Will I really lose weight with the band?

mypov · 10-25-2006, 10:46 PM

Ok I've got a question. I'm not yet banded and I'll admit have pretty bad eating habits right now. Right now I'm on an extended release medication that makes me not very hungry during the day. I usually have a cup of cereal or cereal bar and glass of milk for breakfast, Drink mostly water during the day though have a small snack like some pretzels or chips from a vending machine at school just so I don't have a hypoglycemic attack. Food simply holds no appeal while this med is going strong in my system-- however, when the medication wears off in the evening I will have like a couple of fast food burgers and a shake or a large serving of whatever I made for the family for dinner and something sweet like ice cream or cookies. Even though I obvioulsy eat unhealthily, it seems like I don't eat enough calories to sustain my almost 300 pound weight. I have always attributed this to my insulin resitance and pcos.

Now I'm wondering, what if I still don't lose much weight after being banded??? I really think that this will give me a huge boost of motivation to improve my eating habits, but I'm just worried that my body will fight losing weight like it seems to now. I don't know if I'm making sense- but I'm very concerned. Any thoughts?

jojo41 · 10-26-2006, 12:12 AM

Hi mypov......I felt exactly the same way as you.
I have PCOS and gained alot of weight very quickly (100lbs in 3 years).
I also couldn't understand how I had gained so much weight in such a short space of time.
So when I went to visit my surgeon I explained my dilemma to him and he assured me that many of his patients who have PCOS have been extremely successful in losing weight.

Unfortunately with PCOS we have an extra problem contributing to our weight gain so the weightloss with the band may be slower BUT it still comes off.
At the obesity clinic that I visit the dietician and nurse have both told me that women with PCOS generally have to have greater restriction than most people because our calorie intake has to be quite a bit lower in order to lose weight......also exercise is VERY important in losing weight with PCOS.

On the upside....... starch carbs really aggrevate PCOS and with the band it is very difficult to eat most starchy carbs.:)

mypov · 10-26-2006, 01:05 AM

Thank you that is very encouraging! I take metformin but yeah, obviously I am not eating the way a person with pcos should:embarassed:

It does seem like the only times I really lost weight was when I ate hardly anything and followed a low carb diet. I just get sooo hungry at night that I eat way too much fatty and carb-full foods.

Did your doc give you any idea of how much weight pcos'ers can expect to lose in a week or month?

jojo41 · 10-26-2006, 02:07 AM

I take metformin also.
Before the band I found that during the day I was not particularly hungry but at night I could have eaten a horse!.......then, like you, I would totally binge.
The beauty of the band is that it is virtually impossible to binge. If I eat too much or too quickly the food comes straight back up...after doing that a few times you quickly adjust to eating much slower and eating much less food.......having the band has totally cured me of the dreaded night time binges.

My doctor, dietician and nurse at the clinic have told me to aim for 1-2lbs per week.....I have lost 40lbs in 14 weeks (that's almost 3lbs per week).
And the best part is I seem to have lost all those carb cravings that is so common with PCOS sufferers!:)

***Susan*** · 10-26-2006, 07:01 AM

I also have PCOS and consider my experience with the band to be very successful. However, eating burgers, cookies and ice cream is not the way to go. I do not diet or count carbs or anything else with the band. When my band tells me I am full, I quit eating. What I believe is important here is making healthier choices. To be successful, you do have to be committed to doing that. Once you decide to do that, even with PCOS, you will be successful and lose weight with the band.