Another failed lap band?

Hi everyone!  It has been awhile since I have posted.  I have been feeling a little in the dumps lately. Thing is I have lost about 55 lbs since April and now the weight loss has slowed.  The scale will not move!!! No matter how much I exercise or drink water or eat less, I cannot get the scale to move another pound.  I am depressed because I feel like now I should have gotten the bypass.   I can eat more food on some days than others and it is frustrating.  And also I am starting to experience some heartburn.  This band is tighter on some days than others too.  I was hoping to lose another 100 lbs but at this rate I don't see it happening.  Anyone have any advice or suggestions?

I may have misunderstood. You have lost 55 lbs since April ? Even if that is from the very first day of april, that s about 14 weeks. 55 divided by 14 is over 3lbs a week. If it from the end of April, it is almost 4lbs a week.

All the band does is limit intake by dimming hunger. So there is no reason to lose any faster than with a pre- band diet. Most people would be over the moon if they were losing at more than twice the average speed!

It is common to lose well, stall, lose again. You must look at the longer term changes to allow for that.

Heartburn needs checking out if it persists. It can be a sign of a problem.

The band should not stop you eating. I always " can " eat more than I should. It just tells you when stopping is sensible and helps flagging will power by dimming hunger.

Kate

Kate is absolutely right.  55lbs since April is a major success!  When we start dropping weight, our bodies naturally stall for a bit.  

I had a stall for at least a month.  I kept on following the rules.  I changed my workout, adding intensity, and eventually I started losing again.  Don't do the same workout all the time.  Are you adding weights.  That helps a lot.

As for the heartburn, I would ask the Dr about it.  

Don't give up.  YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!  Just hang in there and fight the good fight.
~ Barbara

Hi Patrice,

You have done so well!!  55lbs since April is phenomenal.

I understand your current discouragement, to lose so fast and then to hit a stall is so frustrating.  But the scale isn't the only place to look to see weight loss.  Sometimes our bodies need a bit of time to catch up to the loss, but while weight may not be changing, very often our measurements are.

I would suggest that if you haven't started taking your measurements, do so.  About once a month, wearing the same type/style of underwear.  Preferrably before exercising or eating.  You can even chart them on this site or other sites (livestrong.com/thedailyplate has that option too).  I bet you will see a downward slope when charted.  :)

I know I hit a wall in May of 2010 when my weight loss slowed to a crawl.  Taking measurements monthly helped me to see that although the weight was coming off oh so slowly.. my body was indeed still changing.

Please call your doctor about the heartburn.  That should not be ignored.  While your at the doctor talk to the support staff about your calories and exercise.  There's actually a point where some people need to eat more calories when exercising to help maintain their loss.  I don't quite understand how that works, but I've found it to be true for me.  I'm not saying go out and eat a whole cow..lol.. but sometimes just an extra 100 or 200 cal a day seems to make a difference.

Hang in there, this is a long journey.. not a sprint.

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement!  I am going to talk to my surgeon today and I will post again with his advice also!

Hi Patrice,
I would be thrilled with your weight loss! I am thrilled with mine so far.
I was told to only weigh myself once a month because there are too many fluxuations and stops and it becomes too discouraging for some. (I'll let you know when I can do that

Also, I've been doing some reading, and when we lose a bunch, the body tries to hold on to what it has. Also, if you're eating too few calories, your body can think it's starving and then hold on to what it's got. Several times I've also read that adding some extra fat or the right fat can actually help (again in moderation - like one meal or snack). Someone recommended advocado, cashews, stuff like that.

When I was deciding which WLS to have, I spoke to people who have had the band, bypass and sleeve. they all said that everyone has a moment when they wonder if they should have done this and if they should have chosen a different surgery. Looks like this is your moment. They all said that after that moment passed, they were very happy with their choice!

Good luck! Hang in there. Your body will catch up.

I have to agree with everyone else....
I havent even lost 55 lb since last July.  But I know that was my doing...
I was eating more than I should of the wrong things and not exercising...

Now I am back on track!  Dont worry...  Patience

You are not a failure.  You are not giving up.  You are fighting by exercise and eating right.  This will get better.  We all have plateaus.  Try different things to break your plateau.  Go on the exercise board and ask them...OMG they are a wealth of information.  I love that board and they are so willing to help.  Just remember you are NOT a failure!!!

Just to let you know the first year I didn't even lose 55 lbs.  I was having lots of trouble and stalling all of the time.  Now 2 1/2 years later I have lost 150+ lbs!!!!  So no matter what you are going through now doesn't necessarily decided your out come.  I heard this great quote that has become my mantra.....

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every
  time we fall."  Nelson Mandela

What was your motivation to keep going?  And what finally worked for you to break your stall???

Well in the beginning I didn't exercise at all.  So stalls happened all of the time.  After about 16 months of failing I started to exercise.  After the first month I lost 16 lbs.  I was motivated as hell after that.  For about 6 months I lost weight steadily.  Then I started to stall out.  The first stall I started HIIT (high intensity interval training) this got me losing again.  Then I stalled again...I started to increase my speed and distance on my runs (on the treadmill).  Which got me losing again.  Well now I am increasing my weight lifting because after years of being obese my muscles need some work.  Once my muscles are leaner and stronger I will be able lose or maintain weight easier.  Because muscle burns calories.  So right now I'm not losing much weight but I am still losing inches and to me that's more important. 

I also found different ways to be more active.  I read to keep your metabolism going you can't sit around....well that's hard when you work at a desk job.  I now walk for 15 minutes at 10am, I walk for 30 minutes at lunch (12pm) and walk for 15 minutes at 3pm.  So I break up the day with spurts of activity.  I also sit on one of those exercise balls and do some exercise while watching TV or lift hand weights or stretch while watching TV.  Anything just so I'm not just sitting there like a lump watching TV. 

As you lose weight it becomes increasingly harder to lose.  What used to make you sweat and burn calories, is now not enough.  So at 200 lbs you need to make your workouts harder and more intense to burn the same 500 calories you did when you 300 lbs.