I don't understand...

[Maya314 0]

Maybe some of you supermoderators will be able to help answer this, based on what I've read on the LapBand, you will lose approximately 1-3lbs per week so doing the math, you should at 6 months have lost ATLEAST 24lbs and up to 72lbs, I see some people on the message board (I am not trying to offend anyone, I just recently was banded and am trying to make realistic goals for myself) where after a year their only weight loss was 34lbs, how is this possible? What would cause that to happen? Is it bad behavior on the banded persons part? OR is it the band isn't working for them? Are they not restricted enough? Any thoughts? Also.. what would be a realistic goal to set for myself since I won't really be restricted for about 6 weeks yet, say 3 months from now? Any help or answers would be much appreciated.

Please and Thank you.

[losingjusme 12]

everyone is different in their weight loss. some are starting off at lower weights and lose slower than those of us (me included) that started up very high.

not a good thing to assume that slow lose = bad behavior. although in some cases (me recently) it is. i find when im not eating well and dont get up to move, my loss slows.

also, some people dont want to get another fill for fear of being too tight... i think i'd rather be a tad too loose than too tight..

realistic goal for you, my advice - aim low, work your tail off in the gym and maybe be pleasantly surprised...

i should mention - in the past 6 months, i've lost a total of maybe 25 pounds, but i've lost 7 inches off my waist alone. it all depends on what numbers you want to focus on.

best of luck to you.

[kbinaz 0]

I would be considered rather slow in your estimation - only 22 pounds in 4 months. But I never felt much restriction until my 4th fill and didn't reach my sweet spot until my 5th fill. I struggled because I was feeling really hungry between meals and was basically feeling just like I felt before surgery. The other thing you have to take into consideration as you read these boards- as was mentioned in the post above, everyone starts this journey from a different place. There are people who, before surgery drink 2 liter bottles of soda a day and have fast food ten times a week. When they get the band and start eating well, they are going to lose way faster than the person who was always a pretty healthy eater but ate too much of the right stuff (me). Some people start in the 300's and they are going to lose weight faster than someone who starts in the 100's. A 50 year old woman is going to probably lose slower than a 20 year old. And, as losingjustme said, different doctors approach fills differently (mine is conservative and bumps us up slowly, some doctors give 5 ccs for first fills...)and some people don't mind being really tight and others want to try to lose weight with as little restriction as necessary. So you see, it really is kind of individual and one of the most discouraging things a bandster can do is to compare ourselves with what is happening to others on this board. I know it's a normal thing to look to see what others are losing...I do it too...but you have to take all those other things into consideration.

[Jachut 487]

I suspect that if all of our bodies played by the rules and did what science says they will do - lost x pounds with x calorie deficit - then half of us wouldnt have even needed a lapband in the first place.

There's the math and then there's reality. I really dont think they've even come close to solving the disease of obesity, they dont really know why it happens to some and not others.

Any weight loss is good weight loss! 34 lb in a year is slow, yes, but its achievable, sustainable and healthy and will result in significant health benefits.

Plus it does depend on what numbers you choose to focus on. We've all seen pictures of the Optifast "afters" where people have absolutely melted the pounds off at lightening speed, 60lb in 8 weeks kind of thing and sheesh, I wouldnt want to end up looking like that. They look gaunt, like someone deflated them. Losing weight by building muscle and changing your body composition doesnt show so dramatically on the scales, but boy it gives you a better result!

I lost I think 50lb first year and about 35 the second year. My body changed much MORE in that second year as a result of consistent exercise and slow loss, to the point where now that I have gotten to a weight that I was in my early 20's, I am 2 entire dress sizes smaller and have an entirely different body.

[longtimecomin 0]

I'm so glad I found this thread. I've been discouraged at 38 pounds in 7 months but my doctor is pleased. I'm at 5 cc and haven't had a fill in two months but I feel good restriction. I honestly don't restrict my diet too much. If I can keep it in, I eat it! Children's menus are a huge help to me! Most importantly, I had to learn to stop eating when I even thought I might be getting full.

[juno610 1]

I am one of those "40lbs the first year" girls. I blame myself for not exercising at all and not always making the best food choices. I did really well the first 5 months, and then everything came to a halt. I had a fill at 9 months out that left me really tight. I should've spoken up, but I just tried to live with it. And in doing so, I made the mistake of falling back on softer, easier foods. That, combined with my exercise laziness, certainly did not help the situation!

I think it's different for everyone. Some are just slower losers. Some, like me, maybe didn't work as hard as they could have. Don't let it discourage you!

[longtimecomin 0]

Juno, you sound so much like me, thanks for writing. I have been AWFUL with the exercise. I can't wait for spring so I can walk again. I just can't get myself motivated. Funny, before the band, I exercised so much more. I think I was just tired.

[snowbird 2]

I figured I would be a slow loser due to my age and relatively low BMI when I was banded. I have been pleasantly surprised to have been able to lose 10 lb a month so far. I haven't weighed myself since February 6, but I think I will probably hit the 10 lb mark this month too, based on the way my clothes are fitting.

I don't exercise much or regularly, though I always just move a lot, walk when I could ride, walk fast, generally bustle around.

I also don't set goals, not even the 10 lb per month thing. I get too discouraged if I fail, which perpetuates the failure. I would like to hit my final goal weight by the end of the summer, and I have about 20 lb to go.

