What Do I Need to Do????

mkbond · April 18, 2006

I have no one to ask my questions to. Can anyone help me. I was banded February 10, 2006. Had my first fill (What I thought was a Fill) 3 weeks ago. He missed my port all together. Had no ristrictions at all. Went back a week ago and the Doctor tried 10 times to hit my port. Each time he would put it in and then get a xray until he got it. The last time I knew he hit it because I was restricted. Well the first 3 days It was so great. I wasn't hungry at all. Then it was like it left me. I was starving. I think I could of ate a horse. I fill up fast when I do eat. It just seems like I'm eating more than I should. Should I go back and get another fill. I don't know what to do. Should I be hungry? Please someone help me.....:confused:

DonnaB · April 18, 2006

Your post sounds very familiar. If you look through this message board you'll see LOTS of similar posts from others. You can probably call your doc and request a fill sooner than the usual 6 weeks. This happens a lot so you shouldn't be too worried about it. I'd be more concerned with your doctor not being able to hit your port! Is he using a flueroscope?

PhotoNut · April 18, 2006

I agree with Donna. Since my first and only fill, I have had times when I preceived that there was no restriction. I say preceived because it only makes sense that there IS restirction. I think are just days when we are more hungry than on other days. A lot of what we are changing is in our heads, not just in our stomachs. I once told my husband that I could eat just like I always could and he asked if I thought I could eat a foot long Subway sandwich. Of course there was no way that I could. I have since come to realize that my perception of a lot of food has changed a great deal! Try journaling your food intake, and stick to no more than one cup of food per meal. See how long you can go before being truly hungry again. The goal is four hours. There are times I get hungry within 2 or 3 hours, but that isn't the standard for me so I'm not going in for another fill. I'm happy not being too tight.

How is your weight loss coming along? If you are losing 1 to 2 pounds per week, and you are following the bandster eating rules and not having to struggle against true hunger, then I see no reason to be filled tighter.

mkbond · April 18, 2006

Thank you so much for having someone to ask my questions to. I did make an appointment tomorrow for another doctor to do my fills. I didn't feel like this doctor knew what he was doing by having to try it 10 times to hit the port. I thought the Lap Band would help me not be so hungry???? We had pizza ordered in today for a meeting at work. I picked out the littlest peice and ate it. I really could of ate another peice if I would of let myself. Am I wrong for thinking "I spent the money to help me lose weight, so why am I not loosing? I can do this without the surgery. I just hate having the hungry feeling. I drink Water. I hope this is making sense. Right now I feel like I wasted my money to have the surgery done.

Marimaru · April 18, 2006

How much have you lost since your surgery?

Your complaint of feeling hungry is pretty common, but with another fill or so (average rate of fills needed to have proper restriction is between 3 and 5) and then you shouldn't feel so hungry.

Another thing to battle hunger is to make sure you are eating a good amount protien. :confused:

mkbond · April 19, 2006

I have only lost 7 pounds and I feel like I did that on my own by watching what I eat. I am hoping the other doctor I am seeing tomorrow will help me. Maybe I am just expecting something different. I just feel like I am starving all the time. I wake up hungry and go to bed hungry. I do eat less now but I still like I eat too much. I just hope I am doing the right thing by going in and having another fill when it was only 8 days ago I a had the other one. What does anyone think? Too Soon? Where I live none of the Doctors have fleuroscope. So I guess its just a guessing on how much to put in.

NaturalBeauty · April 19, 2006

Mkbond, sometimes fills don't kick in right away. In the beginning, I could go 2 weeks before I would feel restriction so you may want to wait but it is your decision. I self paid also and in the beginning I really had to work hard at losing weight and I still feel like I do. The band is a tool that helps us help ourselves. It will not do it on it's own, we have to do our part. With every pound lost, I feel like I've played a roll in it, not just the band.

I would change my doctor if he missed my port that many times. I had that happen once and it was very painful and I started bleeding instantly. I forgave the assistant because my port is not in the usual place and he was going by other patients. Anyway, go to the doctor and see if he can look at your band/port through floroscope, that will let you know if any damage has been done.

Best wishes!

Marimaru · April 19, 2006

If doctors in your area are banding patients with no flouroscope available anywhere locally, I'd say that's pretty irresponsible. I don't think that flouroscopes are needed for all fills, but certainly there are some people out there where the doc just has to use a flouroscope to see the port or else they'll never find it. It is also used to diagnose slipped bands, or tilted ports, etc...

7 lbs since February isn't as horrible as you think. It can be frustrating to see other people on this forum and others who lose more sooner, but for many people, they just don't lose much until they get a good restriction level. Also, make sure that learn the difference between head hunger and real hunger. Are you truly hungry, or do you just want to eat? (don't take that as a slam, most of us had to learn the difference).

CCBSTX · April 20, 2006

I have only lost 7 pounds and I feel like I did that on my own by watching what I eat. I am hoping the other doctor I am seeing tomorrow will help me. Maybe I am just expecting something different. I just feel like I am starving all the time. I wake up hungry and go to bed hungry. I do eat less now but I still like I eat too much. I just hope I am doing the right thing by going in and having another fill when it was only 8 days ago I a had the other one. What does anyone think? Too Soon? Where I live none of the Doctors have fleuroscope. So I guess its just a guessing on how much to put in.

Goodness! That's alot of times to be poking in and around your port. I would think of researching another Doctor for fills (more experienced) or insisting that he use fluro, as others have mentioned. No sense in risking port problems (leaking, soreness). The doctor may not have a fluro, but maybe he can meet you at a place that has one!