tightened and nothing?

Arkgl01 · September 6, 2006

I got my first fill yesterday and my wife did too, my wife feels just like she is suppost too and gets full quick. They had my drink the watter and I told them it went down real slow and even burped once. I went today and had a creamy bowl of Soup with just liquid and never got full and now I am STARVING... I can eat all I want. They told me my band was already pretty tight and I shouldnt be able to eat alot. Well I can, my wife says well lets go back monday and get you another fill, I dont want to be pricked again for a while so it looks like I will just have to wait a while and eat normal?

did this happen to anyone else?

Leila · September 6, 2006

Yes! not once, but twice. It took me three fills to get some restriction and still not perfect restriction. When does your Dr. have you go back on solids after your fill? You won't really be able to tell until you've been on solids. The band should never really give you restriction with liquids, if it does you're too tight. Also some people find the fill kicks in later, a week, occasionally even a couple of weeks, and wham, they have restriction. My Dr. has us do soft foods day of fill, and back to regular solids day after. For my first two fills it was obvious a day later I was still wide open - and yes, in the office with Water right after the fill the water went down slow and made me burp. Everyone is different, you have to listen to your own body and your Dr.'s particular methods and advice and decide what approach you feel is best for you. I did my three fills one week apart, worked for me, but would be too much too fast for other bandsters. It's something only time and experience with our own bodies will have us figuring out I guess. And don't forget, liquids shouldn't get you full, the band is designed to work with solid food.< /p>

GayleTX · September 6, 2006

The first fill often doesn't do anything for you at all. That's just step one in getting to an appropriate fill. Patience is required! Even with the second and subsequent fills, for some reason, some people don't feel the effects of a fill for several days. I've seen a number of posts that mentioned "it didn't kick in for a week!" so that seems to be very common. It's hard to be patient when you're HUNGRY, isn't it!! Keep drinking lots of Water, keep eating your good dense Proteins (meat, eggs, beans) and stay away from the carbs (carbs just make you hungrier) and you will make it!

So neat that you are doing this as a couple! Just remember that your WLS journies will not be the same. Best wishes to both of you.......

Arkgl01 · September 6, 2006

so glad to hear that! My doc has us on liquids for 48 hours after a fill and soft for 24 hours...find that REALLY hard to do cause I am so hungry! I will be wait til I get on normal food and see what happens.

thanks for the great info!

Mark

leatha_g · September 6, 2006

Liquids WILL often go through when hard Proteins will slow you down right away. Don't judge too quickly. You may get some surprises when you incorporate good solid table food again. Good luck and go slow!!

NaNa · September 6, 2006

Hello,

I am not sure if you are aware of this, but YOU CAN NEVER judge true restriction on liquids, they will always go straight throught the band. The band works by eating solids, such as lean meats and veggies (the more dense the food the better). Once you start back on solids and start eating you may notice you have restriction....:clap2:

That said, the band works by inducing satiety..feeling full quick, small amounts of solids will fill up your small stoma pouch area which will stimulate the vagus nerve to let you know you are full...liquids will never do this...this is why people who's bands are too tight don't lose much weight because they cannot handle solids and they opt for liquids which NEVER fill them up and they end up eating other soft high calorie foods...I know it sounds logical to be tighter as possible.... but it is an ART to getting the right fill level, you want only tight enough to enjoy small amounts of solids that will keep you full for about 3-5 hours between meals, but not too loose where you can eat large quantities and stay hungry.

Also, it takes most newbies about 3-5 fills before they start feeling optimal restriction....

Good Luck and be patient!

La_madam · September 6, 2006

today and had a creamy bowl of Soup with just liquid and never got full and now I am STARVING... I can eat all I want.

Of course you can eat all you want if you are eating soup, all of us can even with the best of fills, liquids go right thru the bans, wait and see how it goes for you when you eat your solids like a piece of white chicken betyou wil lfeel differently, of course you are hungry, Soups do not stay in the pouch they go right thru. Also there are a few of us here who their fills take 3-7 days to kick in and most Dr.s know this too so many Dr.'s will not give another fill unless you have waited out 2 weeks from your previous fill. You can not go by how your wife feels with her new fill..everyone is different. For the recordwhen I had my first fill I felt no difference unti la week later then BAM WHOA NELLY, I had restriction..hang in there do not rush it, give it atleast a week, solids may make a difference then Soups

jojo41 · September 6, 2006

Arkgl01....i am so glad you wrote this post because I feel exactly the same as you.

I had my first fill yesterday, drank the Water, had a little burp, came home and had some Tomato Soup with no problem and was starving all day!

I also have 2 days on fluids and a day on mushies.

I just hope that once I start on solids I will feel something because right now I could eat a horse!

TexasTerry · September 6, 2006

It can also depend on your band size as to when you may feel restriction. It's my understanding that with the VG band it can be at least 3 - 5 fills before restriction. I know that I have had 2 fills with the VG. My food cravings are way down, but I would not say that I have restriction - yet.

Everyone is different. Our journeys are all an individual thing - but it's great to have so many here to cheer each other on!

Terry

Stephanie MG · September 7, 2006

IAM ALSO sooo glad i read this I had one fill and it seems like it didnt do anything. I felt very....full I guess for like a day, then nothing. Ive been getting really discouraged for the first time so far, as Ive been snacking a bit and just feeling hungry alot of the time. I havent lost in like 3 weeks. I want to get in for a 2nd fill but my doc has NO appointments open for like 3 weeks. Pisses me off , I paid sooo much $$ and now to have to just...kinda suffer because he cant see me SUCKS.

I think Ill start calling everyday and see if theres cancelations.

THANKS for all the words of encouragment, it helps so much to hear people with experience and that other people are having the same issues!

barbara465 · September 7, 2006

Give it a couple of weeks and at least one week on solids before you decide. I now know that fills for me "kick in" after 6-9 days. It just happened. Only for me, not just full, but stuck and in trouble. Both times it was on OK food, so you never know. I've had to go and have unfills to get better.

I was hungry out of surgery and continue to be hungry or get hungry very quickly after a meal. I try to stay within my bandster boundaries so I don't overeat. I will have to "sneak" up to restriction as I cannot seem to tolerate fills of any volume.

The fluro doesn't always tell the story as it shows the barium flowing right through me. They always want to put a little more in. The little more gets me in trouble later. When I had a small fill I did better, although still not to the point of restriction.

This is a slow process so don't be in too big a hurry to reach your "sweet" spot. And as others have said, everyone is different. Don't compare to your spouse.

Good luck

giblert · September 7, 2006

I'm glad to read this thread too. I'm 7 days out from my 1st fill and have absolutely no restriction. Nothing feels different. I'll wait a couple more weeks and then schedule fill #2.

Marie

health1st · September 7, 2006

me too!~ My 2nd day after a first fill too and I'm not sure if I have restriction either. I had some trouble with cottage cheese last night so today I stuck to liquids and very mushy food. It is like starting all over again. Restriction seems to vary so much by individual, how can the Docs tell us anything for sure. They act like they know what they are talking about but I wonder?! Each Doc says different things. I wonder if other surgeries are so varied!?