No Weight Loss at 5 months post-op

[kikata 0]

Thanks Mel. That is good advice. I had my surgery in August 2010 and I have had no weight loss. I am 5"7 and they used a standard lapband, not sure if that is the problem. I notice you wrote you changed doctors, perhaps someone knows a good doctor in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Palm Beach area. I have had about 7 fills and once I was so tight that I would vomit Water and had to get deflated. It is a struggle. Someone said Weight Watchers, others say Unjury, which I had not heard of it until this website. When I am too tight, I live off shakes and they are fattening and when I can have my salads I still do not lose weight. I have good insurance and I want to change doctors or perhaps go to a nutricionist/dietician. Can you please help? Thank you.

[siddigrl 0]

An update Buffy? Did you ever lose the weight?

[BuffyC413 9]

Yes. It's now been 2 years and 3 months since my surgery and I have lost a total of 70lbs. (From 223 to 153) It took about 6 months before I started losing. It came off slow and steady. The first year after I posted this, it was mainly because it was too tight and I just couldn't eat anything. But, the past 6 months, I've been able to eat and I'm still losing. So, after all this time, I'm finally at that "sweet spot".

[wvsweetspot 14]

Meli, Excellent tips. I too have a metabolic problem and am insulin resistent and will be banded tomorrow. I know I will have to follow the rules and especially track my food and measure everything. I am not savy on the commuter so I will be writting everything out by hand. I've resisted doing that, but have quickly learned low carb or not the calories add up fast. I imagine I will always have to follow around 1000 cal a day and especially to maintain at goal. Thank you for giving me a reality check.

Thanks again. Best wishes to you....I guess it is a journey and all we can do is take one day at a time.

Blessings to all who are willing to take the journey!!

Effie

[taraepperson 18]

The best advice I can give has already been given EXCEPT for one! I was always starving staying in my calorie zone. I decided to switch dinner and lunch. I was much more fulfilled and I didn't eat as much at night. For dessert I loved making chocolate and PB2 milkshakes ! Just like Peanut Butter m&ms!

[taraepperson 18]

The best advice I can give has already been given EXCEPT for one! I was always starving staying in my calorie zone. I decided to switch dinner and lunch. I was much more fulfilled and I didn't eat as much at night. For dessert I loved making chocolate and PB2 milkshakes ! Just like Peanut Butter m&ms!

[taraepperson 18]

The best advice I can give has already been given EXCEPT for one! I was always starving staying in my calorie zone. I decided to switch dinner and lunch. I was much more fulfilled and I didn't eat as much at night. For dessert I loved making chocolate and PB2 milkshakes ! Just like Peanut Butter m&ms!

[taraepperson 18]

Ha ha. Yeah, the pre-op and post-op diets are deceiving. You loose SO much more than when on the band. My nurse recommended, and IT WORKS, switching lunch with dinner. It holds you over longer and you seem more full!

[HilaryInRC 116]

My two cents....for what it is worth.

Remember that you are worth this and you are not a failure because your weight loss journey is different from those around you. In my three years I have come to realize that everyone is different even with the band. For example, I have great restriction, but I can eat bread. I always have been able to and waiting around for bread to get stuck to let me know that I have restriction or can't eat anymore is not going to help me at all.

I lost 10 -15 lbs in the first month and basically hit a plateau that lasted nearly a year. Then I gave up, was depressed avoided my doctor and gained a lot of that weight back. My doctor wanted me to have a gastric bypass, even encouraged me to run the new testing and thankfully my insurance company denied it. He basically wrote me off as a patient.

New doctor gave me very different support and aftercare. Some things I have now learned:

(1) I need a low-carb diet. I eat 45-55 gms of carbs a day. Thats it, and a lot of that comes from fruits and veggies. The funny thing is that with carbs, they are either slider foods (potatoes) foods that get stuck, (doughy foods, rice) or sweets/nuts (high calorie, high sugar, high fat) and they often trigger cravings for more carbs!

