Any long term success after a slow start? Need some input?

Hi all,

I had my surgery on December 10th.  I have had 3 fills and am at 5cc in a 10cc band.  I go next week for my fourth fill.  I do feel restriction to a certain degree but I can eat more than a cup full.  I don't binge or pig out.  I really want to get to that sweet spot.  The last fill I had I actually felt like it was perfect for about 4 or 5 days.  I think it was the new fill pluss the inflamation.  Once the inflamation went down I felt less restriction. That's why i'm hoping this next fill will put me back there.  I have only lost about 18 lbs.  I go up and down 2-3 lbs.  I am discouraged althouh I know that it's a long road.  But, I know most people have lost much more than this by 3-4 months out.  In the grand sceme of health I can pat myself on the back for COMPLETELY giving up soda, caffeine, and smoking!  I am amazed I quit these.  But, I am scared that this is the best it will get for me on the band. 
Just wondering if others have had a slow start and then still had good weight loss.  I have about 90 more to lose. 

Thanks!

I was a slow loser, I only lost about 6 lbs per month and also had a two month plateau.  It seemed to take forever.  I also had very small fills (my choice) so it took about 9 months to get  good restriction.  Well, guess what, I lost more weight than I ever thought  I would and got smaller than I ever thought I would.  The best part is I HAVE KEPT THE WEIGHT OFF FOR OVER 5 YEARS.   So as far as I am concerned the answer is not how fast you lose, but that you eventually lose and not gain any of it back.  Good luck.

I completely agree! I was such a slower loser with only 1-2lbs coming off per week on average but slowly and steadly it happened. Even though I am not entirely to my goal yet, I am very happy where I have ended up.

Actually the long term success rate for the band is very low! :-( It just doesn't work well for most long term. That is why you see so few long term bandsters on here.

You said the last fill felt perfect for a few days. That can happen too. The band is very unpredictable! can vary from day to day.............or even during different times of day!

I have had 16 fills   so far and no sweet spot!

As far as other slosing faster than u.............well that may or  may not be the case. To me the ticker weight should indicate the amount lost since WLS.............but some include the entire amount lost during their 6 mos. diet with it, so the ticker amount may not be accurate on al that you see.

I am a slow loser.  But from what I was told that's not bad.  Everyone loses at their own rate.  NO TWO are the same.  I've lost almost 50lbs the first year.  Working on 45 more. 

Good Luck and don't worry so  much!

I too was a slow loser.  I am very bad at dieting and that's basically what I had to do before I got the restriction that I needed to be full after 4-6 oz and 4-5 hours after a meal.  I needed my band with restriction before I could lose a significant amount of weight.  I would lose a pound here and a pound there but nothing much (especially since I had about 190 lbs to lose).  Well it took me 8 fills before I got the restriction I needed to eat the amounts I was supposed to and feel satisfied...and not be tempted to graze between meals.  Some people are so lucky that they can lose weight right away but there are some of us that have to struggle till we get the right fill.  

I also made a lot of changes in my diet, lifestyle and attitude.  I keep my calories around 1200 and my carbs around 30-40.  I eat mostly complex carbs and stay away from simple processed carbs.  I also stopped eating out all of the time and started making my own meals.  I also stay away from prepackaged/frozen convenience foods..there's way too much sodium in those meals and they are full of chemicals.  My food I can control what I put into it.  I also exercise now too.  At first it was slow going but now I am exercising 90 minutes a day, 6 days a week.  Exercise has been my saving grace.  Without it I wouldn't have been so successful at losing what I have so far. 

I was a slow loser like you and I have lost 140lbs so far!!!  I still have about another 50 to go.  But it can work out for you still don't be too down on your self.  Just because you have a slow start doesn't mean you're not going to lose your weight!!!

 

  

Thanks guys!  I really needed to hear this.  The last time I had a fill I told the nurse I feel like I paid $10k to be on a diet :-)  I am self pay.  We laughed about it.  If I was good at dieting I would have been able to do this on my own.  I have made HUGE changes in my life and my eating habits but I wish I had more help from the band.  I don't have any desire to lost 100 lbs in 6 months.  I am fine with taking a couple of years to get it off.  I think I am jsut a little anxious to see the first 25 gone as those I have lost and gained the same 20 many time over the last few years.  I'd like to not see those numbers on the scale again... And get rid of all of those clothes :) 
As the old saying goes.. "Slow and steady wins the race".