It doesnt work the same for everyone

[headin_to_mxico 0]

Its so disheartening watching everyone else. My Dr never told me that some people lose so slowly and I really wish he would have. My expectations were to be like everyone else. After he sees how slow I lose he tells me not to be discouraged because there are people who lose slower than others, but they still make it to goal. Its hard when you are expecting a 1-2 pound a week weight loss and end up with only 15 pound WL in 7-8 months. I feel like giving up. Like the band was just another failed diet. I exercise, I make good food choices and really think about what I am eating before I eat it. I get fills and am just under 4cc's in a 5 cc band. But my weight loss is so slow its horrible. And my Doc tells me that weight loss will only slow down as I get closer to goal. Goal! HA! Even talking like I will ever get there seems like a joke. I just am really starting to think that the band doesnt work for everyone. And I am one of those people.

Edited March 8, 2010 by headin_to_mxico

[mafiamamy 2]

Hi there, yes the BAND does not work the same for everyone i am also proof of that, i had mine since 2007 ...yes tree years and i have lost 48 or so pounds hahahhaa i thought that by this point i would be a size 0 ...........Not......But i refuse to give up i will continue my diet and exercise until the day i acan say just like alot of other people here ....i did it i lost 100 pounds whooo hoooo !! Hope its before i hit 60 :biggrin: ................Dont give up you are not alone im sure there is plenty more like me and you but alot of them dont come forward with there slow weight loss band stories......have a ozome day ...kisses

[stajin22 0]

When I read this post I started not to replybut guess what I am a slow loser and not ashamed to say it. Even though I had a set back I was still not losing the weight. My appointment was yesterday and I have lost 1 pound all month. I can understand that since I have not been exercising due to sciatica. I am not eating as much but wish this weight would go away. I have my days where I feel the same way but guess what? We made a good choice to start on this journey. Stay encouraged, I will be 7 months out on the 13th and have lost on 25 pounds. This month will be different, going to curves this morning.:sad:

[LaurieO 0]

I just had my surgery on February 2, 2010 - I thought the weight would come off so much faster. I watch people that work at the same place as me lose like crazy. I lost 10lbs before the surgery and have now only lost another 8. I guess because I set a goal for myself of 2 lbs per week and seem to have lost & gained the same 2lbs for the last 3 weeks I am just frustrated. I have only had one fill last week of 5cc - I thought at the time it was a lot, but my appetite seems to still be big. I am exercising - but am so sad by this......I never thought it would be me. I have the realize band.......does anyone know what the average first fill is - I do want to be able to swallow my own spit - big I just know I should still not have an appetite this big! Any thoughts.

[west LA gal 0]

Thanks everyone for posting. I am glad I came across this group and this thread. Now I do not feel like an alien:redface:

I wanted to share my slooooww story. I got banded in Mexico by Dr. Ortiz on 11/13/09 & today is my 4 month bandiversary and I have lost 19.3 pounds so far and that averages out to only 0.8 pounds per week:mad:

I am upset on a number of different level or at least I was until coming here:

1. Dr. Ortiz gave me a big band (Realize 11cc - this is the one that he prefers using on his patients) when I think I needed the 4cc band

2. I have had 3 fills in 3 months and going back for my 4th this week and still not restriction.

3. I was self-pay and I am starting to wonder if I tossed the money away or if my investment will kick in sometime before reaching goal?

4. I have lost every ounce with Weight Watchers & willpower and none of it had anything to to with the band.

So did I REALLY need this surgery? Did I really get the band that was right for me?

I guess these are questions I seriously have to ask myself. But I am glad that I could come here and share. Thanks!

[Ohm 0]

Guys, I am so sorry that your weight loss has not been fast enough for you. As a very satisfied banded individual who has lost a shed load of weight I can tell you that it MUST result in weight loss if you do what is required.

My own surgeon insisted on a period of self motivated weight loss prior to placing my lap band and, personally, I lost 75 lbs. He insisted that if Icould not make the necessary changes before the band then I would not be likely to make the necessary lifestyle changes after surgery.

