First Fill: When Do You Know?

fordmotor · May 4, 2006

I was banded 3/31/06 at the Surgery Center of Richardson. My weight was 229 I am at 210 due to cutting back mainly. I do not feel any restrictions and have not felt any for several weeks. My first fill is scheduled for 5/9/06. I had hoped to have lost more during the initial post-op six week period. It appears this is a slow but worthy process that will take the band, diet and exercise.

Mary Luke · May 5, 2006

Fordmotor,

Nineteen pounds is pretty darn excellent in just 6 weeks! I think you should be proud of yourself! Three lbs per week is something to celebrate! The fill should make it that much easier. Let me know how it goes. I am getting my first fill 5/8/06. It is a worthy process and I have no doubt that combining the band with exercise and diet will be the best course of action. I will let you know what my experience with the adjustment is.

Mary Luke

Mary Luke · May 21, 2006

I had my first fill May 8 in Monterrey,MX. I went back to the doctor who had done the surgery-Dr. Sanchez -because I wanted to see what the first one should feel like and have that to compare to future fills in the U.S. It went very fast and was painless, except for the first little sting of the needle accessing the port. But, the port was found on the first stick. I was flat on a table so the machine could see everything easily. The table was raised a few degrees so then I was on a bit of an angle. After drinking a few swallows of barium-not pleasant but not horrible either- the needle filled the band. It was so quick that I did not even know it had happened except that I could see it on the machine. Then another swallow of baruim to see how the liquid passed through. The doctor thought all looked fine and I was done!

I can feel the restriction when I eat because I have to eat more slowly and chew everything almost to a liquid. If I do that, then there is no pain. If I eat too fast or do not chew well enough, the food gets stuck and it hurts. So, I am slowly learning to change my eating behaviors which is what I have needed to do all along!