Hi there. I had a lap band fitted on the 7th of February and had my first fill on the 26th of March. I still seem to be able to eat large amounts and am not sure why. I will be receiving my next fill at the end of April. I feel like a real loser as it seems to work for everyone else. Has anyone out there had the same experience or has anyone found that it did not work initially but then started working? This is what I hope will happen with me. I should say that my surgery took place in Scotland and it may be that the the fills here are done slower, starting with smaller amounts but I don't know. I am looking for any reason just now.

Bandster hell is a very real concept. It lasts from the point you can eat REAL food to the point you lose weight.

Relax, it will happen, I swear.

Losing weight with the band is much like losing the weight with any diet - you WILL HIT PLATEAUs - you need to let you body get used to it's new weight - for some people that takes 2 months to 6 months. But you just stick to it and eventually you'll see the weight start dropping again. Those plateaus are what screwed us ALL over when we tried regular diets before. We'd get all frustrated and give up. The band is to help us get THROUGH those plateaus and not sabotage ourselves and re-gain all the weight we lost and then some more! Stick to it!

RERE923,

are you exercising? Start walking I hate exercising.BUT WE HAVE TO!!!

Stick in there I finally lost 4lbs. since last month so as long as your no gaining thats good.

I am happy to report after a very long plateau, I dropped 3 lbs this morning. I have no idea if it's because I did something different, or it was just time.

I went to the dr. yesteday to discuss this slow weight loss. He agreed that I don't need a fill. I get full really fast. He is going to do a resting metobolic

test which is supposed to tell me how many calories I need to be eating to lose.

I know exactly how you feel. I paid out of pocket for this too. I have to keep telling myself that by now I would have gained more weight.

I think the important thing with the band is to not eat badly and get disgusted if we don't lose. That was my problem b4 banding. I would eat right and not lose and think I might as well eat what I want, I am not losing

anyway. The band has helped me control my portions.

denise822,

I'm so glad you lost. My mother always tells me good things are worth waiting for. I'm going to ask my dr. about that test. What do they do?

I will let you know tomorrow after I have the test. I am not sure how it works, but someone told me it's really not all that accurate. I hope they are wrong.

I get free aftercare for a year after my surgery, so at least I am making my dr. do some work!

Hi Rainbow Days,

Your story sounds alot like mine. I was banded 1/9/07. Have had a fill in March and to date have only lost 5 lbs.

I don't get the feeling of full. I have had a few things get stuck. I notice that happens when I don't pay attention (like eating and talking with people).

I'm having another fill on May 25th. Hope it helps.

It is very disappointing and I always feel people are wondering why I'm not losing weight.

I know I still can eat to much.

Any help out there?

Hi Rainbow Days,

Your story sounds alot like mine. I was banded 1/9/07. Have had a fill in March and to date have only lost 5 lbs.

I don't get the feeling of full. I have had a few things get stuck. I notice that happens when I don't pay attention (like eating and talking with people).

I'm having another fill on May 25th. Hope it helps.

It is very disappointing and I always feel people are wondering why I'm not losing weight.

I know I still can eat to much.

Any help out there?

Reading this thread, all I can say is... wow. I was so disappointed in myself thinking I wasn't losing fast enough, blaming myself, etc. It's nice to know I'm not alone. Strange thing is I've dropped dress sizes from a 20 to 16 so that's encouraging. I just want to get to Onederland!

I guess we all lose at different rates anyway.

I go in for my 2nd fill 5/17, hopefully it will get me that much closer to my 'sweet spot'.

Congratulations to everyone. Keep on working at it! We will get there! :hug:

That's why I didn't tell all that many people that I got the band. I didn't want people asking me about it.

I had that resting metobolic test. They plug up your nose with a thing like a close pin and put a tube in your mouth and you breathe for 20 min in and out from your mouth. It was hard to do. I felt like I was going to choke. It determined in order for me to lose weight, I need to eat 1,000 calories per day.

Do you have a dietician to talk to about what maybe you should eat. I'm thinking of going back to mine. She's very stricked

i am your age and getting banded this summer. you are doing well from waht i can see. dont get discouraged. maybe because we are older, it happens slowly.

I got my band on Dec 27th 2006 and have only lost 20 pounds. I got my first fill on Feb 23rd. Since the fill I have lost and gained the same 3 pounds...that nasty 3 pounds that seems to haunt other people as well. My roommate was banded 2 months before me and has lost over 60 pounds! She never goes to the gym...and I feel like I live there! One of the most frustrating things is that because I am working out so hard, my appetite is revved up and I feel hungry ALL the time! I am still trying to make wise food choices, but I have very little restriction from my first fill. I am going in for my second fill tomorrow and HOPE something will change.

I wanted to know if anyone is still experiencing the shoulder and neck pain that was only suppose to happen immediately after surgery...from pressure on a nerve or something??? Does anyone else have that?? It only seems to hurt when I am hungry...but since that is all the time...it is killing me!!! I have talked to my doctor about it, but he didn't have an answer for me...so we will talk about it when I see him tomorrow, but I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced that??

Hi again guys.

debacct56 I saw your response and yes you do sound as if you are experiencing the same effects as me. I had my 2nd fill on the 4th of May, so just las Friday and I don't notice a difference. Like you I have had a few things get stuck but generally I can eat whatever I want and it will go down. I really am convinced the surgeon forgot to fit my band while I was in the operating theatre lol.

I have complained that I still don't have restriction and that means I can have another fill done free of charge. I am waiting for my appointment.

The annoying thing is that after my first 2 fills I felt as if there was a lot of restrictin but 2 days later it was back to usual.

I know people give good advice like chew slowly and put your fork down but that is the same advice I was given prior to having the band and if I could have done that then and controlled the amount I ate I could have saved £8,000 and had a few Caribbean holidays, instead I'm stuck in Scotland, in the pouring rain, and I am still fat!!!

I am hoping that fill number 3 will make a difference. Fingers crossed. It is either that or I will have to self restrict if I want to get the weight off.

To everyone - keep your chin up guys, we will all get there in the end, I am convinced of it. Keep the dream alive and lets stick together, no one is alone out there.

Thanks Rainbow Days For The Encouragement. I Hope After My 2nd Fill That I Will Notice A Difference. That Will Be May 25th.

I Have To Have It Done In The Hospital Because My Port Is In A Funny Position, So He Fills It Under A Florascope.

I Guess I'll Have To Be Better At What I Eat And Excerise More.

I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis And Need My Knee Replace So It It Hard To Do. I Want To Take Off Some Lbs. Before They Work On My Knee.

Good Luck To Everyone!