I wish I could say I'm doing as well as the rest of you...but I'm not. I'm upset & frustrated and beginning to realize my greatest fear: This band is NOT going to work for me! I just know it. I had the feeling before i ever got banded that i would be the ONE person who gets the band and FAILS MISERABLY. That's me.

I only lost 13 lbs. post-op. I was banded on 01/04. I'm following the rules, sticking to each and every order...and I'm GAINING WEIGHT. I work out, I get in all my fluids...I'M SO INCREDIBLY UPSET.

Now I've gained 4 pounds so I've only really lost 9. My Nutritionist said she did NOT want to see me gain weight before my first fill...which I won't have until 2/18. At this rate, everything will be packed back on before that day and I'll be frowned at. How is it possible for me to be gaining weight?!?! Pre-surgery I would take in an average of 3,500 calories per day, and now I'm down around 1,200. WTF?!?! How can I not lose weight like this? This is killing me. Absolutely killing me.

What is wrong with me? Why is my body STILL betraying me? I sob every day about this. My dumb luck. Something is completely wrong with me.

Remember, too, that there are a lot of other variables to losing weight and you have to take those into consideration...How big you were to start with-the larger person is going to lose more at first than the smaller person. What was your pre-surgery diet like? Some people who are banded go from drinking two liters of soda a day to none, cold turkey. That is hundreds of calories they cut out all at once and is going to have a big impact on their weight. Others are drinking a lot on weekends or eating a lot of fast food before surgery. When people suddenly stop that they drop weight fast because of it. I think I am losing slowly partly because I didn't drink soda, didn't eat fast food,didn't drink much alcohol, only had a BMI of 39...that might be some of what you are experiencing, too.

Honey, this is what I want you do do ok? Slow down and just breath. Banding is not a over night success story. It takes time, and alike all things we will hit bumps in the road. So you lost a few lbs, gained a couple, lost a couple. Just remember, your scale is NOT your friend.

Another few bits of advice, never ever weigh yourself AFTER 10am. Try to make it the same time once every two weeks. Choose a day and stick to that day. First and 3rd Thursday of each month is an idea. I know some people that have just been banded weigh them self daily. Nix that idea, I laughed my dietitian out of her own office when she suggested that.

Weigh yourself every two weeks, BEFORE 10am, measure your self at the same time. "Only" 2 lbs gone, but total of 6 inch's? AWESOME! Its all one step at a time. Don't feel discouraged that you seem to be gaining, you said yourself you are weight training now. That will happen muscle weighs more then fat, once your metabolism catches up to the muscle watch out honey, you will burn up the scale on the loss.

Yep, you're right, with that attitude you will fail. I'm sorry no one told you that you were going to have to pull your load in order to lose weight with the band. Shoot, even with bypass you can gain weight if you don't eat what you are supposed to.

What are you eating? Are you eating Protein first, veggies second and carbs last? Are you staying away from bread, Pasta, rice, and potatoes? Are you exercising? Unless you do your part, you will continue to fail.

It's really up to you.

thanks for your honesty

Remember, too, that there are a lot of other variables to losing weight and you have to take those into consideration...How big you were to start with-the larger person is going to lose more at first than the smaller person. What was your pre-surgery diet like? Some people who are banded go from drinking two liters of soda a day to none, cold turkey. That is hundreds of calories they cut out all at once and is going to have a big impact on their weight. Others are drinking a lot on weekends or eating a lot of fast food before surgery. When people suddenly stop that they drop weight fast because of it. I think I am losing slowly partly because I didn't drink soda, didn't eat fast food,didn't drink much alcohol, only had a BMI of 39...that might be some of what you are experiencing, too.

Well, I eat 80 g of Protein per day usually (I'm only required 59 g.), I mostly get that in food and I've cut back on shakes because they were just loading me up with calories. I hate salt, so I avoid sodium like the plague, my BMI was very high pre-op...it was 47.5...so the theory that people have that higher BMI's lose more weight post-op is blown out the window. LOL I haven't drank any soda since surgery cuz my surgeon told me not to. I walk 50 minutes per day, 6 days per week. I went from chowing on fast food 2 meals per day pre-op to NO fast food post-op except for 3 meals, and those were spread apart over the course of 2 weeks. I used to drink a ton of soda and quit cold turkey.

LOL - sorry, I'm not trying to rebuttal or be argumentative...but maybe you all can see my frustration?

It's okay. I called my Nutritionist and I expressed my concern. She acted like I was flipping out over nothing and I said "Well, I wouldn't be flipping out over nothing if YOU weren't the one who told me you didn't want to see me gain ANY weight before my first fill." She apologized, but she didn't mean for that to be taken so literally. Huh?? Whatever. She was not joking when she said it, so how much more literal can a comment be?

So...I've calmed down. She said even if I gained back all 13 (heaven forbid), then I'd still be okay. I'm still upset that my body is acting like an a$$ and not dropping any weight based on my healthy new lifestyle, but I guess I'll just believe everybody when they say it will just begin to happen eventually.

Thanks, guys. :confused:

Are you tracking your carb intake? How many gms are you consuming a day? Good job on the Protein, that will help with hunger.

Well, I eat 80 g of protein per day usually (I'm only required 59 g.), I mostly get that in food and I've cut back on shakes because they were just loading me up with calories. I hate salt, so I avoid sodium like the plague, my BMI was very high pre-op...it was 47.5...so the theory that people have that higher BMI's lose more weight post-op is blown out the window. LOL I haven't drank any soda since surgery cuz my surgeon told me not to. I walk 50 minutes per day, 6 days per week. I went from chowing on fast food 2 meals per day pre-op to NO fast food post-op except for 3 meals, and those were spread apart over the course of 2 weeks. I used to drink a ton of soda and quit cold turkey.

mamajava,

How many calories are you taking in each day? From your posts (and I may be wrong), I'm gleaning that you're probably around 600-800 per day. If this is, bychance, the case... then you're simply not taking in enough calories.

I was watching a bit of "The Biggest Loser" last evening and one of the trainers was quizzing her team so as to determine why they had lost the previous weight-loss challenge. She learned that the two guys (who HAD lost weight) were consuming around 1600+ calories per day and the two women (who HAD NOT lost weight) were consuming 1000 and 500 calories, respectively. They were all working out very hard, but only the guys were "feeding the machine", as she put it. The women, unknowingly, had sabotaged their weight loss by eating too little and actually slowing down their metabolism.

I, myself, stalled on weight loss until I got my calories up to between 1000 and 1400 per day. Suddenly, I started losing the Water and the weight again.

I'm not sure if this applies to you or not... but wanted to lend another possibility.

I also was banded in november and just got my second fill, I am now feeling restriction for the first time ! What a difference!

I know everyone hates to compare banding and bypass. But why is it that people say that we (the banded) are not consuming enough calories and that is why we are stalling. And most bypass people can't physically get in more than 700 at first and they seem to drop like crazy? I'm happy about my choice, just confused about peoples comparisons or reasons for slow weight loss