To Fill or Not to Fill

[MarcyLoo 12]

It's just my 2nd fill, so it's hard to say. I just had some scrambled eggs for Breakfast and can for sure feel a difference. Ate less, and much much slower. But I was also told being tighter in the morning is common. I know with each fill so far I have noticed I eat smaller portions. Yesterday I ended up doing a lot of snacking, I'm ashamed to say. Life stress got the better of me. But, today is a new day and I'm determined to keep it to 3 meals & no Snacks. I plan to handle stress by cleaning house instead of snacking My husband is home today due to some legal issues at work (did I mention stress?) so I've asked him to help keep me in check.

[Momto3redheads 18]

OK I didn't read all of the posts as I didn't wanna trudge through it...but I completely know where you are coming from. One week after my first fill I knew there was no change at all - and my doc scheduled me for another one....I have never had it take time for a fill to set in - if anything it goes the other direction as when you get a fill it can irritate you and cause swelling - and you can be tighter at first and then it settles down a bit...which is why they tell us to go on liquids and mushies afterwards.

As far as when to fill or when not to fill - that is a personal decision....and only you will know when you reach your "sweet spot", where you are not getting hungry between meals, you are losing weight, and everything is cruising along....for some it takes 5 fills and some it takes zero - we can't tell you how many or how often as that is between you and your doctor. Don't let other people's input/opinions upset you....that is one thing I have learned from this board....what folks say doesn't bother me anymore!

Now my own experience is that it seems like 2 weeks out of the month I am a lot tighter - the week before and the week I am on my period.......stupid hormones do mess with the band! But I also notice that if I am not drinking enough Water or it is really really hot and humid outside that makes me really tight too....so it is hard to know when to opt for another fill! I am scheduled next tues and I keep debating about whether or not to go - due to that very reason! This is a journey - not a destination - so we just have to keep moving!

Hang in there!

[MarcyLoo 12]

Thanks Kim!

[mattie7632 24]

For me it's really not clear cut if I need a fill or not. Maybe that means I'm not quite there yet, maybe I am there. I dont' know. Do any of the rest of you experience this or have you in the beginning? True, I think I do have some "restriction". I eat what I am supposed to but normally I am able to eat more than the doctor said I should be able to. Not always, of course, which is why I really do not know what to say to him next week when he asks me if I need a fill!!!!!

[michelle37 0]

Thanks for the positive feedback for those who offered it.

Ok, so I was not in any way wondering if I was TOO tight. The days preceeding and directily following ovultion I noticed I was at a GOOD tightness (not overly). I was wondering if any of the "common folk" have experienced a tighter band around ovulation. A perfectly valid question to ask others who are banded on a board. It's a question about what other "common folk" have or have not noticed. About life experience, something the surgeon is not likely to truly know about especially being a non-banded man.

I kept my appointment today. I discussed my theory with the fill nurse and she said that yes, some women are sensitive and have more swelling during their menstrual cycle and I could be one who is sensitive enough to also have this during ovulation. Because I was not staying satiated for >3 hours and my portion size is just a little bigger than goal, she agreed that a small fill was indicated...so I got an additional 1/2 cc. I just ate lunch, portion size was right on and I'm hoping to see better satiety.

WIsh I could give feedback one way or another but I have only had 3 fills since January Surgery. I definetly know what you mean by trying to find the sweet spot. Never expected the band to work miracles but if I could have done this without a tool by just not eating I would not have needed the band. It is interesting to see that your doctor says you will be tighter when you are ovulating.

[andrea0121 28]

WIsh I could give feedback one way or another but I have only had 3 fills since January Surgery. I definetly know what you mean by trying to find the sweet spot. Never expected the band to work miracles but if I could have done this without a tool by just not eating I would not have needed the band. It is interesting to see that your doctor says you will be tighter when you are ovulating.

Hi Michelle (I'm derailing the thread a bit). I had surgery 12/08/10 and just now as of last Friday and my fourth fill am not STARVING. You'll get there!!! Some of us have to hang out in bandster hell longer than others but I'm pretty sure I can promise you'll get there.

