cnewstine

I know how you feel. I have been banded for 5 months, and have only lost 18 pounds. Most of that I lost in the first 3 weeks. I was first really frustrated and down on myself, but now I think that I am glad I lost 18 instead of gaining 18. And without the band, I would probably still be gaining weight. Also, it's never too late to start again. Make better food choices. Go back to eating slowly, follow the rules with eating and drinking separately, and get it in your head that you want to succeed. You can do it. I'm telling myself that too, even as I write it to you. It's not a magic pill. It's just a tool we have to use correctly, right? We can do it.

I think I would have liked to have known at the beginning that my food intake wasn't going to change overnight. I didn't know that it takes several fills to get to the special fill point that allows us to eat only 1/2 cup. I'm 3 months post op and can still eat more than 1/2 cup. It's a slower process than I expected, but you learn to appreciate the losses and know that it will happen - eventually.

my insurance has just advised me that they will cover only one fill every 6 months. I can't wait 6 months. I am very tempted to do my own. I have met people that do their own. It scares me to think of it, yes, but my band will not work for me if I only get a fill every six months.

I only use the Realize my success site to chart my progress in weight and inches and in the food diary. Other than that, I'm disappointed too. i don't think surgeons really care about it either. They are so busy doing surgery I don't think they have time to follow up on all the other stuff.

I also have the Realize C band, although I didn't know until 6 weeks post op when I asked.

I'm with you I'm actually "59 days post-op" according to Realizemysuccess.com and have lost 14 pounds total. I try to console myself that when you break it down it's almost 2 pounds a week. But, the 14 pounds I lost were in the first 3 weeks and I haven't lost since. Despite, exercise and staying under 1000 calories a day. I have even had a fill (6cc's in an 11 cc band) and that hasn't really done much. I actually am not getting hungry as often so I guess it's working in that respect, but I think I could eat whatever I want and not have it get stuck. It's really frustrating, I know. I keep wondering how people lose 80 to 100 pounds in a year if it is like this. Maybe I'm an anomaly. I've gotten to the point where I'm trying to forget the band is there and just eat the right things and exercise and hopefully, I will eventually see the results. It's a journey, so I'm trying to just experience it and try to enjoy the ride.

Usually, they wouldn't give you a fill that soon. The first appointment is pretty much just a check up to make sure you're OK. Band rules are that the first fill is usually after 6 weeks and you don't have to get one if you're still doing well. After 2 weeks, I really wanted a fill but didn't get one.

I had my surgery on 9-29-10 and have only lost 14 pounds, depending on the day. sometimes it's only 12 or 13. I've had one fill and am wondering, like you, how I'm ever going to get to a small size in a year when it seems so-o-o-0 slow. I guess that's the way of the band, though, as opposed to the bypass. At least we're not gaining and maybe we'll have less loose skin?????

Mine took almost 6 weeks and I still have twinges of pain. But, there's nothing wrong. Everyone has checked. And, it's more common than you think. It will get better. Some of us have a harder time with the port than others. Hang in there.

I remember the day after surgery, not being able to get up without feeling like my insides were ripping open, worried I would mess up the surgery somehow. I could only sleep on my back. I had to slowly scoot up to get up. That lasted 2-3 days. Then, it slowly got better. The port continued to hurt, though, even at my two week appointment. I kept thinking they put it in wrong, or my port was flipped or something, but my doctor checked it and he said it was OK> Now, 8 weeks out, the port has finally stopped hurting. I am always conscious of it, though. I can feel it and when I bend over a table, I feel like I'm going to knock it out of the place it's attached. But, at least there is no more pain. Hang in there. I didn't believe them when they said it would take time, but they were right.

I also have a realize band and I got 6 cc's in my first fill. I was surprised when she told me she usually did 5 cc's in the first one, but disappointed when she told me I would have to wait for 8 weeks!!!! before the second one. She could tell I was upset so she offered to be more aggressive on the first one and put in 6 cc's. I, too, thought I was going to feel so much restriction and fullness and everything, but........ nothing. Granted, it's been just a week since I had it, and they said it could take up to two weeks to feel anything, but I haven't yet. Everyone's different. Good luck

I like the "dot" thing. I'm looking at the weight loss of our september bandsters and it really looks comparable. I'm down 14 pounds now and others are pretty close to me. I guess we will have lots lost by next year at this time. I only get fills every 8 weeks, so that's kind of scary. I had my first one last week (6cc's in an 11 cc band) and am hoping that I'm going to get a delayed reaction of restriction, but PA says doubtful. Hopefully the next one will do the job. ... Keep me posted Theresa.

When did you feel like the band was working for you? I'm two months post op and never feel full. Am I expecting too much? I've had one fill so far. 6 cc's in an 11 cc band.

:Hi I was banded on September 29. I just had my first fill yesterday. Don't know how to have discussions with others on this site or respond to messages, but I would be happy to compare notes, etc. on our lapband journey. I have only lost 13 pounds so far. Hoping this fill helps. I am also starting Curves for a month to get my exercise started. How bout you?

You are so lucky you are getting fills so quick. I had my first one today. Luckily, the PA said she would be a little agressive when she told me that they only do fills every 8 weeks and I freaked out. So, they put 6 cc's in my REalize band which takes it to half full. We'll see. How's it going for you????

