3 days out of surgery Dr gave me a fill of 4.6ml. Normal?

Kim Lucchesi · September 4, 2007

I'm a little worried. I have been reading on this site about fills and no one has nearly what I have and I got it just 3 days out of surgery! I went to Mexico and got the new Johnson and Johnson band that is suposed to have less risk of erosion. Well, I was also told that the band was bigger than the invacare band. The doctor said if I don't have much restriction before I left that he would give me a fill. They did a barium swallow test and I didn't have much of a restriction until they added 4.6ml. I'm just worrying now that it was too soon. Did any one else get filled this soon? Please calm my nerves. Does any one else have the Johnson and Johnson band?

No Idea · September 5, 2007

I thought my dr. was aggressive with fills. Nope, it took 3 weeks before my fill and hen it was about 4 ccs.

faithmd · September 5, 2007

There must be some difference with using the J & J band. I can't imagine what that would be, but perhaps there is.

With the other bands, the point in waiting at least three weeks is because there is NO way to secure the band on the back of the stomach (no matter what band you have). The band has to heal in place and get "seated" or "nestled" in the little fat pad around your tummy. A groove settles in and scar tissue forms and that is what helps hold the band in place. Filling early (from what I understood) is contraindicated because it sort of forces the band to slide up to a smaller area, i.e. it will have a tendency to slide up the esophagus towards a smaller area.

Then again, you have a J & J band. There may be something totoally different about that band. I have done a quick search on the net about fill procedures with that band, but I can't find specifics. I also remember a person mentioning the other day that she had (I think) a Swedish Band and her doc won't fill for SIX MONTHS. Isn't it amazing the differences?

faithmd · September 5, 2007

What band does Invacare make?

want2beme · September 5, 2007

I have the same doctor, but a different band. That flouro says it all! When they did mine, it showed a tiny tiny stream of Fluid flowing through. Yours must have been bigger. Sounds normal to me... again, you have a different band. Email the doc with your concerns. Especially if you have any problems drinking your liquids!