Different "Fill-osophies"!

[MaryBnSC 0]

Ah! I'm so clever - fill-osophy! Anyway - moving on!

I am fortunate in that my Dr. is part of a "Center of Excellence" in bariatric surgery. But then again - maybe they made that up! I doubt it, but I don't have anything to compare it to. Anyway, for banding, they offer the J & J or Realize band - whichever one you choose (I let him choose and he chose Realize). Their fill adjustments (for the Realize Band) are 1st fill - 2cc's, 2nd- 2cc's, 3rd - 1 cc. That's what I was told, anyway (had 2nd fill today). From the looks of what everyone else says, that seems to be fairly common.

However, I have a friend who had her surgery in Mexico (great facility/Dr, just cheaper). She didn't have anyone to go to for a fill, so basically did it herself for about 4 months. Then she found a place in NC - the fill center. She was able to go there for a fill and check up. Her fill experience was so completely different - I feel jipped!

She went in, laid down on the table and they inserted the syringe. They then tilted the table up until she was upright, with the syringe still in her port. While she was upright (leaning against and strapped to, I assume, the table), they slowly filled her port. They'd fill a little, then have her sip Water. They'd fill some more, and have her sip some more. When she got to the point where she couldn't swallow, they backed out some of the fill (making sure she could swallow), then she was done. Basically, instant sweet spot!

When I mentioned this to the PA this afternoon, he said that different centers had different philosophies. Thing is, he really didn't say they were doing anything wrong. He just said that I should be patient.

What's up with that??? Anyone else experienced that type of fill? I'm seriously considering checking this out. My insurance pays, but only for a certain amount of fill visits. It's interesting.

Mary

Edited January 14, 2009 by MaryBnSC

[rockbandster 0]

its an old school way to do it...there is no magic trick to hitting the sweet spot. The data from Austalia which is the band capital of the world suggests smaller more frequent fills with an increase in Excess weight loss

[MacMadame 81]

Well, it isn't necessarily instant sweet spot. Because when you go home, things adjust and the fill could loosen up or the stomach could swell and you'd be overfilled.

But that happens the way your center does it too. So who knows?

[Mimilou2004 13]

Mary, it is so aggravatingly slow and arbitrary!!!! You can go for a fill in 4 weeks and I have to wait 7 weeks to see the doc I don't want to see, I'd rather go and get a fill!!! Excruciating!!!

Mimi

[smile4me_37 0]

I waited for over a month to get my second fill because I accidently missed an appt and then I had my fill which brought me to 6cc and that was extreme I could not tolerate anything at the office I could drink the Water but when I went home for a wk I could not eat or just about drink anything so the doctor had me come back in and then unfill about 3/4 so I am just over 5. CCs. but I am still learning what my body can handle.

Edited February 28, 2009 by smile4me_37

[lapbandmom89 0]

wow thats interesting. my daughter was banded in april '08 and she dropped 20 pds in two months but since then it has been up and down with no real other loss to speak of. The distance from us to the doc has made it a bit more challenging due to weather conditions and some job changes she has had. She was given 5 cc after one month, then 1 cc, 1 cc, .5 cc, .5 cc. So shes at 8 in a 9 cc band and still is able to eat too much before feeling satisfied. She definately knows it there because some things she cant tolerate and sometimes she says the first couple of bites of something are horrible and come back up but then shes fine to go on with her meal. But that whole thing of being full after 1/2 cup??? no way. Our doc will not give you a fill anymore often than once a month. We go next wednesday and we're gonna ask him to do the floro and do kind of like you said except we gonna ask him to take it all out, check to see how much is there and then put it back, "Filler-up" and then take just enough out to be able to swallow Water. I feel bad. Shes discouraged and at this time feels like she only has the disadvantages of the band but not many advantages. I've heard some people say that some overweight people are actually little inside if you know what I mean and we really are rather small people eventhough she is the only one with a real weight problem. I wonder if this could be why she is taking so long to get to the sweet spot. Could she just be small inside and its taking a while to get it tight? We emailed doc and I told him about how we felt about the minimal weight loss and the lack of real restriction while she is at 8 cc. He said not to sweat it too much becuase there is a lot of restriction in that last cc. He said hes never had a patient that he knows of not get restriction. You notice the docs don't use the term sweet spot? She does have restriction, just not enough to experience what you others are referring to. The other thing she says is that she feels more restriction but a couple weeks after the fill that changes and she doesnt notice a real change from the previous fill. hmmmmmm. Any thoughts?

[emirichmond 0]

Ah! I'm so clever - fill-osophy! :crying: Anyway - moving on!

I am fortunate in that my Dr. is part of a "Center of Excellence" in bariatric surgery. But then again - maybe they made that up! I doubt it, but I don't have anything to compare it to. Anyway, for banding, they offer the J & J or Realize band - whichever one you choose (I let him choose and he chose Realize). Their fill adjustments (for the Realize Band) are 1st fill - 2cc's, 2nd- 2cc's, 3rd - 1 cc. That's what I was told, anyway (had 2nd fill today). From the looks of what everyone else says, that seems to be fairly common.

However, I have a friend who had her surgery in Mexico (great facility/Dr, just cheaper). She didn't have anyone to go to for a fill, so basically did it herself for about 4 months. Then she found a place in NC - the fill center. She was able to go there for a fill and check up. Her fill experience was so completely different - I feel jipped!

She went in, laid down on the table and they inserted the syringe. They then tilted the table up until she was upright, with the syringe still in her port. While she was upright (leaning against and strapped to, I assume, the table), they slowly filled her port. They'd fill a little, then have her sip Water. They'd fill some more, and have her sip some more. When she got to the point where she couldn't swallow, they backed out some of the fill (making sure she could swallow), then she was done. Basically, instant sweet spot!

When I mentioned this to the PA this afternoon, he said that different centers had different philosophies. Thing is, he really didn't say they were doing anything wrong. He just said that I should be patient.

What's up with that??? Anyone else experienced that type of fill? I'm seriously considering checking this out. My insurance pays, but only for a certain amount of fill visits. It's interesting.

Mary

I so wish they would do that for me. I have yet to feel restriction and I really wish they could do something like you described. This 1cc to .5 cc at a time is just costing me more money. I can drink 2 to 3 oz at a time and feel nothing, full or not full.

[pennreporter 12]

I'm thinking my dr will also be very conservative on the fills. But that's fine with me. I'll drag my happy butt into NYC to my daughter's doctor for a fill. But for now, since I'm not banded yet, I will just have to wait and see. It's hard to predict. I know my daughter got 3 cc on first fill. Then went to 5.5 ccs, then 6.25, then 6.75 and immediately had to come back down to 6.25. That little bit extra was too much. but this is over a 15 month period. she was at 5.5 for a long time. Now at 6.25 she's almost at goal.

So some doctors are truly more aggressive than others. My doctors don't do a lot of bands, mostly bypass, so I'm attributing them being conservative to that fact.

Trisha