I have had the band for one year, six months; and have lost 33 lbs. I lost the first 20 pds in the first three months after surgery; and then stayed at 188 lbs for the next year even though they kept tighteneing.

The last time I went in (january?), my surgeon refused to tighten it anymore as his nurse felt I was getting enough restriction. I am at 6ccs now.

Is it normal for people to lose this slow, and hit plateaus?

I think what you need to do is get serious. You can believe that I don't cheat. I stick with 1000 to 1200 calories a day. It is difficult but if you eat something "bad" you need to minus something else for the day. Counting calories is the only way you are going to lose weight.

I have not been able to exercise for the last month due to an injury. I have still lost weight because I have stuck to the proper caloric intake.

You need about 2k a day in calories to maintain your weight, you go below that and you will lose. There are plateaus but you need to remember the lapband is a tool not a miracle. If you are eating the wrong food you will gain weight or stay even.

Mine is not even adjusted yeat where I have restriction and I am losing on pure willpower

I want to jump in here because, with the band there are many ways to lose the weight. I DID NOT COUNT CALORIES when I was in my weight loss mode. I got my fill level to the proper restriction, which dimmed my appetite and I did not need much to eat. If you eat the proper foods, you'll get filled up on a small amount, as long as you have the right restriction. I also DO NOT subscribe to the 'bad foods' or 'wrong foods' mentality. No foods are 'bad' if eaten in moderation. Once you start swearing off foods cause they are 'bad' you are setting yourself up for failure.

The whole point of the band is to create a new relationship with food and yourself. You need to view food from a healthy perspective, as a fuel source, when you are hungry. When I was fat, I woke up thinking of Breakfast and planning what I was going to have next, and when I could eat again. With my appetite dimmed, I eat when I am hungry and my mind is no longer consumed with thoughts of food.

Counting calories at the beginning, is fine, until you get restriction. But know that long term, you need to just think of food as a thin person, eat when you're hungry and in small portions. That is your ticket. Some people want to create that healthy relationship earlier on in their journey, and rely on getting proper restriction, thus having slower weight loss in the beginning. Each person must make their own road as they go on this journey.

And last, that 2k/day to maintain that weight is a bunch of bunk. For some people, that might work. But for most bandsters who are maintaining, they are not eating nearly that much on a daily basis.

I maintain my weight on approx 1200 cals/day. That's maintaining. When I was losing, I was only eating about 800, if you calculate it. For me, that's what worked.

I was just banded in February 09 and I already have 9cc in my band. How would the nurse know if 6cc was enough for you to feel the restriction that you should?

This does not make sense to me.

You need to call them back and talk about this. If you are able to eat large portions as you mentioned then you may not have the restriction that you need and this could be why you are not losing as you should be.

This is a slow process and it takes time, but I do not feel they should tell you that at 6cc - you are restricted enought.

everytime I leave my surgeons office they tell that If i still don't feel restricted to call them back and schedule another fill? or it is to much to call them back and they will remove some.

I feel we know our bodies better then anyone and you would know if you feel the restriction that you need.

Thanks, big papa and the rest of you guys.

I want to jump in here because, with the band there are many ways to lose the weight. I DID NOT COUNT CALORIES when I was in my weight loss mode. I got my fill level to the proper restriction, which dimmed my appetite and I did not need much to eat. If you eat the proper foods, you'll get filled up on a small amount, as long as you have the right restriction. I also DO NOT subscribe to the 'bad foods' or 'wrong foods' mentality. No foods are 'bad' if eaten in moderation. Once you start swearing off foods cause they are 'bad' you are setting yourself up for failure.

The whole point of the band is to create a new relationship with food and yourself. You need to view food from a healthy perspective, as a fuel source, when you are hungry. When I was fat, I woke up thinking of breakfast and planning what I was going to have next, and when I could eat again. With my appetite dimmed, I eat when I am hungry and my mind is no longer consumed with thoughts of food.

Counting calories at the beginning, is fine, until you get restriction. But know that long term, you need to just think of food as a thin person, eat when you're hungry and in small portions. That is your ticket. Some people want to create that healthy relationship earlier on in their journey, and rely on getting proper restriction, thus having slower weight loss in the beginning. Each person must make their own road as they go on this journey.

And last, that 2k/day to maintain that weight is a bunch of bunk. For some people, that might work. But for most bandsters who are maintaining, they are not eating nearly that much on a daily basis.

I maintain my weight on approx 1200 cals/day. That's maintaining. When I was losing, I was only eating about 800, if you calculate it. For me, that's what worked.

Actually there are right foods and wrong foods. If someone is not losing weight they need to start somewhere and counting their calories so they are on a realistic diet is the only way.

