Dawn NH

I have had three fills total. My first fill was great, no pain easy. My second fill was terrible. It hurt and took several attempts to get the right angel into the port. It was however successful once in the right place. My third fill, there were seven attempts in my Dr.'s office, none painful, and then she sent me to have a fill under x-ray. It is amazing to watch the process. you can feel my port, but where you feel it, and where they access it are very different. The fill under x-ray was quick, and painless. I am not going to allow several attempts in the office again, now that I know how easy it is under x-ray. Just wanted to share so if others have painful or difficult "blind" fills, x-ray is an option and it is wonderful!!!!

I am having an MRI next week and was wondering what others may know about compatability of the port with MRI. My Dr. said it is compatable, and I FULLY TRUST HER, but I was reading about MRI's and wondered if anyone has had one since having the band? My MRI is of my head so it will not be near my port.

Thanks!!! They are looking for MS.....I have been talking to my Dr. about this for about a year and my vision was just added to my issues that are being tracked. Do you have any issues from your MS that affect the band? I just had a lot of nausea today and that had me a bit spooked.

That is good to know!!! Thanks!!!

My Dr. wants me to exercise 7 days per week for one hour a day. :omg: I really need to increase my exercise as I am not doing anything on a regular basis. I am wondering what others are doing and how often? I have a 7 year old child, I work full time, my husband works full time and goes to school so time is very limited. :phanvan

Are you a bander that everyone knows or closet - that only family and a few to no friends know? Everyone knows Why? That is the type of person I am. I am a very open person and I would not be happy keeping the information to myself. I do not talk about it all the time, but if someone has questions I will answer them. Has it worked out? yes Would do it differently if you could? I would not do anything differently. I love my band, and I had a lot of support from others during the six months of no weight loss. When I would get frustrated, others would remind me that it would work, I just had to wait.

Thanks to all who responded!!! I had some issues getting into the forums and then I went on vacation. I am doing a lot more than I was before and I know that is something. I am trying to add walking in the morning, and I may join the YMCA as I have a 7 year old son who is going to need to get some energy out when school starts again. I am looking for a realistic plan, so that it lasts. We do not have space for any equipment in the house yet,though my husband and I are hoping to finish the basement and then there would be room. Until then I am going to have to start doing something.

My first fill was not painful. My port tilted and I needed to have one done under xray and have not done one since. I have had a total of three fills, two did not hurt and the other only hurt because my port tilted and my Dr. did not know that it tilted until the xray. Good luck!!! It should be fine : )

I was banded at CMC in December 2005. My insurance required a six month medically managed weight loss, so I do not know how long it takes if you are self pay or have another insurance. I know that there have been some staff changes at CMC's program so that may be part of the delay as well. I am very pleased with my care and would do it all again at CMC

I think that each person is different. WhenI am eating too little my body goes into starvation mode, so I have to watch my calories. For me a week on liquids and I stop losing and can actually gain.

I had no restriction until after my second fill, then I had a little restriction. After my third fill I had restriction and all the "fun" that goes with it. I am six months out from surgery and have only had restriction for 2 weeks now. I have only lost weight since then. But to your question was this a waste of money? For me, I would do it all over in a second. I have been frustrated over the past six months, who has weight loss surgery and wants to see the scale go down, then up then stay the same? BUT......I only went back up what I took off during my liquid stage and then I stayed at the day of surgery weight for five to six months. That would NEVER have happened without the band. Someone told me to expect it to take six months before losing weight given the way my Dr. does fills and not to give up. That was great advice as it took just about six months for the fills to be right (I have 2cc in a 10 cc band) The down side for me is learning how to eat now that I am six months out and have restriction for the first time. But it is great to see the scale go down, and know that this time it is going to stay down. Hope this helps!!!!! One last thing, remember that everyone is different, some will lose slow, some fast. Just think about the positives to come, such as the weight coming off and staying off.

My Dr has you come into her office, and lay down. She feels for the outline of the port, then has you lift your legs up and hold them. This makes the port stand out more. Once she has that she gets the needle with one hand, keeping her other hand on the port outline, and has you lift your legs again and then can usually insert the needle into the port. The process is very cool when I think about not having the visual x-ray to go in, but if your port is tipped as mine is the process is a bit painful : )

I have just started to lose weight, six months after surgery , but I think I am going back into starvation mode. This happened when I was on the liquid only phase. I was just filled a week ago, and lost 9 lbs the first week, then went down 11 lbs, but am now going up a little. I am not eating more, I am having a hard time eating at all. I have talked to my surgen who does not want to unfill just yet. She wants me to revisit my diet guidelines and see nutrition. Anyway, my question is does anyone know what to do to stop starvation mode? I do not want to gain back all my weight again , which is what happened during the liquid phase.

