Lap Band Fills / Adjustment Info

[Whitepants 0]

Since my last fill on 3/5/08, I have reached my "sweet spot". After many trial and errors of getting here, this is it for awhile. I'm losing weight again and have been motivated to exercise. Working on losing 5 lbs by the end of the month. 16 days and counting. I'm confident I can do this.

My next appt. w/ the dr. is 4/16, at which time I won't need an a fill. Hoping this will hold me at least till July or further. Experienced the frothing, food getting stuck feeling, spitting and food coming back up. I think I now have better control at this stage of the game. There are times when I don't want to eat dinner for I'm still full from lunch. Still need to eat something, for then I'll be hungry just when it's time to go to bed. And we all know, that's not a good time to eat a meal. But, I know there's still more to learn.

There hasn't been any recent posts from you. Everything must be okay, but let a person know. We're here to support one another with good results and not so good results. And what has happened or happening since your last fill.

Come back and let's get reacquainted with one another again. You're missed. Hope to hear from you soon.

[Lisa_Seagren 0]

This is what my friends and family have typically been going through.

Fun With Drugs from The Blue Group

I hope this country gets it's act together someday when it comes to the healthcare.

[Tyme 2 shine 0]

I recently got my fill 3/11- i was so excited and it did nothing. I can still eat whatever no restriction whatsoever. I am very discouraged!! Although I am trying hard to still loose weight because I am determined to lose weight regardless. I need encouragent!!! I a getting another fill on 4/15 hopefully this one will help!!!

Since my last fill on 3/5/08, I have reached my "sweet spot". After many trial and errors of getting here, this is it for awhile. I'm losing weight again and have been motivated to exercise. Working on losing 5 lbs by the end of the month. 16 days and counting. I'm confident I can do this.

My next appt. w/ the dr. is 4/16, at which time I won't need an a fill. Hoping this will hold me at least till July or further. Experienced the frothing, food getting stuck feeling, spitting and food coming back up. I think I now have better control at this stage of the game. There are times when I don't want to eat dinner for I'm still full from lunch. Still need to eat something, for then I'll be hungry just when it's time to go to bed. And we all know, that's not a good time to eat a meal. But, I know there's still more to learn.

There hasn't been any recent posts from you. Everything must be okay, but let a person know. We're here to support one another with good results and not so good results. And what has happened or happening since your last fill.

Come back and let's get reacquainted with one another again. You're missed. Hope to hear from you soon.

[Mari2 0]

How much did you have injected into your band and how much does it hold? I was told most people need 4-5 fills before they find their sweet spot. Mari

[Whitepants 0]

Hi, I had about 5/6 fills sisnce 3/07 and I'm just hitting my sweet spot. I know for I lost 13lbs just from Feb 6 - Mar 5 alone. Right now I'm holding but I'm losing inches instead of weight.

Remember you'll still need to eat small portions. That's where I went wrong when I hadn't reached my sweet spot at one time. Then I realized I was sabortaging myself and got back to bushines. Go back to measuring your foods and stick to it. Also contact your nutritionist, mine was able to help me alot at that time.

Just don't give up. You're still learning. Also you may need to change your cooking style, i.e. salt, hig fat ingredient, sugar and your gain weight foods. Mine is Pasta of any kind and rice. And of course sweets, which I'm not to much into now. They say if your Protein intake is good, your craving for sweets is low. It must be true.

Go back and regroup and rethink and reevaluate what you're eating and how they're being cooked. Just don't give up.

I have a 10cc band and I have about 6cc of fill. My doctor was not too generous with the fills. But I'm finally there. So there, the last fill he joked about being so filled that he said try not to have to call him over the weekend. I didn't but there are times I felt I should. Learning to work with where I am now. Just don't give up. You'll get there. Yeah it looks like you won't, but from reading the many posts on this site, you see they eventually made it. Theu have been where we are now and managed to get past it.

:thumbup: It's now our turn. If they can do it, We can do it. And we will.:Dancing_shocked:

[serisla 0]

I was just wandering that if a lapband gets filled to its limit, can the band be completly unfilled again and the "restriction" start all over as if you were first band or is the filled to the limit band useless after filled to capacity with no ristriction? I am at 2.75cc in a 4cc band, with no restriction and I have gained 9 pounds of the 55 that I had lost. My doctor gave me a big lecture about getting to the limit of fills on my band. Any advice?:confused2:

[Whitepants 0]

just a quick note. 1. yes you can get upfilled, if you should need to. talking w/ your doctor about your issues is very, very important. If you have no retriction at 2.5cc it's unlikely you'll have retriction at lesser.

2. reevaluate your eating patterns, style and food choices. Since you have no restriction you feel, you will over eat just because you can. still change your life style of eating and what, how much and when. When I had no restriciton I still followed a calorie set of what I wanted to weigh or what I way at the time. Don't eat like before the band because you can. You're still defeating the reason for the band. Inaddition you may have hit a plateu. If that's the case, you must be able to recognize that when it happens. For no matter what you do, the body will be stubbon and not lose or lose extra slow. But don't get discourage, you'll start to lose again. We've all been there and just had to wait it out.

