:help: I have surgery on Dec. 13. I initially lost 15 lbs, on the liquid diet. now I am going through the diet phases and have pretty much eaten what I want just in smaller portions. there are a few things I can't eat like bread, I tried it and it got stuck WOW :omg:.

Anyway, my doctor had me watch some videos peridically through Emmi, which has a series on Lapband, they are informative videos, that walk you through the process and tell you what to expect next. Now they say gaineing weight in the first few weeks after surgery is normal. but I see so many people on here losing weight. Once I started adding solids back to my diet, I started gaining. I was just cleared to work out. I am cleared to walk right now, and have done it once. I am heading to the gym now to walk, because its cold outside.

Has anyone else experienced this or am I doing somethign wrong.

I dropped 12 pounds in the first week after my surgery. I'm still on liquids until tomorrow... however I've noticed the scale is fluctuating up a few ounces every day. I'm terrified what will happen as soon as I add mushies tomorrow... I don't want to gain back what I've lost.

Not everyone does gain weight post-op, but it's not uncommon. Meaning, if you do, don't worry about it. Your band isn't really working until you get filled to proper restriction. Just focus on healing right now.

I am struggling as well... I was banded on the 18th and am very very surprised to find that if I wanted I could eat an entire plate of food. I lost 20lbs on my post op diet..and 6 lbs after surgery, but it's slowly starting to creep back up. I am so worried about gaining my 25lbs back. I can not wait until my first fill. I guess I should be happy that I feel so great 2 weeks post op, but I am so discouraged with the fact that I can eat a bunch still. Was hoping to be over that phase. So, I also can relate. Hope we get thru the next few weeks until our first fill with out gaining to much back..... Good Luck!

I used the small salad plate and little utensils to help control me at that time. It is hard and some gain / some don't. I was able to not gain during that time. I don't know how though. I weigh myself religiously every morning. I really get out of sorts if I'm out of town and don't have my scale for a few days. I'm not so bad that I've taken it with me (yet )

The other part of my control was really fear. I didn't want to do anything to "hurt" my band. I hadn't used this forum during that time and I really wished I had.

Good luck to you!

wombat

Your band is not working for you until you have good restriction, and that does NOT come just with placement of the band. I managed to lose while waiting to get good restriction (I didn't get really good restriction until my third fill....3 months into the process), but it was a fair amount of work. It got much easier after the fills.

How long on average did mos tof you wait for your first fill?

I did pretty good today the cafeteria had grilled Salmon, so I got a small piece about 4oz and could not finish it. I guess that is a good sign.

But for example last night I ate spareribs.

How long on average did mos tof you wait for your first fill?

I did pretty good today the cafeteria had grilled Salmon, so I got a small piece about 4oz and could not finish it. I guess that is a good sign.

But for example last night I ate spareribs.

I didn't eat solid food till 4 wks post op. I had a gradual liquid / mushie / solid food process, that by the time I did migrate to solids, I was only able to eat about 2oz at a time.

Every Dr is Different, with mine - my first fill was a month from surgery, second 4wks, third 2wks. My Dr is more on the "aggressive" side of fills. Depending on how I feel 2-4wks between fills till I get properly restricted is how manages my situation. I'm at a good place now, I eat about 800 calories a day / work out 6 days a wk....4th fill is scheduled in 3wks.., I may/may not need one.

Good Luck w/it all,

you will gain a few pounds once you start eating food again until your fill dont worry its usually only for a week or so at least thats how it worked for me good luck!

Had my first fill about 30 days after surgery. This is also when I started weighing myself daily AND logging everything I ate DAILY on my FitDay program. Many people will say they don't want to do that because weighing everyday is discouraging, but I find that you sensitize to it. It gives me evidence of the results of what I put in my mouth and I can chart it very effectively. Also, when you weigh every day you get used to miniscule moves of the numbers. I concentrate on the 10th of a pound. The actual pound numbers are secondary and when they change it's like a bonus. Also, any time I have felt unsure about my progress, all I had to do was go back and review my stats for the previous 3-4 weeks to confirm that yes, I AM still losing, and losing a pound or more a week. You'll fluctuate daily, but all in all you should be able to see a reduction. Every time I see those numbers drop even a tenth of a pound I have INCENTIVE to continue.

I don't feel so bad reading this post. I was banded on 12/17 and have lost about 12 lbs since then. But, I noticed the last week that I am gaining, so far i have gained 4 lbs. I don't know what's going on. I have watching what i eat, and i don't eat very much. I am just getting frustrated with myself. I start to think that maybe this isn't going to work either. But i have to remind myself that i haven't had a fill yet, so there is still hope. Wish me luck!

I agree, I was banded 11/27 and lost about 20 pounds the first week and a half. These last three weeks I have pretty much stayed the same. It baffles me, even though I have not had my first fill I am still eating wayyyyy less than I would have a month ago. You would think that in itself would help shed some pounds. I don't know maybe I'm just in that plateu stage because I lost the 20 lbs so quickly?

I really think it's important to be very patient with yourself. I have been banded for about 16 weeks now, I have consistantly lost 1-2 pounds since being banded. I am not obsessed with restricting my calories to super low. I try and limit my between meal snacking, decrease my portions sizes and otherwise just try to live my life normally. With every fill it becomes easier and easier to do these things without thinking. I think it's a mistake to lose too quickly or to make overly drastic changes that in the long run will be tough to stick to. I can very easily lose 1-2 pounds a week with lap band...who said we were going to lose drastic amounts of weight immediately? If you average 8-10 pounds loss per moth you are doing fine. Some people do lose a lot fast but they may have very large amounts to lose and therefore lose faster at first. Go easy on yourself and make changes you can live with and maintain. Good luck and remember at 2 pounds a week or 10 pounds a month you'll be down 104-120 pounds lighter by this time next year and you'll probably have tighter skin than if you lost it all in 4 or 5 months.

Hi, I know what you mean...I get kind of frustrated when I read on here that people are losing 30+ pounds in the first month after surgery. I haven't done that and from what I am told by my doctor I am pretty normal. I was banded on October 26, 2007. I lost 12 pounds the first week due to being on clear liquids etc. Then, after being on soft proteins for a whole month I only lost one more pound. I am up to 17 pounds after two and a half months and the nutritionist at my doctor's office is very pleased with that amount. We all have to remember - the band only starts working to it's fullest potential after 3 to 5 fills when the "sweet spot" is hit. I recently had my 3rd fill and notice more restriction but certainly not as much as I need or hope to have in the future.

Please know that I am out here having the same doubts and struggles as you are - I haven't lost a zillion pounds either, but hopefully with another fill or two I can start bragging!!!

Oh, also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think there are different kinds of bands - I believe there is even one that starts with a small fill. It could be that the people having such large losses have that band.

In two days I put on 4 pounds. I did eat a high calorie dinner on New Year's Eve, but limited the amount. Can PMS put a whopping 4 pounds on you? I think that's the problem because my nips are sore and I feel bloated. But then again.... I haven't had a fill yet, and am wondering if I'm gaining just because I'm able to eat more things now.

In two days I put on 4 pounds. I did eat a high calorie dinner on New Year's Eve, but limited the amount. Can PMS put a whopping 4 pounds on you? I think that's the problem because my nips are sore and I feel bloated. But then again.... I haven't had a fill yet, and am wondering if I'm gaining just because I'm able to eat more things now.

I think so - I weigh 3/4 more lbs during my lovely PMS & can eat more as well. Once I start the "flow" the pounds come right back off & my restriction comes back 2!