Hi All,

I was banded Oct 22. I had to be put in ICU after surgery for 24 hours because of my sleep apena being so bad. The only other issue I had was the incision where the actual band was placed started to bleed a week after surgery, but my doctor said it was okay. It quit after a week and I have been doing good every since.

Weight before lap band journey - 274
Weight day of surgery - 254
Weight as of 12/5 - 234
40 pound lost to date!!!

No fills yet.

I eat 2 ounces three times a day and it holds me for 4 - 5 hours. I feel like I have won the weight loss lottery. I hope it stays this way and I won't need any fills, doc says that happens to some people.

Anyone else out there having success with the band without fills?

Holy cr*p - 40 pounds - that is SOOOO AWESOME!! Great job!! I have lost almost 25 and was banded on 10/29. I go see the surgeon tomorrow and hope to get a fill as I am still hungry but trying very hard to control the hunger. Are you exercising along with the small amounts of food - please share if you would. Looks like we have similar goals for # of pounds to lose.

Robin

Hi i was banded September 26 and i am down 58 pounds and no fill as yet
Mike

I started excerising the 5th week after surgery - 30 min a day walking in front of the tv, now I am up to an hour walking in front of tv and adding arm and leg excercises.

I try to stick to a routine, so far I can stay about on time most days.

Daily Intake:
8:00 am boost glucose control shake and chewable calicum and vitamin
10:30 am 2 oz food
water (sometimes with special k protein pack)
2:30 pm 2 oz food
v8 veg juice (2 servings of veg)
water (sometimes with special k protein pack)
6:30 2 oz food, chewable calcium and vitamin
excercise
water
2 sugar free popicles

I hope this helps you, keep me posted on how your hunger is after your first fill.

Nice to see that it is possible to go without fills. I am trying to commit to no fills simply because I know this will be a long journey and I don't want to lose so fast that I look like the saggy baggy elephant. I was banded 10/17 at 206, and have lost 18 lbs to date after surgery. I exercise at least 5 times a week (burn 400 calories per day) and have incorporated the Atkins diet in to my life (all protein, no carbs) I am so grateful to see the weight going down rather that up! Better health and better happiness!

I am so JEALOUS!!!! I just went for my first fill 1cc and I have the APS 10CC band. Anyways I have lost 1 freaking pound, I have been like a yo-yo I weigh 213 they said I started at 214 so I totally suck and I am totally depressed about this thing.

I was banded on 10/21 and have lost 34 lbs without any fills. After 6 weeks I was schedule to see my Dr. for a follow up and possible fill. Because I was losing weight steadily and had not experienced and problems (votiming or loss of energy, etc) he did not want to give me a fill and possibly experience discomforts. The concern that i mentioned to him was that am able to eat approx. 12 oz of food at one time. Explained that as long as I continued to make the right choices (I stay at approx. 1500 calories per day) and was eating chewing and eating slowly he was not too concerned at the moment. My next check up is January 2nd to see if possibly I might need a first fill. But for know I'm liking it because I don't feel jipped on my meals.

<p>Allamess - Please don't get discouraged. Keep at the process. It make take a while, but every pound lost is a victory. Read around and you will see all types of stories of success and of frustration. You will get support from the Lap Band community if you seek it. This is a journey, not gonna happen overnight!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>As for the fills, they aren't magic, don't depend on them as such. Be careful what you eat, how often you eat, and exercise. That's advice many of us have followed though we were overweight and lethargic before. Get your head into it! Want it so bad that you will make positive changes!</p>

Hi,

I was banded on 11-7-07 and thought that I knew what this whole Lap Band deal was all about. Ya, that was BEFORE my first fill. Holy CR*P, NOW I KNOW WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE! When I went in for my fill, I was bummed cause I had only lost 5 pounds, since my surgery. But the doctor told that the "effects" of the surgery begin AFTER you get filled. Before that, he said that we should be concentrating on healing and not so much, weight loss. They said that the day of your first fill starts the results, not the surgery date. Since I had my fill the other day, NOW, I know it's working. I liken it to having a heater installed in your car....sounds good on paper, but you don't realize the benefits of it until you turn it on!

So, for you folks who are not having success on your own with willpower and afterall, isn't that why we did surgery in the first place??? Go, get your fill and use the system the way it was designed!

The inamed band has fluid put into it during surgery. Mine had 4.2 cc but then I had it removed as I was way too tight. I wasn't getting enough nurtrition and had a horrible fist in my chest. I decided to get a fill at 7 weeks because my intake was 1500-1600 cal/day and more on some days. I wasn't starving and probably could have managed without a fill if I was more active. They put 2cc in and then took 1cc out as fluids were hesitating. Fluids still hestitate a bit before going down but I can eat okay. I may get another tiny fill as my intake can be 1300-1400 per day. I want to be at 1100-1200 for a slow steady weight loss. I travel alot and my excercise is sporatic. I'm probably one who doesn't need a fill. I think the weight of the band itself was working for me. I just decided to get the fills. They told me at the surgeons office that the first fill is to bring you up to 4 cc, I would be surprised if I ever need that much, but time will tell.

I also have not had a fill. Band 1/15/08, lost 111 pounds. I hope to go as long as you. Loving the losses here in Las Vegas. Good Luck & Keep up the hard work North Carolina, George

Hi George,

Thanks for the words of encouragement, I am almost five months pregnant now, it was a big surprise when we found out. So far so good, still averaging about 1 pound lost every two weeks, no clue how. Hope it keeps coming off, my doc says baby is fine even with my weight loss. I figure it has to stop eventually, but I am enjoying it while it last. Keep up your good work, I still don't have a fill so please let me know how it goes when you get your first one. It will be sometime next year before I can get one. :)

I am so glad that you told us that I was starting to get discouraged because I am still hungry and I am having a hard time not eating everything that I did before. I was banded on june 10, 2008 I have a few more weeks untill I can have my first fill.

yep, that is true! some people need just the smallest restriction...like me! i have barely 1cc in my band, and it does the job very well! The councelor at the Doc's I visit, said that i was a little unusual, but not unheard of..another patient has lost over 100 pounds with only 2 fills! so we are all different! We just have to pay attention to our bodies, and TRY not to compare ourselves with each other too much!!!