How Much Did You Lose?

[Ms.Vickie 68]

How much weight did you lose during the first two weeks after surgery? Not including the weight you lost during preop.

[AZ Gary 149]

I am guessing maybe 1 or 2. But that is not the period to be worrying about the scale. It is a time for recovery and adjustment.

[Gigi_Girl 77]

The answer will vary depending on several factors, but mainly on weight at surgery and the physician's protocol. The bigger you are, the quicker you lose. My physician prescribes two weeks of liquids post surgery, then to mushies.

That being said, I have had two bands. First in 2008, second in 2012. (The band sprung a leak and needed replacing.) in 2008, I weighed 270# and lost 11.2 pounds 2-wks post surgery. In 2012, at 210 pounds, I lost 6#.

I am interested in hearing others responses.

[NaNa 878]

How much weight did you lose during the first two weeks after surgery? Not including the weight you lost during preop.

Remember the band is NOT about quick weight loss ESPECIALLY just after surgery. The band does not work UNTIL you start the fill process.

The first 6 weeks are to allow your band and port to heal. You don't want to start off with aggressive fills, you don't want to damage your band before you lose all of your weight.

Some people are "lucky" and have swelling and this will "mimic" restriction and some will lose weight quickly, but MOST DO NOT.

The band for most people is not like the Sleeve or Bypass where you lose a lot of weight quickly after surgery, the band is there ALWAYS LONG TERM if it is not damaged to help keep your portions small and hunger at bay.

Most people do not reach a good restriction level until after about 3-7 fills, with the band you MUST be patient. Many people opt for the Bypass if they want to lose weight very quickly, but most people will lose "some" weight after surgery due to the fact that they've had trauma to their stomach and are swollen.

But REAL weight loss does not happen for many until a few months later once the band is fully restricted.

[Ms.Vickie 68]

Very well put. Thanks.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

i guess due to my past life as a pro dieter, i tired of focusing on numbers..

i just wanted to lose....and i still feel that way 16 months post op...as long as i lose, its all good

[cheryl2586 3,053]

I lost 18 pounds the first three weeks after surgery but that is not to be expected for everyone. It depends on a lot of things.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I don't know how much 2 weeks post op, but according to my monthly records I'd lost 44 pounds in the first 4 weeks.

[Jim1967 3,569]

I lost 35 pounds my first 4 weeks but when you're starting out at 450 and on a liquid diet those numbers are not difficult to hit.

[carrie.0508 136]

I am 16 days post op and down 18 lbs. I have cut processed carbs for the most part and even before the band when I did that I would lose quickly. That being said I really believe as others have said the first month to six weeks should be about healing, and learning how you'll feed your new body. :-)

[5.0junkie 770]

The band does not work UNTIL you start the fill process.

Just out of curiosity, what information do you have to support this? Not saying its not true but I have read several successful stories of people that never had a fill. I have yet to have a fill and don't have one planned either. I just have a hard time believing that the ban does not work until you start the fill process.

[NaNa 878]

Just out of curiosity, what information do you have to support this? Not saying its not true but I have read several successful stories of people that never had a fill. I have yet to have a fill and don't have one planned either. I just have a hard time believing that the ban does not work until you start the fill process.

Apparently you are one of the "lucky few" MOST don't have satiety and restriction until the band is filled. But some are not so "lucky" to have tight restriction WITH NO SALINE, because their surgeon installed the wrong size band, it still happens!

A few people are satiated with little to no saline, but according to Allergan, the perfect or ideal fitted band WILL REQUIRE SALINE, and the patient will be hungry and there should ALWAYS be wiggle room with the band, and ideally with an empty band or a band with not much saline the patient should FEEL like they never had surgery, an unfilled band SHOULD feel like you felt pre op, NO BAND.

When someone have band slippage, they have tight restriction with an EMPTY BAND ..and there is no where to go but to remove the band if the patient can't keep down liquids.

Well according to Allergan :

http://www.lapband.c...band AP_dfu.pdf

The LAP-BAND AP® System is available in two sizes, Standard and Large. The physician should choose the appropriate size depending upon the patient’s individual anatomy. Most patients with correctly fitted bands report minimal, if any, restriction following resolution post-operative edema until saline is added to the band, regardless of band size.

The Large band is normally used for re-operations (particularly conversion from other procedures) and the pars flaccida dissection. Surgeons are advised to evaluate the amount of tissue within the band prior to band locking and suturing in place, and, if it appears excessive, to remove some omental tissue or move the dissection closer to the stomach wall or higher on the stomach.

Additional information regarding size selection is provided in the training program.

[5.0junkie 770]

Thank you for the info. I'm always looking for new info on the band. I may be one of the lucky few but the main reason I was asking was to make sure I wasn't feeling something wrong and that fills were a requirement.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

Thank you for the info. I'm always looking for new info on the band. I may be one of the lucky few but the main reason I was asking was to make sure I wasn't feeling something wrong and that fills were a requirement.

i think my band is working fine with no fills (i have a primer but no idea how much) but i also

have plication...so the band can work w/o fills........and i dont diet

[hopefully soon 13]

18 pounds in the first two weeks but it slowed significantly once I was back on "normal" food, to about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds a week.