Banded 05/01/09 and discouraged already

[tmbennett8 0]

Hello all,

I was banded on May 1, 2009 and have already hit a plateau!!! I lost 8.8 lbs between April 21st and May 7th (liquid diet to post op appt) and then 3.3 more lbs between the 7th and the 11th but haven't lost a single ounce since May 11th. Its been 15 days and nothing. I am eating between 800 and 1000 calories a day and working off 300 - 400 of those calories off at the gym. I don't understand this at all.

Two days before my surgery I seriously considered cancelling because I just didn't see it working for me, after all, nothing else has. Now I'm wondering if I did the right thing? Maybe its not going to work for me.

Did anyone else have this kind of trouble?? Am I just expecting too much at this point?? My first fill is on 05/28/09, will that help me get past this plateau??

Please share any advice or encouragment.

[emjay 8]

Just relax...you are doing everything you should be doing. You are in "bandster hell" right now. Many people actually gain weight between their surgery and their first fill. You either have very little or no restriction at this point. One thing that may be causing this plateau is the fact that your caloric intake is pretty low and has been for awhile. Your body may be conserving calories due to the lack of intake. In essence, you are in "starvation mode". The advice given to me was to keep caloric intake between 1100 - 1300 calories per day to avoid this.

Give it a few more weeks and discuss this with your physician at your fill. I will tell you I'm not a medical professional...just letting you know what I've been told so far. Please don't get discouraged and keep exercising. You're going to look great!

[naynayto2 0]

I was banded May 4th and I lost 9# from May 4th-May 22nd since then I have dropped another pound and a half. I was getting frustrated too because I'm not eating that much but I realize my body is storing everything I do eat because it thinks I'm starving it. Make sure you are drinking 64 oz of Water and you'll start losing again but remember this is slow process, thats what I keep telling myself.

Hang in there! When didn't gain it overnight so it will take time to lose it.

[WilliamK 0]

If you havn't had a fill like me i can actually eat anything at the moment but i was told by my surgeon not to go to the gym until past my first fill. Purly walking for the first months because gym's promote muscle development. As muscle weighs more than fat your weight will not reduce as fast but your inches will.

So i am sticking to my diet although i could eat anything and tuff it out till first fill. Remember banding is 60% the band and 40% you still. You need to make a mental change in how you deal with food first off then start slow gym work.

Slow weight loss is more beneficial than fast weight loss due to the skin elasticity takes time to recover. I am sure if you ask someone with excess skin and fast weight loss if they wished it went slower with less excess skin, they would agree slow is better, dont worry and wait for the fills to catch you at the right restriction. Dont worry so much about the gym first off, whats more important is yes regular exercise(aerobic not cardio) and concentrating on managing the dietry side of the banding. Finding what works for you on the food front i half the battle.

[bambam 0]

You are still healing. I experienced the exact same thing and panicked. Weeks 2-6 post surgery I lost and gained the same 3-4 pounds. I too was frustrated as my calorie intake was much lower. But you are doing everything right. Once I got my first fill at 6 weeks I began to lose consistently. Just let your body heal. My nutritionist told me to increase my calories to 1200 and I think that did help. That might be an idea?

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

In addition to the fact you are still healing, you have likely made the transition from post-op liquid to mushy foods and now to solid foods. That can temporarily stop your weight loss as your body re-adjusts to getting "real food".

Once you start getting fills and get close to your sweet spot, then you will see consistent weight loss.

You just have to remember that your band isn't some magic device that instantly and magically makes the pounds fall off. You are on the very first steps of a journey so just have a little patience.

[hallelujah.girl 1]

Hey Tm I was banded on the 6th and lost 13 lbs the first week of surgery. I am also eating around 1000 calories a day and not losing anything. Well I go up a pound then down a pound. I guess after reading other post this is pretty normal. You would think though we would lose something. I get my fill on June 16th. Can't wait!!! I guess we'll just hang in there until our first fill. Good Luck!!

[MSan914 3]

I was banded on April 28th and am also in BANDSTER HELL.............will power can only last so long (which is the reason I am overweight ... no will power).

