my fill questions....

hastalabyebye · January 22, 2008

Ok... I'm sure I can read read read for all the answers to these questions, but I'm lazy so I'm just gonna ask :tongue: haha.

I don't feel all that educated about the whole "fill" process... which is probably my fault because I have not attended any of the support classes my hospital offers... but that's what lapband talk is for right? haha.

K so, I've had one fill. I don't feel any restriction... can eat bread, can eat beef, can eat just about anything. I can eat plenty too... and I have been eating well beyond the 2 oz. i'm suppose to stick to. (i sure sound like a defiant lazy slob right now dont' I haha?) Old habits die hard and I'm having a tough time not eating more when I can and want to. eek.

So I have no idea what size band I have (no one told me)... and I don't know how much they put in the first fill (again no one told me) apparently, you have to ask you doctor questions eh? haha. So my questions are.... how do they know how much to fill you with? aaaand after so long do you lose restriction?? or does it just get tighter and tighter?? how do you lose restriction if you get it filled up to a sweet spot... why would you need another fill after that??

Hope this makes sense.. thanks so much for the feedback yall!

Kayla

TheMountain · January 22, 2008

Kayla,

I have had 3 fills, and am currently in my sweet spot, and have been for a month now...the last month I lost 15 lbs!

I'll try to answer a few of these...

1. Your doctor will have a regular fill amount based on your band size. you need to ask what size your band is, and how much you have in it, and what the standard fill is, and what a half fill is. this will help you to be proactive in the process with the Doc.

2. My Doc says that you lose some fat off your stomach, which will make your band looser. You also will stretch it a bit, combined with the inflamation decreasing several days after a fill. You get a little swelling sometimes with a fill.

3. what I understand is that the sweet spot is a moving target sort of, because of the reasons mentioned above. I was supposed to get a fill tomorrow, but I feel like I am in my sweet spot, and don't think I need it yet. I posted a question about the sweet spot changing, and one person responded that they have been in their sweet spot since 2006 with no fills since then!!

hope it helps, I've lost 60 lbs since Oct 22, 2007, it is GREAT!

hastalabyebye · January 22, 2008

Hey thanks! I appreciate your reply. That helps a lot actually... let me ask you. How was your experience after your first fill? little restriction? Did you find yourself eating too much with little restriction like me? how did you handle that?

Denamara · January 22, 2008

Of course everyone is different with their fills, but the majority of people have very little restriction after the 1st fill and can eat too much. It usually takes a few. My Dr told me I will probably need more fills, even though I felt I was at my "sweet spot" for awhile...for the same reasons noted above. I would guess after you are at your goal weight and hit a sweet spot that will last for MUCH longer, but I still have quite a bit of weight to lose. SO it definatley is not surprising you can eat a large quantity and those types of foods at this point in your journey. Good luck!

TheGh0st · January 22, 2008

Mountain explained the moving sweet spot really well. I was one of those that seemed to constantly chase it. I don't know if I had a lot of fatty tissue around my stomach or what but the first year alone I had 14 fills.

I will say that for some people (myself included) it can actually be better to not keep personal track of your fills. I have heard too many times both on LBT and at local support group meetings people who according to the fills they had tracked they thought their band was getting close to being filled to its capacity and yet they hadn't reached their "sweet spot". They were all worried they would never get that restriction before the band was "too full". Problem is that just because you have a Xcc band it doesn't mean that they can only fill you with that many cc's. When I finally let my curiosity get to me and asked how much was in my band, they pulled out all the saline they could and found 12.5cc's in my 10'cc band then put it all back in plus a touch.

There is also the tubing to take into consideration and the fact that even though the doc tells you he gave you 1/2 or 1 cc it is just a close estimate they may have only gave you .4 or .8/9 cc's and rounded it up when they told you.

Guess my point is there is nothing wrong with not wanting to know how much they are putting in you if you are afraid you might be the type to worry about hitting that sweet spot before your band reaches its max. Though trust me no matter what size band they put on you they can fill the puppy up tight enough you wouldn't be able to swallow your own spit.

You should however probably know how large your band is, though I'm not exactly sure why. I suppose in case you ever need to go to a different doc.

TheMountain · January 23, 2008

Yes, I was eating too much for what my goals were, but still not as much as before surgery. You have to use a lot of will power until you get the band "cranked" up and working for you. Really, though, what is the rush? Its all up to you and your personal goals, and patience. Its gonna work once you get to the right fill level.

faithmd · January 23, 2008

Here's a link to one really great thread about how fills work, check it out:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/how-lap-band-actually-works-fills-refills-45563/

bandfan1 · July 7, 2008

Kayla,
I have had 3 fills, and am currently in my sweet spot, and have been for a month now...the last month I lost 15 lbs!

I'll try to answer a few of these...

1. Your doctor will have a regular fill amount based on your band size. you need to ask what size your band is, and how much you have in it, and what the standard fill is, and what a half fill is. this will help you to be proactive in the process with the Doc.

2. My Doc says that you lose some fat off your stomach, which will make your band looser. You also will stretch it a bit, combined with the inflamation decreasing several days after a fill. You get a little swelling sometimes with a fill.

3. what I understand is that the sweet spot is a moving target sort of, because of the reasons mentioned above. I was supposed to get a fill tomorrow, but I feel like I am in my sweet spot, and don't think I need it yet. I posted a question about the sweet spot changing, and one person responded that they have been in their sweet spot since 2006 with no fills since then!!

hope it helps, I've lost 60 lbs since Oct 22, 2007, it is GREAT!

Please describe your "sweet spot". Is it just based on how much weight you are feeling? Is it determined by how "full" you feel? If there is any more description that you can give, I would appreciate it.:biggrin:

Eeyore · July 9, 2008

How often do you get a fill. My problem is my surgeon is booked at least 4 weeks in advance. I'm having my first fill Friday, but when should I schedule the next one? Do you wait a month for the next one? I can't believe I never thought to ask this of my dr.:smile: