I was shocked!

Songinmysoul1 · March 7, 2008

Had my first fill last month and in a 10cc band, I had 1.8 put in. I went in yesterday for my second fill and had gained 5lbs. Now, I know I still can eat alot but whoa. What the heck? Yes, I can take the blame for some of it as I know my kids had a birthday party and I did have cake and ice cream. What's the point of lying, however I was told by the nurse that I just need a fill. What do you all think? Oh, I now have 2.5 cc's in my band.

Done · March 7, 2008

When you are up to the right fill level, you will lose weight. I know it's hard, hang in there. :crying:

juliegeraci · March 7, 2008

I so understand where you are coming from. I gained 7 lbs in between fills. Just work with your doctor to get you to the right fill level. It took me months and months to get there and even 21 months in I still struggle with the right levels. Good luck.

Songinmysoul1 · March 7, 2008

Yes, it can be so very frustrating however, it is good to see your success!

Done · March 7, 2008

i am wondering why some patients have to wait so long in between fills... does it mean the doctor is trying to make more money off of them? Just curious. I don't think anybody should have to wait so long to get to the proper fill level. It's is horrible to go through that - most of us were depressed pre-op, and we kind of expect it to go away after surgery as the weight comes off!

Songinmysoul1 · March 8, 2008

That is the truth! I can tell, I am going to need another one in a month and hope to God, he gives me a decent fill! I am tired of having no proof of weight loss surgery but the scars on my stomach.

gkeyt · March 8, 2008

If doctors wanted to make more off your fills, they would have you come in more frequently, and then you could pay for unfills, too. You don't want to get too much too fast. Fills can "settle" in weeks later, and the stomach gets pissy if you irritate it too much with too much fill or too soon. Getting too much too soon is a setup for being too tight. Patience is part of the lap band game.

Ellisa · March 8, 2008

Just a thought on the gain. I find that eating high carb foods makes me hold Fluid. Perhaps you are losing fat, but held some fluid due to the cake and ice cream? I went 3 weeks since my last fill not losing anything. Then this week I lost 5 lbs. I know it's a fluid thing with me.

snowbird · March 8, 2008

Now, one piece of cake and a scoop of ice cream doth not a diet buster make. If you ate half the cake for lunch and the rest for dinner, maybe. I'm always amazed at people who write in here and say, "I ate an M&M! I am such a failure!!!" (I know I am overstating what you said, but it seems to be such a common theme I thought I'd inject my opinion here whether you asked for it or not.) My husband and I often have a treat or two each week. When it becomes a daily occurrence, THEN you are off the wagon.

Second point: 1.8 in a 10 cc band is, for most people nuthin. DH's first fill was 4 cc, and the second fill was up to 6 cc. He has some times when he is restricted, but not much. He is on his third fill in four months, at 7 cc, and he can still eat a lot at one sitting.

Third, I weigh myself daily. My weight fluctuates up to 3 lb from day to day, even though I am eating under 1200 calories every day. Your body retains Water sometimes, among other things. If you weigh once a month, you don't really have a good gauge on where your weight loss is, IMHO. If you are around the time of your period, by the way, not only your weight fluctuates a lot, but also your level of restriction, so try to time your fills away from that time of the month.

Final point: relax, keep up with your fills, and the scale will move down. If you are concerned you are not eating the right amounts, keep a journal of your food intake and don't guess, measure your quantities for a week or so. I am often guilty of underestimating the amount of food I put on the plate.

make33 · March 8, 2008

I've had three fills and am up to 2.5cc in my 10cc band. With my last fill, I got some real restriction for about two weeks!! My fourth fill is coming up on Friday and I am praying it will bring me to that sacred place!!

The only thing I'd say is that you seemed shocked that you had gained weight--now I've weighed myself EVERY DAY OF MY BIG FAT LIFE on a digital scale, even! So my suggestion to you is to purchase a scale (my Taylor brand from Walmart cost about $35.00) and begin keeping track for yourself.

Don't become obsessive (like I am) but you'll at least have a beginning gauge to work from.

Don't worry--it all works out in the end, m'dear! :lol:

Ellisa · March 8, 2008

To clarify, a piece of cake and ice cream will certainly not bust a diet or cause 5 lbs of fat gain.

I've found that starchy/sugary carbs will make me hold more Fluid than consuming salt. And the good news is, the Fluid tends to whoose away with extra liquid consumption and reducing the "bad" carbs. Notice I said "reducing" not eliminating? I do have a taste of them, they just aren't the main entree. When I did Atkins induction (several times) I couldn't even taste them without a weight gain (fluid), but within a day or two it would come right back off if I followed the plan. But it was still very discouraging.

I lost so much fluid with my pre op and post op diet. My ankles that had been puffy (my sister, who's a nurse called it pitting edema) became bony. But as I began eating real food again some of it came back. I tend to be a person who has considerable fluctuation with fluid. My point was that sometimes it's hard to tell why our weight does these crazy ups and downs. And they are very discouraging. We just have to keep reminding ourselves of the big picture.