almost 5wks out and 1st fill...still eating TOO much...:(

[jbaker5d 34]

I am just wondering when this band is gonna kick into gear. I guess I set my expectations way too high. I thought after 5 weeks post op and after having my first fill (5 days ago), I'd be seeing a steady weightloss and be eating WAY less than I am finding myself eating. Ok, so I've lost 10-12 lbs this first month, but all of that was the first 10 days. I've lost nothing since then. Just keep bounce back and forth with the last two pounds lost. And eating is.....different than before the band for sure, and less than before for sure, but still not at all the small amounts that I'd expected. I sit down to eat dinner and expect to be satisfied with 1/2 to 1 small hamburger patty or 3 or 4 small boneless chicken wings (small), but end up eating 1-2 hamburger patties, and fries, or 6 to 8 boneless wings. I can feel some sort of restriction when I swallow certain things but nothing has ever gotten stuck. I don't know what to think. I really wish this weight would just start coming off. I know the band is not going to do all the work and I'm not expecting it to. I just expected to see better results by now. I'm just impatient I guess. Sorry to whine. Maybe i'll have better results with my 2nd fill on May 25th.

[Rachel412 116]

I really wish this weight would just start coming off. I know the band is not going to do all the work and I'm not expecting it to. I just expected to see better results by now.

Well... that pretty much says it all, doesn't it? I think people only lose weight before they get a good fill if they eat like they ALREADY have a good fill. I keep telling myself that xyz item will get stuck or make me sick and that keeps me from eating it- even though really, I do know that I would be just fine if I had it.

Have you tried eating only your recommended amount of Protein per meal (mine is 4 oz.) and then eating only veggies from then on?

But it does seem rare to lose weight after surgery (besides the initial loss from the liquid diet) so you're not alone. Just try to eat like you've already hit a sweet spot. Good luck!

[Ponderer 14]

I could have written your post. I completely understand what you are saying. I have my 2nd fill scheduled for Monday. I am currently working with 5.4 in a 14 band. I have very very little restriction as of yet.

I hope you can focus on the big picture and know that right now anything good we do is completely on us as we are still doing it all on our own. The band will be helping us a lot more when we get enough fills to really have the restriction it provides, we are just not there yet. I have no doubts we will be successful.

Right now I am not losing...but I am not gaining. If I could lose without the band, which is basically where I am at right now until I have restriction, I would not have needed to get it. For now...not gaining is success to me and the losing is going to start back up soon. I too lost early on and now it is just maintaining for a bit longer.

You can do this and it is going to happen...for both of us!! :-)

[vickyd 24]

I agree with Rachel...try weighing and measuring out your food and stop when the food is gone. Right now, a lot of the journey is about willpower. The other big thing I had to learn is that I no longer eat until I am full but rather I stop when my measured food is gone. This doesn't leave me feeling full but rather no longer hungry...if I eat until my brain tells me I am full then I am eating way too much.

Just a suggestion...

[DetChatt 188]

I think it does get better, but patience and adherence is the key. I had my band near when you did (mine on 03/30) and my first fill this past week. I lost a lot with the presurgical diet and the weeks after but felt like I was gaining when I started on solids even though I was following the diet to a T. Since the fill I don't feel as hungry as the week prior and I've really followed my eating plan. I sometimes almost forget to eat actually which is bad too. I've been eating a small piece of grilled fish or chicken and then follow with some cooked carrots or other veggie if I have room, but I'm usually feeling full after the Protein. The key for me is to EAT SLOW and CHEW CHEW CHEW. This has taken a lot of effort for me to break old bad habits, but it really works for me. I'm down 32 pounds from my presurgical weight but it really just started coming off again after a plateau for about 2 weeks. It's going to be different for every person. I know that. So I have to do what's right for me and only share my successes and failures, but if what you're doing isn't working then perhaps you need to change it up. It's going to be a bit before you get the right "fit" with your fills (and me too), so in the meantime it's up to us to pull whatever tricks we have in our bag to get through the tough time. If I feel hungry in between meals, I'll have a small Protein Drink (the good kind from the doctor... not the high carbohydrate/sugar crap from the store) and those really hold me over, plus they give me the protein I feel like I'm lacking. Also veggies are also a good between meal fill-up. Please hang in there and don't get discouraged. WE CAN DO THIS !!!

[srinehart 0]

I just posted something really similiar to what you wrote. Difference is I'm 5 months post op and haven't lost anything, I'm really bummed too. I'm hoping that I just need a bigger fill but worried that it's not going to matter. When will you see your dr again? I get that same feeling when it feels like I'm backing up for a second but then it goes away. I just thought I'd let you know, you're not the only one. Best of luck.

I am just wondering when this band is gonna kick into gear. I guess I set my expectations way too high. I thought after 5 weeks post op and after having my first fill (5 days ago), I'd be seeing a steady weightloss and be eating WAY less than I am finding myself eating. Ok, so I've lost 10-12 lbs this first month, but all of that was the first 10 days. I've lost nothing since then. Just keep bounce back and forth with the last two pounds lost. And eating is.....different than before the band for sure, and less than before for sure, but still not at all the small amounts that I'd expected. I sit down to eat dinner and expect to be satisfied with 1/2 to 1 small hamburger patty or 3 or 4 small boneless chicken wings (small), but end up eating 1-2 hamburger patties, and fries, or 6 to 8 boneless wings. I can feel some sort of restriction when I swallow certain things but nothing has ever gotten stuck. I don't know what to think. I really wish this weight would just start coming off. I know the band is not going to do all the work and I'm not expecting it to. I just expected to see better results by now. I'm just impatient I guess. Sorry to whine. Maybe i'll have better results with my 2nd fill on May 25th.