Personally speaking (and yes, I know we are all different) I found out what worked for me before the band, and the band is just a tool to keep me on track. I've lost huge amounts of weight (in excess of 50 lbs) on more than one occasion and I always used to gain it back. I lost 75lbs before having the band fitted and I ABSOLUTELY KNOW THAT IF I DID NOT HAVE THE BAND I WOULD HAVE GAINED IT ALL BACK AGAIN THIS TIME TOO.

Sometimes we get complacent and stop pushing ourselves so hard in our exercise. Sometimes we stop checking the calorie content of our food or "forgetting" those few Cookies or candy bars when it comes to totting up our calorie totals for the day. The bottom line, the science behind the reality is that you can only lose weight if you burn more calories than you consume. The bigger the imbalance the more weight you lose.

I really do hear your frustration. I have great empathy - I was all woman (and part of another one) for the majority of my adult life. I really do understand how you feel, but the answer is there.

Wishing you all the very best and shed loads of weight loss

Ohm

[headin_to_mxico 0]

I was able to keep a good attitude at first by telling myself that I was in bandster hell and I needed better restriction before it would work right. I actually didnt get to this negative mindset until really recently. But Im now over seven months out, I have good restriction, Im making good choices, and Im STILL not loosing. I honestly dont know what else to do accept for go on some sort of crazy diet. And I was sick of going on crazy diets, thats why I got this band. I have lost the weight before on diets and Im thinking thats what Im going to need to do. Go on a hard core diet and loose the weight and hope that maybe with the band, this time the weight wont come back on. The way the band was explained to me was that if I made good choices, I wouldnt have to diet like crazy. My Dr says I am doing everything right. I just went in and saw him on Friday and told him my feelings. He ended up giving me another fill, even though I was already having good restriction. I really dont think that this fill is going to do much more for me, but I guess Ill see. The only way I can see to proceed with this is to go on a hard core diet, cut ALL cheese, ALL dairy, ALL fat, ALL sugar and most carbs until this weight comes off. And then see if it will stay off once I add those things back in moderation. Because I can only diet like that for a few months. I cant change my life to never eat cheese or dairy or sugar again. I can keep them in check, but I cant forever cut those things out (I dont think anyone could), which is why I got the band. So I could be normal. It just didnt work for me. Its important for me to let people know that it doesnt work the same for everyone. I am living proof of it. Back to the life of crazy diets, even with a band.

[headin_to_mxico 0]

I just had my surgery on February 2, 2010 - I thought the weight would come off so much faster. I watch people that work at the same place as me lose like crazy. I lost 10lbs before the surgery and have now only lost another 8. I guess because I set a goal for myself of 2 lbs per week and seem to have lost & gained the same 2lbs for the last 3 weeks I am just frustrated. I have only had one fill last week of 5cc - I thought at the time it was a lot, but my appetite seems to still be big. I am exercising - but am so sad by this......I never thought it would be me. I have the realize band.......does anyone know what the average first fill is - I do want to be able to swallow my own spit - big I just know I should still not have an appetite this big! Any thoughts.

LorieO,

Sorry youre having these feelings. I know how awful it is to be in a negitive rut. But I honestly wouldnt give into these feelings if I were you yet. You probably dont have good restriction yet. You are still really fresh out of surgery. I hope that this will turn around for you. :thumbup:

[headin_to_mxico 0]

Thanks everyone for posting. I am glad I came across this group and this thread. Now I do not feel like an alien:redface:

I wanted to share my slooooww story. I got banded in Mexico by Dr. Ortiz on 11/13/09 & today is my 4 month bandiversary and I have lost 19.3 pounds so far and that averages out to only 0.8 pounds per week:mad:

I am upset on a number of different level or at least I was until coming here:

1. Dr. Ortiz gave me a big band (Realize 11cc - this is the one that he prefers using on his patients) when I think I needed the 4cc band

2. I have had 3 fills in 3 months and going back for my 4th this week and still not restriction.

3. I was self-pay and I am starting to wonder if I tossed the money away or if my investment will kick in sometime before reaching goal?

4. I have lost every ounce with Weight Watchers & willpower and none of it had anything to to with the band.

So did I REALLY need this surgery? Did I really get the band that was right for me?

I guess these are questions I seriously have to ask myself. But I am glad that I could come here and share. Thanks!

