Hey everyone! I'll be banded in April and have just loved reading the posts; Great information and motivation to start off my new life right. I've read a lot of success stories, but I read a handful of bandsters that have NOT lost any weight, gained, or lost about 18 lbs with a years time. That was very frustrating to read and I can imagine how it feels to them.

My questions is: Is it often that people NOT lose weight or lose a small amount when banded?

Thanks,

Shelly

I was in your shoes just around 4 months ago. I was worried that I will not lose, have complications, or be unhappy with the new lifestyle. Well let me tell the band is the best thing I have ever done for myself. The key is to make sure you have a good surgeon. Good support pre op/post op. To be able to understand why eating with the band will allow you to lose weight. What to eat and when to eat and of course exercise. People that don't lose weight are the ones that don't follow the rules of the tool or they dont listen to the tool. For example if you are too tight you most likely will not lose weight. Your body goes into starvation mode. Another reason is they don't eat the correct types of food, not eating enough food, or not exercising. Its not magic. you have to use it to lose it. Every doctor is different at what they believe their patients should do. I specifically choose my doc because of his philosphy. Such as eating every 3 hours, no matter what. Which means I am never hungry, because I am always eating. Some docs say eat three meals a day. I personally feel that is not enough calories to maintain steady weight loss. But I almost always eat the correct types of food. I will never forget what he said to me "food is fuel for your body, nothing more" That statement rings in my head everytime I want cake, ice cream, etc...My goal is to be near my goal weight by my 1 year anniversary. So far I am off to a fantastic start but I know things will get harder. Bottom line is this. "if you are ready to take the step of changing your lifestyle, for what you need to do to be successful, then you will lose weight"

Dr. Michael Snyder “Denver Bariatrics”

Surgery date 10/9/08

1st Fill 11/11/08=3.5cc

2nd Fill 12/9/08=1.5cc

3rd Fill 1/9/08=.75cc

Total 5.75cc in a 14 cc band

Thank you so much for the reply. I really need to keep telling myself the band is a tool to assist my weight loss and not some quick fix. I definitely don't want to go through this all getting banded-- just to eat ice cream and cakes.

You talk about have the band too tight. How will u know what is the right amount of restriction?

I think the consensus answer is this: You get out of what you put into it. For my part, to go to the extreme of a costly invasive surgery, I am going to work my butt off to achieve my goals and make it worth the money(even if insurance pays, it's still my money) and time. It's just a tool.

bear...WELL SAID! You are wise beyond your years.

shelly- If you go to the 'fills' forum you can read a lot about restriction there, and about unfills from being too tight.

I'm the same point you are, so take this for what it's worth...For me, one indicator of being a good candidate for the band was the fact that I have been able to stick to diets in the past...even lost good amounts (many times, I'm a professional yo-yoer). I'm not saying you will have to feel like you'll be dieting the rest of your life, I have no intentions of doing that (it's a lifestyle change, not a diet, and yeah I know there'll be a few foods I can NEVER eat, but I know I'll be able to eat most things, just in tiny amounts), but you do have to be a person who can follow a plan. Secondly, your mind has to be in the right place to make the committment that's needed. I have a sister who has about twice the weight to lose as I do, but I know she'd have a hard time with the band and would probably lose nothing...she's never stuck with a diet or exercise plan for more than a month or so. If you could never make the slightest change before what makes you think you can now? Third, I think you have to be prepared. The reason we keep seeing 'it's only a tool' and 'it's not magic' all over this site is because so many come here, don't do the research and are expecting something they're not going to get. I haven't been here that long, but lately I get tired of the people who are already banded and complain because they don't have restriction immediately after banding. I, like you, won't be banded until late April or May, but I'm already preparing myself not to have restriction until the holidays, maybe longer, maybe shorter (some take a year of fills/unfills to get to that sweet spot). If people were prepared before banding they wouldn't be asking questions like 'I'm 5 weeks out and I'm gaining weight and have zero restriction, why?' I'm sounding grumpy here, but really I just feel frustrated and sorry for these people, and yes, I still try to help them. I'm not saying I won't make mistakes or have problems, but my expectations are realistic. All the information is here and people are willing to answer. Anyone whose lost only a few pounds in a year should have known they weren't ready for this to begin with. You'll do great, you're asking the questions now...

-BG

Honestly, theres TONS of people here who just do not understand their bands. They simply dont know how to use them. The lack of knowledge and complete misconceptions you sometimes read is astounding.

Follow up care is so important with the band, its the one downfall which is problematic in your part of the world. In Australia, our medical system makes good post op care really easy but its not as easy for you guys and I think its shows with the success levels of the band. You MUST be able to go to your doctor whenever you like, you MUST be able to have a fill and unfill whenever you need it (and if you can see that multiple fills and unfills is going to be a financial strain, then truly, i wouldnt get a band because if you need them, you need them). I think its really important that your doctor is local, having to fly in and out to see a doctor for an unfill is very problematic. Your doctor MUST give you some credit for knowing your own body, refusing to give people fills because they havent stuck to the diet is just plain stupidity, or not giving a fill because youv'e lost well when you insist you've worked ultra hard to do so. People need to be helped to find a lifestyle that works for them, not some DIET which they are either on or off, which is what a lot of these "band centres" seem to be promoting, the band seems to work better for people who create a whole new lifestyle, with tolerance for good weeks, bad weeks, plateaus - not always so well for people who are going to follow THIS diet plan and THAT exercise regime, as prescribed for every single patient by their single minded doctor.

All these factors affect people's weight loss or lack of it. How you look at it is improtant too - yes, it'd be nice to lose 100lb in a year, but does that mean 100lb in three years is a failure? People come on here wailing about how to break their plateau when its only been 3 weeks? I mean do they REALLY think they're going to lose 2lb each and every week? Is that a plateau, or is it a natural part of weight loss?

I'd highly recommend mellowing out expectations and standards of weight loss and thinking of it in terms of this little tool will help you to reach a normal weight. There is no time schedule, no time limit, no weekly amount you must lose, if you have a band, eat well, eat less and exercise then over time you will weigh less. the better you use it, the more successful you will be. Its really quite simple, dont stress over it.

So - after you get the band - are you able to exercise? I guess I can be called a yo-yo dieter - but I think I may eat too much for emotional reasons. I also am really wanting to get into exercise. I am a member of a spin class - but that won't work it I can't get my diet under control. I'm also not as diligent about exercise to lose weight by just doing that.