and make good food choices despite feeling like you don't have a band at all. Many call it "bandster hell" between surgery and restriction because it's very difficult for many to stick to band sized portions when they don't feel like they have a band at all.

Be patient, it will come, in the meantime just keep making good food choices and stick to band sized portions.

Band sized portions are a must...I have to measure my portions to remain diet compliant. You know the old saying "my eyes were bigger than my stomach"...in this case me eyes tend to believe that my portions should be larger.

It will also help to stay properly hydrated between your meals to help with managing your hunger.

This is a process, and not an event. Band patients do loose weight at a slower rate than other WLS procedures, which is totally alright with me!

Best wishes...

I gained ten pounds with my surgery. Apparently, the liquid diet they put you on before surgery causes you to be dehydrated, so by the time they pumped me full of liquid and operated, I was a full ten pounds heavier. I was horrified. But I kept telling myself this was a time for healing, not for weight loss. Your body has a lot to adjust to.

I've had a lot of challenges, but I eventually began losing (only after getting fills) and have already lost over 100 lbs. since I started. I had dreams of being the fastest loser ever, and I ended up being the slowest, but it was all worth it. Relax and heal. If you are like me, you will have to 'diet' to lose weight, but the band makes it much easier.

mindwing

Thank you everyone for your input and support! I feel a little better knowing this is normal for this stage of the game. I guess I'm just anxious. I just have to stay strong and stick to my guns.

Thanks again everyone!!!