Many folks fool themselves with the wrong foods, thinking that well, I only had a small portion. But if you eat the wrong foods all day long you are going to exceed your proper caloric intake to lose weight and you will fail.

Fried foods, steak, enriched flour, rice are the wrong foods.

Telling someone who is struggling that there are no wrong foods is like handing a suicidal person a loaded gun.

Before I got my band, my Dr had me meet with a counselor and a nutritionist. I learned alot from them both. And like it or not weight loss comes from burning more calories than one takes in.

I don't count anymore because after 3 months I trained myself to know whats right and whats wrong and not to kid myself.

Tomorrow I go for my third fill and hopefully this one will cause restriction. But I no longer even desire the bad foods. But if I have something that is higher in calories than I should, I sacrifice at the next meal by eating more conservative than usual.

I now eat to live not live to eat

I think what you need to do is get serious. You can believe that I don't cheat. I stick with 1000 to 1200 calories a day. It is difficult but if you eat something "bad" you need to minus something else for the day. Counting calories is the only way you are going to lose weight.

I have not been able to exercise for the last month due to an injury. I have still lost weight because I have stuck to the proper caloric intake.

You need about 2k a day in calories to maintain your weight, you go below that and you will lose. There are plateaus but you need to remember the lapband is a tool not a miracle. If you are eating the wrong food you will gain weight or stay even.

Mine is not even adjusted yeat where I have restriction and I am losing on pure willpower

I just have to think that if you are able to lose on pure willpower alone, then you probably did not need the band in the first place. Eventually the honeymoon will be over and you will begin eating in the fashion that caused you to be overweight in the first place - you just may not be able to eat as quickly!

I congratulate you for having will power to strictly control your eating without having your first fill. I was never able to do that pre-lap band and have been unable to do it post lap band. Fortunately for me, I do not gain weight any more.

With that being said, I've had the band for 18 months now and, yes, I am eating too much - which is why I wanted to get everyone's opinion about my fill level.

Most everyone appears to be losing weight between 4.5 and- 6 cc's. I am at 4 cc's now, and have been hovering at the same weight now for more than a year. I believe I need another 1/2 a fill to give me the motivation to recommit to my goals. and take off another 20 lbs.

I was just banded in February 09 and I already have 9cc in my band. How would the nurse know if 6cc was enough for you to feel the restriction that you should?

This does not make sense to me.

You need to call them back and talk about this. If you are able to eat large portions as you mentioned then you may not have the restriction that you need and this could be why you are not losing as you should be.

This is a slow process and it takes time, but I do not feel they should tell you that at 6cc - you are restricted enought.

everytime I leave my surgeons office they tell that If i still don't feel restricted to call them back and schedule another fill? or it is to much to call them back and they will remove some.

I feel we know our bodies better then anyone and you would know if you feel the restriction that you need.

I so agree, and have made an appointment for July 2nd. I am going armed with copies of replies to my threads. It seems to me that I am WAY behind the weight loss of other bandsters who have 12 or more months in the program, and I am also filled less than those bandsters. There has to be a correlation.

I just have to think that if you are able to lose on pure willpower alone, then you probably did not need the band in the first place. Eventually the honeymoon will be over and you will begin eating in the fashion that caused you to be overweight in the first place - you just may not be able to eat as quickly!

Nah the honeymoon won't be over. I have seen the light. I enjoy my meals. I have not been this weight since 94 and I am loving it.

The difference with me is that I have taken the time to understand why I got fat in the first place. After my banding I hit the ground running. If you believe that I will eventually go back to eating poorly I now understand why you have failed.

I hope you find the strength to use the band as a tool and not as some miracle

Nah the honeymoon won't be over. I have seen the light. I enjoy my meals. I have not been this weight since 94 and I am loving it.

The difference with me is that I have taken the time to understand why I got fat in the first place. After my banding I hit the ground running. If you believe that I will eventually go back to eating poorly I now understand why you have failed.

I hope you find the strength to use the band as a tool and not as some miracle

Honestly, I hope you are right! I admit I'm jaded and hopeless about my own ability to lose weight. But the band has not failed me, I'm sorry I've given you that impression.

I was banded just a couple of months before you & haven't lost much more than you. Our stats are also pretty close, I'm just a little shorter, about 5'2. I finally broke past a plateau a few weeks ago. I had been gaining & losing the same 5 to 10 pounds since last fall, weighing anywhere from 165 to 175. Started off this year working out with a personal trainer. Had to have an unfill because I got too tight then the doctor gradually filled me back up. I've gained muscle but the scale or my clothing size was not moving in the right direction. About 4 weeks ago I went for a fill. It again tightened up too much after a few weeks. Had to go back but this time they only removed .2 cc & I have restriction. I am at 7.0 fill on a 10 cc band. 6.0 gave me hardly any restriction. Finally I am under 160. Now my weight is fluctuating between 156 to 159. I know how my body operates & I'll probably plateau at this weight awhile but I honestly feel like I'll eventually get past this one too. Good luck to you too. Keep us posted.