Also, talk to your nurtitionist, they should be helpful in narrowing down, what you may need to eat to get back to losing weight. Use your food scale, it'll work wonders for you.

Some doctors take their patients through small increments of fill. You're have way filled, which of course means you need more. How often do you see/get your fills? Some people are lucky to get a fill every two weeks. I was every four weeks. You can stick this out till you get restriction.

You can do this. Look what've who've done so far. 55lbs, that's about 10 - 20 lbs you did not gain. Don't you see that as a success? I do. Be patient.

[Mari2 0]

I think they should check the band they put in also. Are they sure it was a 4cc and not a 10cc band. It seems strange that you are not feeling any restriction if it is more than half way filled. I have been platauing a bit also. It's frustratating. I have been trying to up my exercise and hopfully that will help. Good luck, Mari

[Dr Garwood 1]

yes , there are no limits to fills or unfills on the band !

[katalin.e. 0]

I have to have UGI series to be done. Barium swallow... x-ray in Maryland/Washington DC.

Could any of you recommend me a radiology office in Maryland or in Washington DC, which is familiar with adjustable gastric bands in general?

Thanks in advance.

Start/Current/Goal

lbs 230/159/130

Surgery 24 Nov 06

Dr. András Vereczkei ((he's awesome!!))

Medical School University of Pécs, Hungary

5cc in a 10cc band

[serisla 0]

My last fill was in Nov 2007, the one before that was in April of 2007, and I had my surgery in June of 2006, yes 2006. When I went to get my fill in April 2007, my doctor got upset and told me that I was getting too many fills, so I was REALLY scared of what he would tell me when I went in Nov. 2007, well he told me that he was not going to give me a fill because I had just had one in April 2007, after I whined for awhile in his office he gave me a very small fill. Since my surgery in June 2006, I have only hade 4 fills. Am I going to often for fills? From Nov to present I have regained 9 pounds. Should I dare and schedule an appointment for a fill?

Edited March 31, 2008 by serisla
corrected mispelled words

[BJean 16]

serisla: Every doctor seems to approach the restriction process a little differently. Some are very conservative and take it slowly. Some choose to give you as much restriction at one time as you can handle. The best answer is what works for you.

Your doctor is supposed to be working for you. You need to be able to use him and your band to your best dieting/maximum-health advantage. Communication is the key. I would write down my questions and concerns and make sure that they get answered so that you understand why he is choosing to only give you a certain number of fills per year. If he is intimidating, perhaps you could spend some time with his nurse or assistant and relate your concerns and any related problems (like weight gain) to her. She can run interference for you if necessary.

If he is filling you to the max every time, that would explain why he only offers a couple of opportunities for fills a year. But he may just be conserving his own time, in which case it may not be the best answer for you. You're paying for his services so you should be able to give him feedback on whether his approach is working for you - or not. :crying:

[laniayala 2]

My last fill was in Nov 2007, the one before that was in April of 2007, and I had my surgery in June of 2006, yes 2006. When I went to get my fill in April 2007, my doctor got upset and told me that I was getting too many fills, so I was REALLY scared of what he would tell me when I went in Nov. 2007, well he told me that he was not going to give me a fill because I had just had one in April 2007, after I whined for awhile in his office he gave me a very small fill. Since my surgery in June 2006, I have only hade 4 fills. Am I going to often for fills? From Nov to present I have regained 9 pounds. Should I dare and schedule an appointment for a fill?

HI! I got banded last January 18, 2007 and I have 15 lbs to go. As for fills, its really up to you as to when do you want it done. My doctor had me go into his office every two months. The 3rd fill really did me in- I was throwing up all over the place but I lost so much weight. I haven't gotten my fill in four months because my Dr was afraid that i might end up becoming anorexic- my weight loss was really rapid. Am going to manila in two days to get my fill and hopefully get to my goal weight. BTW, every time i get a fill, is it normal for you to lose at least 18-24 lbs? I lose 10-15 lbs in 3 days after the fill- and then 18-24 lbs there after.

[BJean 16]

lani- you've got to be kidding, right? :crying:

If true, I'd be worried like your doctor.

[laniayala 2]

lani- you've got to be kidding, right? :crying:

If true, I'd be worried like your doctor.

Really its true. I live on the south side of the Philippines and I have to fly up to manila to get my fill. When I go back home, I usually end up staying in my room. Bed and toilet bowl are my best friends. Crushed ice with simple sugar sustains me at this moment because ensure(replacement meal) does not go down, I usually up chuck the whole thing. By the 3rd day, 15 lbs loss is obtained. I have called my Doctor several times and he asked me if I forced myself on a diet? How can I diet when I can't seem to put anything in??? A week after, I get to put in soups- (broth mostly! and I get to drink my watered down replacement meal) Regular constitution of the meal is 6 scoops per one cup of Water. I end up with 2 or 3 scoops of the meal to a cup of water and not finishing the cup, fearing of regurgitating the meal.