I am trying my best to eat small amounts - I am able to stick to around 1000 cals a day. Minimal carbs - 70g of Protein.

I had an appt with my PCP today - she indicated that she may want me to include B12 in my Vitamin supplements.....geeze ANOTHER PILL.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

I was banded May 4th and I lost 9# from May 4th-May 22nd since then I have dropped another pound and a half. I was getting frustrated too because I'm not eating that much but I realize my body is storing everything I do eat because it thinks I'm starving it. Make sure you are drinking 64 oz of Water and you'll start losing again but remember this is slow process, thats what I keep telling myself.

Hang in there! When didn't gain it overnight so it will take time to lose it.

Hello! The best thing to do is just have patience and keep your body guessing. Throw in an off day here and there. Keeping your body steadily at the same caloric intake, and your body adjusts to it and burns only what you give it.

Drinking plenty of Water is key to losing weight also. It flushes your system and keeps it washing all those excess calories and "bad stuff" out. It also keeps you feeling energized!

...and yes, you are 100% correct, it is a slow process.

You just have to remember that your band isn't some magic device that instantly and magically makes the pounds fall off. You are on the very first steps of a journey so just have a little patience.

Exactly! I'd even go so far as to say that it is 25% band and the rest is mental. All the band will do is keep you from eating TOO MUCH. Most likely you will still be able to cheat the band with high fat high calorie foods.

Good luck to all!

[bubbadurham 0]

the other day my brother in law pointed someting out to me that I think is valid for all of us to consider. He said that he notices I get full fast. but when there is a lot of food around and its a social event I will eat non stop the entire time. I guess I didnt notice it. I have had a hard time getting the weight off and I was banded in december. Take a paper and pen and if needs be a scale and weigh everything and write it down. when I do it I say holy crap I snuck some in here and there and it amounts to being enough to put a hitch in my get up

[swrktp 1]

I was banded April 13, 2009 and lost 12 pounds the first week............but once I stared mushies and soft foods I gained about 3-4 pounds back........depending on the time and day.........for the last month I have been up and down the same three pounds.................I am also not eating much and I have mixed it up with more some days and less others........over 100 ounces of Water a day........but still at 220. Only 8 pounds down in six weeks....................

I am in bandster hell but so glad to hear it is not just me!! I have friends banded the same time that re down 18 to 20 pounds already...........

I get my first fill on the 28th

[tmbennett8 0]

Thanks everyone for all your support and words of encouragement. My first fill is tomorrow and I'm excited to talk with the doctor and see what advice he can give. I am trying to keep positive but finding it hard. My sister made a comment to me yesterday that really just set my mind back in motion and took my body with it. She said, "Well at this rate I was right, you will never be thinner than me". She's always been the thin one and has recently gained about 25 lbs putting her at 155. Its comments like that that just make me want to be 154!!! How can people be sooooo RUDE??

[swrktp 1]

I get my fill tomorrow too and see the dietation with my food log............I think after tomorrow the progress will be better!!

[FailureIsntAnOption 0]

I plateaued at week 2 post-op then by week 3 I began loosing again. Now I'm at week 6 and haven't lost any weight since week 4. I work out regularly so I know I am doing everything right. I have been told it is time to get my first fill.

Keep doing what you are doing until it is time for your first fill.

Banded 4/17/09

[MSan914 3]

I just got back from my 4-week post op appt.

I lost 1.6lbs since my 2-week appt........and boy my doc was upset :thumbup:

She had expected more weight loss.

She said that I HAVE GOT TO use my will power when it comes to eating -- :sad:

and that I MUST exercise harder.

The 3-4 times per week isn't enough - she wants me to increase to 5-6 times per week with a significant amount of sweat equity.

I appreciated her straightforwardness --- I really hope it gets me to stay on the correct food intake. One thing she said for me to try is to SHUT DOWN the kitchen after 7:30pm.

NO ONE is allowed to get any food -- beverages are ok - as long as NO sugar and NO calories. :wub:

And I am going to set smaller goals -- some daily - and others will be for these next two weeks.

June 10th is my FIRST fill date!!!! Can not wait! :cry_smile: