Hello,

I have not lost more than 8 lbs since my surgery. The surgical center has not really been supportive at all. I have seen a dietitian one time and that was minutes before surgery....

The place was called Brand Surgical Center. I paid cash 15,000 although I knew that my insurance would have covered it if they had been more interested in helping me... Anyone else experience any of this? I am new here and very depressed. Don't know what to do.

Cdy

:cryHow long ago were you banded ??? Have you had a fill yet ??

What has your routine been? How long ago were you banded and how much fill do you have?

These things do affect how the band works. Get them right and what follows is much much easier.

And what follows is a hard truth - diet and exercise. You still have to do the work that you would normally do to lose weight, the band just makes that easier.

And my apologies if you've been working like a trojan to get that weight off and gettign nowhere, you dont say so its the obvious thing to mention first.

But basically, yes its taken running an hour five days a week and keeping food intake much lower than it was before AS WELL as choosing healthier foods - I've cut out fast food, packaged crap, convenience foods and cook from scratch most of the time now (I'm not a machine, I have a glass of wine now and then and eat bad foods too but I did it much less whilst actively losing). Its been hard work but I could never do it before the band.

Good luck, you need to firstly make sure you have optimum restriction for you in the band.

how long ago were u banded...and what portion of food are u allowed? I can only eat 4 oz. per meal. i may can help you get into the band and start losing more if i knew what u are allowed to eat etc. Let me know if u will..you should lose consistantly and sounds like u need a fill... Brenda/vamaillady

I was banded August 30th and tighten one month ago... I was told to have only liquids the first week and soft foods the next. Then after I was tightened they said liquids for the first week.

I cannot eat many things as they seem to get stuck even if I chew. I don't think my teeth are very sharp. I wonder if I was too old at 50 to do this. The lady that runs the clinic kept assuring me I will lose weight but I haven't had any support from them...

I am so glad I found this site and I appreciate the honest truth. I weigh about 200 and am 5 4". I had broke my foot and was down for 4 months and that took me over the edge. Before that laid off from my job...

Anwyay, all the support you can give will be mostly appreciated. I live in Mission Hills, CA in the San Fernando Valley. I even have been looking for support groups around here but I don't find any,..

Cindy

how long ago were u banded...and what portion of food are u allowed? I can only eat 4 oz. per meal. i may can help you get into the band and start losing more if i knew what u are allowed to eat etc. Let me know if u will..you should lose consistantly and sounds like u need a fill... Brenda/vamaillady

I am not sure if I am relplying correctly.... I was banded in August 30th and filled October 1st.

Condy

Hi there!

The best advice I can offer is to make sure you are taking in enough Protein (60-90 grams) and Water (8-8oz. glasses) daily. Get in that protein first, then focus on green vegetables. Minimize the carbs--kind of a South Beach diet kind of approach seems to work well for most. Don't drink anything a half hour before eating or until an hour after eating. Avoid eating between your three meals, too.

I agree with the others who mentioned the importance of exercise. I'd be farther along in my weight loss if I exercised more.

Don't forget that it will most likely take several fills before you reach optimum restriction. It's too early in the process to get discouraged, so hang in there! You can do this!

Cindy I will be your support person. I had my band done in September 07 and had my first fill two weeks ago and go back for another one this week. My clinic is very supportive always giving good information and such. No one said this would be easy and sometimes you might not lose the weight and then others you might just lose a bit more. I get depressed because I want to lose more faster and I am doing real good. A total of 54 pounds came off but it has been hard from eating right and doing my exercise and walking alone does not help me very much for I get boared but I have to do it every day because if not I know I will fall back and I don't want this to happen. Don't give up it will happen.Email me at sharrroc@aol.com if you like I will answer.

Sharon

I was banded on 8/21/07 and I am not losing as fast as I would like either. I had one fill and saw the dietitian two weeks ago. I go back next week for another fill. The dietitian told me there are different size bands. I had 4.5 cc fill so she thinks I have a large band when the dr told me mine holds around 14 cc. I can eat sometime way more before I am full than I should be able to, yet when I ate a fresh pair I thought I was pulling out my band. I am 59 so you aren't too old. The dietitian said my dinner plate should be a saucer. Good luck. I will let everyone know what the dr says this week.

Chris8601

i'm three months in right away i lost 10-15lbs by month 1 1/2 i would say but nothing else since i went again for my second fill.

but i always feel hungry, i dont eat properly all the time i dont think anyone does? but most of the time i do and very small portions.were all human but i can honestly admit it, i do eat ALOT less than i use to being banded, i do cardio and go walking minimum of 3 days a week but i have reached that plateau....any suggestions

ive been losing alot of hair but i have a protein shake every morning, i use the protein powder in my meals, 2 vitamins a day, two calcium chews a day, so it's not like i'm not trying could i be missing some other vitamin?

Transformer- can you PLEASE tell me where you found your "changing" butterfly? I have looked everyhere for something just like it with no luck. If you can e-mail me my address is: Doingitforme01@aol.com Also if anyone has any ideas about "breaking thru a plateau" I would really appreciate it! Thanks, Anne

I was banded on Sept 20, 07. I drank liquids the 1st two weeks and then mushies for 2 weeks and now I am eating fairly normal although quite a bit less. I dropped 15 lbs. right away presurgery and the first 2 weeks after surgery. Nothing food wise seems to bother me to eat but I have not tried steak or rice or raw bread. I am now at a 22 lb loss and get my first fill on Tuesday the 6th of November. I guess I am to have liquids for 2 days after this but what else should I expect after the fill. Any experiences out there that I should watch for or expect?

Butterflylover--Check your private messages for the link to the butterfly picture!

Thanks Transformer- I went to the site and it just showed the "changing butterfly " but I don't know how to download it so I can use it ----- HELP ! Anne

6 weeks after surgery are for healing -- not for weightloss!

After healing, High protein/low carb diet with exercise should be a daily thing.

And, life with a band is about getting help by restriction....get that band filled properly.

You should be able to eat...but only a tiny, tiny meal..... three times a day!

There are books and much online info. to help out (even with little help from Band Center).

Sorry they seem to have banded you and then "fed you to the wolves"!!!

How long have you been band? Have you had a fill yet?

Are you getting your 64oz of protein and 64 oz or water each day? I had a friend that it took 4 fills before her weight started to come off. She had gotten so discouraged but she is happy now. Everyone is diffrent when it comes to the lapband. Don't give up yet until you know that you are doing the things you should during the process. The people on this site is very knowlegable and give you the support you need to overcome this feeling. Even during my liquid stage, I still tried to get as much protein as possible. The protein is a must.