Mad as H-E-!-!-

[Finetnredbone 0]

Somebody please help me because I am about to lose my mind. I wasn't able to sleep last night and now I have a furious headache. I was banded June 7, 2010 only after an extensive period of research and observing the successful progress of several of my co-workers. Anyway, I haven't really been able to eat anything, not because I'm having emesis or regurgitating, but food has not been appealing to me and some of my favorite dishes aren't even tempting enough to take a bite. I have been able to drink fluids without difficulty and when I do eat, everything stays down fine. So I really didn't think that it was a problem with being too tight or anything. Yesterday I woke up kinda weak and I'm assuming that its due to poor intake so I call my surgeon's office for suggestions or to see if they could make a determination as to why I'm feeling this way. Not only can I not eat but food doesn't even smell good to me. When the nurse calls me back, she informs me that the day of surgery my band was prefilled 4 mls. I asked her was it because my doctor could not get the band attached as tight as he wanted to and she stated yes. Now, I was so concerned about not being able to eat that I hadn't really thought about what she said. When I really started thinking about it, I was pissed off and couldn't take my mind off of it. I had already hung up the phone, but I plan to call today and put an end to my misery. My question is posed to all of you that have more experience with this than I do: Why would a surgeon place a band that is too big and that he can't get tight enough without having to prefill the dang thing? I have read about 1-2 ml prefills, but a whole precious 4 ml. Now I'm having visions of not being able to find the so called precious, in much need of, "sweet spot". I don't have but 6 additional ml's to play around with if this is the case. I've read that the "sweet spot" is usually found around 5.8 mls and this is playing it too close for me. I am a healthcare professional as well and I did very thorough research when searching for a surgeon. My surgeon proctors these gastric banding procedures all over the country and he even sat on the board that helped to design the new lap band system by allergan. I have been overweight for five years and I was looking for a way to stop this downhill spiral once and for all. I am very pissed because now I feel like I am going to be limited in my success. I feel like I was cheated out of possible precious fill room. I was also under the impression that he wasn't going to fill my band until June 29th. He didn't even tell my boyfriend, who was present, after surgery, what he had done. I have searched all over the internet for answers and could not find any so if someone knows the possible reason for this, please shoot me some answers. It just seems to me that if this band comes in several sizes (the lap band system by Allergan) then he would have picked the one closest to size that would fit me properly without him having to use precious fill space just to get it to attach tight enough. I am very unhappy, angry, disappointed, disgusted and many other verbs at this point. Its not even like I have a huge abdomen because I'm one of those people that carry the majority of my weight in my hips and buttocks, so I just don't understand. I don't even have a fatty liver so its not like he couldn't see what was going on. Now I don't know if I even want to deal with him anymore. Someone please help me. Please give me some answers because if I call him today, its not going to be a nice scene and I do want to be able to be open minded.

[elcee 3,341]

Relax

Firstly I am sure that the nurses comment about prefilling the band because the surgeon couldn't get the band tight enough was incorrect. As a nurse she probably knows very little about the band and told you what she thought you wanted to hear.

Secondly there are a number of surgeons out there that routinely prefill the band. It is not generally recommended as the fill on top of the surgery and swelling etc can cause problems.You are lucky in that you don't seem to have had problems but it has had the effect of taking away your hunger. Lucky you, you seem to be missing out on bandsters hell.

Don't worry how many ml you have left that can be filled - you will at some point achieve restriction. In fact I am not sure why you are worried as you seem to have achieved a level of restriction already so you have a leg up on those of us that were not prefilled.

You need to be careful about not getting fixated on numbers. Lots of people seem to be obsessed with how much fill is in their bands rather than listening to how their body feels.

As you were only banded on 7th June you should still be in the liquid phase of your diet - you should not be attempting to eat foods that require chewing at this point. Weakness is quite common as you have a far lower calorie intake than you are used to, you have just had major surgery and a general anaesthetic - all of which have an effect. Make sure you keep your fluids up, drink Protein shakes,veggie/fruit juice and if you are allowed Soups make well blended runny vegie Soups with lentils or pulses added for extra Protein. These things should help you to start feeling a bit better.

And if you are still concerned then ask to speak to your SURGEON directly so that he can put your mind to rest. too much research on the internet can be a dangerous thing.

Hope you start feeling better soon and please stop worrying - I am sure everything is fine.

[SuzanneG 1]

Well said ELCEE!

Finetnredbone,

You should be thrilled right now that you don't want to eat. That was so amazing to me and the very reason that the band WORKS. Enjoy this carefree time because the hardest part is the long haul. Take advantage of your lack of desire to eat and try to get yourself in the right frame of mine to succeed.

Worry about the numbers, being mad that you DON'T want to eat, are much more risky than the level of your fill. Your doctor is an expert in his field and I'm sure he considered the fact that you will need long term restriction. Once you get close to the sweet spot, .1ml will make a HUGE difference in your restriction. You have plenty of room.

Try to get at least 60g of protien a day and you will begin to have more energy very soon.

Good luck on your journey. It sounds like your doc has gotten you off to an amazing start!