Has anyone else had a fill that was painful? :cry My Dr. did my second fill today and it was very painful. She explained that the port can move a bit and she is very cautious and not willing to go near the tubing, which I like, but the fill was very painful. This is my second fill and the first was no pain at all. What have other people experienced with fills? And if they are painful do they get better once you lose weight? My Dr. said that will make a difference.

I would like to know more about this timer as I could use it as well. I also think that I am eating too fast, and that will be a problem one I have restriction

Gentle Spirit....I wonder if pain is the best way to discribe it......There was a lot of pressure and some odd feelings. I also have a big black and blue spot, and a bigger needle hole from them "fishing around in the port for the right spot" my terms not theirs. that is just what it felt like to me. My first fill was fine. Julie....my Dr does not require liquids for a week. That would be hard as I do not have much if any restriction yet. I will have to ask about being numbed first. She does not do that and I don't think if they went as well as the first one that it would be needed, but the second one was just not fun!!!

Yes I would get banded again. I have not been as sucessful in losing weight yet, I was banded December 13, 2005 and I lost some weight, but am now up to day of surgery weight. I have had one fill and will have another one this week. I feel good, I know that the weight will come off once my band is filled right for my body. What I can tell you is that everyone is different. I am very hungry and not feeling any restriction at all.....yet. It will come and I will be sucessful at some point. I also get frustrated when I see a friend of mine who had gastric by-pass done a month after me, who was already much smaller than me, down 30+ lbs. But that is a completely different surgery and one that i chose not to do for my personal reasons. So just keep in mind if the beginning is tough that it will work over time. Good Luck!!!!

I have always thought that I was addicted to food. It was a choice in a way. I have many family members who are drug/alcohol addicts and I never wanted to be that. I watched my father who is a food addict and realized that there were behaviors that were wrong, but I could never stop myself from eating and being over weight. I used to smoke and when after quitting I would often think if only I did not have to eat. I can avoid the things that I know are bad for me, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. but I have to eat. I don't have to eat cake, but I can just as easily over eat healthy food. I do not think that everyone is like this, but I would guess there are more of us then we know about. Food addiction is not talked about as much as other addictions if at all.

Jen, I am glad that the band did not slip, but sorry to hear that this is your body's reaction to the band. Did they say if it would get better? I hope it does so you do not have pain all the time. dawn

I am looking for some help tracking food. I have never been great at this, but once I am in the habit I do well. My scale is going the wrong way and in thinking about what I need to do, I have decided that I need to track both my food and my exercise (which really means that I need to start moving) So if anyone has things that have helped them and would like to share I would love the help:hungry:

Cheri, I have been looking some but not posting. Do you know if there is a way to print out a sheet that can be filled out and then enter it later? I will go and look tonight. How are you doing? I have another fill in just under two weeks : ) dawn

Is there an average number that people seem to end at for fills? I had my first fill and feel no different. I know everyone is different but I was wondering if there was some "magical range" for people. My Dr. does 1cc then 1/4 to 1/2cc from there until the number. I am thinking it could take forever for me to get to the "magic number" for me.

K@t, I think a buddy is a great idea. I wish I thought of that. I can answer some questions but have not been banded for long. I would like a buddy as well. I am having a hard time as I have no restriction yet and have now gained all post op weight back : ( I would do it all over again as I know that the band is a tool that is going to work once my fill is right. My husband was more supportive when he learned more about it. He was concerned about risks and how it would change our lives together. Maybe your husband will be more supportive once he has more info. I am bigger than you (it sounds like it anyway) I am 5'4 and 280 lbs. I have also been big my entire life and not able to keep weight off without help. Good luck

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Did anyone else not lose weight? I just had my first fill and still feel no different. I am getting frustrated. I know in time it will get better, but I was not prepaired for this. I have gained weight back that I originally lost. My Dr. is upset because I was told to eat until I got full. Now I don't know about any of you, but I am not good at telling when I am full. So I am going back to ask for very strict guidelines for my diet. So I am just wondering if others could let me know if this happened to them and let me know that once I find the right fill number that things will be better.:faint: