OK, I'm A Moron- How do Fills Work?

[Oblong 2]

I'e been reading some posts so that I can get ready for my fill in February. (YAY!) I keep seeing posts on fills adjusting, or that the fills will change in a couple of weeks, or restrictions, or sweet spots....

AAAAAAGGGGGHH!

My brain hurts. Can I go home now?

Will I have to keep having fills as I loose weight? What's this 10-14 days thing? I so confused!

[bethm 0]

The band goes around your stomach forming a small pouch above where the band is. Fills restrict the band so it tightens around your stomach narrowing the hole that food passes through into the larger part of your stomach.

Restricting the hole from your pouch to stomach makes you feel full with far less food.

Your stomach has fat on it. Say you go to get a fill and it works great for you for a few months and you've lost weight.. you've also lost fat around your stomach and will probably need another fill to restrict your stomach again.

I was banded Dec 11th with no restriction. But because my stomach is big to begin with I still get full on less then a cup because the band is restricting my fatty stomach naturally. I'll probably go for a first fill to maintain a full feeling longer then I have now when I hit between 6 and 8 weeks.

I'm not an expert but I hear that it can take a few days for the liquid to settle properly in your band to feel the exact restriction from a fill.

You also will probably go on liquids for a day or two then mushies then solids after a fill to let your stomach/brain adjust.

There are far more experienced bandsters then me but this is what I've learned from all my reading.

[Kalipso2 25]

you'll have to continue getting fills until you find your "sweet spot", which is when you feel completely full but not PB'ing after 1/2 cup of food and staying full for 4 hours. it usually takes multiple fills before you get to that point. you may even have to have a slight unfill at some point to find the exact spot. some say that even a .25cc unfill can make a huge difference.

i've had several fills and a few unfills but it wasn't until my last fill on 12/31/08 that i actually FELT the restriction. my band was tight and i was afraid to eat for 2 days. after you get a fill you should do liquids and mushies until your stomach gets over the "trauma" of the fill. after the 2 days i feel normal and will go in next month for yet another fill.