Scared of not losing

Claudine1975 · June 5, 2008

I am very close to getting the Lap Band. I am in the middle of all the pre op testing. I am having doubts that I will lose with the Band. I am scared to tell people in fear of them asking me everyday have I lost weight and how much. Has anybody not lost weight with the lap band? I know the band is a tool and not a magic wand. I do realize that I will change my diet.

Edited June 6, 2008 by Claudine1975

KELVINSMOM · June 6, 2008

Hello Claudine. I think that if you commit to the new eating habits and have a positive attitude, you will succeed. For me, once the weight started coming off I became even more motivated and it becomes almost obsessive.. I have been setting goals for myself and I also have a great support team. Letting people know that you are getting banded can work in your favor, if you share the information with those that will make encourage you to stick with your new lifestyle. That is why it is important to join groups like this .. I have been blessed with having so many good support systems.. Take care and good luck.. Side bar: If you get a great surgeon and regular fills , you are guaranteed to lose.....

Numbrgirl · June 6, 2008

Jack - you are so wise.........we are fortunate to have you! Every post I read from you, in various places, is always on the money. Thanks!!

I have to agree - I have already lost 20+ lbs and haven't even received my first fill yet. The band is taking away my fixation on food! Thank God.

kimmj40 · June 6, 2008

I really don't want to be negative because the band can be an amazing tool and has helped many people lose weight. My experience has been disappointing. I started out at 225 and am now at 215 and I was banded in december. I keep getting fills I'm at 7cc in a 10cc band. It seems like I either can't eat anything or can eat whatever I want. I feel like a failure. I think that you have to realize before you get your band that it is going to be a lot of work. It is going to be like going on a diet. I believe that is why I haven't done well yet. I thought this would be some magic wand that would help me. My worst problem is snacking. I've never been a sit down and eat a big meal kind of person. Maybe I just wasn't the right candidate for the band.:wink2:

brandyII · June 6, 2008

I think part of my problem with the band was that I like the poster above do more snacking than sitting down and eating set meals which is what you're supposed to do. Also you have to avoid the slider foods like the fatty/sweet junky type processed foods because they will go through your band. Being overly tight I was more apt to eat those foods but have loosened up a bit and trying to follow the rules a bit better now. Everyone slips up once in a while but if you're pretty consistent with eating the right foods as they say you should do well. I had second thoughts also but once I decided on the lap band I went in thinking positively. Good luck to you, brandyII.:wink2:

juliegeraci · June 6, 2008

Claudine, when you get good restriction you will lose.

Numbrgirl · June 7, 2008

It is worth the hard work and dedication to finally achieve a substantial weight loss and maintain it. I haven't been disciplined and sat down to each and every meal and the weight continues to come off. My personal opinion is that you just have to get to a point where you are just tired of carrying it all around and the band helps me keep my eating in check.

gkeyt · June 7, 2008

It's natural to be afraid that this won't work. After all, if anything else had ever worked for us before, we wouldn't have had to have surgery.

I would recommend you do NOT tell many people before you are banded. Choose some support people to share with, but otherwise don't put that pressure on yourself of everyone asking you all the time. When most people hear about WLS they assume you will start losing right away, like with gastric bypass. The band is different; many people don't lose weight at all for a few months after surgery, and that gets tough when they've told a lot of people and they are asking them all the time. If you are worried about how to face people who expect you to lose a lot of weight right away, do yourself a favor and limit the people who know to the ones who are closest to you. Once you are obviously losing weight, you can tell people who ask if you want to. But it's up to you, it's your body and it's no one else's business.

There are people for whom the lap band doesn't "work". Most often it seems to be people who aren't getting good education from their doctors' offices and/or aren't following the rules. Not always, of course. The biggest confusion seems to be about restriction--a lot of people feel they should get lots of fills until they can only eat a few bites of food. The band isn't supposed to work that way. If you work closely with a GOOD doctor (and his/her team) who is good at educating you about what to expect and what to do, you should be successful. Of course there are no guarantees. Just remember that this process can be slow, but that's part of why a lot of people choose it. Healthier weight loss is slower (1-2 lb/week average) rather than losing 40 lbs a month like with some of the other procedures. Don't put pressure on yourself to be anything more than "average".

Good luck to you.

Claudine1975 · June 11, 2008

Thanks so much Gwen!! You have I now have a better attitude about getting the band and making it work for me. I do want a slow weight loss. Fast weight loss for me would be way too much change all at once and it would be hard to maintainif I have not developed good eating habits.

Eat2Live · June 11, 2008

I think its also important to realize that improved health is an important aspect. There are times when I step on the scale and my weight hasn't budged and I immediately remind myself of hoe well I've treated my body (as opposed to pre-band) even though I didn't lose weight...eating and living right and not losing lbs for couple of days or week is better than the alternative...

kagoscuba · June 11, 2008

Map out your day, once banded, and you will be able to lose. I do not follow all rules of the band (I eat about every two waking hours), but I still lose. Your schedule will differ from mine, but the concept is the same: Know what you are going to eat the day before you eat it and stick with that. Here is a sample schedule from my day:

5:20 - out of bed, drink a sugar-free Red Bull

5:40 - on bike

6:40 - end of ride, time for a shower

7:14 - Drop son off at school and begin commute - Eat a Quaker Oats Breakfast cookie and bottle of Water

8:30 - Arrive at work, with meals in small cooler type lunchbox

8:45 - Eat one yogurt and one sugar free pudding - bottle of Water 30 min after

10:30 - eat Clif bar - water 30 min after

11:50 - lunch - tuna salad and Soup

2:00 - Yogurt and sugar free pudding bottle of water 30 min after

3:30 - Red Bull - time to wake up.

5:00 - Start commute to gym - eat a Clif Bar and drink bottle of water on way

6:00 - arrive at gym

7:30 - leave gym

7:45 - arrive home and have some type of fruit and water...if it is a cheat day I may have a little full-fat, full sugar ice cream...moderation is key - never buy more than a pint at a time, then tell yourself not to finish off the pint that week. :cool2:

In bed by 10:00 - non-essential chores get done on weekends.

gkeyt · June 12, 2008

Thanks so much Gwen!! You have I now have a better attitude about getting the band and making it work for me. I do want a slow weight loss. Fast weight loss for me would be way too much change all at once and it would be hard to maintainif I have not developed good eating habits.

No problem, Claudine. You sound like you have a good attitude going into this. Best of luck to you! You will do great! :thumbs_up: