Fills and frequency Question

[beedo 0]

I have been doing some research and I need help from some of the experenced bandsters. I have completed all of my required visits, nutritionalist, cardio stuff, stress test, ect and I am waiting on approveal. My question is the doctor I have chosen has a great reputation as a surgeon and has great "personal" rep as well, but the more I read the more concerned I am about his fill practice, I see that the first fill is 3 months after surgery and second fill is 2 moths after first and then a month after 2nd for the third. I have also read he is super conservative with the fills as well. I have a friend that had the lapband procedure done by this dr and he has lost no weight and I think he is gained some over the last year, and he blames it on the lack of fills, so I guess my question is if this is normal and is it too late to choose another Dr. while I am awaiting for approval and if I am approved am I tied to THIS one doctor. Just worried because I am getting really close to having it done and I figured it will be within the next 30 days and I am worried I picked the wrong Dr.

[JoiaRox 430]

I would talk about this with your doctor - ask if you can get more fills if desired. Although my first fill is scheduled for 2-6-10, I've been reading about people who get aggressive with their doctors - demand you get a fill in two weeks if you're not feeling the "restriction" and make sure that the doctor is helping the LapBand help YOU. If he's not, he's not doing his job. Ask your doctor what his fill schedule is and if it's flexible according to the patient's (you) desires/needs. If not? Maybe you need to find another doctor...easy to switch as long as they're still in your insurance's network.

[beedo 0]

Well I am not going to do anything dreastic until I speak with him, I am concerned with all of the people I know that have had it done through him and what I have read here. But this is the FAQ off of his site and from what I hear he follows it pretty close

Question: When should I expect the first band adjustment?

Answer: The first adjustment is 3 months after surgery, the second is 1 month after that, and the third is 2 months after the second adjustment.

I see people on here getting them more often than that and at the slow rate I think you could get extremely discourged, I have seen my friend go through the same thing.

[illuminationlady 7]

My doctors policy is to let you heal after surgery (4 weeks) and then start the fills. After that he fills every 2 weeks until you get to that "sweet spot". I don't see any reason why you should wait all that time to get your fills. Talk to your doctor before you embark on this journey with him. Your fills are a very important part of your success.

[beedo 0]

My concern is that I see on here people needing multiple fills to get the restriction they need but at that fill rate it may take a year to get where "I" need to be. I may only need one fill or two who knows, but I do not want to have to wait months to get a fill when I know that it isnt right. My good friend recomended me to him for his bed side mannor and said overall he is a great surgeon, but NOW he wishes he would have chose a different dr because of the lack of fills. I may be overly concerned about the fills but after going through so many months of stress and dr visits ect. I do not want to have to keep waiting. All of my paperwork was submitted 01-08-10 so I should hear something soon I hope, the girl that does all of that said that Aetna takes 7-10 Days and I am getting a little nervous!

[howdybooth 4]

I was banded 11/16/09 and had my first fill 12/3/09 during my post surgery check-up (1 1//5 CC) because I felst I was eating too much. Had some restriction, but could pretty much eat what I wanted – just small quantities. Went for my second fill on 1/12/10 and had gained 2 lbs! Yikes. He suggested a more aggressive fill and I said OK. Filled me with 3 1/5 CC, which was too tight, removed the half and it’s been great. Can’t eat solids in the AMs, but do pretty well the rest of the day. I’ve lost a total of 28 lbs, 5 of which happened in the last week!

I hate that I was 8 weeks post surgery before I actually felt real restrictions. bread and Pasta are my demon foods and until last week’s fill – I could still eat them; now, not so much. So I now LOVE my band – just wish I had been more restricted, longer. Here’s the other thing – my doctor is a general surgeon that also does the lap band (no other bariatric surgery) and it is only about 5% of his business. So getting in to see him isn’t a problem. At my support group, people who have been to surgeons that pretty much only do bariatric surgery have a really hard time getting in for fills and most times it’s the PA doing the fills and they don’t even see the doctor. My coordinator talks about some surgeons hating to do the fills and would like to “farm” them off to someone else……I’m trying to talk my GP into learning how to do them so that I can just go see him…he’s someone that I’ve been going to for years and feel very comfortable with.

BTY – what is this “sliming” stuff and what makes it happen?:biggrin:

[rachnett 1]

my doctor did my first fill 3 weeks after surgery and then he said to come back in a month. but i felt like i was really struggling so i called after a couple weeks and he had me come in for my 2nd fill. after that i went every two to three weeks for my next couple fills. i really like that his approach is so tailored my individual needs. he also does all his fills in his office. the other doctor in that same office, i've heard, does all of his fills in xray under fluoroscope and he does them 4 weeks apart. i would not want to drink barium every time i needed a fill, YUCK!

[beedo 0]

I am going to try and speek with him before I commit to having it done by him or not, I just hope I didnt wait to long and I am locked in.

[howdybooth 4]

I don't see why you'd be locked in......I would think that once you are approved.....you're approved. I really wouldn't know since I paid for mine myself. I've learned that after banding care is far more important then before!!!