[honk 780]

It took me 6 months to get restriction and maybe 6-8 fills. As a previous poster mentioned start weighing your food. I read a lot of postss where people say they are eating just a few bites. My doctor says 3 oz of Protein and veggies. When you mentioned 1/2 a hamburger patty is that 3 oz? chicken wings are also not a great choice. High in fat and low in meat/protein. Now that I am at restriction I am eating about the same as I was pre restriction because I would weigh my food and stop when it was gone (whether or not I was full). This is a will power diet at the beginning.

[Kiskis 56]

Also try keeping a food diary to track calories, fat & carbs. I like the on-line ones. They are available for your phone & ipad too. I measure all my food, workout cardio/weights. I eat ever 2 hours. I never eat more than 1 cup of food. I measure everything. I eat primarly Protein, spinach and zero calorie items.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

Hamburgers and fries are not a great choice of food. You should be eating lean meats, fruits and vegetables and only 4 oz of food. If you are eating more than that you are not giving yourself time to get full or feel satisified. Having the band is no differnt than being on a diet. Some of it in the beginning you have to do yourself. Stop at 4 oz no matter what and give it time for your brain to tell you you are full and get off the hamburgers and fries and eat some good quality meats, vegetable, fruit. it works but you have to help you cant wait for the band to do it all for you because you may never reach restriction.

[jbaker5d 34]

I understand what you all are saying and I appreciate your replies and encouragment. As I stated, I do know that the band doesn't do all the work. I was aware of that going in and am still aware of that. And I realize that hamburgers and chicken wings are not the best choice, and knew I'd get some rap for that but I was just being honest about what I'd eaten that particular day. I don't always choose that type of food. Many times it's chicken breast and veggies or salad. More times than not actually. With that said, my point is, if I had the willpower to eat low fat, low carb, sugar free, etc, in 3 oz portions, without any restriction, I'd have not opted for something as drastic as lapband. (to me it's drastic) I know that the choices of food are mine to make and the lapband is not going to do that for me, however, I just expected that I would be satisfied with 3 to 4 oz of food so making the choices would not be so difficult. I mean that's the point of the lapband isn't it? To make you feel satisfied/fuller on small amounts of food, therefore decreasing your intake to the point of weightloss? I am sorry to be so gloomy about it. I know many people have the willpower to make this work for them early on. I guess I just haven't found it yet. I called and moved my 2nd fill appt up to this coming Monday. Hopefully that will help some. Just being impatient I guess. Hanging on to the hope that after like others, after several fills I will reach "the sweet spot" and things will start happening for me.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I really do appreciate all input.

Jennifer

[andrea0121 28]

Hi Jennifer,

You said it yourself that you might be a bit impatient. Give it time. Five weeks out is still super early. I didn't get proper restriction until almost 5 months out. In that time I "only" lost 29 lbs. Some of us have instant restriction, some of us have restriction after 1 fill, some of us it takes several fills and some unfortunately never reach that sweet spot.

Give yourself some time. Yes, it isn't fun, but you'll get there. I was starting to get discouraged too until my last fill. Now all of a sudden my band is helping me out with hunger and portion size aaaaand I've lost 6lbs in a week and a half.

Good luck!!

[ADifferentAlli 0]

Once you reach restriction is it easier? Does the weight loss speed up? I have my second fill next week and am still struggling on my own sheer willpower....I just want the lapband to keep up its end of the bargain. I keep reading all these posts about hang on till u.get the sweet spot after restriction but no one ever really says what happens once u get there....

[andrea0121 28]

Once you reach restriction is it easier? Does the weight loss speed up? I have my second fill next week and am still struggling on my own sheer willpower....I just want the lapband to keep up its end of the bargain. I keep reading all these posts about hang on till u.get the sweet spot after restriction but no one ever really says what happens once u get there....

For me, personally, I know I'm at my sweet spot for the following reasons:

• I can no longer eat a full sized hamburger, plus green Beans and tots all in one sitting (could do this prior to my 4th fill)
• I am satisfied off of Protein shake (I have this for breakfast) and forget to eat lunch now because I have NO hunger...the hunger is all but gone
• I had 3 oz of a tuna steak last night and could not eat any more of it. Straight up Protein fills you up once you're at the sweet spot
• I will HURT if I eat too fast. Before my 4th fill? I could eat at my 'normal' pace.

These are just a couple examples of how different it is once you reach restriction. For me, it was instant. The night of getting my 4th fill I was like woooooooooooooaaaaaaaah, this is totally different. The Water I was drinking was gurgling as it was going down (I was swollen from the fill, I was fine the next day [no gurgling]).

I know you gals' frustration. I had to wait almost 5 months to get restriction. But holy smokes, now that I have it??? The 4.5 months of toughing it out is well worth it. I lost almost 30lbs in those 4 months. Something I don't think I could of done without the band.

Your mileage may vary, this is how it works for me personally.

[ADifferentAlli 0]

Andrea thank u so much for ur reply. It definitely made me feel encouraged to tough it out. I glad I can come here and be honest.....none of my friends or family have the band ... it can feel very isolating at times

[ADifferentAlli 0]

Andrea thank u so much for ur reply. It definitely made me feel encouraged to tough it out. I glad I can come here and be honest.....none of my friends or family have the band ... it can feel very isolating at times