I am pretty restricted, so I can't eat much at a sitting. I probably don't ever eat more than 1/2 cup of food at a time; it is just too uncomfortable. I watch my calorie intake and try to stay below 1000 a day, which isn't that difficult because of the good restriction.

So the answer is, as usual, we are all different. What works for one doesn't work for another; what is necessary to lose weight for one doesn't matter for another.

[AandMsmom 0]

I'm right there with you. I was banded on 1/21/08 and have not had much weight loss yet. I too look at the posts of others and see such a difference in weight loss results. At this point, I am very discouraged. i had my first fill a week ago and that didn't go so well. They put in 2cc to my 14cc band and I could not swallow Water or saliva. They took out a little over 1cc and now I no restriction just like before. I go back for another fill on 3/5. I have only lost about 6 pounds since my surgery. I guess I could go on a diet and starve myself with just very little food, like what you are supposed to eat when you have restriction but I will be hungry and miserable the whole time. I have had chest congestion and have not been able to work out for a while. I am about well so I will resume workouts and maybe that will help some. Now I'm am thinking maybe I had the wrong surgey. I should have had bypass and would be losing faster. I will admit I am not as heavy as some. I have a BMI of about 36 right now so maybe my weight loss will be slower than some, however I always lost weight pretty fast doing weight watchers. I'm just very frustrated right now. We are going on vacation in May and I have some swimsuits that I could wear if I lost 30lbs. so that was my goal. At this pace I don't think I will make it. Sorry to be such a downer but that is just how I am feeling now.

[shortgal 5]

The lower the weight the slower the weight loss because it takes fewer calories to maintain a lower weight. It takes a calorie reduction of 500 calories each day to lose ONE pound a week and takes 1000 per day to lose 2 pounds a week.

Until you reach the right restriction ( which can take time) if you want to lose weight, you need to diet. Yeah, I know that's not why we got banded, but the band is not working until you hit the sweet spot.

I have had six fills and still think I need another small one to hit my sweet spot.

We choose lapband because it's a safer surgery than gastric bypass but we want the same results as GBP patients. It just doesn't work that way. Remember they have malabsorption, that's one reason they lose faster. And while we don't truly have a small pouch until we get good restriction, they have a small pouch from day one.

Ask your surgeon how often you can come in for a fill and perhaps for you, smaller fills closer together would be better.

In the meantime, if weight watchers works well for you then why not try that until you get the fill that works?

[AandMsmom 0]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm not like this with other aspects in my life but with weight loss I become ocd and want immediate satisfaction. I probably weigh 6 to 10 times a day. My family has tried hiding my scale but I can't handle it. It realy is the only thing I'm like this about. I really am pretty normal otherwise.

[shortgal 5]

Trust me, I completely understand. I weigh myself every morning AND every night before bed. LOL.

I have never met an overweight person that doesn't want to lose the weight immediately.

During the weight loss phase, I feel like my life is "on hold". I hate going places unless I'm restricted because I'm afraid I'll eat too much. Plus, now I don't have much to wear, but how many new things do I buy if I hope to be smaller size in a few weeks?

It's all very frustrating, but I just try to remember I did this to myself. I put myself in this place by overeating for years, so the weight won't come off in a few weeks.

We just have to continue on our band process and we'll get to the finish line eventually.

[Bunny 0]

AandMsmom, I agree with Shortgal that maybe smaller fills closer together will be better for you. I also agree that you have to diet, if you want to lose weight, before you reach that sweet spot. I have a 10cc band with a fill of 7.2. My doc put in 2cc's during surgery and my subsequent fills were 2cc's, 2cc's, .8cc's and .4cc's...something like that. (Oh, I weigh every morning...guess I am compulsive too).

Anyway, I told my fill nurse practicioner that I wasn't trying to tell her how to do her job but I wanted her to be as aggressive as she could be. I haven't needed a fill since November...I am tight. Here is the thing, I WAS HUNGRY all the time until I had decent restriction. When I asked her to be aggressive with the fill she asked me, "Well, are you eating more because you seem to be experiencing a good weight loss?" My response to her (with kinda an attitude) was "I COULD eat more BUT I am doing everything I can to NOT eat more." So, you are not alone, but I did make sure ALL of my beverages were low to 0 calories...hot teas with Splenda, and more tea...chai tea w/low-carb milk (HOOD brand), coffee...JELLO, meats (to stay low-carb). My attitude with her came from the same frustration you are feeling. I wanted to lose weight and I needed to get decent restriction ASAP. But, different people want different things. Hang in there.

Here is another view that is out there to explain people wanting different things. Some say, after you get restriction, you have plenty time to lose weight so dieting was not that important to them before they had decent restriction. It's all about what you want and when you want it.

[juliegeraci 7]

I am down 65 lbs in 20 months. That being said, I lost 40 lbs preop so I am down 105 in 20 months. I am 35 lbs from goal. I do not exercise and I drink too much alcohol. So if you eat right and exercise you can lose a lot more. Good luck.

[Sweet_pea_2 0]

I'm scheduled to be banded on March 17th! I weigh 350 and I expect to lose 100 pounds in 6 months. I have no doubt that I will achieve that initial goal. Now...the other 80 pounds may take another year but that's okay. The reason I feel confident is because I know I will be working my fat ass off in the gym every second that I'm not working. (I'm an NICU nurse). My kids are grown and my husband is very supportive.:confused: