Welcome to the "Slow Loser" thread on LBT.

A few orders of business to begin.

First, we need to elect a leader. Someone who will voice our opinion clearly and with wisdom and humor. Our Leader will support us in our efforts and remind us of our NSV's and to not be discouraged.

I nominate - Vinesqueen. I can think of no on here on the board more eloquent and positive in her day to day outlook. (she has no idea about this, by the way - this is my own little invention - but I still think she should be our leader)

Second - we need to define "slow loser". I would propose that a slow loser is someone who is losing (or lost) less than 1 pound per week (average) during the first year of banding.

Third - Our Mission. Our Mission will be to stick together as a group. There is always strength in numbers. As we see newly banded people losing more in a month or six weeks than we have lost in 6 months to a year, we will join together and remind each other of how well we're doing. We'll chant the LBTSL ( that LapBand Talk Slow Loser) mantra of "It's not a race, it's not a race" over and over again.

Will you join me? Will you, a slow loser, a turtle in the weight loss race, make your voice heard amongst all these rabbits? Mostly will you let me know that I am not alone out here in bandland?

Looking forward to hearing from all of you.

This is truly a depressing thread for me as a newly-banded person. Does your surgeon have any idea why you people are losing so slowly?

I hope your luck turns around soon.

Hi everyone! I am new to this group. I would consider myself a slow loser. I did great in the beginning. I lost 54lbs since Dec. 21, 2006 however, I have not lost anything since the end of July. I had a set back with my exercising due to an injury to my legs and ankles. I wasn't able to really exercise except for my physical therapy. I am just beginning to exercise again. However, I haven't seen any action on the scale yet! lol....I call it a bit frustrating and I do feel I need a support group. I hope I can qualify for your group. I had lost 40lbs before I had surgery which took me about 1 year. I am down 94lbs total from my highest however, I still have about 100 more pounds to go which I know will take me much longer than the average person even with the band. I went from a size 30/28 in clothes to a size 18/20 because I was exercising. I was losing inches more than weight. My doctor didn't seem upset about it at all. However, I want to see the numbers down too! Enough about me. I am just happy to be here and I hope to get to know you all. Feel free to write me. Have a super day! Remeber TODAY IS THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE!!

A reminder the band isnt the only change we need. We still have to eat right and exercise whenever possible,,Thats my problem...Drinking with meals! Washing it straight thru!

I did not make the 205 November goal.I'm 210. I move on to 199 by the New Year. My action plan is simple. A real scheduled exercise plan. After work 5 days a week. Follow my band rules and I wont be eating 1/2 what I am now. My exercise has been great but the diet has kept me even weight....

Remember a new lifestyle change also not just restricted eating...I will prevail..

Hi Chrissy

The reason I can't lose weight is that I have a pituitary tumor, a brain tumor. You know that disease you hear about where people have that glandular disease where people get really fat and can't lose weight? That's what I have. Its a real disease called Cushing's. And I have it. I suspect that several of the Turtles also have a Cushing's as well, based on their inability to lose weight, comments about humps hurting, fategue and stretch marks.

Do I qualify? I started at 210 had my surgery end of July 06...lost 8 lbs initially, but after getting fills adding up to 9.5cc. of a 10cc. band, I have lost another 6 totalling 14lbs. I am hypothyroid, so I'm naturally a turtle.

Vinesqueen - I was lucky, no skin grafts, but I did ooze green stuff for a few days. Silvadene cream became my best friend. I'm (finally) bandage free, but my skin is still very thin in spots. It's been over a month since I was burned, and actually it looks as though the scarring won't be bad.

Hot liquids don't really help with the first-bite syndrome for me. The only thing that works is "one bite, 5 minutes, second bite, 5 minutes, third bite, 5 minutes, then eat". Eating like that is aggravating when I'm on a 45 minute lunch break or when I go out to eat with my family. Oh, they are very sweet about the fact that its going to take me at least 45 minutes to choke down 10 bites, but they do start looking at their watches towards the end.

I've kind of given up on the weight loss thing. By that I mean I would like to lose weight, but I don't think this is working for me. I need to make an appointment with my surgeon, but I don't need a fill, and I'm not sure what if anything he can do for me. He can't give me willpower surgically, and I can't seem to keep from eating (albeit slowly) when I'm hungry all the time. Food is usually the first and last thing I think about each day. I wasn't like this BEFORE lapband surgery, so its really very weird and disheartening. I probably eat less now than I did before I had surgery, but before surgery I ate 2 or 3 meals a day, no snacks and no obsessing. Now I eat 4 or 5 times a day and food is all I can think about. I wake up and go to sleep with my stomach growling. Some days I wonder if I'm going crazy, but when I went to check my psychologist just laughed and said I'm having a very normal reaction to a very un-normal situation. Great. How reassuring! :phanvan

Hang in there Kryssa---think positive!!! I know it really stinks not being able to eat normally now, but we spent a lot of money for this but it's only a tool!!! I expected to lose weight so much faster!!! I wanted to be down at least 30 pounds by now...that would have only been 1 1/2 lbs per week, but I didn't get any restriction until just a month ago, and it's just now starting! My problem is I can eat whatever for about 10 minutes, then BOOM! I start getting the hiccups and feel terrible...I know it's because I am eating too fast...I am trying to change bad habits, but it's hard. I have to be conscious of it all the time and it takes time. You may try eating more protein---I find that helps. I can't eat any bread---it tries to get stuck, no matter how small a bite I take. Maybe something like scrambled eggs would help you, but remember to chew, chew and chew some more and eat slowly. A growling stomach sucks---I drink, drink, drink either tap water or sf artificially sweetened decaf tea and that gets me through it. I wish you the best. We can do this!!! Slowly but surely!!! GOOD LUCK!!! KEEP US POSTED!!

where are we at on this? I think this is a good idea.

