Hi fellow bandsters!!! I was banded on April 8th and since had 3 fills. The last happening this past Friday. Now with that said I have lost nothing. I have stayed the same 225 since before surgery. How is that possible? Has anyone else experienced this? I want to make sure I am not doing something wrong???? PLEASE HELP AND TELL ME IT WILL WORK EVENTUALLY!!!!

Do you have any restriction at all?

It would be a good to start writing down you food/drink intake and exercise. It is hard to give you guidance not knowing how much you are eating and exercising.

Best wishes,

Mimi

I too had surgery on april, 8th, and I too have not lost any wt. I havent gained..which is good...but havent lost. I have had many fills, (my last one a month ago) and am currently at 7cc. i started out at 207 and am at 200 now, however, the fiirst 7 lbs came off the first week after surgery on that liquid diet.

I do have some restrictions, but unfortunately it doesnt prevent me from eating the junk i used to..i can still eat as many Cookies as before.however, not as much 'real food'.

and yes, i havent been eating as well as i should, thinking the surgery was the solution.....(not saying this is your case, but it's definitely mine)

the last time i got filled, my Dr said not to come back for another fill...and that i should watch what i eat and exercise.....duh, if i could have done that, i wouldnt have needed the surgery... but i did join weightwatchers this week, just for some accountability in what im eating...

i think that the fact that i'm 200 (and you are not much more) might be the reason we arent seeing the 20 lbs wt loss in 2 months.... like others..... I get frustrated, but its hard to blame the surgery when i KNOW i shouldnt be eating junk.....

it's been a while since ive checked the forums, and glad to find that i am not the only one not losing wt. I will be contemplating about going in for another fill next month if i still dont lose....

other than my experience, i dont have any advice, just to tell you that you are not alone....

I lost 42 pounds pre- and post-op (1st 2 weeks post op) then SLOOOWLY started gaining back. I had gained back 13.5 of the 42 pounds when I FINALLY found great restriction 5/7 of this year (yes almost 9 months later)

Since then I've lost another 40+ pounds putting me down 68 or so. I did NOT diet during the interim. Many who lose before they hit their sweet spot DO diet.

It's a personal choice.

I've lost 17 pounds total. I was banded in May, but the first 11 were post opp on the liquid diet and the next five were the first week after surgery. Since then I have lost 2 pounds. I've had 3 fills and am at 4 1/2 in a 10 cc band. I'm feeling restriction, but not with the stuff I need help with. (chips cookies etc)

I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I"m not at my sweet spot. I don't feel full fast and for long periods of time. I can certainly eat more than a cup of food!

I'm told patience is a virtue in this case. Hang in there.

Unfortunately chips, Cookies, candy, ice cream, cake...are SLIDERS. This means they go through the band. To stop them you have to be so tight that it is almost impossible to get Water or your own spit down. That's why they say you have to choose healthy foods, why they say the band is just a tool, not a "solution". You have to use the tool for it to work. Sad, but true.

I just don't have candy, chips, ice cream, etc in the house. It's easier to make the healthy choices when that's all there is to choose from!

I do occasionally indulge in them, though...usually as a treat when we are eating out, etc. If not, I get a serving and toss the rest. :crying:

Edited July 28, 200916 yr by RestlessMonkey

In my case I have to watch what I eat in order to loose weight even with the band. I do not eat junk food at all. I exercise daily and really work hard to loose the weight. My weakness is not chips, candy, Cookies or cake. My weakness is margaritas. If I could just not give into my cravings for margaritas I would have it made. Even though I do cheat with alcohol, I am still loosing weight pretty steadily.

I recommend that you start keeping a food journal. There are several places online that you can do this or just simply buy yourself a small note pad and start keeping track of your food and Water intake. By doing this you will be able to look back and reference what you have been eating and figure out why you are not loosing.

I eat between 1000-1200 calories each day. If I have a margarita or two, I try and calculate them into my daily calorie intake. But I always focus on getting my 70 grams of Protein and at least 64 oz of water each day. Without my protein I lack the energy for my workouts.

I'm sure that if you check with your surgeon's office or meet with a nutritionist you can get a specific diet plan to follow that will aid in your weight loss effort.

Good luck to you!

Unfortunately lapband doesnt control or stop you from eating those sweet treats.... YOU DO! It is hard but in the long run... we all have to eat healthy to lose weight and make better choices... Treat urself once a week to that favorite treat and it'll be better...good luck to you:thumbup:

RecklessMonkey, I think what you've said "it's just a tool and not a solution" should be in big bold letters so that people hear that way before they ever get banded. The whole "slider foods" thing was something I was not made aware of before my lap band surgery and partly caused my downfall with the band.

It saddens me to think people are seeing this as some sort of magical band when in reality it can be just as hard to lose weight after banding as it was before banding. I gained weight with the band and would never have gotten it right no matter how many fills and unfills I received. Luckily I got a second chance and wish everyone the best of luck with whatever WLS they choose but choose wisely! Nancy.

You have to say goodbye to sweets, Cookies, ice cream, chips in order to lose weight even with the band. My partner and I both found that we went through a grieving period over not being able to eat like everyone else.