(2) I eat at regular intervals, every 3 hrs. Some people say they don't get hungry for 4-5 hrs. Not me. I'm hungry. If I rely on just hunger, I eat too much, if I to wait for 4-5 hrs I am starving and again I eat too much, too fast or make bad choices. Seriously figure out how long it takes you to get hungry and set your meals around that. I had an alarm on my cell the first week to remind me to eat because I am not starving at that point and sometimes miss the hunger signals, but I know if I go past the 3 hrs pt bad things happen. I also know if I am hungry between then it is probably dehydration and I'm not getting my fluids in.

3. Eat slowly. If I eat my 3/4 cup to 1 cup of food in less than 15 or 20 minutes I am eating way too fast and likely to eat way too much. You'll find if you are only eating softer foods you eat them faster because they don't get stuck. I have to force myself to eat Proteins like chicken or steak and fresh veggies because I am afraid they will get stuck and they require me to be very careful with the chewing. The other day I ate carrots too fast and they were stuck! Ugh. The old me would have stopped eating raw carrots. The new me knows I ate them too fast, and didn't chew well enough. Also know that I will get full on a smaller amount of carrots than I will lunch meat, or yogurt. If I can eat it that fast it is probably not that good for me!! Time yourself. I've done it and having that external cue to keep you on pace helps. Note: If you follow this guideline with portion size, small chews and length it takes to finish a meal and are still getting food stuck you are too tight!!! I know it sounds counterproductive, but being too tight means your body thinks it is starving and you WILL NOT LOSE ANY WEIGHT!! Get the unfill, let your pouch heal and go back to the basics. My dr. does not like people relying solely upon Protein supplements for regular maintenance...so in his opinion you need to be able to eat lean meats without getting stuck.You can also be too tight and go over your calories because you tend to rely on soft mushy foods that are not going to keep you full and that are higher calorie for the volume.

4. Track your calories very very carefully. The've said it before and it is true. One of my biggest issues for me with this surgery was my slow metabolism. My body adjusts very quickly to a reduced caloric intake. You are not losing any weight because your body is adjusted to the amount of calories you are taking in. If i ate the amount of calories the calculators say I should to maintain weight (even without exercise I would be gaining 2-3 lbs a week! Trust me! I have tried.) I have to stay on a strict 1000-1200 calorie diet. If I am around 1400 or 1600 I gain. And when you break it down that is not a ton of calories and one pudding cup, cookie, or yogurt can quickly throw me over my daily goal. I may be eating what I would call a healthy diet but now post lap band for me healthy means getting lots of Protein, paying strict attention to carbs, and focusing on non-starchy veggies. Very different from my BFF. If the scale is not moving I have to take a very serious look at what I am eating, own what I ate and make adjustments. My guess, if you haven't lost weight you are probably taking in the same amount of calories you were before the surgery just in a decreased volume. Again, doesn't mean you're eating ice cream all the time, but you would be amazed at how many calories you can take in even with the band. Someone said he does 3000 calories on a calorie cycling regimine for his high cal day.

I know its hard and I know you may feel like people assume you aren't following the rules or are doing something to sabotage your success. Please don't give up!! I have run into plenty of guys and gals who struggle and this journey is a mental and physical one! Don't judge yourself or your success based on what others have done on the boards it will only make you feel more depressed. Set your own goals and Celebrate them, no matter how small. I Celebrate tracking all my calories (especially if I have missed a day or two!) Adjusting behavior patterns and breaking internal cues and triggers can be hard. Your body does not want to lose weight, it thinks of that as starvation. You've got to outsmart your body and for some of us it takes more work than others!

Good luck!

