I started really looking at everyone's weight loss stats last night and I realized there are more than a few people who have been banded for 4-6 months and lost 15-20 pounds. I realize that itself is a great achievement (I am so not trying to minimize that) but I have to ask myself if that is worth the thousands of dollars I'm going to shell out since I am self-pay. I mean if the band is designed to lose 2 pounds per week or whatever then 14-20 lbs in 4-6 months is HALF of that. Can anyone who has not lost much tell me if it's b/c you didn't get a fill or are you doing all the "right" things and following the "band" rules and still not losing? Thanks.

I'm not banded yet either...but my understanding from my doctor is to look 2-3 years out. He says that the weight loss is comparable to gastric bypass patients at 2-3 years out. And of course, their weight loss is significant. The gastric bypass patients not only have decreased stomach capacity, they have the extra factor of malabsorption. The benefit, I believe, of not having the malabsorption factor is that banded patients absorb necessary nutrients. So, I would say that you would have to see their results 2-3 years out to get a true idea of how wonderful the band will be. Some people lose 40-50 pounds a year. Some lose 120-150 in a year. We're not in a race. All of us have a final destination of health- no matter what the number says.

I can't speak for everyone but here is my story. I am 8 months out & have lost only 30 lbs. There are a number of factors to explain this for me. First of all my port was tilted & my doc was unable to access it for a fill. I had some traveling to do & was unable to get it repaired for a few months. Once it was repaired it was another 2 months before I was able to go in for another fill (traveling again). During the inbetween times I became discouraged & was not following any kind of diet plan. I was basically eating anything I wanted (because I could). Since finding this site & gaining much insight & knowledge from the other bandsters, I am now back on track. I will be going in this week for another fill. I think this next fill will be what really gets the weight loss going for me. I think I was in denial about needing another fill until I visited another web site link that was provided by another bandster. I think the band journey is different for everyone. Not only am I new to this, my doc is new to this too. If you decide to do this, which I would recommend it to anyone even with all the setbacks I have had, I would say be informed, do lots of research, & be the best advocate for yourself that you can be. This is much slower for some of us, but soooooo...... worth it!

To be totally honest, at first I was thinking about a band like the weight would just literally fall off me. Then I realised it would be months before I would even have it done, and I was in the mood right NOW to lose some weight. And that I could do an awful lot of work on my head in two whole years. I found myself thinking I'd have to eat more over the next while to make sure I was fat enough to qualify - it struck me how insane that was. By the time I got the band I could be 15kg down and the surgeon advised me that if I was like 90kg (which is not even "obese" for my height) at the day of surgery, regardless of whether I'd qualified when I first saw him, then no, he wouldnt do it.

So for me, not worth it - for now. If I continue the rollercoaster of gaining/losing gaining/losing I will revisit it later on. But also when you weigh up statistically people tend to lose about 1/2 to 2/3 of their excess weight, I also decided I wasnt prepared to spend that much money to lose only 20kg or so.

Well then it sounds like you are doing the right thing for you. And that is good! The band is not a answer, it is a tool. Some people require that tool. If you can do it for yourself, then I say do it! If some time down the road you need a tool, then it will be there for you. I wish you all the luck in the world!

Lovecats, for me the worth of the band is much less in the speed of weight loss than it is in the permanence of the weight loss. I didn't care if I only lost 40 lbs a year, or even 40 lbs ONLY at all. What I was concerned about was losing that 40 lbs and KEEPING IT OFF.

I can't even remember what the progression was now that I'm two years out (today!! Yay me!!). I mean, I have notes on it and I could check, but it just doesn't matter any more. I've lost 125 lbs and IT.IS.NOT.COMING.BACK.

That's what it's all about for me.

The only thing I can say is that yes, I've lost slowly. I've hit a plateau. But I have other health issues. I've had two other non-band related surgeries since being banded. I was very, very ill for a long time before being banded.

Words cannot explain how much better I am since being banded. I have energy, I have RUN for the bus on more than one occasion, I take the stairs....

I am not afraid I will die anymore from resperatory failure. Has the band been worth it to me? Hell yes. I've lost 35 pounts total since March. Many people have lost more faster... But I'm trying to be kind to myself, on Kathy's orders...

It is entirely possible that I could have lost more faster with the RNY, but I honestly don't think I would be as healthy if I'd had the RNY.

It's been slow for me, but I've also gained 15 lbs of muscle, on top of the 48 lbs lost, but I'm happier now and that's what counts for me, not to mention healthier too.

To me, it's been a miracle! I thought I was being left to die a slow, diabetic death because of a metabolism that had abandoned me. Today, I'm almost a year out. I've lost 48 pounds in 10 months. Not spectacular, you say? WELL, sweetie! That's better than I was able to lose and KEEP OFF for years before now. NEVER have I lost for a 10 month period with NO weight gain. It's a constant down and this weekend, I had to buy new clothes. Still, it's an 18-20 (XL or 1X), but you know what? It's been 15 years since I've been able to squeeze my big toe into that size.

Judge it if you want, but I'll take my band over your next two or three attempts to lose on your own (AND keep it off). Me? I've fought that battle too many times and I'm finished.

I started really looking at everyone's weight loss stats last night and I realized there are more than a few people who have been banded for 4-6 months and lost 15-20 pounds. I realize that itself is a great achievement (I am so not trying to minimize that) but I have to ask myself if that is worth the thousands of dollars I'm going to shell out since I am self-pay. I mean if the band is designed to lose 2 pounds per week or whatever then 14-20 lbs in 4-6 months is HALF of that. Can anyone who has not lost much tell me if it's b/c you didn't get a fill or are you doing all the "right" things and following the "band" rules and still not losing? Thanks.

I lost 17 pounds the first month, gained ALL 17 (plus a few extra) BACK during the next five months and then only lost 3 to 4 pounds a month for a long time. My weight loss didn't really kick in until 9 months after I got the band. Now I'm 128.5 pounds. I think my money was well spent. Even if it wasn't the instant weight loss I would have liked.

The reason my weight loss was so slow was it took me forever to find a fill doctor because it was BRAND new to the US (in fact when I had my surgery in Sweden the band was still in its "approval" phase here in the US). When I finally did get a fill it was too small to make any difference so it took a long time to get enough of a fill that I could actually see that I was eating less. Even once I started doing all the "right things" it took a couple of months to get the weight loss in gear. Weight loss with the band is not instant unfortunately - but its definately worthwhile.

One of the reasons you probably don't see more "skinny" bandsters on the board is because for some reason, once you get skinny you get busy! REALLY BUSY. This is the first bandster board I've been on in at least two years. So many of us veterans forgot how badly we needed encouragement back in the very beginning of our journey. That's the biggest reason I decided to join a board again is because I remember how much I needed to see some success!

For me, its definitely the happiness and healthiness that counts.

I haven't lost as much as some people, nor have I lost as much as I wish I had yet, but I feel great and I'm able to walk down the street with my head held high, looking people in the eye. That's something I haven't been able to do in years! I've even had a couple of guys hitting on me lol, which was a shock!

Everyone is different and as such, we'll all lose at our own pace .. and that's okay. Some people have also added on muscle since the sugery, as they feel motivated enough to exercise. For some of these people, the scale may not be moving, but they may be losing inches.

My doctor said when I went to see him this week, that what he tends to go by (loosely) is:-

1/3 excess weight lost by 6 months post op

1/2 excess weight lost by 12 months post op

2/3 excess weight lost by 24 months post op

For me, that would have meant that I needed to lose 16kgs/35lbs within the first 6 months. I was luckily able to do that (its not been quite 6 months for me just yet). But I think that if I had started lifting weights earlier, I might not have hit that mark when I did. My weight loss has definitely slowed since starting the gym a couple of weeks ago, but my pants fit sooooooooo good right now hehe

I have lost 40 in 4 months then no more for the last month. I am going for a fill "topper" next month. For me the difference has been exercise. And I mean effort. Not the occassional walk the dog but the full exercise regimin. Active and fit. The pounds melted off like butter. Sure, I hated doing it and I cussed up a storm when I was doing it but after it was done and I got the results I wanted I was happy. Not eating as much isn't the key, exercising with not eating as much yields MAXIMUM results.

During periods of time when I haven't lost it was because:

-I was pregnant or recovering from pregnancy

-I was doing too many high-calorie liquids such as Frappucinos

-I wasn't eating enough

-I wasn't getting enough Protein

-I needed a fill

-A great deal of my eating was for emotional reasons instead of hunger

So I would say most of those times were my own doing. But the great thing about the band is you can get back on track. I have had my band over 3 years and still want to lose about 30 pounds but have lost about 110. And I'm back on track again after getting a fill when my son was about 6 months old.

Plus, it takes many people a while to get proper restriction in the beginning. This may be why some people don't lose well at the beginning.

Not eating as much isn't the key, exercising with not eating as much yields MAXIMUM results.

I agree- I had a 6 week plateau & only one fill. than I got my second fill & started walking 4+ miles 4xs a week. Well I just bet the next time I weigh myself I will be down at least 2 more pounds & last week I was down 3.

Its funny I did think for a very brief time pre-band that this band would kinda be a little "magic Tool"that did everything for me but really I understand its no "magic" its me doing all the same stuff I needed but didn't do before. Exercise & eating smaller better portions. The only thing the band did was give me the chance to succeed by limiting my intake! I thank God for that!

I am 11 weeks out & down 23 pounds! 7 were pre-op 16 post-op .

I am SO not trying to judge or anything and I am proud of anyone who can lose ONE pound b/c I sure as heck can't - I just wanted to know what ya'll thought about why the weight loss varies from person to person and if it was b/c you didn't get fills or you didn't exersize or what. I am not judging and I am going to get a band - I just feel like this is a place where I can express my concerns and I am not trying to rain on a parade - I just had a legitimate concern and I thank you guy for embracing me and that concern.