I just started on this sight today and glad to see this. I was banded 10-4-06. Start weight, 302, current 236. I believe I qualify or at least hope so. I have not lost in 6 weeks! My surgeon is not happy at all! He wanted me to lose 100 lbs in the first year. I need to get to 179. Have a ways to go. Could you support.

I want to join.

I knew going in that I would not loose as fast as most people because I was not a big eater on a regular basis, I just would splurge on the weekends, thus causing weight gain.

I am happy, I just need to make myself exercise and eat healthy (most)

ALL the time!!

Vicky, 100 lbs in a year (or just a little less) is NOT slow losing!! You are doing great!!

I need support in a BIG way. I was banded in April of 2006 and have only lost 22 pounds. Because I have SO much weight to lose, this 22 pounds feels like nothing to me. Im so sad does anyone feel this same pain?? I hate myself right now because I went through this surgery and got myself and everyone else around me so excited about the potential weight loss and I feel like a complete FAILURE. I take 100% full responsibility. I do not follow the rules including drinking with meals. Sometimes Im so sad, I purposely drink so I can get down more and more food. Its not necessarily that Im sad, I could be excited, nervous, any mood outside of content and I can find myself eating too much. I have the Vanguard band and just got a fill. Now im at 5 cc's. I CAN make time to cook meals, not eat out, only eat GOOD food that takes up volume in my stomach, and excercise 30 minutes a day but I dont do it CONSISTANTLY. WHY cant I do that? Why do I put myself through so much PAIN. I want the hurt and guilt to go away. Does anyone understand my pain? I hate myself for being so heavy. I hate that I still have sleep apnea and my husband has to roll over in bed and see me sleeping with a mask on my face. I hate having these fertility problems. Im so heavy I cant even get pregnant.I just want to crawl inside myself and not come out until I am healthy. This weight causes me so much pain but I dont think about the pain when Im eating something that tastes good.Its an awful cycle. Who out there knows how I feel or has anyone ever gone through this and been able to change. Please let me know

Hi Boppers,

I too was banded in April and I havent lost ANY weight. We have to do a liquid diet before surgery for a few weeks - I didnt loss any weight then either. It's so hard. You listen to other bansters and how well they are do, the things they can eat and that they arent hungry. Well thats not me, I am hungry. I have restrictions and over 11 adjustments. Good food is so hard to eat that crap food is just easier. I've had fill taken out twice. I too exercised, but I have lost faith now coming this far and not losing weight. Very disheartening each month when you exercise daily, eat well, and dont lose weight when other months you can eat crap, not exercise and still stay the same. So, I'll have the flavour.

I had the fertility problems, but after 12 yrs I finally beat that so weight is my big issue now to crack. I'll get there somehow. I hope you find your way soon too

take care

Lisa

I am really, really sorry if it sounds like I'm being a baby, but since getting on solids recently, I haven't lost a pound. It is so discouraging. I told everybody around me (and I mean EVERYBODY) that I was getting this surgery because I was so excited. Now I am starting to feel like a failure. I know I shouldn't compare but my co-worker got gastric bypass and lost 150 pounds in a year, and everybody is completely wowed by her. I'm already getting asked, "How much have you lost?" .... It is making me feel discouraged. I wish I had kept my mouth shut now. Oh well. Thank God for this thread. It really makes me feel not so alone.

First, a warning this is a little detailed about some women’s issues, so stop now if you don’t want to hear/know…..

Ok, listening to everyone here a few weeks ago I had an appointment with an endocrinologist. She was really good, she specializes in PCOS. I wanted to see her to get my hormone levels checked, etc. Confirm I had PCOS and not cushings. During the appointment after an hour of taking my history, etc she wasn’t at all surprised I hadn’t lost any weight with the band. She was very sure that my pcos was affecting my insulin, which of course was affecting my hunger and no amount of dieting could address this. We changed drugs to the once a day slow release metformin (or metformin type drug) We knew from my pregnancies that insulin resistance played a bit part in conceiving and keeping the pg’s.

Then she wanted to run some tests and have a scan. I couldn’t get in for the scan until next year but told them I was home for any cancellations. Well I was out with my son picking up my daughter when I got the call about a cancellation. A girlfriend had just left pathology so I got her to go back so she could watch both kids. (Not the thing for them to see) Thank God for great friends.

Anywho, the scan took all of 2 mins. The Specialist wanted to check my lining wall before inducing a period. If I had a thick wall and forced a period I could hemorrhage. Normal range is under 10cms, mine was 22cm. :omg: With cysts within the lining as well. So clear to see on the screen as well. Then he checked my ovaries, this time they found both (they cant always) and they were enlarged and MANY cysts. Obviously the PCOS is still very there and present.

This is great news and no surprise about the lining wall. I have asked to have it check before and I know you need to have a few good bleeds a year. It was only the specialist who understood why I was concerned. Now that I know we can address this & reduce the risk of other problems later. Interesting too, the specialist sent me a copy of the letter that was sent to the referring GP –very impressed.

I feel like I am at least getting some answers and I am looking forward to how I feel after being on the slow release metformin for a while. Hopefully it will point me in the right direction.