Not happy with weight loss

[GonBhealthy 0]

I am sooo diappointed with my weightloss since surgery. I am doing everything I'm supposed to do and I'm not having the success I had hoped for. I figured with being young and active that it would fall off faster. There were 4 of us that had surgery the same day-everyone had more weight to lose than me, but they all have at least a decade on me also, so I guess in my mind I turned it into a competition and thought I'd blow them out of the water....WRONG. They have all lost 50 and 70 lbs already, crap, we just got banded July 17th, how'd they do that? I have only lost 18 lbs. You'd think they all got bypass and I was the only one with the band. Its true that a very few folks who know me well have noticed the weightloss and that I'm down a jean size and I don't have to pour myself into them, but I'm just so sad and unhappy with this slow progress. Can someone who has experienced this situation please give me advice on how they got out of this if you did, and if you never got out of this, let me know that too. I just feel like I have scars for nothing. :thumbup:

[Lillie52 0]

Everybody is different. That is the one thing that my bariatric coordinator really drives home at our support group meetings. I have noticed that men especially seem to lose weight faster. My husband had WLS (gastric sleeve) two months after me and just blew right by me with weight loss.

Congratulations on your weight loss so far! Even a modest weight loss (5-10%) reduces your risk of obesity related health problems!

Eighteen lbs lost in 6 weeks is great!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

If you thought it would be fast, you were misinformed. We were told 1-2 pounds a week. I have lost more than you and I too am OLDER but much heavier than you were. Wanna trade? LOL

My loss has come from being on liquids for over 6 weeks now. I'm sure once I can actually eat food, it will slow down. You aren't in a race with anyone; let the process work.

[snowbird 2]

Your friends must be including their pre op diet weight loss in their numbers. I don't know of anyone who can lose 70 lb in 7 weeks. You are doing fine; many people don't lose at all until they have a fill or two.

Do the math and realize that each pound represents 3600 calories. You have to reduce your intake by that many calories to lose a pound of fat. Since many of us were actually GAINING weight prior to surgery, those people would have to reduce their caloric intake even more to see a loss on the scales.

It isn't a race; it's who can get to the finish line and stay there.

[heartfire 4]

Please stop comparing yourself to others. It's just not healthy.

Everyone loses differently, some faster, some slower. Sometimes if you have more weight to lose, you lose faster at first, then you slow down.

I averaged your WL over 7.5 weeks and it's 2.4lbs per week. That is fantastic!! AND right on target! Actually, a little more than target!

I also think the others might be adding in their pre-op WL as well. I know since March, when I started my classes, I've lost 30lbs. BUT since surgery, with the post-surgery gain (7+lbs!), I've only lost about 3lbs. I'll take it! Do I wish it were more? Of course! BUT I've about 100lbs to lose (less now since the pre-op loss) and I have no idea how long it's going to take me to lose it. Do I care? Sure, but if I wanted a faster WL I'd have gone bypass. I WANT to lose slowly, I'm not telling people unless they ask about it so I don't want a lot of talk or speculation. I also am hoping to not have much loose skin by losing slower as well.

I've seen people lose a 100 or more lbs in a year. I've also seen people lose 20lbs in a year. If it takes me 2 or 3 years to lose this, fine. It just means that I'm losing and not gaining which was my alternative without the band.

This whole thing is a game of sorts, BUT it's a game we're playing by ourselves. (Kinda like playing Solitaire!) Hang in there, I think you're doing great! Keep up the fantastic work!!

[littlebit181818 0]

I look at it this way:

Without the surgery what would I have gained in the same time period?

Then I smile and go on my way. A slow steady loss is great.

[smsmithart 4]

Hi don't worry about it..if u lose slow and steady maybe you will have firm skin and not lose your hair...think positive...its takin me 6months to lose 30lbs but so what I'm losing

[To be free 1]

I agree with the others above you are loosing at a great pace! I am not averaging 2.4 pounds a week...... I think it is medically impossible to have lost 70 pounds in 7 weeks there has to be some pre op loss in there.

Even if not who cares!!! I don't think you could loose 50-70 pounds in less than two months and not have something sagging or missing some kind of important nutrient........I could be wrong but either way you are doing fine.

We are all different, the old me could gain 10 pounds in a weekend, my friend could eat all she wants and not gain 10 pounds in a year.

I would like to be loosing faster also, but it is what it is......a loss is a loss is a loss! I am thankful just for the oportunity to have the band, not everyone can.....

Good luck!

[ThinknHealthy 0]

A few year ago, my sister and I were both losing weight. She went on Atkins and I went on Weight Watchers. She was much heavier than I was to start out with but she lost like 100 lbs in no time! I was beginning to question my choices in weight loss method when I remembered the tortoise and the hare story I was told when I was a kid. In my story, my sister burned out on her diet months before I did and she gained an enormous amount of weight as a result. I continued to lose weight and when I did gain it back, it was slow and never got to the max before I was banded and now going back down again.

Word of the day ... PATIENCE ... take it slow and enjoy the journey. The hare doesn't take the time to enjoy the scenery, to experience mistakes and learn from them, to enjoy every step along the way. Be the tortoise and prove to yourself and others that you are in this for the long haul. This is a life-long marathon and as a tortoise you have the best chance of making it through to the end.

God Bless!

[pinkdots410 1]

I am not *thrilled* with my weightloss either compared to the bandsters who have had surgery the same month I have. BUT please understand that alot of the posters who have a total lost number in their signature are also including the pre-op diet results (which have included drastic liquid diets, medifast, milk diets, pretty much very strict diets to shrink the liver). Personally, I think it is misleading. I think the tally should be after the LAP BAND was put into place. Just my opinion!

I have not had to go on any pre-op diets and had "last supper syndrome" for almost an entire month before surgery. So while others who were required to go on a pre-op diet had a head-start, I was most likely gaining weight by pigging out. :biggrin: After comparing myself to others and being angry and stressing about it, I decided to not track my pounds on this site. I know what I have lost and I am proud. I feel amazing and think I look damn good.

Overall, I am happy with what I have accomplished with the band. I know without it, I would prpbably be HUGE and still on blood pressure medicine (which I have since gotten off of since surgery)!

Slow and steady wins the race! That's my newly adopted motto!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I've lost 41.4 pounds since I started this journey. I'm including it, FOR ME, because I lost that much! If someone wants to know how much post band, I'll gladly tell them. (9.4 pounds in 8 days. and I'm STILL on liquids so I guess that doesn't count?) I'm not trying to mislead, but my ticker is honestly for my inspiration. I'm not competing with anyone, and I don't want to feel like I'm "misleading" when I say I've lost 41 pounds. I HAVE. and guess what, it's been gol-darned HARD.

Happy as I am about the loss, I'd rather have gotten to have some last meals. I had to deal with a harsh preop diet because I was so fat to begin with. If people want to be jealous of that, well, more power. It's nothing to be jealous of. You too could weigh 405...just keep eating. I was HUNGRY every day of my 5 week preop diet, and I've been hungry every day post op. When people lose faster than me well I'll just have to deal with it. I was told most lap band patients lose betweed 1-2 pounds a week average so I expect my weight loss will slow way down soon.

I did the work, I'm taking the credit. I won't be able to keep this up but for now I"m sure glad I have gone down 41 pounds.