Nah the honeymoon won't be over. I have seen the light.

If I had a nickel for every time I said I saw the light about my weight... :thumbup:

I didn't see any light until my band go to the right fill level and it dimmed my appetite into that of a normal person. If I lost my band, I am sure my brain would morph back into that of a fat person. It sure is nice to think normally for once in my life.

I was banded just a couple of months before you & haven't lost much more than you. Our stats are also pretty close, I'm just a little shorter, about 5'2. I finally broke past a plateau a few weeks ago. I had been gaining & losing the same 5 to 10 pounds since last fall, weighing anywhere from 165 to 175. Started off this year working out with a personal trainer. Had to have an unfill because I got too tight then the doctor gradually filled me back up. I've gained muscle but the scale or my clothing size was not moving in the right direction. About 4 weeks ago I went for a fill. It again tightened up too much after a few weeks. Had to go back but this time they only removed .2 cc & I have restriction. I am at 7.0 fill on a 10 cc band. 6.0 gave me hardly any restriction. Finally I am under 160. Now my weight is fluctuating between 156 to 159. I know how my body operates & I'll probably plateau at this weight awhile but I honestly feel like I'll eventually get past this one too. Good luck to you too. Keep us posted.

It helps me a lot to hear from others with the same experience. I'd love to drop another 20 lbs, I'd almost be at my goal weight.

Can't wait to get back to the doctor on July 2nd and let him know its time to restrict me more.

I don't need a fill what I was really looking for was a way to break this plateau. I need to hear how everyone broke out of this without having a fill, my restriction is fine and has been fine since my port replacement surgery on July 6 of this year. I do cardio 5-6 days a week can't do any lifting so weights are out of the question for now. I'm learning once again what I can and can't eat (what gets stuck and doesn't). I put 14 pounds back on before surgery, I have only lost 4 since surgery, but I struggle with the same 5-10 pounds. I feel like I'm loosing and then I get on the scale and I haven't moved. So I just need some help trying to break this cycle. Oh I also had a personal trainer at one point, I had to get rid of her after she told me that I was fat and lazy and that my diet sucks...she should have seen me before I had surgery.

Nah the honeymoon won't be over. I have seen the light. I enjoy my meals. I have not been this weight since 94 and I am loving it.

The difference with me is that I have taken the time to understand why I got fat in the first place. After my banding I hit the ground running. If you believe that I will eventually go back to eating poorly I now understand why you have failed.

I hope you find the strength to use the band as a tool and not as some miracle

Everyone uses the band in a way that works best for THEM! You have found a way that works for YOU and that's great! But seriously, don't presume that the ONLY way (as you stated) is the count calories and reduce caloric intake; that is absolutely INACCURATE!! Does that route work for many people and many diets? YES! Does eating fatty Proteins and no carbs work? YES! Does cutting down on fat intake alone work? YES! I could go on and on about different diets that work that have absolutely NOTHING to do with caloric intake.

So please don't presume that you have found the answer on how to lose weight for everyone on the planet-you have not.

Also, ask Carnie Wilson (or read her book) on how she learned how to change her eating habits and would NEVER go back to how big she was. She and MANY MANY others who have had all different WLS's HAVE gained their weight back and then some because, being human, we are ALL susceptible (sp?) to gaining the weight we took off.

I certainly don't wish for anyone to go back to their old habits and gain their weight back, and am not implying such to you. But until you have kept off the weight, and have had the band for a much longer time than you have currently, there is NO way you could say, with absolute certainty you would'nt fall into the same old habits.

We are ALL people, we all make mistakes and none of us can see the future. If it works for you, then keep moving forward with it, but please don't assume that what you're doing is the only way it can be done. Just my .01

Did you get a new picture or are you a different person?? You look so much younger!! (if you are the same person) :crying:

I was going to ask the same question that other asked. Are you eating too many carbs? Are you working out? Are you getting in enought Protein? And if you are getting hungry that quickly than yes you need a fill. My Dr. goes by how I am feeling, how hungry I am after a meal. He doesnt go by a number but how the band is work for me. During the months I have not lost much weight I have know why I'm not losing weight. Its those things. Maybe try using a log again, record everything going into you even drinks. Record you workouts. if you are getting in your Proteins, working out, drinking your Water and not eating too many carbs the math says you should lose weight. The math usually doesnt lie its us that mess up the math by taking in things we couldnt be eating.

Wow, Big Papa isn't big anymore. Congratulations on figuring out how the band can work for you and your commitment to its success!! I'm sure everyone who has ever had this surgery has struggled to make it work too. Keep up the fight!! Lola