Meliwriter,

That is the best post I've seen in a while. I am fed up with my band. I got banded at 202 lbs (5'2") in October of 2008. At first I starved myself and lost 30 lbs effortlessly. But, my hair was falling out, I was exhausted, and my anxiety was through the roof. Psychologically, I was a mess. Then, I gained and gained and got up to 206. At 206, I said, this has got to stop! I got back down to 174 by again starving myself. I was so hungry and I just would starve and be miserable and hungry all the time. This time I had more energy and my hair stayed. I was doing a strict vegan diet and that took the weight off, but put my triglycerides and cholesterol through the roof, caused me to have blood sugar crashes, and caused high blood pressure. I would have stayed starving myself, but I hurt my back pretty badly and moved back in with my parents. Food is plentiful here. I have gone back up to 206 again! I spent three months doing the Paleo diet. I corrected my triglycerides and blood pressure, although my LDL is still a tiny bit high. I did not lose any weight eating Paleo. But, my blood sugar didn't crash out the whole time and I was feeling better than I ever had. My sleep was good, my body felt good. Slowly, I fell off the wagon with Paleo and that is how I ended up gaining back up to 206. Now, at this weight, I have quit menstruating (I'm only 32) and my sleep apnea is at a record high.

I am not convinced that my band has helped me at all. What seems to have worked is not eating to the point of being hungry all the time. Being poor and not being able to afford food was the most effective diet I've ever been on! I do believe my band is adjusted correctly. I have some restriction and do throw up a few times a week, but am not too tight that I can't eat solid food.

I have made some significant life changes since I injured my back and moved back in with my parents last spring. I have changed career paths, am doing much better with my depression/anxiety which can get severe, and my back is completely rehabilitated. I feel like I am in a good place in life to address my weight problem.

Right now I just want to have the band removed and have gastric bypass or gastric sleeve. I hate this band! All it makes me do is throw up! I do want an easier way. But, I haven't been doing right by my band. I have been eating whatever I want, lots of sugar and carbs. I have only been walking for 45 minutes about 3 times a week. I haven't been doing yoga, lifting weights, or jogging lately. I get intense sugar cravings in the middle of the night. I wake up and eat sweets and then go back to sleep again. Sometimes this will happen twice in a night. I am not wearing my CPAP (which I also hate). I drink liquids with meals. I drink carbonated diet soda. I drink through straws. I do only eat about 1 cup of food at a meal, but at times have more, up to 1.5 cups at dinner if I am really enjoying the veggie or meat I've cooked.

I think I will give my band one last shot before I contact a surgeon about revision surgery. Tomorrow I'm starting the 5 Day Pouch Test, and after that I am going to immediately do The Whole 30. I'm going to continue walking and also go to yoga twice a week (Christmas present from my mom). After those 35 days I will see where my weight is. If I have lost nothing or have continued to gain, I will be seeing the surgeon.

Any thoughts or words of advice would be much appreciated!

Best,

Hilary

[lemens04 0]

Yes. It's now been 2 years and 3 months since my surgery and I have lost a total of 70lbs. (From 223 to 153) It took about 6 months before I started losing. It came off slow and steady. The first year after I posted this' date=' it was mainly because it was too tight and I just couldn't eat anything. But, the past 6 months, I've been able to eat and I'm still losing. So, after all this time, I'm finally at that "sweet spot".[/quote']

Can you tell me how you ended up losing. I was banded mar 12 and not lost anything. Please help

[BuffyC413 9]

It's Feb 8th, 2013 - 2 years and 6 months since my surgery - I weigh 148 - less than I ever dreamed I'd be. Once I started losing, it was due to starvation, basically. Having the band so tight that I couldn't eat anything. When I got aspiration pneumonia in May 2012 caused by reflux because my band was too tight, my surgeon removed all my Fluid from my band and I gained 20lbs back in 2 months. I convinced him to put some fluid back in. He agreed but only put a fraction of what was in there before. Previously, I had been at 7.6cc's in a 10cc band. This time, I was at a 1cc. I actually started losing. I have less fluid in my band now than I did when I first had the surgery. After surgery, I was 4cc's and I could eat any and everything. Now? I'm still less than 2.5cc's and since May, have lost 27lbs. The only thing I can think of is that my band wasn't placed correctly the first time or my body just remembered how to lose. I don't throw up as much. But, there are still days when I won't eat anything. I will be getting my hormones checked. My hair is falling out and I've developed adult acne. But, I'm the smallest size I've ever been - a size 8. My BMI is now 27. I know a lot of it boils down to the band taking the pleasure out of eating. Eating takes much, much longer resulting in your food going cold. I actually can ask myself "Am I wanting seconds? Or will that make me too full? Am I really hungry? Or bored" You've got to break the addiction to food.