Now that I am through that grieving (I think) I am finding I don't seem to care much about food at all and don't crave sweets much anymore. I re-joined Weight Watchers because weighing in every week really helps me be accountable and I am losing again. I am enjoying exercise and eating Protein.

So a lot of this is psychological (and I'm a psychologist!) and it was hard for me to really and truly give up my best friend and comfort- food-- and realize what poor friend food really is for me. Talk about toxic friends - yeesh!

Look inward and stop expecting the band to fix you. Much of it is inside you and your life experience. Food was my refuge.

FYI-The band has really helped me keep off the weight I lost initially- 40 lbs- and I very grateful for that. The band does save me from gaining weight back quickly. It gives me a chance to get ahold of myself and get back on track. And that is very valuable to me.

good luck on your journey.

sadie

You have to say goodbye to sweets, Cookies, ice cream, chips in order to lose weight even with the band.

Not to be contentious, but this isn't true. Since May 7 I've lost 44 pounds or so...and I have on occasion had potato chips, tostado chips, Mexican food, a candy bar, and a piece of cake. NOT in the same day. Not even in the same week. But ... you have to use moderation. That's the key...not abstinence, but moderation. At least, for most of us. There may be some who can't have one...but there are at least as many of us where if you tell us we CAN'T have something then we MUST have it. An occasional indulgence (for me, part of my meal, never a snack) can make the whole thing work for many of us.

Just jumping in here... You CAN lose weight without completely giving up the 'bad food.' However, you have to make a point to choose healthy foods for you, and eat in moderation. My band gives me the opportunity to have a healthy relationship with food. I eat food, any food I want, in small amounts. My food choices since the band have changed though. I choose more whole, less processed foods. This includes more fruits and veggies, and less white crap. I eat HIGHER FAT food now, too. I do not subscribe to the low fat, low sugar mentality. That stuff is toxic to your system. I eat REAL food. When I choose ice cream, I eat Haagen Dazs. I eat nuts everyday. This goes against what Americans have been taught about food, but let's all face it. low fat, high carb is not working. we're getting fatter. Getting back to basics and eating closer to nature is where health comes in. And I do that. I just don't eat a whole jungle anymore. :smile2:

Okay - I'll amend it to "you have to say goodbye to sweets most of the time".

I have a hard time stopping once I start so it's easier to abstain almost all of the time. I MUST have it all the time. And it is never enough. See my signature.

You missed the point of my post however.

Nothing changes if nothing changes (inside).

Sadie

Just jumping in here... You CAN lose weight without completely giving up the 'bad food.' However, you have to make a point to choose healthy foods for you, and eat in moderation. My band gives me the opportunity to have a healthy relationship with food. I eat food, any food I want, in small amounts. My food choices since the band have changed though. I choose more whole, less processed foods. This includes more fruits and veggies, and less white crap. I eat HIGHER FAT food now, too. I do not subscribe to the low fat, low sugar mentality. That stuff is toxic to your system. I eat REAL food. When I choose ice cream, I eat Haagen Dazs. I eat nuts everyday. This goes against what Americans have been taught about food, but let's all face it. low fat, high carb is not working. we're getting fatter. Getting back to basics and eating closer to nature is where health comes in. And I do that. I just don't eat a whole jungle anymore. :smile2:

Hey how are you! I agree...real food. Works for me. Probably not for everyone though! And I like the healthier things because they keep me full longer! :crying:

Okay - I'll amend it to "you have to say goodbye to sweets most of the time".

I have a hard time stopping once I start so it's easier to abstain almost all of the time. I MUST have it all the time. And it is never enough. See my signature.

You missed the point of my post however.

Nothing changes if nothing changes (inside).

Sadie

I got that you can't eat sweets and had to grieve the loss of your "friend". :smile2:

Now I get that you meant nothing changes if nothing changes (inside). That is very true.

I am doing GREAT, RM!! Are you ready for this... A girlfriend of mine had some pants to return in a size 2 cause they were a wee bit big. Well, since I'm wearing a 4/6 comfortably now, I asked her to let me try them... They FIT. They weren't the right cut, and emphasized my muscular calves and ankles, so I didn't want them, but the point is... I got a size TWO on me. A fluke... but nonetheless... unbelievable! I never wore a two, EVER. I went right from 'big girls' to misses size 8 as a kid, and only went up...

The summer is GREAT for eating. Living on almonds, fresh fruits and veggies (I eat tomato and mozzarella salad daily, with FULL FAT dressing!!)... Loving blueberry season.

I had a period of random tightness, and my doc was in China, so he told me to go to the ER. I found an AWESOME urgent care doc that used to be a trauma surgeon who was familiar with the ports cause of cancer patients. I called her, she told me to come right in, and gave me a small unfill of .3 ccs, and charged me $50. That woman is a saint, and I am all better now. I am a little looser than my 'sweet spot' but it allows me to eat lots of FRESH stuff, which is GREAT. And I haven't put on a pound... even eating my Haagen Dazs! :smile2:

How are you??????