First Fill?

[PeaceLove&Tash 27]

After surgery about how long until your first fill? Do you feel restriction at all after surgery? I have been reading and many people are saying yet are hungry all the time. Just a little confused ???¨

[DeAna N 229]

I haven't been banded yet but from what ive gathered after surgery there is swelling so some people feel restriction but dome don't depending on you amount of swelling this time between surgery and your first fill is "bandster hell" because once the swelling hoed down you have your appetite back with no restriction so you are basically using will power and learning what and how you can eat everyones body reacts differently to the band I'm hoping I have lost of restriction in the beginning but you wont know until you go through it hope I helped some

[2muchfun 8,927]

30 days for me(first fill). Some restriction post op but that went away in 2 weeks. Most of us go into bandster hell* the first month and stay there till we get the fill that gives us restriction. That could be 0-13 fills. It took 3 fills to feel some restriction and 6 to get me to the green zone.

*Bandster Hell=Your band is not filled with very much saline at surgery time so the opening to your stomach is large. Swelling from the trauma of surgery does give most bandsters a feeling of restriction for up to 30 days. Most bandsters feel as if they can eat as much as before surgery and can eat the same foods as before surgery. For some reason hunger seems to be more intense. This is a time to start training yourself by eating healthy foods and abstaining from sugars, fats and simple carbs. Most people try to eat lots of veggies, low fat meats and eat in moderation.

Remember: "It's just a diet until you have restriction"

tmf

[mrspopeye 69]

My surgeon does fills at a minimum of once every 30 days. I had no fill during surgery on May 14th (he says it depends on the way it fits and everyone is different). I had my first fill of 2.8cc on June 14th and I feel a little more restriction than I did, but I am definitely not in the "green zone." I had restriction from the swelling for about 10 days after the surgery, then I was increasingly hungry and by the time I went in for my first fill, it was if nothing ever changed and I could have eaten anything I wanted. I'm not sure why some people feel extra hungry- but I sure did- maybe it was coming off the pre and post op diets and was the first time I seemed normal in 3 weeks. I lost 11 pounds in the 1 month since surgery, but that was the 2wks after, not the 2 wks since and I have struggled not to gain. I do feel more in control with the little Fluid I have than before. It's hard to mentally prepare for the "Bandster Hell" period. It was/is tougher than I thought. The PP that said it is just a diet until you have restriction is 100% correct. It will take a period of time to get there, unfortunately I am impatient. Just being more aware of what to expect should help some.

Are you from Nashville? I saw Dr. Olson was your doc. I was banded by Dr. Spaw at Baptist. Good luck to you!

[TiffanyMcarroll 14]

I haven't been banded yet but from what ive gathered after surgery there is swelling so some people feel restriction but dome don't depending on you amount of swelling this time between surgery and your first fill is "bandster hell" because once the swelling hoed down you have your appetite back with no restriction so you are basically using will power and learning what and how you can eat everyones body reacts differently to the band I'm hoping I have lost of restriction in the beginning but you wont know until you go through it hope I helped some

You have about 1 cc in your band after surgery. This allows your stomech to heal properly. The first 2 weeks I was not hungery at all. About the 3 to 4th week my appitite came back a little. At 4 week out you are adjusted... at that time the dr all do things a litle differnt. This is good for you to learn to eat slow. If they adjusted you to fast you would have a hard time adjusting to your new way of eating. Learn about what you are putting into your body.

[honk 780]

You have about 1 cc in your band after surgery. This allows your stomech to heal properly. The first 2 weeks I was not hungery at all. About the 3 to 4th week my appitite came back a little. At 4 week out you are adjusted... at that time the dr all do things a litle differnt. This is good for you to learn to eat slow. If they adjusted you to fast you would have a hard time adjusting to your new way of eating. Learn about what you are putting into your body.

Not all doctors fill at surgery.

[Sojourner 2,446]

My band was empty until my first fill, which should have been done 6 weeks post op. I experienced some medical complications, so I did not have my first fill until 14 weeks post op. My doctor will not do a fill any closer than 6 weeks apart.

From reading this forum, it is common for different doctors to have slightly different procedures and recommendations. The best policy is to follow your doctor's recommendations.

I initially had some restriction as I was healing. I now have only 3 cc of Fluid in my band, and have noticed that I am not able to finish my meals all of the time. It is also takes me longer to feel hungry between meals sometimes, but I sometimes do get hungry after only 3.5 hours. I manage my hunger by drinking the fluids we are supposed to have daily.

Eventually, with the correct amount of restriction you need, you will not be getting hungry too soon between meals, and will have to slow your eating down. As per my surgeon's recommendations, each meal is timed for 20 minutes, and what ever is left on your plate, you don't eat.

[PeaceLove&Tash 27]

My surgeon does fills at a minimum of once every 30 days. I had no fill during surgery on May 14th (he says it depends on the way it fits and everyone is different). I had my first fill of 2.8cc on June 14th and I feel a little more restriction than I did' date=' but I am definitely not in the "green zone." I had restriction from the swelling for about 10 days after the surgery, then I was increasingly hungry and by the time I went in for my first fill, it was if nothing ever changed and I could have eaten anything I wanted. I'm not sure why some people feel extra hungry- but I sure did- maybe it was coming off the pre and post op diets and was the first time I seemed normal in 3 weeks. I lost 11 pounds in the 1 month since surgery, but that was the 2wks after, not the 2 wks since and I have struggled not to gain. I do feel more in control with the little Fluid I have than before. It's hard to mentally prepare for the "Bandster Hell" period. It was/is tougher than I thought. The PP that said it is just a diet until you have restriction is 100% correct. It will take a period of time to get there, unfortunately I am impatient. Just being more aware of what to expect should help some.

Are you from Nashville? I saw Dr. Olson was your doc. I was banded by Dr. Spaw at Baptist. Good luck to you![/quote']

I am from Cookeville I hear great things from him so that's who I chose. How is your weightloss going? Lots of Protein shakes?

[PeaceLove&Tash 27]

Thanks for all the input! I am learning so many different things. It does sound like everyone is different some at surgery some a little later.....I guess I am just worried about getting out of surgery and wanting to eat and EAT! But it's a tool I suppose