LAGirl,

You may very well end up being fine once you have restriction. Tighten that baby up. I wouldnt worry untill you actually HAVE good restriction. If you restricted nice and tight and you still arnt loosing, come join my pitty party. I am handing out invitations, misery loves company! :thumbup:

[headin_to_mxico 0]

When I read this post I started not to replybut guess what I am a slow loser and not ashamed to say it. Even though I had a set back I was still not losing the weight. My appointment was yesterday and I have lost 1 pound all month. I can understand that since I have not been exercising due to sciatica. I am not eating as much but wish this weight would go away. I have my days where I feel the same way but guess what? We made a good choice to start on this journey. Stay encouraged, I will be 7 months out on the 13th and have lost on 25 pounds. This month will be different, going to curves this morning.:ohmy:

I know right! Thanks for posting. You are so right! I did make this choice, and I need to live with it and make the best of it. I wish I could be more mature like you! Im such a cry baby! I seriously feel like rolling on the ground pounding my fists and legs and having an all out tantrum. :thumbup: Not even kidding! I get so frustrated. I need to just accept that its going to be harder and just work that much harder. Im honestly disappointed with my band. I hope that I can pull out of this funk because Im not going to get anywhere with this attitude of mine. But knowing what I should do and doing that are two different things right? lol. At this point my bad attitude, Im sure, is just making matters worse. Maybe I should stop doing cycle classes and join a kickboxing class to get this aggression out in a productive way. lol I just really know that I have to go on a hard core diet, and work my butt off at the gym. I know I can loose the weight this way, I only really hope that with the band, this time I can keep it off. :thumbup:

[Ohm 0]

You go, girl! That is the spirit! And yeah, maybe changing the exercise type may help - it is so easy to get "comfortable" at a level and stop making that extra hill-climb of effort.

The band has done it for me. I have always been able to lose weight but this is the first time I have ever managed to keep it off for any length of time. It is as if I was always feasting or fasting. The band works - but it is only a tool and a tool is only as effective as the skill of the person using it. We all start off unskilled and we all learn (some faster than others - I'm probably a slow learner myself).

Lets learn together. I'm right behind you.

xx

[dfav3412 116]

You know the sad part is from what I can tell just reading these post, you don't have any support system within your surgeons office. First of all, patients at my center can go to the bariatrics coordinator once a week for a one on one, usually lasts about 5 min. You are weighed, blood pressure taken, asked questions and if you are not losing, she interpets what is going on. If she thinks you need a fill then she sets it up, if she thinks something else is going on like sugar resistance (why some people are slow losers) then she works with you about the types of food you eat. I've beeing going once a week (for the most part) for 2 1/2 years and am told I can do this forever. I just hate it when a bandsters is just hung out there on their own but it does seem to be the rule not the exception. I wish the best for all of you, I truly do.

[west LA gal 0]

You know the sad part is from what I can tell just reading these post, you don't have any support system within your surgeons office. First of all, patients at my center can go to the bariatrics coordinator once a week for a one on one, usually lasts about 5 min. You are weighed, blood pressure taken, asked questions and if you are not losing, she interpets what is going on. If she thinks you need a fill then she sets it up, if she thinks something else is going on like sugar resistance (why some people are slow losers) then she works with you about the types of food you eat. I've beeing going once a week (for the most part) for 2 1/2 years and am told I can do this forever. I just hate it when a bandsters is just hung out there on their own but it does seem to be the rule not the exception. I wish the best for all of you, I truly do.

You are absolutely right! There in lies the problem doesnt it? Alot of this frustration, confusion, anger and resentment could be warded off with constant patient support by the medical staff - but for those of us who had surgery beyond the border then this is the risk we took when we elected to have surgery outside of the country isnt it?

[west LA gal 0]

LAGirl,

You may very well end up being fine once you have restriction. Tighten that baby up. I wouldnt worry untill you actually HAVE good restriction. If you restricted nice and tight and you still arnt loosing, come join my pitty party. I am handing out invitations, misery loves company! :thumbup:

Thanks! I talked to a banded friend today on the phone and she said the exact same thing. She said until I am at the restriction level I need to be at there is nothing I can do and I just need to go in for that fill and if need be, another one after that.:thumbup:

[Laura Lane 0]

sorry to hear about your experience and slow weight loss. is there any way that you can get sleeved?