A little frustrated at 3 weeks postop

[PSJ71 0]

Hi all,

I promised myself before getting banded that I wasn't going to get upset and worked up if before getting fills I didn't have a significant weight loss. Well, I broke that promise! I just don't understand how in the world I can be having pureed foods at 4 ounces and 1/4 cups of food and exercise by walking everyday and NOT lose anything?! On my 10-day preop diet I lost 9 pounds. I have lost 9 pounds since surgery on 07/07. I go back and forth one pound and it's driving me insane! I really expected to have about 15 pounds gone by now Goodness!! I get soooooo hungry in between my meals. Has anyone else gone through this and please tell me it's temporary! I know I'm not supposed to focus on losing anything until the fills, but I just can't help it.

Thanks for listening.

[elcee 3,341]

I'm two months out, have had two fills. 1.5ml and 1ml in a 10ml band and have been fighting the same 2lb for the past two weeks.I seem to have hit a plateau as well. Yes it is frustrating but it is only going to get better. Plus if you are not gaining then thats positive.

I am also sure that after you have lost a bit your body then hangs on for a while before letting you drop some more. Sort of like its trying to adjust and catch up.

So yes I understand how frustrating it is, Just relax and don't worry - the weight WILL come off.

[greytz 4]

It is temporary. I was actually afraid to come out of the mushy stage and I told my doctor. She was like "you have to start solids, you will lose weight". So I did what she said and sure enough, I started losing weight. I am very careful and portion my food and I still get hungry but I just ignore it. I also eat at the same time every day as close as I can. It really helps. Are you getting enough Protein? 50 grams a day or as close to it as possible? Also, it is just temporary and when you get a fill, your world will be different. Things are ok. You still have significant weight loss even though some of it was pre-op it is all good. Hang in there.

[Grandma26 1]

Hi, I was banded 6/25/09 and I'm down 24 lbs. When I was banded I had "NO" expectations of what my weight loss would be. I heard it would be a slow process with lots of hard work. I am hoping for the 1 lb a week that is average and anything above that is a gift and gives me more hope for the next week. I felt that if I expected lots of weight to fall off fast I would get discouraged when it didn't happen, and I would fail my band not my band failing me.

So far I have only had a few really hungry days and have been able to work throught them. Eating at the same time every day does helps a lot. Staying positive even when the fat isn't melting away keeps me on track.

Good luck !:)

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Your body is HEALING. Give the poor thing a chance!

Seriously...this isn't a time for loss. You know that!

Quit weighing.

[mary on a mission 0]

Hi all,

I promised myself before getting banded that I wasn't going to get upset and worked up if before getting fills I didn't have a significant weight loss. Well, I broke that promise! I just don't understand how in the world I can be having pureed foods at 4 ounces and 1/4 cups of food and exercise by walking everyday and NOT lose anything?! On my 10-day preop diet I lost 9 pounds. I have lost 9 pounds since surgery on 07/07. I go back and forth one pound and it's driving me insane! I really expected to have about 15 pounds gone by now Goodness!! I get soooooo hungry in between my meals. Has anyone else gone through this and please tell me it's temporary! I know I'm not supposed to focus on losing anything until the fills, but I just can't help it.

Thanks for listening.

I feel your pain! We were banded on the same day and we have had similar challenges, it sounds like. I lost 10 pounds pre-op and have lost 11 pounds post-op. BUT, I was down 10 pounds post op at one week out. I just stopped losing weight. I am eating right and exercising just as you are, and I have been told that my body is trying to stabilize itself. I will just keep on keeping on because I know this is temporary. You need to just concentrate on doing the right things and not worry about the scales right now. The weight loss will show up when it gets good & ready. Our job right now is to concentrate on doing the right things and work on changing our lifestyle. The rest will follow.

Hang in there!

[tammy green 0]

hi i was banded on 7/1/09 and feel the same way, ive lost 11lbs . ask my dietian about it she said i wasnt getting enough calories in about 600 she said shot for 800 to 1000 and i hope it starts moving. but this is healing time. tammy

[babekopp 0]

Oh Thank Goodness I'm not alone!

I am 12 days post surgery and I am so scared because I find that I haven't had to puree my foods as much as I thought I would have to.

I dont have any problem with feeling full or wanting to snack. I am eating good Proteins, veggies/fruits and just chewing chewing chewing. I even had some green Beans and beets that were not pureed but smashed and it all went down well. BUT I am so afraid that I am either not eating the right combination of food or maybe eating too much. I do measure and/or weigh each of them and have not snacked or cheated in any way but I am GAINING weight...

At 10 days post op, I had lost a total of 26 pounds but in the last 2 days I have gained almost 5 pounds. I wonder if I am retaining Water, am I eating too much or not the right combination of foods. I also wonder if its because I went 8 days on liquids and then it took a few days for my body to bounce back and catch up.

