Gracie0401

Thanks for keeping it real everyone! I needed a good jolt of reality to re focus and realize that I have done something amazing. I appreciate the support.

Hi Everyone! I too seem to be at a plateau. No movement on the scale for about a month now. Very frustrating and discouraging. I thought I might need a fill, but sometimes I feel way too tight. So I figured I would just ride this out and see how it goes. Reading your posts is both good and bad. Good because I am not alone, but bad because I'm not doing as well as most. That being said, congrats to all the big losers!!

I am so sorry to hear about your problems with the band. Can I ask you a question, though? How did you know the band had slipped? Take care. Gina

I think you will be amazed at the sizes you can wear. I bought my daughter an adult medium in pajama pants two weeks ago and she said she didn't like them so I was going to return them, but I tried them first. They fit!! Then I wanted a somewhat tight t shirt to wear under my sweaters and loose bouses so I orders a large from Lands' End - guess what? Its actually big on me!! For some reason everything is just clicking right now. People are noticing and I feel great. I've totally learned how to manage the band and it is so nice to have scale victories as well as non-scale victories. I am at a weight that I haven't been at in over 10 years. For a while I really questioned whether the money spent on this was worth it and if it would be successful because it didn't seem to be working for the longest time, but now I am so glad I did this and I like me - I REALLY like me now. That in itself is a major accomplishment.

Hi there - I sooooo understand. I was banded on 12/21/07 and I didn't see more than an 8 pound weight loss until after March! That was almost more than 3 months!! Talk about depressed. I paid out of pocket for the procedure and I kept thinking that I totally wasted my money! But it did start coming off after my 5th or 6th fill - yes, it took that long! I read all these posts and others banded at the same time as me seem to be losing so much more so much quicker, but I keep trucking along. When I was struggling at the beginning I didn't read as many posts because they were depressing to me in my situation. Let's face it, they still are!! My average loss is far behind some of my peers on this site. I don't post often, but I had to let you know you are NOT alone! Hovever, my loss averages out to 1 pound a week. Which is just about where you are too. Hang in there!

Hi Everyone, I am at 29 pounds total lost with 40.30 to go. It's definitely going slower than I would like, but I'm losing and I feel great!! I figure at this rate by my 1 year anniversary I will be where I want to be and Christmas will be a double blessing!!

Hi Everyone, My name is Gina. I was banded on 12/21/07 in Southern California. I have been reading all the posts and I am so glad to find such a great place to learn more and meet people going through the same thing as me. I often feel like my loss is slower than I expected, but its definitely coming off so I will bite my tongue. I have had 6 fills and am currently at about 7 cc is a 10 cc band. It took a long time to feel restriction, but now I do and I understand more about the band and how it works. I literally did not start feeling restriction until the end of March so I felt like I had pretty much wasted the first three months of my band, but the last two fills have definitely put me where I should be. Exercise is a challenge for me because my days are over filled with work and my kids' sports schedules! Once I find the place for it, I know that the weight will come off quicker!!

Hi Lori, You are not alone! I was banded on 12/21/07 and to date have lost 23.3 pounds! Frustratingly slow when others seem to lose much faster, but my Dr. keeps reminding me that I have less to lose. I am at 196 right now and would like to lose 20-30 more. Its definitely coming off, just not as fast as I thought when I signed on for this surgery. But I figure if its keeps up at this rate (1 pound perweek average) then by my 1 year mark (and Christmas 2008) I will be at goal!! Much better odds than if I hadn't had it done at all. No words of wisdom from me, just commiserating with a slow loss! :thumbup:

Hi Josh, Good luck to you. I wish this option had been there for me along time ago then I wouldn't have spent so many years battling. I'm 39 now and on my way finally. I had the procedure done in Dec (today is my 4 month anniversary). The weight loss has been slow for me so it hasn't presented a problem. Not alot of people know I had this done - I share on a individual basis depending on the person. I will say though that I didn't realize how hard it would be to be in social eating situations. You simply can't just eat - thought has to go into everything you bite and you always have to be aware of where you are and what you are doing. Otherwise I think it could be uncomfortable for you and those who don't know. The worst thing about the band is not being able to eat. Sometimes I just want to be "normal". I guess what I mean is that when you diet, you can take a day off (like Easter) but with the band there is no day off and you always have to be thinking - there is no quick bite because I am busy and need to get going. This band is a blessing and I wish you all the luck with it.

Hi Gina, I had a great experience with Dr. Oliak. I have had 5 fills, the most recent on march 27th. I didn't really have any restriction unitl this last fill - I am now at about 6 ccs. I don't know if my loss is slow because I don't have that much to lose or if its because the band didn't really work until this last fill. It's weird because some days I am hungry all day long and can eat just about anything and then other days one bite sends me to throw up and those days I can barely eat. On those days I think I am too tight, but on the days that I can eat all day I think I am too loose. Do you have the same thing going on?

Hi Gina, You sound just like me. I was banded on 12/21/07 by Dr. Oliak. I have lost about 20 pounds with 35 to go. I am 39.... Oh and I'm Gina too! Nice to meet you. i just had to reply because of all the similarities.