6 month post op appt tmr :(

[PJ Geeser 108]

Going in for my 6 month post op appt tomorrow...AGAIN...with No weight loss what so ever...1 lb loss in the last 3 months is it.

Am getting so frustrated with no help at all from this band yet. So many who have had surgery the same time as me are already at 50 to 70 lbs lost ... and me a whopping 35 lbs.

With such little results it makes it so hard to even try and keep going. This is just not at all what I was expecting it would be like or maybe I am just not apparently there yet. I just figured by 6 months out I would have been well on my way...I would find this magical green zone by now and finally have the help I needed.

But I got nothing ...yet... at least I hope it is still coming. I am eating right, healthy and from my tracking program doing well according to that too...I am not getting "all " the Protein in as I have been shy on that a bit..usually around 5o grams or so. Dont know if that is my issue or what.

My question is...and I do know that we are all different so really this has no bearing...BUT... is there anyone out there who has also not had any help from their band yet this far out and how long did it take you....I just dont know how much longer I am going to be able to keep it up with no results...I dont want to be one of the ones it dont work for because I am giving it my all.

I appreciate any and all replies

[catfish87 3,471]

Have you had any fills yet? Do you think you're grazing calories or eating too many during your "meals"? If you haven't gotten fills, its nothing more than a diet. It took me a long time to finally get to proper restriction, but when I did, the diet is over. Now the band dictates the portions. Don't give up! This band thing is adjustable for a reason.....ask your doctor to get you to a point where ITS DOING ITS JOB. Sounds like you are doing your part, per your post. How many calories are you averaging per day?

[PJ Geeser 108]

Yes..I have gotten a fill every month...just under 8 CCs in my 14 cc band. 850 to 1100 calories a day and yes it is nothing more than a diet which I was expecting for a couple of months. I just didnt think it would take this long to have "some" help from the band..

I will try an not give up with the help from others on here

[Banjo257 920]

Make sure you get help and answers from your doc at your appt. Good luck.

[catfish87 3,471]

Have you had any fills done with fluoroscopy, where your doc can SEE the restriction level?

[PJ Geeser 108]

Thanks Banjo...But...I was told 2 months ago that this is what I was supposed to feel...."nothing" and that if I didnt start excersizing that this is all I will lose.

Now granted..I know it would do a world of good and I do some...just not alot yet. I just dont understand that eating how I am..that I dont lose weight just as it is and with excercise..that would just be an extra bonus..

So I dont have high expectations for any encouragement from my drs office outside the fact it is my fault that I am not excercising enuf.

[PJ Geeser 108]

No catfish...dont know what that is even and no it hasnt been done. Same thing...they ask questions, give me a fill based on what I tell them and out I go.

Last month she did check the Fluid level and it was all there as she pulled it out to check and put it back in.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Have you been checked out by your primary care doctor? There could be a medical reason you're not losing.

I would look into it if I were you.

[Lapbandster 496]

How frustrating!

I have went 2 months with no loss and that truly sucked

Have you ever gotten your thyroid levels checked? Mine was a bit low and now im on 25 MCG of synthroid which i think is helping...

[catfish87 3,471]

PJ...a word of advice, pulling out the Fluid and checking to make sure its all there, can detect a LEAK. But it will do absolutely NOTHING for determining your restriction level. My opinion, from my experience, you need to get a fill using fluoroscopy. Its basically a live xray of your restriction level while you drink a barium swallow. Heres a link to the process at my docs office. Please consider asking your doctor about getting this done. http://www.hoab.org/fluoroscopy-machine-st-louis-missouri/

[Lisa0203 73]

I'm so sorry to hear of your struggles PJ. First off, 35 pounds is excellent. Plateaus are extremely frustrating and I hope that reaching out can help you get to the root of the problem. Unfortunately, it takes some longer than others to get there, but if you are being as diligent with this "diet" like you say, continuing to get fills may not be the answer.

I know I will probably be torn to shreds for this, but it makes me so angry to read everyone saying if you aren't losing the weight then you need more fills. We were all instructed to eat the allotted amount of food, calories, Protein grams, etc. set forth by our doctors. When in bandster hell waiting to hit the elusive green zone, sticking to those portions is essential to keep the weight loss going. Yes, we may be hungry and yes, it can feel like the end is nowhere in site!

If you are tracking your portion sizes and calories, which I see you are (go you!) there may be something else going on. All of our bodies are extremely different and sometimes it takes a little tweaking of our diets to find what works for us individually.

Speaking for myself only, I found that 1000 calories was too little to maintain consistent weight loss. I also found that not eating enough carbs stalls my weight loss and gives me bouts of dizziness and fatigue. I'm nowhere near the green zone but it doesn't matter if I ever get there...just sticking with the 1 cup Portion Control per meal has changed my whole mentality on food.

I am one of those 6 month post op patients you spoke of who lost over 70lbs but it was due to following the rules, not getting more and more fills. I see you are following the rules too so maybe getting more restriction and eating even less calories is not the answer! Try changing things up a bit, maybe up your calories a tiny bit for a few days (scary, I know...I had anxiety about this but 1200/day kicked my WL into gear). Also, get in to see your nutritionist and see what he/she recommends. I wish you so much success in this journey!

[catfish87 3,471]

PJ...keep us informed of what you find out and your progress.

Lisa0203...I'm sorry to hear when you read something you don't agree with on here, that it makes you angry. Hopefully, that gets better for you or your gonna be angry a lot. I'm thrilled for you if you can Portion Control yourself and stick to a diet LONGTERM. I couldn't / didn't / wouldn't. Certainly I could do it for six months or so, many times in my life. Just because one chooses to use this band differently than another on here, does not make either one wrong. As I've said before, even though we don't have to agree on everything about the band, we all are after the same goal....to be healthy. Best wishes for your continued success.