Hello. I was banded on 9/11/2006, and will have my first post op appointment on 10/5/2006. I will probably get my first fill at that time.

Maybe I shouldn't be worried but I am a little.

After the surgery, I was instructed to do 2 weeks of liquids, and then "soft mechanical" foods during weeks 3 and 4. I am at the beginning of week 3, and I find that i am getting really hungry. Besides that, I have gained back 3 of the pounds that I had lost during the first week. What should I make of this? I am not overeating. In fact I am eating MUCH less than I ever did before.

I am hoping that you all can help me gain some insight into this. I'm feeling sort of discouraged, actually. Will this all turn around for me once I get the first fill? Any advice would be welcome. I just don't know how I should be looking at this. Right now I am finding it hard to imagine that i can actually lose weight the way all of you are. Thanks.

I am hoping that you all can help me gain some insight into this. I'm feeling sort of discouraged, actually. Will this all turn around for me once I get the first fill? Any advice would be welcome. I just don't know how I should be looking at this. Right now I am finding it hard to imagine that i can actually lose weight the way all of you are. Thanks.

I'm in about the same spot, I've gone up a couple of pounds as I've transitioned from liquids to foods. It's annoying, but from what I've been told, not unexpected. It doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong. This time is about healing, and our bodies are trying to figure out what the heck is happening to them!

The band is a tool. It doesn't really start working until it's properly adjusted, so it's WAY to early for us to decide it's not working.

I too was posted 9/11 and am going through the same thing. I am still on liquids and somehow gained a pound. Plus I am walking a mile almost every day. I guess I figured the weight would come off faster. I mean compared to what I used to eat and what I eat (drink) now! I am hungry too. But if I am not losing anymore on liquids what will happen when I start eating solids?! Maybe it's our body in starvation mode. How do we speed up our metabolism? Discouraged. I'm glad I've lost what I did but come on. Impatient. :phanvan

You will all loose once you get some fill to your band. Your suppose to just be healing right now and don't worry at all about not losing. I didn't either. Even after my first fill I wasn't losing all that much. You have to do it slow because of swelling.

I just got my 3rd fill today, I am now at 2.65 in a 4cc's band and I'm tight and I won't feel the full effects for a week, I never do. Just be patient, it will come off, just get well right now, I promise.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23140

Have you read this post that Leatha bumped up? If not, you really should take a moment to look at it as it is wonderful and sums everything up for you.

Now is the time for healing. The band really isn't designed for losing until you have that first or even second fill. I gained prior to getting my first fill. But, I was ok with that because I knew once I was properly restricted the weight would start coming off, and it has.

Thank you so much everyone. I feel so much better. Reading the link really helped me a lot. I can't tell you the difference it made just reading these posts. It sounds like I am right on track. I am excited all over again, and ready for my journey!

Sincerely,

Fran

I am in the same spot. I was banded on 9/15/06, I am not scheduled for a fill until 10/30/06. Is that a long time to wait until my first fill? Should I call the Dr. and ask for a fill sooner, Like 10/15???? What is a typical fill??? I feel like I have absolutely no restriction at all. I am not eating wrong things or eating alot. I want to lose, lose, lose.... Should I call my dr?

Thanks Ladies & Gentlemen,

Okay...I didn't read the link, so I apologize is this is redundant...but...

You didn't really lose all that weight the first couple of weeks. You were dehydrated. After a week or two, you start to rehydrate and then you panic thinking you have regained.

I get CRAZY reading all of the "I'm one week out and 14 pounds gone forever" posts. No one--not even DS'ers unless they are SUPER, SUPER MO--loses 14 pounds in a week. But if I post and try to warn them how worried/depressed they may feel a week or two later, I'm Debbie Downer. So I don't.

The band helps you eat less than you need to survive, so that your body has to use stored up fat to operate. Although not as exact a science as we'd like, let's look at a 5'5", 300 pound, 40 year old who has a completely sedentary life. She burns about 2600 a day doing essentially nothing.

For her to lose 10 pounds in a week means she must UNDERCONSUME 35,000 calories, or 5,000 calories per day. In other words, she would have to eat absolutey nothing AND run in place for five hours per day.

So, you are NOT gaining weight. You probably mistook dehydration for actual weight loss. You have not failed.

Susan,

Thank you. That was very insightful. I needed it as well.

Regards,

Okay...I didn't read the link, so I apologize is this is redundant...but...

You didn't really lose all that weight the first couple of weeks. You were dehydrated. After a week or two, you start to rehydrate and then you panic thinking you have regained.

Thanks - that is probably the clearest explaination of it I've seen!