Perfect Fill?????

Chris S. - L.I. · January 20, 2004

I was just wondering if there is an average fill that gets us to the right place. I'm talking about the Inamed Band. My first fill was 1.5 and when I went for my second, there was only 1.1. They put me at 2.0 which was really great for the first 2 weeks but the restriction seemed to lesson over time. I called for another fill today. I was just wondering what the average fill is for everyone. 2.0, 2.5....etc.

Thanks

GingerRenayd2 · January 20, 2004

Me too.. I know most on here have had fills??

I went Monday and he pulled out .75cc I was filled 2 months ago to 1.5cc... Still have no clue where the rest of the fill went??

Then he fill me to over 2.??cc I feel a little restriction but I'm back today eatting 5 small meals.

I just want to get my Protein in so I'll start losing weight again.

I'm going to give it a few weeks but If I'm still eating I'm going again for another fill..

I'm like you I wish I knew what that magic # was so I could have him fill me to it..

Sorry I'm no help!

donali · January 20, 2004

In my opinion, the PERFECT fill is where you can eat comfortably and stay satisfied for 3-4 hours before you need to eat again AND lose weight at the same time. Being so tight that you eat too little will slow your weightloss - being so loose that you eat too much will allow you to gain. Too little/too much is totally individual, and is determined by your metabolism, activity level, muscle mass and the types of food you eat.

There is no magic fill amount for everyone - this is a very, very individual thing. Every person is extremely different. You have to go by how YOU feel - not how much fill is in your band. If you are at .5 and struggling, you are too tight. If you are at 3 and eating a Big Mac and a large fry at pre-band speed with no problems, you are too loose.

Sorry, that's just the way it is. After 4 fills I am at 2.6. That would completely close some people off. A gal that calls me for support is at 3.5 and is still eating and not losing weight.

A fill that feels perfect today may be too tight tomorrow, or too loose the day after that.

One of the inconsistencies of our new lives that we all have to learn to deal with.

I would not concern myself with missing Fluid. I was hung up about how much was still in my band because I read so many people talking about how much their Dr. took out. My doc doesn't take the Fluid out - he inserts the fill needle without the syringe and lets the fluid run out. There is no measuring, no sucking out the last drops to compare with what was "supposed" to be in there. What does it matter? What matters is whether or not you have enough restriction when your new fill is complete. If your fills are restrictive at first but then "disappear" in feeling soon after the fill and remain "disappeared" I would be concerned about a leak, but that is usually not the case. There is a normal fluctuation in the restrictive feeling from day to day for most people.

Chris S. - L.I. · January 23, 2004

I called Don Mills at Inamed and asked him why people seemed to lose some Fluid when they went in for their second (or third) fill. He said that there are many factors that can contribute to this but it is definitely not through osmosis. The first thing that surprised me is the size of 5 cc's. 5cc's equal 1 teaspoon. I never realized it was such a small amount. Therefore even a small drop say going in or coming out of the port will make a big difference. He said it's hard to make this an exact science since doctors may be using different size syringes. The larger syringe the less accurate the fill will be. This all makes perfect sence to me. The doctors should also be using a "huber needle" which is a different shape then a regular needle. It is an oblique shape not round, therefore when it penetrates the port membrane it slices it rather then puntures it so it doesn't core out a piece of the membrane. (I hope I am explaining this so you understand.) I guess if the doc uses a round needle some of the fill could actually leak out a little.

As far as the band feeling different on different days or even different times of the day, there are many factors involved also. Allergies, eating, exercising, stress and hormones all play a factor. He was very helpful and said that if we really think we have a "leak" that the only way to know would be for the doc to inject a contract material and take Xrays.

Sorry this was so long but I thought it was good information.

Elise · January 23, 2004

I am still pre-first fill but the way my surgeon explained it to me - and I hope that I have this right (why/how much fill we need/how frequently) has to do with weight loss itself. As we lose weight, we lose it from everywhere, including the stomach itself and all organs! The reason that the band seems less tight... is because it is as it has less to hold on to (so to speak)! The fill amount and frequency is therefore highly individual as it depends on the speed/amount of weight that you have lost.

Did everyone already know this or does it help?

- Elise

Alexandra · January 23, 2004

At my fill the doctor wouldn't even disclose the amount of fill he was putting in, saying it's utterly irrelevant and useless for me to know that. It only leads to fruitless comparisons with other people and distracts me from feeling what IS, by making me concentrate on what I think it SHOULD BE. (He actually sort of lectured me sternly, even though I hadn't even asked him how much! Sheesh.)

But I completely understand the message. That perfect fill is only what's perfect for ME at any given time. Whether it's .5 or 3.5 is completely meaningless, and the amount will change over time no matter what.