I am feeling depressed....I have only lost 14 lbs since surgery on 6/26/09. I haven't lost anything in almost a week. I am feeling discouraged. I know I shouldn't compare myself to others weight loss but I feel I should be consistantly losing....anyone else feel the smae as me?

Hi Robin!

I highly doubt he will do a fill at three weeks post-op. From what I can see, most doctors do them 5,6,7 weeks after surgery. Sometimes patients will think they're ready for a fill, but there's still a lot of healing your body needs to do.

I started eating soft food on day 8 post op and have been on that since then. However, Sunday (23 days post-op) I can move onto actual (as opposed to deli) chicken and turkey, lentils and Beans, and egg salad (which doesn't make much sense to me because I can have eggs now and tuna with mayo--so I think it'd be the same thing).

No, don't feel bad about asking questions here, that's what the forum is for. Plus, we were all banded around the same time, so we're experiencing the same things. :scared2: If you have any more questions, feel free to throw them out!

Lauren

I needed to read this thread!!!!!! I'm in the same boat!! I have not lost anything in about 10 days. Since July 7th. Since then I've been gaining and losing a between 1-3 pounds. I was SOOOOO upset. I became obsessed with the scale again.... Finally threw it out 2 days ago!! It's like I'm starving all the time, but I'm stopping myself from eating and I'm still not losing!! Ugh. And yes, I'm in a major hurry. I had my first fill 3 weeks post op. Stupid mistake cuz they only gave me .4 cc's. So, I have 3cc's in my band.

But, it gets worse, during the mushy state, I actually felt my pouch get full after eating mashed potatoes. Now that I'm doing solids, and had a a fill, I have never felt full.

I immediately called the Dr. after my first fill to try to get MORE!! But, they said I had to wait at least two weeks. So, I go for my second fill on the 23rd....

I think what is getting me depressed is also watching the show, Big Medicine.... Bypass patients lose 50 pounds their first month!!! It's like.... I want that!!! I paid out of pocket for this and want the weight gone like yesterday!!!!

Thank you for posting this. This gives me a little bit of piece of mind. I was already feeling like a failure.:scared2:

Sue,

NO, you're definitely not a failure! You've already lost almost half of your goal--that's something to be proud of!

Yeah, the scale seems to be something that we rely on for happiness or gratification. Some people will only weigh once a week because they don't become so obsessed--so it looks like you've already made a step towards that by throwing out the scale. :cursing: Just try not to focus on the numbers--if all of the rules are being followed, the weight will eventually come off. Plus, if you're doing any kind of strength training, it's very possible you're gaining muscle mass. So, try not to beat yourself up over it. I'll mention one other thing about the weight, and then I'm done, I promise. :confused: The closer you get to target (which is less than 30lbs for you), the more difficult it becomes for your body to lose the weight. The way it was explained to me is this: you're calories spent and consumed are getting very close together, so you're body is trying to fill in that gap. Don't obsess or worry about it, just realize what's happening and be aware of it.

As for Big Medicine--that can definitely be discouraging for Lap Band patients. However, as I've said before, we knew how weight loss would be when we selected the band. We knew that numbers like that would not show up for us. Sure, I too am envious of those people dropping such large numbers, but I have to tell myself that I did not sign up for numbers like that and I need to be realistic about what to expect. Just be patient, as your body is healing and closing the gap, you'll have a slow weight loss (just like the rest of us)--and the weight will eventually come off.

Anytime you need support, look to the forum--there's always someone out there who can give you what you need.

Thank you so much Lauren!! You are so right and it means so much that you wrote! I have been a yo yo dieter since I was 15!!! I'm 43 now. I have lost and regained many, many, times. That is why I decided to do the lapband. I know I'm capable of losing, but I have found out many, many times, I'm not able to keep it off. I have done it all, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Diet Center, Meridia, Adipex and the most sensible one, Weight Watchers. I'm a lifetime WW member, but even with that, I could never keep it off.

Being overweight causes me a great deal of pain and hurts my self esteem.... what self esteem??? I don't think I have any left. I've noticed through the years how differently people act towards me (especially men) when I'm thin, vs. when I'm fat... Oh well, that's nothing new. I just wanted to vent. Thank you so much for writing and I wish you the best in your journey as well!!

Thank you all. I to get obessed by the scale and realized it is not only about the numbers but also inches as well as how healithier you feel and getting off of medications. Our bodies have been through a lot and we need to take time to let it heal. We are doing and will do. We need to love ourselve and give ourselves a break sometimes.

well i wish i had a good story like all of yall but i have been banded since 6/19 and was hungry 2 days after...ive only lost 7lbs since surgery and have been bouncing between 246-244...im totally pissed b/c it will be a month tomorrow and i havent lost nothing...im soo angry...i started exercising today..i got my first fill on 7/15 they put 3cc's b/c i had absolutely nothing in my band....my surgeon told me the reason why i was soo hungry so fast because i didnt have much fat around my stomach so the band was very loose......he sd he regrets not filling me the day of surgery...but oh well let by gones be by gones....hell im gonna admit i dont know what the hell full feels likes...and i usually eat about 8oz of food at a time..b/c i just dont get full after 4oz of food.....my tummy looks like it has swelled up since i had the sugery...my port pain disappeared after 2 wks post op but after my first fill im having continuous discomfort at my port site....i feel it more when i bend over......i just cant believe i had weight loss surgery and have only lost 7lbs in a month....hell when i did a weight loss regimen on my own....or weight watchers i lost atleat a full 10 the first month!!!! AAAARGGGHHHH ok i guess i got the venting out the way!!!!

Well, from what I see each lapband program is different. I am assuming the object of the food diet is to slowy introduce the foods slowly so that the stomach can heal slowly. Ou program at CMC has 5 phases each phase except for phase 2 is 1 week. Right now eating about 1/2 cup at each meal. Right now I can eat egg mashed or scrambled, tofu, ricotta or cottage cheese low/nonfat,mashed sweet/white potatoes,chicken ,fish pureed,oatmeal,grits,applesauce,strained baby fruit. Yum, Yum! Next week, introducing cheese, crackers, Beans,more fruit canned no skin,winter squash,unsweetned cereal( soaked in milk ) so I am slowly getting there. My question would be calories wise what are eating daily? About 1,000 or so correct?! So at keeping this 1,000 calories or so I was always understood that when you hit a plateau( Weight Watchers) that you increase the calories alittle as well as excercise. And when do you say you are on a plateau ? 1 week ? 2 ,3 ? And then ramp it up with excecrsie and alittle more calories? I recieve my first fill on August 7th which is about 51/2 weeks out. You have been great help to me. Keep your chins up!

Surgery date: June 30th 2009 CMC Dr. Connie Campbell