Stpehanie, Thank you so much for your post! You were honest about your experience, and for someone like me who is pre-op and researching, checking out various boards, posts like yours are essential. You are right, these boards are suppose to be a support system, and I am always frustrated when I see respones that are less than caring and supportive. People tend to forget that we are individuals with different experiences. You are so brave to have taken this step to make your lifestyle healthier. I admire you, and I hope you will continue to post. cheers!

Stephanie, I think that, when doctors specify an average of 1-2 lbs/week, they ARE trying to tell you not to expect huge losses right away. Most people lose some weight during the liquid phase post-op, then stop losing while waiting for fills to kick in. Depending on the doctor, if you get your first fill at 6 weeks, some will fill more 2 weeks later, and then again in 2 weeks...so it doesn't necessarily take months to get good restriction. I do understand what you're saying. I also know that many (if not most) WLS patients have a tendency to hear what they want to hear. I'm NOT saying that that is true in your case, but let's face it...we ALL want to lose as quickly as we can. Even if we're told 1-2 lbs/week, we hope that we'll be the exception to the rule or at the very least, that we'll lose 2lbs/week. But here's the thing...so far, you ARE losing at the high end of the averages. If you keep hanging tough, you'll do fine. Cindy

"Take this time now to catch up on the information you should've gotten for yourself prior to committing to WLS." Nancy, honestly, what a rude response. You know nothing about me or my research on this subject, and to say I obviously didn't do my homework is such a load of crap. I'm sorry, I only spent the latter part of a year researching this, and guess what, my surgeon never mentioned that nor did I read that. I'm sorry the info I read wasn't what you read. I didn't discover the message boards until about 3 weeks pre-op, and then I got a small hint about the proper restriction. I don't expect the doc to spoon feed me anything, but that's a pretty big piece of information that was NOT mentioned in his introduction seminar in the room with 25 people. All that was said is it was slower than bypass, not that you wouldn't lose until you got a number of fills, and that could take 4 months or more, and that's not a universal formula, either. I know people who have lost 70 lbs on 1 fill. And guess what, if it was so widely known there would NOT be all these posts everywhere about this very thing and people wondering if it's normal and being discouraged. Let me guess, NO one did any research? That fact is not one of the selling points to this surgery. I'm not saying anyone intentionally deceived me, and everything I read about the band that was a surgery site or anything like that didn't mention it. There was no grand disclaimer anywhere saying "be patient, you probably won't lose an ounce for about 6 weeks after you have WLS." Just because you are a veteran at this doesn't give you the right to talk to me in such a condescending holier-than-thou tone, and I really don't appreciate it at all. You have obviously had a very good experience with the band, so not quite sure why you would be here on the WLS REGRET BOARD if not to berate people who talk about stuff like this. Thats' why I posted here and not in the lap-band forum. Or maybe it's so you can try to encourage people who feel this way? For future reference, I'm not interested in your brand of encouragement if this is how you do it. In any post I have ever made that you have responded to it has been quite unpleasant. This is supposed to be a supportive environment, and not one full of people pointing fingers and saying you should have done this, or that. Forgive my ignorance oh Lap-band Queen. You stay on your side of the board and I will stay on mine.

I'm truly sorry you didn't do your homework prior to your surgery. You have a top-notch surgeon but you can't expect surgeons to spoonfeed information. There's just not time. Surgeons expect patients to do the research. The most basic research of the band would have made it clear that the band isn't likely to do much until you're properly adjusted and that can take 3-5 fills. When properly adjusted, the ideal rate of loss with the band is 1-2lbs/week on average. ANY loss during the healing phase and prior to proper restriction is a bonus and not to be expected. This is posted frequently everywhere I've ever seen about the lap-band...it's not some industry secret. I generally recommend at least 6 months' intensive research prior to considering even setting up a surgical consult. Take this time now to catch up on the information you should've gotten for yourself prior to committing to WLS. At least with the band, not knowing the basics won't make you sick, unlike some of the more invasive surgeries where a lack of basic knowledge can land you in the hospital. Nancy Lap-band -156 Oh...and I "only" lost 12 lbs my first 2 months...but I knew that was normal.

Oh my goodness, this is the greatest post ever!! Just what I needed. I am awaiting approval from Aetna and wish they would hurry up. You should post some pictures so we can see the results of your weight loss. Again, thanks for posting!!! Pam