How long after....

Hi all my little banders!!! How long after surgery did you start to really lose weight....How many fills would you say? I hear around 6 months after surgery?

I started right away.. but I was SMO.  Those starting at a lower weight can take a few fills to get enough appetite suppression to lose.

I lost every week --- about 12 - 15 pounds a month for the first 6 months, and then about 6 - 8 pounds a month after that.

I weigh in at Weigh****cher's meetings and in the 20 months following my surgery, I had a loss or a maintain every week EXCEPT for 1 --- I had a small gain, then lost 4 pounds the next week.

My loss was slow and steady -- and still continues at about 1 pound per week.

I 'acted as if' I was banded and perfectly restricted from the day I decided to have surgery.
I cut my portion size, I stopped drinking wiht my meals, I focused on protein and low-glycemic fruits/vegetables, quality starches and low-fat diary.

Yes -- I dieted --plain and simple -- and I let my band dim my hunger.
Still in 'maintenance mode', I eat 1 meal a week that I don't journal and don't worry about my food choices --- otherwise, I am pretty diligent about making good choices.

What do you mean by "really"?    I lost weight all the way through. It averaged out (as they tell us it will) at about 1-2lbs a week. Slightly faster at first but not dramatically so. So I think you are 2 1/2 months out, so about 10 weeks. So if you have lost between 10 and 20lbs, you are well on track. It won't get faster than that.

If you want to see exactly how it panned out for me, I put my first 6 months on my profile.

Fills don't make you lose weight - they just make it easier for you to eat properly. So if you can stick to good eating without the fills, you will lose at the same rate as you will with them!

And getting restriction- some get it from the op, some from the first fill, some from the second, soem from the 10th! A very few, never get it.

Kate

Hey there Renee,

I lose around 6-8 per month and my band is empty.  I'm happy with that that is about the amount I expected when I got the band and that is about what my doc said the average lose also.

I could probably speed it up if I added more exercise in but that isn't me and it never will be so I'm pleased .

The way I look at it no matter what you lose at least you are losing the scale is going down not up :o)

its really hard not to compare yourself to others on here but dont do that , it will make you depressed and start second guessing yourself that isn't good .

Watch out for Renee and that is all you need to worry about :o)

I began losing weight the day I had my first surgeon consult - one month before surgery.  14 lbs that month, and anywhere from 8 to 12 lbs a month in the months following.  I never relied on my band to help me lose weight - I only relied on it to stop me from feeling hungry all the time, which is how I felt prior to being banded.  One month before surgery I stopped eating sugar and high-glycemic carbs.  Two months after surgery I started walking for exercise, and a month ago started going to the gym 3 days a week in addition to walking 40 kms a week.  My weightloss has slowed considerably, but I couldn't be happier with my progress and new lifestyle.

Do I have a lapband?  Um, yeahhhh, I think so.  Oh yes, I must have - there's my port.  Most days I forget it's there, really.

I started losing right after surgery.. those were my biggest losses ... I followed my doctors plan for the most besides my happy hours  and I exercised and I didn't weigh myself besides doctor visits.

I didn't have fluid in my band until I was 3 months out and I lost 30 pounds.  Calories in vs. Calories burned.

Yes I have had only one fill...so far so good! Im down a little over 35 lbs! Just wanted to check how it was for everyone! Thanks all