[karewpah 173]

MarcyLoo,

As for your question about ovulation and hormonal fluctuations, I believe they do affect the band. For example, I time my fills after my menstral cycle so that I have 4 weeks before my next cycle to figure out if the fill was enough.

I believe that was the question you were asking...I hope my answer was helpful and I wish you continued success.

[MarcyLoo 12]

I actually didn't talk to my surgeon about it, it was the fill nurse. She didn't say all women will experience this (tighness at ovulation) but said it's possible that's what happened.

[momdukes56 0]

This is my first time on lapbandtalk. I have a question similar. There are times when I cannot get hardly anything down. And other times I can eat fairly easily. I am eating the same amount and type of food since I really began losing. I have not lost any weight for the last three months and my doctor has asked me the last couple months if I feel that I need a fill. My answer would be yes (during the times when my food goes down easily) but no when nothing will go down. I am afraid that if I get a fill that I will be one of those people who have the problem that not even their spit will go down. I am really confused as to whether I should get a fill or not. I have lost 60 lbs but it has taken since Jan, 2010. Any advice?

[steveelea 61]

momdukes56, I know what your saying about your weight loss stabalising....I have lost 35 kilos (about 70 pounds???) since my banding in November 2009 and I am quite a high fill level (11.25cc in a 14cc band). I have come to a standstill and my dr sent me to my dietition, and she said to me once your body loses a certain amount of weight it gets comfortable and likes to stay there....she said when that happens its time to make some changes in diet and excersize to start to kick the weight loss off again.

My problem with my band is that I cant eat anything till lunch time as its too tight in the am, but by night time I am starving.

She told me to eat tiny mouthfulls and take 20 mins to eat my meal and I will notice a difference. I tried that for the past 2 days and noticed a massive difference in that I felt really full! Amazing to me as I don't normally feel that at night.

She also said that sometimes when we feel hungry we are really thirsty, that our bodies can mimick the same feelings for hunger eg: mouth increasing with saliva and feeling hungry in the tummy so when you feel that make sure you have a drink of Water to see if that helps. ( I couldnt believe that it worked for me as I was sure that couldn't be right and that I was really hungry) Also she reminded me not to drink for 15 mins after a meal and to have a drink of Water 10 mins before my meal to help with hydration.

I know those things are back to basics, but it really did help me.....hope this helps

This is my first time on lapbandtalk. I have a question similar. There are times when I cannot get hardly anything down. And other times I can eat fairly easily. I am eating the same amount and type of food since I really began losing. I have not lost any weight for the last three months and my doctor has asked me the last couple months if I feel that I need a fill. My answer would be yes (during the times when my food goes down easily) but no when nothing will go down. I am afraid that if I get a fill that I will be one of those people who have the problem that not even their spit will go down. I am really confused as to whether I should get a fill or not. I have lost 60 lbs but it has taken since Jan, 2010. Any advice?

[Formerly Fluffy 5]

The band can be very erratic! There is no rhyme or reason for the way it is from minute to minute! A lot of ppl experience tightness in the morning. That does seem to be common. However the amount of restriction can vary from day to day, minute to minute.

I had my first fill last week (about a week and a half ago) and I felt it wasn't enough at first. I'm scheduled for another fill this Wednesday. I'm debating on doign it or not. I've been at a stand still loss wise for about a week, and was not staying full long enough and still felt portions were too high.

Then about 2 days ago it started to change...portions are smaller, I get full quicker, and am lasting longer before I get hungry. all I've eaten today was my scrambled eggs, onion, and ham Breakfast and I started to get full before the end, a cup of tea, about 1/4 cup of Jello salad, and half a chocolate easter egg (which i know is bad but I decided to have a special treat). It's past dinnertime here and I'm still not hungry!!

The only thing going on right now is a hormone flux as I'm mid cycle and ovulated. I've heard being on yoru period can cause tightness, but what about ovulation?

I'm thinking I should go in and ask for the fill to be small...in hopes that this is some sort of hormonal swelling and that when it's over a half cc or so will keep me where I am at today?