[ebrown1 0]

Im SO glad to read all of your similar experiences!!!!! I was bandded 7/23/09. I lost 16lbs. the first 5 days on all liquids.

Now I'm on mushy foods and have gained a pound a day. I am following all of the rules. I only eat 3 times a day-- no Snacks-- WAY fewer calories than I've ever consumed-- but still gaining.

I am going to believe in the post "Mary on a Mission" wrote that said the body is trying to stabilize itself. I need to just keep following the program and STOP looking a the scale constantly and have some faith.

[julie bugs 0]

HELLO,

I had surgery on March 12. I was down 29 lbs and right now am only down 23. I am very frustrated. I am in the same spot you are where I cannot believe that I can eat a cup of food and gain weight. I am hungry much of the time right now. I will be getting another fill tomorrow. I had a fill two weeks ago and could not keep anything down, not even Water. I had to go in and have an un-fill. I had a full cc put in, then a full cc removed. Tomorrow will be getting a half cc. They say maybe this is where I will stay for a while.

It is frustrating knowing I am eating much much less than I have been for years. For years I stayed the same weight. Now am eating much much less and seem to be not losing.

I am still confident in my band. I have not been great at exercising lately. Before my band I was exercising 4 to 5 days a week. I am starting that back up today and hope that makes a difference in the weight loss.

Keep your head up. Remember that we had this surgery because we know it works. We just have to find that spot with the fill that works for us.

julie bugs:thumbup:

[w11212 0]

I'm sooooo glad I found this!! I was banded on 07/14/09 and have lost 15 lbs in the first 10 days, but nothing since. I keep feeling like I am doing something wrong and as the days past I feel more and more hungry. Is this normal? Will my first fill help my hunger? I guess at this point I am afraid to fail at this like every other diet. Any advice?

[ocotillo 0]

Patience people. You didn't gain this weight in 3 weeks and you won't lose it that quick although it is nice when you do.

Think about it, you just had surgery...someone cut into you and did stuff to your insides. You need to heal. Your body has been on liquids or mushies or whatever you're supposed to do and it's finally catching up and saying "what the heck are you doing to me?". Most of your calorie counts are WAY down and you are going to react to that, first by losing, but it's going to catch up with you and stop because you might not be getting enough calories or it's just giving you a chance to catch up.

I'm 4 weeks post-op. I lost 14 or 15 pounds post-op then gained 4.5 pounds back when I started eating solid foods. I was only eating 900-1200 calories and still gained weight. I've now lost 3 of those pounds and am confident the rest will come off in the way it needs to in order to stay off. Slowly.

Not everyone here loses quickly, not everyone here loses at first, if you have Congratulations!! Let the band and your body get to know each other and work things out. When they get acquainted sufficiently, the weight will come off. Just play by the rules.

Read some of the posts by the successful people. It's inspiring!:smile2:

[DanBar 0]

Good call Ocotillo... People are too focused on the daily weighing and just need to go on with life and and let this happen. If you eat like your supposed to it will work. This is for the rest of your life. It's a slow and steady processes.

I see some of the posts are people that just had surgery two or three weeks ago and are complaining that they have only lost 16 or whatever pounds... Even if some or most of that was pre op It wouldn't have happened if you didn't decide to get the band. YOU did the work to lose those pounds no matter when it happened.

Let's say it was 16 pounds in a month.. If you were doing weight watchers or whatever you wouldn't be mad if you were lossing 4 pounds a week! So be happy that the weight you have lost is forever this time even if you go up and down a little... Forget you have the band (except don't forget to chew chew chew:rolleyes2:) your going to mess up every now and then; make sure you enjoy every minute of your mess up and move on :smile2: and enjoy your new life and the great tool you have chosen to give yourself... Don't be a slave to the scale!

Edited August 4, 2009 by DanBar

[julie bugs 0]

Thank you all for sharing your words of wisdom and hardships. It is nice to know others are going through the same thing I am and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I am getting a fill this afternoon. Hopefully this will be a point where I need to be.

[suzanne.meyers1 0]

Like the writer in the original post I was banded on 7/7/09. My weight at weight in before surgery was 235 lbs (with clothes). I now weigh 224 lbs (buff). Like all others posting I lost down to 226 in the first 2 weeks on liquids.

Want to talk about discouraging, my husband and I went to Chicago and walked probably a minimum of 5 miles a day for 3 days, and when I came home I had gained 3 lbs!!

I know all of this is just a temporary situation, is it a biochemical process. When your body enters a state of perceived starvation, it automatically lowers your metabolic rate. It is going to conserve, conserve, conserve in case this is a permanent situation. It is very difficult to imagine that I could cut my intake down by 75% and not lose, but when I really remember what I know, then I realize why it is happening. Keep your heads up, even slow loss is good loss. I am telling myself, every pound I do not GAIN is an accomplishment.