how are you suppose to feel after a fill?

[~~Beth~~ 1]

Ok, I got my first fill yesterday, but a little confused, am I suppose to stay fuller longer, eat less, what? I feel no different? I'm on soft food, but yet, I'm still hungry between meals, so I'm really confuse.

Someone please explain to me?

[RestlessMonkey 7]

It depends. For example, I have a band that holds 14 cc's. My surgeon for my first fill put in only 1.5 cc's. I honestly could not tell any difference. After my 4th fill (and a total now of 5.5 ccs in my 14 cc band) I can FINALLY feel restriction, although I can eat more and get hungry faster than the goal of 1/2 - 1 cup and 5-6 hours.

It will take several fills for you to feel it, unless your surgeon is one who is very aggressive. (mine is not. He feels the data indicates slow is better) If you don't know your band capacity and how much fill you got, your surgeon can tell you.

Each person is different as to how much is "enough" so you'll just have to see what works for you.

[~~Beth~~ 1]

Thank you, my doctor want tell me the size, or the amount he put in there, he said those are just numbers and should'nt count, go figure. Well let me correct that, he said the box read standard, when I asked him the amount of Fluid it could hold, his reply was, the box just read standard.

But I feel no different today than I did before I got what ever he put in there yesterday? Thats what I was concerned with. Then the weird thing, I could taste it, the saline, from what I understand no one else has, so that worried me alittle.

My husband said maybe I just smelt it and thought I could taste it, MEN....:confused:

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Its up to you, of course, but I wouldn't keep going to a surgeon who 1. didn't know how much my band would hold and 2. wouldn't tell me how much he put in it. That's just me, but it is around MY stomach in MY body and I PAY him.

[MissBS 3]

I have had 3 fills - now have 5.9 cc's in my 10 cc band. I did not have any restriction after surgery, none after the first fill, and none after the second fill. It was the third fill that made the difference - a BIG difference. Everyone is different. Some feel restriction right after surgery, and restriction after fills varies. I've read about people who only needed one or two fills and then I've read about people who have had nine or ten. Guess it all depends on your body, your band, your surgeon, your fills, etc. Hang in there. Bandster Hell is not a great place to be, but you can do it. Just try to keep eating like you are supposed to, exercising, and stay focused on why you had this done and what your goal is. Good luck!!! Becky

[MissBS 3]

He won't tell you????? I have never heard of such a thing!!! You have the right to know what was put in your body and what is taking place each time you visit. I don't think I would settle for the answers he gave you. Wow. Good luck to you!! Becky

[ohjuly7878 20]

My doctor also doesn't like to discuss numbers with me. (And I'm also a physician! So it's not like he thinks it's "too medical" or something!)

I think his point is that folks can get "hung up" on the numbers. I believe he is doing this for his patient's own good. He knows that every "body" is different and a number for one doesn't mean the same thing as the same number for another person. I think he feels that if we get too focused on the numbers, we might experience unnecessary worry etc.

Yes it is a bit paternalistic. Also, if I really asked more than once, I'm sure he'd tell me. But I decided to trust him and just report to him how I'm feeling; for example for this last fill (I just had my second) I told him how much (or how little) restriction I felt and let him adjust me accordingly. (That is, I wouldn't want to go in there and say "please give me 2cc's" LOL .... ) He's an excellent surgeon who pretty much ONLY does weight loss surgery, and I trust him. He does his fills under fluoroscopy so he can actually see what it looks like after he fills it (he has us swallow the barium and he watches it go through). So I think he bases if it's "enough" based on the images and the patient reports.

To this day I don't know if I have a 4cc or a 10cc or a 14cc band, and I don't know how much I have in it. But I'm okay with that. Of course I'm not trying to say how everyone *else* should do it, I just wanted to chime in about what the situation is for me.

[~~Beth~~ 1]

Thanks Becky - No, seriously he would'nt tell me, he said that its not important that those are just numbers. He said that some people think they have to have the whole 10cc if the band holds that, and that he wants the body to realize when its full, etc. and does'nt want an indiviual comparing their fluids, etc because everyone is different. CRAZY I know isn't it!

I've had more help on here then anywhere, thanks to the wonderful people who have "been there done that"

[~~Beth~~ 1]

ohjuly7878 - you explained it much better than I did, thats how his Nurse Practioner explained it to me!

You know honestly, your right - I might like it better not knowing, put my trust in him, just like I put my trust in him to place the band to begin with.

[TQUAD64 9]

Fills and the band are fickle. It is different for everyone. There is no one size fits all story.

My first 3cc fill at surgery gave me no restriction.

My second fill gave me restriction for about two weeks. During that two week time, I could eat and saty full for 5-6 hours. Eventually that faded and I was eating every 3 hours and was eating more too.

My third fill was a total flop. I recieved 1cc and I did not fill a darn thing. I was just plain hungry.

My fourth fill, 1.5cc, gave me really tight restriction. I could not physically eat a lot, but was hungry every three hours. I am losing lots of weight with this fill. But this fill is way different than any of the other fills I received.

Right now I have 5.5cc in a 10cc band and I have great restriction, which I hope it lasts.

[lfoss 0]

How are you able to enter all of your data on you profile. I tried to add my fills etc.. and it tells me it is to long.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I've had more help on here then anywhere, thanks to the wonderful people who have "been there done that"

Isn't that the truth? People come to my support group all the time, asking questions that should have been answered before surgery, or at their first post op appointment. Some people don't even know what questions to ask. I always tell everyone to go to

Lap Band Talk. This is the most informative lap band web site available.

Honestly, numbers don't matter. Some people really like to know them though. I have seen people with the same size band and the same exact fill respond completely differently. Most people though, do not feel any difference after having lap band surgery until about the 3rd fill.

[TQUAD64 9]

How are you able to enter all of your data on you profile. I tried to add my fills etc.. and it tells me it is to long.

You can only have so many lines in your signature box. I tried to put more data, but was not able to. So I deleted my old information pertaining to the dates of my pre-op requirements and just put fills, weight, and surgery date.

I think you can only have 10 lines of information. I can't remember the exact number of lines.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I agree that the number doesn't matter as much as the feeling. However, I want to be informed about the device inside me as much as possible. I may not always be 30-45 minutes away from my surgeon when I might have an issue. It's my body, my health. I'm "Proactive" about it. Everyone is different but to want to know the fill amount, band size, etc is only prudent, IMHO, in case sometime I need medical care and am with someone who is uninformed.

Plus, I paid for it. I like knowing how much gas my car holds...(13.6 gal LOL) so I want to know about my band, too.

If I had a surgeon who wouldn't indulge my interest in my band, I'd find another one. The "paternalistic" attitude went out with women who mop their floors in high heels and do housework in dresses! :cursing: (aka ... my birth decade LOL)

Edited February 7, 2009 by RestlessMonkey

[MissBS 3]

I so agree with Restless. I want to know exactly what is going on inside my body. Not to compare with anyone else, just because that's the way I am. I asked my surgeon lots of questions at our first consultation, and continue to ask. I trust him wholeheartedly, but wanted to know EXACTLY what he was going to do during my surgery and also with each and every fill that has taken place since the procedure. I travel 750 miles for my band care, and if there was an emergency, I would have to see someone locally. For me not to know everything that they might ask about my band, could make a difference in the care that I get. I trust my primary care physician too, but when she does a procedure or sends me for lab work or testing, I want to know exactly what is going to be done and why. Becky