Well, first of all, I am getting my first fill this Wednesday. Woo-Hoo!!!!!! So excited! Especially since the last week I have been behaving like I am not a bandster. Shameless, I know. When I first got on solids again, I was careful to make sure that I ate a small portion. ate slowly, didn't drink with meals. I was the perfect rule follower. But, I have this problem with rules. So, gradually, I have reverted back to my old ways - I have allowed myself to drink a few sips while eating, and have eaten just a little more than I should at each meal. Believe me, the scale has given me a wake-up call. I've only gained back a pound but that's enough. I'm going to follow the rules to get ready for the fill. Last week, I went to dinner with a friend at a place called the Boiling Crab. $9.00 for a pound of shrimp cooked in garlic and butter and lemon. So good. Only trouble is you have to work for your food. Pull the heads off, pull the tails off, and even clean out the little canals on these little buggers. They come with little red potatoes, which I couldn't eat too much of, cuz they're really filling. So, after dinner I went to the restroom and they have these super high power dryers for your hands. As I was drying my hands I noticed that the blower was blowing the skin on my hands and arms into little folds, and basically, wrinkles. Yuck. This made me really worried about my future. Was this a premonition of what I could expect the more weight I lose? Will I have folds of skin wrinkling around all over my body?I wanted to put my face under the dryer and get a good look at that to see what that was all about, but I couldn't see my face in the mirror. This is scary. Will I be trading fat for sag? And will my face go from puffy to .....old? :eek: I decided rather than think about it too much, I will just stay away from high power blowing machines and focus on my journey... :smile2:

Have you lost any more? mY fill is this Wednesday. I know it can take a few to get it to the right spot. It seems like so much time is passing and no new weight loss. How do people ever lose a hundred pounds in a year when the process seems S-O-O slow!!!!

I know everyone is different. Someone said you shouldn't go pee until you get there because they ask you to go in a cup and it's hard when you haven't had anything to eat or drink. I wish they had told me that before. They will take your vitals and get you prepped. No underwear. I felt kind of weird about that one. Then my anesthesiologist gave me meds and next thing I knew I was waking up. Other people say they didn't get put out until they were wheeled into the operating room. I had a lot of pain in my abdomen that day and the next. It started getting better on day three. I didn't have shoulder pain/gas pain. Others have a lot of it. Best thing to do is walk, walk, walk. That's what people told me and even though I didn't want to do it, it did help. I was on a liquid diet for a week and then mushies. Other people are on liquids longer. I guess it depends on your doctor. I first could drink less than a cup and I was full. Now, 5 1/2 weeks out I can eat and drink whatever I want. Unfortunately. I am monitoring what and how much I eat and have managed not to gain. But, haven't lost either. Other people keep some restriction longer than me. It's your journey. That's what is so great. You will have your own wonderful story to tell. By the way, on the blogs PB is productive burp, and DH is dear husband. I was so confused by the acronyms. Good luck:smile2:

I've survived a cheating husband, losing my house and then getting it back, LAP-BAND® surgery.... So, why does bandster hell feel so awful? I think I've been ranting and raving about how I wanted to get the LAP-BAND® and now that I have it people are all looking at me thinking, "what's the big deal? She hasn't lost much weight!" Which is true. I've actually lost only 11 of the many many pounds I need to lose. I'm 3 and a half weeks out and the only weight I've lost is the weight I lost during the liquid diet. At least I haven't gained any weight. I can actually get into the pants I've been squeezing myself into for the last 6 months. That's good too. But, this waiting thing for the first fill is so frustrating. My physician's assistant said, "think of this as a practice time. Practice taking small bites and eating small quantities." I have absolutely no restriction. And worse, no will power. This really sucks! Can't wait for the first fill on November 10th. :smile2:

I had my surgery on September 29. My port is still very close to the surface and I can feel it easily. The Physician's assistance said it's good so they can fill it easier, but that there are low profile ports that could have been used. Darn. Didn't know to ask that question. I worry that it will protrude when I lose more weight. Mine's still sore. Sounds like your husband is a good cook!!! Hope he knows lots of liquid recipes for the next week or so.....

Hi Julie, I am a little worried myself about my port. It's been 6 weeks for me and I still have twinges and soreness. I am afraid that when they release me to exercise, I still won't be able to do sit-ups because of it. At my two week check-up they said it was sore because of the muscle attachment. I've heard others say the same thing you are, though. I would check with your doctor. I am going to at my fill appointment this week. I have a Realize band. I'm wondering if my soreness is because of the contraption they use to attach it. The lap band is sutured. The Realize band has some kind of clamp looking thing. I also saw that someone thought maybe their's had been placed on a nerve and that was making it hurt. I feel your pain, (literally) but I don't know what makes it hurt. Mine is getting less painful, though. Is yours? :cursing:

I was banded on the 29th of September and have only lost 12 pounds. My first fill is on the 10th. Can't wait!!! Though I wish I was losing faster, the one thing I keep thinking is that I did weight watchers for 5 months and lost and gained the same 3 pounds over and over. At least I've kept this weight off and it will probably get better after the fill. Hope that helps.....

They have these great protein drinks at Costco that are 30 grams of proteiin and only one gram of sugar. Calories are only 160. They are called Premier Nutrition. They only have chocolate but they are really good! I like them over ice. On another note, I didn't have a hernia and I still didn't go to work until 2 1/2 weeks later. It's great you have support at home. Sounds like you are doing great. It gets better (the pain) Good luck to you.

Thanks everyone for the advice. It really helps to know there's a light at the end of the tunnel...