Do I need a fill?

2befree · July 13, 2008

I was banded on 4/4/08 and have lost 28 pounds. I lost 20 in the first 3 weeks and have slowly lost a pound here and there. I will admit that I am not "dieting". My doctor says most people can eat normal food - just a lot less of it and still lose. The positives are:

1. I do not have cravings like pre-band.

2. I eat alot less than pre-band.

Negatives:

1. I can still eat too much - like a whole grilled chicken salad and I could top it off with something else but I choose not to.

2. I am hungry within 3 hours.

Do I need a fill? I am at 5.5 in a 10 cm band. I thought I had slight restriction because I sometimes "feel" things going down - but maybe I am eating too big of bites or too fast???

Thanks for any responses. Sorry this was so long!:biggrin:

kizzie · July 13, 2008

Hey there.

Congratulations on your weight loss so far!.

Your story sounds similar to mine. I lost 18 pounds in my first two weeks and since then I have lost nothing. Granted I was on Clear liquids those two weeks. I was banded 18th June. I am almost at my 4 week mark. I was hoping to continue the weight loss but haven't.

Like you I don't crave as much as I used to but I can still consume quite a bit without feeling any restriction. I am HOPING to get my first fill tomorrow. I get my blood test results for Vitamin deficiency, so hope he will fill me then.

Maybe you do need another fill? I would just keep pestering your doctor until you are happy with the amount of food you are eating. I know since starting puree and mushies etc I have eaten too much. I am quite tempted to put myself back on liquids just to lose weight.. Unfortunately, I am no longer swollen or in any pain so I get hungry. I am hoping for a solution with my fill too..

best of luck

Kizzie

2befree · July 14, 2008

Thanks for the response! I made an appointment for a fill on Thursday - I'm just afraid of being too tight. Like I said, sometimes I "feel" the food going down. We will see how it goes.

Sounds like you are doing great to have lost so much in 4 weeks - keep up the good work!:smile2:

tiggerfan0464 · July 14, 2008

You may need a slight fill. Just make sure to drink a cup of Water at the doctors office to make sure your not too tight. My last fill a couple of weeks ago was a .30....it was just enough. I just have to remember to take tiny bites and chew chew and chew.

Kathy

kizzie · July 14, 2008

Thanks for the response! I made an appointment for a fill on Thursday - I'm just afraid of being too tight. Like I said, sometimes I "feel" the food going down. We will see how it goes.
Sounds like you are doing great to have lost so much in 4 weeks - keep up the good work!:cursing:

Hi..

I have just come from the doctor and need to go back again in an hour!. He tried THREE times to find my access point in my port and couldn't get it. It was moving around a lot too. The pain of him pushing it around on my ribs was not pleasant. He was very lovely though and gave me a prescription for an anesthesia cream for next time. I had an xray and he still couldn't see it!!... PANIC!. I am now going into the Operating Theatre to use his 'machine'.. I think the fluroscope thing... in an hour so leaving here soon. I am a bit concerned that maybe it has FLIPPED!!! eeek.

He weighed me and I have gained 2kg! He wasn't too impressed but said he would fill me and that would make a difference. Didn't even get the Vitamin results!. I think he too is concerned about a flipped port but didn't say yet. He also asked me if I had been touching it. . I haven't but again not too confident the thing hasn't been bashed by my bra wire. hey ho!

will let you know what happens when I get back

Edited July 14, 2008 by kizzie
typo

rharriet62 · July 14, 2008

Sounds like it's time for a fill!!!

juliegeraci · July 14, 2008

If you are eating 1 whole chicken breast you need a fill. I would say 2 oz no more than 4 is the norm with good restriction. There is a however though. If you are still losing on such high quantity of food it will be up to you and your surgeon to decide if you need a fill. Some people can lost on 1 cup of food. For me its more like 1/2 cup. Good luck.

2befree · July 14, 2008

Thanks for the feedback and no I haven't really been losing I have teetering back and forth with the same two pounds for weeks now. So I will try a small fill possibly .5cc or so. I have 5.5 in a 10cm band now. I hope you don't have a flipped port, but there is another post on here tonight about one and she said it was fixed under a local anesthesia and wasn't bad at all! Good luck.

2befree · July 14, 2008

By the way, I was trying to edit my ticker and I can't remember my password. Does anyone know how to get it?

Thanks!

tonysdca · July 15, 2008

I just had my second fill last week, and my doctor warned me that I would really feel this one - he was right. I have a lot of restriction, but I am still able to eat very small amounts of Protein and vegetables - provided I chew and eat very slowly. He had me on liquids only for 24 hours and I still feel some discomfort when I eat solid food.

I had lost about 30 lbs since surgery, but the first fill didn't seem very effective so I plateaued for a couple of weeks. I am concentrating on the essentials, drinking lots of Water, eating Protein at every meal, followed by vegetables, fruit, and lastly carbs. I definitely make better food choices since I had the surgery.

I realize very much that is not a "magic bullet" but is a tool, and I have to do my part. I'm glad I had the nutritional and psychological counseling prior to surgery. I try and not obsess on the amount of the fill and concentrate on nutrition and exercise.

was 231, now 195, goal is 150. BMI 38, now 32.9, future 25

2befree · July 16, 2008

Sounds like you are doing great! Has the fill loosened up a bit? Are you able to get the solid Proteins down?

lucymae · July 16, 2008

You know I always wondered what "sweet spot" would be like. I just had my second fill, the first was 4cc's and the second was 2. I really think this is the perfect place for me. I had not lost any weight in the four weeks before my second fill. I can eat with no problem as long as I chew it really well and eat slowly. I get full and stay that way for hours. Since I just found out my fills are $350 each (ouch) I am so happy that I will be fine for awhile. So, if you are not at the point where you HAVE to eat slowly and chew well I would think you need a fill. Especially if you have not lost any weight.

drlukemayes · July 17, 2008

hey guys and gals,

just to let you know i tell all of my patients if you are able to consume more than 1 cup of food, eating more than 1/4 of the amount you were eating prior to surgery, not loosing weight for 2 weeks, then you probably need a fill. but just be sure that you are not forcing food down with Water or liquids

. hang in there.

2befree · July 18, 2008

I went to the doctor today to get my fill. I'm glad I went, I thought I had 5.5 in my band but the chart showed it was 4.4, but when the doctor removed the saline I only had 3.4 - I had lost a whole cc. So this time he used the omnipaque?? Fluid and put it at 4.5. I do fill the restriction even though I'm only on liquids today - hope this is my sweet spot!