[Mel Mel 0]

I was just banded May 14. At one of my postop visits I asked my surgeon if I had anything in the band. He said I had between 3-4cc. He explained that there is air inside and it takes about that much to replace the air. I do feel some restriction as I can tolerate most foods but feel satisfied for awhile and I'm still looking forward to the first fill to reach the sweet spot. I'm sorry you are having such a tough experience. They couldn't remove some Fluid since you can't eat? That doesn't seem right to me. You are still supposed to be able to eat, just not as much. Good luck I hope everything works out for you.

[Marine mom 3]

do the math. you are already 4 mls along the path. If some avg. is 5.8, you are closer to the mark! Chill out. you are only a week into this. I was tired for the first month, and it was due to the anasthesia, etc. it was MAJOR surgery.

the bigger band may be because there was so much fat around your stomach. that makes it necessary to use the bigger band. be grateful it exists. While most of your weight is in your butt, your stomach area isn't exactly tiny.

before you call and are rude to people and make a fool of yourself stop and think. You sound like you just want to fuss and complain. I couldn't believe when I looked at your profile and you were nearly 40 years old.

eta: are you even supposed to be eating yet? two weeks in, i was still on liquids.

Edited June 16, 2010 by MissyMS

[khunt719 2]

My doctor wouldn't do a post-surgery fill until 4 weeks out. I ate like crazy and didn't lose any weight. It has taken me getting a fill every month since Sept to fill some kind of restriction. If I was in your shoes I would feel lucky to have restriction and not want to eat. Eating is over-rated. You have to take your Multi-Vitamin and get your Protein in. I can't believe you would throw such a fit about getting filled so early. I have to pay every time I go in and just saving that extra money would have been nice. Cheer up and just go with the flow. And just because you have weight in your hips and buttocks doesn't mean you had a tiny stomach. How would you even know that? Just be happy and quit acting this way. Talk to your doctor if you have questions, make a list and an appt and go see him and get it all out. Don't talk to the nurse's.

[Finetnredbone 0]

Thanks for the info about the air and filling the spaces. Thanks for all the encouragement. I've decided that I'm going to work this band for all it's worth and stop sweating the small stuff, but as someone who likes to do things right the first time, it's gonna be hard to not critique everything. I just wanna look good in my clothes and be healthy. I love my pear shape and my curves. Even as a size three, I was well endowed in the buttocks. At the end of the day, I have to be happy with all the successes, no matter how small I may think they are. Changing my mode of thinking and not worrying about the numbers. I'm not a person that weighs myself anyway, I've always been concerned more with inches. I like the way clothes look when I'm dressed. I'm off to pilates. Have a great day and thanks for all of the advice. It has helped me greatly and I feel much better already!!! Just pray that I keep an open mind.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Thanks for the info about the air and filling the spaces. Thanks for all the encouragement. I've decided that I'm going to work this band for all it's worth and stop sweating the small stuff, but as someone who likes to do things right the first time, it's gonna be hard to not critique everything. I just wanna look good in my clothes and be healthy. I love my pear shape and my curves. Even as a size three, I was well endowed in the buttocks. At the end of the day, I have to be happy with all the successes, no matter how small I may think they are. Changing my mode of thinking and not worrying about the numbers. I'm not a person that weighs myself anyway, I've always been concerned more with inches. I like the way clothes look when I'm dressed. I'm off to pilates. Have a great day and thanks for all of the advice. It has helped me greatly and I feel much better already!!! Just pray that I keep an open mind.

Get a copy of your operative report and discuss this with your surgeon.

[kimaly 57]

Sounds to me like your lucky and might just get to skip bandster hell. Wait until you talk to your surgeon, I'm sure he has a good reason for the fill. Don't get mad and worry yourself before you have the right answers. You just got banded and should be on a liquid diet so be thankful your not starving because I know I was for a good 6 weeks.

[LeighaMason 19]

Sometimes you just have to vent! I'm glad your feeling better.

Its also in my nature to be irritated when something isn't done exactly as I expected but I bet you Dr added the saline based on your personal anatomy. Maybe because you don't have a fatty liver or a lot of stomach fat that allowed him to give you a head start.

[illuminationlady 7]

Both me and my daughter were banded. I started with an empty band and went through 4 months of HELL being hungry! She started with 4 ccs and never had the hunger. Be happy that you don't have to go through Bandster Hell. You're ahead of the game already! My daughter only needed one fill. I had to have 5 to get restriction! Best wishes on your journey!!!

[bluezfan01 0]

Just for clarification...bandster hell is feeling hungry but still on liquids a few weeks post surgery?

When you get a fill it causes the body to not get the hungry sensation? when you reach your sweet spot you eat your small amount, feel full, stay full until meal time?:devil_smile:

[zandile100 0]

Hi, What size band do you have? Do you have the 10cc or 14cc band? I have the 14cc band and I think it is standard for it to come with 3cc in it at the time of surgery. Mine is the AP Large Lap Band and has a 14 cc capacity. There is also the AP Standard Lap Band which has a 10cc capacity. The average fill level for the AP Large band is 7.8 cc after one year. Find out exactly what size band you have. The nurse you talked to on the phone probably has no idea why the Dr. put in the size band you have.