what is your average weight loss per week? the literature that i have suggest that the average bandster loses 1-2 pounds per week? do you find that to be true? what about during the liquid phase post op? did you lose more then?

At the moment, its like 1/2 lb per week. But I'm really not putting in much effort at the moment. I can pretty easily lose 1lb a week when I try a bit harder.

I have consistently lost 1 pound per week since my surgery. I have not been able to lose any more than this. Sometimes I get discouraged by the pace of my weight loss but I just remind myself that before banding I was gaining one pound a week. The tide has turned and I am now losing weight. My doctor says that it is healthier to lose at a slower rate and that I am more likely to maintain my weight loss if I keep it slow and steady.

I thought the weight would fall off with the liquid phase - lost about 6 or 7 lbs. (I hoped it would be much more). I find now that the weight comes off more in bursts. About 1/2 - 2 lbs a week - then sometimes POW off comes 4 or 5 without doing anything different. I am just happy for slow steady loss, even though is stalls from time to time, I have had no gains in over 6 months! Never in my life could I say that before.

I agree with the idea of slow weight loss. It's hard sometimes when all of my friends and family that have had bypass are dropping pounds like crazy. But hopefully I won't have as much loose skin, I'll remain healthier and won't have to struggle with the weight coming back like they are. I'm somewhere between 25-30 pounds and was banded on 3/7. I'm waiting to change my avatar for the big 30. It doesn't seem like as much as some others, but it's a blessing for me.

I lose 4 or five and then I stall for a week or two.I got stuck at 200,179,172 and HAVE BEEN STUCK AT 165 FOR OVER A MONTH.I am wondering if I will get past this one.

For me, I average about 3-4 pounds a week. BUT, I have a lot to lose. As I get closer to my goal, I will be really happy with 1-2 per week.

Also, I feel that exercise helps a lot...

Pre-Op I lost 7.

Post-Op liquid I lost 7, but gained it back prior to my first fill at 6 weeks.

I have lost only a couple of pounds in the last 2 weeks since my fill (a respectable 1.5cc in a 4cc band).

My DR says 1-2 pounds per week, but I have found this to be not the case for alot of people who post on this website.

AND alot of people do not appear to lose consistantly.

On average, 2.2lbs. Some weeks it has been more, some less, but that is the average.

I tend to lose in spurts. And I've not lost much in the past few months. But it averages out to between 1 - 1.5 lbs per week anyway. Best to keep a spreadsheet or at least mark down your weekly weight in a notebook and track it over a long period.

Right now I'm averaging 4.8 lbs per week. I'm stall, go, stall, go... so I've gone 5 weeks with nothing, and then lost nearly 20 lbs in one week. Yes, that was an awesome week! During my first week post-op which was a few days of liquids and a few days of thick liquids (yogurt, cream soups, etc.) I lost about 30 lbs. Keep in mind I came to this with 200 lbs to lose, so though the numbers may look "wow" -- percentage-wise, when compared to bandsters with less to lose, it's probably right on track.

I lose alot suddenly (like four pounds overnight) and then nothing for weeks and weeks. So far my average is exactly 2 pounds per week though. It's very frustrating to be stalled for four weeks but then I look at the big picture and remember I have been averaging 2 pounds a week and if that average keeps up I will be thrilled.

I am about 1.5 lbs per week on average. Even the first month with the liquids I only lost 6 lbs. I am happy that it is pretty steady going.

.... But, Were Afraid To Ask

This is an interesting concept.

All the LapBand literature stresses a loss of 1-2 lbs per week - which leads one to naturally assume a loss of 52-104# the first year if we multiply that times 52 weeks.

Errr, not exactly.

Face it, often LapBand patients do not lose 52-104# in their first year of banding.

There is a surgeon who has said on this very website that he dreams of having his LapBand patients lose 1-2# per week consistently.

So why does it not happen for all of us? Let's take a look at two important reasons.

Number One:

In this longtime-banded gal's observation the rate of 1-2# a week is optimally achieved when you have proper restriction.

That's a big concept - when you have proper restriction - because newly banded folks, long time banded folks and every one in between deals with time when we are not well restricted. If we were all properly restricted all the time, we'd never need fills but it happens. Quite often, the more you lose, the more fill you might need to keep a good restriction level.

Think of the LapBand as a leather belt around your stomach. As you lose weight and get smaller, you often have to tighten it so it continues to fit, right?

Remember that your stomach often gets smaller as the body does, so sometimes it takes a little bit more fill to 'feel' the same amount of restriction you had when you were heavier. And during those times, frankly, we do not generally lose 1-2# a week in general.

I am now tireless about my fills but if I total up all my overall time as a banded person (excluding the time that my older band had no working tubing, )

then I've only been properly restricted for several months of my time since having my band repaired last year. In other words, since that period of time I only had optimal restriction for maybe 30-40 weeks total - which translates to my current loss.

Number Two:

Those who have higher start weights, higher starting BMI's and more to lose - generally lose more and lose quicker than those who have lower starting weights or have less to lose. It's a simple math equation: those with more to lose tend to easily lose the 2# a week (or more) when properly restricted. Those with lower start weights (this includes a lot of those who self paid and went to Mexico if they didn't qualify for insurance coverage in this country) will often post weight loss of approx. 1/2 to 1# a week, even with the proper restriction. A LapBand patient who is trying to lose 60# overall to get to goal will usually not see the same fast loss as a patient who is aiming to lose 160# to get to goal weight.

Just some things to keep in mind.

Happy Band (and Life) Journeys To All...

If you divide my total lost since the day I was banded...it comes out to 3.07 pounds per week averaged. I am one of those roller coaster losers where I will lose 10-15 pounds in one week, then not lose a darn thing for 4 or more weeks. Funny thing...even after 10 months of the roller coaster ride, I still get discouraged during the plateaus. I know how my body is, and that the big loss is just over the horizon if I would just be patient enough. It's still a weird way to lose weight. I had never known anybody that lost weight like me until I met Wheetsin :rant:

Before surgery I weighed 240lbs but on preops I was at 235, lost 5lbs. Since surgery I have lost 47 more pounds averaging about 5.22pounds per week, consistently. I haven't stopped losing as of yet. I have hit 1 plateau where I was stuck at 219lbs for about 1 weekish, but I was so used to seeing the numbers go down daily.

I have to say that my consistent weight loss is due in whole to both my exercise and my food intake. I exercise, usually daily, sometimes twice per day and I drink shakes twice per day and have 4 other small meals 3 of which are low fat yogurt drinks and 1 or 2 slices of smoked turkey deli sliced meat. dinner is regular, fish or chicken with veggies, etc. I have 6 meals per day.