Help! If I could stick to just diet and exercise then I would have never needed the Lap Band to begin with

[POOLKERP 0]

My surgery was July 15th and I am very frustrated at my progress. I had expected to feel "different" and thought LapBand would be a great tool in my journey for weight loss. I have only lost 12 pounds since surgery but I honestly feel it has nothing to do with my band. I am able to eat whatever I want whenever I want it. I do however stick to eating smaller portions and "good" foods. I don't drink sugary drinks and rarely eat sweets. I can eat any texture and I never have a "Stuck" feeling. I have always failed before because I could never stick to a low calorie diet with regular exercise. I feel as if my surgeon is only giving me diet and exercise guidelines and my minimal weight loss is due to my Portion Control and paying attention to when my brain tells me I'm full. I am questioning why I had the LapBand placed if I don't feel any different and still have to try and do ALL the work??? My next fill is Sept. 27th, IDK if this will help some. Any information or suggestions would greatly be appreciated

[heidib 15]

ok...you have only been banded for less then 1 month. Right? Your saying you can eat whatever whenever? It is dangerous to do that in the first stages especially....you could slip your band. I know all docs are different but shouldn't you still be in mushy stage? I've been banded since 2008 and have only lost 50 lbs myself. I have been up and down 10 pounds for the last year also :-(. The band is ONLY a TOOL. We have to work it. Believe me there has been plenty of days I say "WHY DO I HAVE THIS THING!?!?!?" I do have to say I have kept off almost all of my weight since 2008. I would have gained it all back if I wasnt banded.....I believe. We still have to put our BIG GIRL PANTIES on & do the right things...eat the right things ect. It sucks and I've been there...I still am there. We all struggle with "head Hunger". I have to tell myself all the time "Nobody will fight this fight for me//////I gotta"!

Anyway, give it time and after a few more fills you wont be able to just eat whatever whenever. :-) Took me about 5 fills before I had good restriction. Hope this helps! :-)

[Dave_NW 92]

My surgery was July 15th and I am very frustrated at my progress. I had expected to feel "different" and thought LapBand would be a great tool in my journey for weight loss. I have only lost 12 pounds since surgery but I honestly feel it has nothing to do with my band. I am able to eat whatever I want whenever I want it. I do however stick to eating smaller portions and "good" foods. I don't drink sugary drinks and rarely eat sweets. I can eat any texture and I never have a "Stuck" feeling. I have always failed before because I could never stick to a low calorie diet with regular exercise. I feel as if my surgeon is only giving me diet and exercise guidelines and my minimal weight loss is due to my Portion Control and paying attention to when my brain tells me I'm full. I am questioning why I had the LapBand placed if I don't feel any different and still have to try and do ALL the work??? My next fill is Sept. 27th, IDK if this will help some. Any information or suggestions would greatly be appreciated

Your enthusiasm is appreciated, but you're getting WAAAAAY ahead of yourself. You need to relax, slow down, and wait for things to catch up with you.

At one month banded, you're just now getting healed up from the surgery. Your band is barely settled into place. Like any good tool, the band needs to be fine-tuned, and then worked properly to provide results. One size definitely does not fit all, where a band is concerned, and you need to understand exactly how the band fits into your system, and your daily life. It will take several fills before the band is properly adjusted, and you begin to feel the effects of being banded.

One trait every bandster needs to develop is patience. And it's obvious you were not told about the length of time it takes till the band is properly adjusted for your system. It'll happen, and you'll be pleased with it. But it takes time to get to that place. Hang in there.

Dave

[honk 780]

Did your doctor require sessions with a psychologist on Why you overeat? Mine did and boy did I learn a lot! I was a realtively healthy eater for a fat person. I learned that I am a compulsive carb eater. You can gain weight eating mini rice cakes if you eat 3/4 of a large bag in one setting. I had to make a life change that I can't keep crunchy carbs in my house; I will eat them. This is the time to think about food and decide Why you want to eat it. Are you really hungry or just board or the food is in front of you? It took me 7 months to get restriction so I feel your pain. Now that I am at restriction I still need to make conscious decisions. Today at work there was left over fruit salad from a lunch meeting. 3 hours after lunch I walked buy and it called out to me. I asked myself are you truely hungry? The answer was no. Could I have eaten it? Sure. But I was able to make the decision not to.

[Pittbull29 1]

It sounds like to me that your band is working great from my understanding of how it works. It can't go to the gym for you, it can't make food choices for you but if it's helping you eat less.....Once you start getting fills in your band it should help you be comfortable eating even less. Maybe some of the things that you're eating that aren't getting stuck are things that you shouldn't be eating like carbs? It sounds to me like you're doing pretty good.