Lap Band Blues!

[Phranp 46]

Hang in there! And, give serious consideration to finding a new doc. Like Cleo's mom says, many surgeons are not experienced in with lapband from surgery and beyond. My doc, though he hasn't admitted it, obviously doesn't know a lot about weight loss or aftercare for the lapband. Fortunately for me he is a kind man and just wants me to get to my "sweet spot" (I think I'm either there or so close it doesn't matter -- as of two weeks and 7 lbs ago). My doc doesn't give me a lot of info on eating but he also doesn't berate me at all. The first time I even got on the scale was at my last visit and that was because I stepped on the scale myself, he didn't ask me to -- I was banded JUNE 15TH!!! I have been doing my own research and this forum is really great too. My process has been slow but, because of my age, I think that is a good thing.

Don't give up, this will get better as you get more restriction. Please do not be too hard on yourself.

All the best to you!

[tampa terri 0]

So sorry you were made to feel bad. I was rigid in following the post op diet and was stunned when I went for my 1 month post op appointment. I actually gained 4 lbs. My clothes felt looser and I had been walking more than I had in years, but the scale was up 4 lbs. My doctor's office told me not to feel bad, that the first couple months are for healing, not loosing weight. Many of us already have self esteem issues regarding our weight and it is inexcusable for your doctor to treat you like that. I hope you can find a doctor with better manners. Good Luck!

[b9409 1]

If this makes you feel any better.....

Not only did I not lose weight before my first fill, I GAINED weight!!

What you are going through it normal, but being treated that way is not!

You know what you are supposed to do with diet and exercise....use all the angry enegery at your doctor to pour into your new lifestyle. That, and a few more fills, you will be great!

Keep up the great work! You deserve to love yourself more than you are right now. Do NOT let some dork doctor make you feel so badly....he is insensitive and needs to learn a better way to doctor people.

[Bandobot 0]

Im in the same boat! Very discouraged. I had my 1st fill last week and I lost 3 lbs the 1st two days after (probably water) and have gained that back now. All together I am about 4 lbs down from surgery 2 months ago. About 10lbs came off the week after surgery, then I gained about 6lbs back, and hear I am. I rescheduled my next fill sooner (Oct. 29) but that's still 1 weeks away. I have an iPhone and I signed up at mynetdiary.com and got the app. Hopefully, keeping this diary will help! I know it's very discouraging, but know that your not alone! I was banded on 8/16 so we have alot in common with this. I'm new to this so if you know how to send private messages, please do. I think it would help us both. As they say... Mysery loves company... LOL Just kidding. But definately send me a message if you can.

[LollyMoe 1]

My surgeon is very experienced but he still made me feel bad at my first follow-up visit. Even tho I had lost 17 pounds in one week, I got a lecture from him on the importance of what & how much I put in my mouth. He made me feel that I was going to fail. I left there so mad at him. I came home and thought it over a lot. I decided that I wasn't going to let him make me feel like a failure and he could go jump in a lake! If I'm doing what I'm suppose to do, eventually I'll get to goal.

Thankfully, I don't see him when I get fills. His nurse praticetioner (sp?) does the fills and she is very nice.

[isaviolinist 11]

Firstly, I think its really crappy the way your surgeon treated you. You should remember, he and his office staff work for you. Not the other way around.

Also, I was going to suggest keeping measurements of the amount of inches you have lost (in addition to the pounds you have lost). Someone suggested this to me at one point and I thought it was silly and I didn't want to measure myself. But I did it. I then measured myself a couple of weeks later and had lost inches in all parts of myself! It was great! You should do this especially if you are working out a lot. you may be gaining muscle (which is heavier than fat)! Good luck!

[PSJ71 0]

So, I am very discouraged and upset about this whole LAP-BAND® process. I had surgery 9 weeks ago and have not lost anything. I went 2 weeks ago for my first fill and the doctor flipped out on me. He told me that he has never seen a patient not lose weight after surgery. I was so upset, he made me feel like a total jackass. I was doing what I needed to be doing, but I was HUNGRY. There was nothing in my band before my first fill.

So... I got my fill 2 weeks ago. I have 3.5cc in the band and NO RESTRICTION! Ahhh it's really bringing me down. I am trying to force myself to avoid the hunger. Been trying to not eat more then 1200 calories a day, which really is too much to lose. I also go to the gym every other day and I have not lost anything! I am so upset, what am I doing wrong? I don't want to go back to see him in 4 weeks and have him flip out on me again for not losing weight.

I am beginning to think this LAP-BAND® was a bad idea for me. I was so excited and really thought it would work for me but I am not having any sucess. Please help me... I am lost and blue! I am so stressed out over this and I jut sit and cry about it. I am in need of support or something!

Amanda,

Please let me first tell you to not get discouraged. I went through EXACTLY what you are going through. When I started my preop diet on June 27, 2009 I weighed 257. The day of surgery I weighed 248.8. So, I lost 9 pounds on my preop diet. I thought it would be more, but I was still happy with that.

Okay, the week and a half AFTER surgery, I lost 7 pounds and didn't budge for 2 weeks. Then I lost 2 more pounds. Then NOTHING for 4 or 5 more weeks. I am just NOW starting to lose weight it seems consistently. I have had 4 fills and feel I am at an okay spot right now with my restriction. I know in a few weeks or so I will want another one. My scale's battery is dead, so I don't know if I have lost anything since last week. But as of last week, since 07/07/2009 (surgery date) I have lost 17 pounds. Don't get discouraged and if you doctor tries to humiliate you like that again, you just tell him that you arent' the only one that has gone through this.

I admit when I see people who have had other surgeries and are down 60 or 70 pounds since July, I get a little jealous, but when I do see my weight IS coming down, I am happy. We will get to our goal, just please be patient. We all want to see those scales move, but for some reason I think some for some of us, the stress of the surgery might put our bodies into shock or something. If this band teaches nothing else, it will definitely teach patience.

Through it all, though, I have not regretting having the surgery or my band. But just keep doing what you are doing, journal, measure, exercise and drink lots of Water. It will start to come off.

Big hugs, I know what you are feeling. I have been there too.

Paulette

[acasner 0]

Thank you all for your support! It's exactly what I needed... I am going to keep on doing what I am doing (because I know it's right)... hopefully the weight will just start coming off. I physically feel a lot better then I use to, so that's a great advantage!