[fatgirlsally 0]

I was banded in August 2010. The day of surgery' date=' I weighed 217lbs. As of today, I weigh 217lbs. I've had no weight loss whatsoever. I've had 3 fills and am now up to 6.5cc of a 10cc band. I haven't found anyone who has had the band and not lost weight, only some who have had minimal weight loss. By now, I thought I'd be 25lbs lighter, at least. I'm very discouraged and depressed and wishing I would have just had gastric bypass. The latest fill I had gives me so much restriction that I can barely eat solid foods. I can only eat soft foods like mashed potatoes or chili, etc. Is this the way it's supposed to be? When I decided to get Lap Band, I thought I'd be able to eat everything I wanted only in smaller portions. At my last dr. appt, I asked that I be considered for gastric bypass because of the failure. But, they told me that I have to have band failure for at least a year to even be considered and even then, they didn't know that insurance would cover it. I still have all the health problems I had prior to surgery.

Can anyone shed some light on the situation for me? Is there ANYONE out there who has had the same issue? I feel so alone and lost and so, so depressed.

Feel free to post to my new topic in the forum. But, if you want, you can email me at buffyclary@yahoo.com. Thank you in advance.[/quote']

Hi Buffy

I have been banded since April of 2010 and I have the same problems as you. I'm so frustrated with the band I want to take it out. I haven't lost any weight either and all I do now is throw up and I feel like crap and fat.

So frustrated

Sally

[BuffyC413 9]

I'm so sorry to hear that, Sally. I felt the exact same way. And, even though I've lost all the weight I wanted to lose, I'm still worried about how long this band will last and live in fear of gaining it all back one day.

[lemens04 0]

It's Feb 8th' date=' 2013 - 2 years and 6 months since my surgery - I weigh 148 - less than I ever dreamed I'd be. Once I started losing, it was due to starvation, basically. Having the band so tight that I couldn't eat anything. When I got aspiration pneumonia in May 2012 caused by reflux because my band was too tight, my surgeon removed all my Fluid from my band and I gained 20lbs back in 2 months. I convinced him to put some Fluid back in. He agreed but only put a fraction of what was in there before. Previously, I had been at 7.6cc's in a 10cc band. This time, I was at a 1cc. I actually started losing. I have less fluid in my band now than I did when I first had the surgery. After surgery, I was 4cc's and I could eat any and everything. Now? I'm still less than 2.5cc's and since May, have lost 27lbs. The only thing I can think of is that my band wasn't placed correctly the first time or my body just remembered how to lose. I don't throw up as much. But, there are still days when I won't eat anything. I will be getting my hormones checked. My hair is falling out and I've developed adult acne. But, I'm the smallest size I've ever been - a size 8. My BMI is now 27. I know a lot of it boils down to the band taking the pleasure out of eating. Eating takes much, much longer resulting in your food going cold. I actually can ask myself "Am I wanting seconds? Or will that make me too full? Am I really hungry? Or bored" You've got to break the addiction to food.[/quote']

Thank you for responding. I have had 3 fills and at times feel restriction and at times, none. I don't understand that. I can want nothing to eat one day because I get full and maybe the next day eat everything and not get full. I stopped going to my doctor due to not being successful. I am eating everything that I am not suppose to. Regular size bites and more than normal portions. I want so bad to succeed. Any more advice would be greatly appreciated.

[lemens04 0]

What is the 5 day pouch test?