2nd/Third - Follow Up Fill Experiences

[OnTheWay to Thin 0]

I have had the weirdest time... After my first fll I was at 2.5cc and had good restriction, after a couple weeks it started to back down so I went for fill 2, well she removed the Fluid to measure and put back in 3.5 and somehow things shifted and I lost all my restriction, have been going back every other week since and I am at 5.5 now but still dont have restriction like i had in the beginning. I am discouraged... but remember what it was like when I had restriction so I keep trying to get to the right spot... hopefully soon.

[SpideyMom 1]

Carrie, I'm beginning to see that I really do have a good doc, for which I am grateful. I used to think he was so conservative, only giving 0.5 cc each time, but now I realize that he is at least giving me something when other docs won't give anything. What a shame. It is no fun to be so hungry! I thought that was a lot of what the band was about -- helping to quell the hunger!

:smile2:

On the Way, please don't be discouraged. It is a journey. I think that in the beginning we all tend to have more restriction because it was closer to surgery, when our stomachs were very swollen. So now your stomach isn't as swollen, and also, as you continue to lose weight, you are losing fat around your stomach and your stomach is shrinking, so you need more restriction. Think of it as a belt around your waist. As you lose weight, your waist gets smaller, and you are going to have to keep moving to a new notch on your belt. Eventually (so I'm told!) you will get to the point where you're in the green zone or find that "sweet spot" and you won't need as many fills. John337 is a great one to explain this better. He has had a lot of fills (and a couple unfills) and he knows more about it than I do. John, are you out there?? :thumbup:

[bevanfranks 0]

My doctor also mentioned that sometimes, our stomach muscles "learn" how to adjust to the band a bit, and that's why we end up needing a fill every so often, even once we've reached a sweet spot.

Lisa

[John337 2]

Carrie, I'm beginning to see that I really do have a good doc, for which I am grateful. I used to think he was so conservative, only giving 0.5 cc each time, but now I realize that he is at least giving me something when other docs won't give anything. What a shame. It is no fun to be so hungry! I thought that was a lot of what the band was about -- helping to quell the hunger!

:mad:

On the Way, please don't be discouraged. It is a journey. I think that in the beginning we all tend to have more restriction because it was closer to surgery, when our stomachs were very swollen. So now your stomach isn't as swollen, and also, as you continue to lose weight, you are losing fat around your stomach and your stomach is shrinking, so you need more restriction. Think of it as a belt around your waist. As you lose weight, your waist gets smaller, and you are going to have to keep moving to a new notch on your belt. Eventually (so I'm told!) you will get to the point where you're in the green zone or find that "sweet spot" and you won't need as many fills. John337 is a great one to explain this better. He has had a lot of fills (and a couple unfills) and he knows more about it than I do. John, are you out there?? :hurray:

On the way - Please don't be discouraged. Some Doc's are more aggressive then others. I have had 6-7 fills. Two of those fills were too tight and I went back the next morning and had a slight unfill. The adjustments have gotten smaller and smaller. My last ended up being .25 cc. I am just as tight today as the day of my fill.

Ask your Doc to be aggressive. Tell him you are not restricted and he should compensate for it. If you are not restricted, call him up for another appt asap. Why should you be hungry. We can manage our bands as well as the Docs. They should listen to us as we listen to our own body.

My Doctor's office is great. They listen to me and they are willing to be aggressive as long as I am willing.

Keep up the good work.....Ann said it right--- THIS IS A JOURNEY not a diet. We're in it for life whether it takes months or years to lose all of the weight we want to lose, so what. It's working , isn't it??

Without the band none of us could of done this well.

Don't Worry - Be Happy with what you have accomplished.

:sad::thumbup::blush2:

[John337 2]

SpideyMom -

You're right. Once in the zone, the adjustments are minimal. My last three were minimal. Especially my last - .25cc.

I see the Doc 9/17/09. I do not want another fill if I feel this way next week. The last was on 8/26/09 and I'm just as tight today as I was on 8/26/09 which is a good thing.

[SpideyMom 1]

Thanks for explaining it, John. You have a better way of telling things than I do. And I'm so glad to hear that your still cruisin' in the green zone! :hurray:

I just got back from my 4th fill. The nurse wasn't sure if the surgeon would give me a fill because I lost 12 lbs. in 5 weeks, but like John said, I was aggressive with them. I stood up for myself and insisted that I was very hungry after 2 hours and that I was constantly eating 1-1/2 to 2 cups of food at a sitting! It's not fun to be hungry! The surgeon listened to me. He started out with .5, but that was a tiny bit uncomfortable for me, so we backed down to .25, just like you, John. I'm fine with that. :smile: I'm now at 7.25 in a 10 cc band.

Oh, and this weekend I hit ONE-derland! :sad: For one day. :mad: Got on the scale and I'm up 2 lbs. just like that *snap*! Grrr... how frustrating! The next day, I'm up another pound! :blush2: What the??? I know it's all body fluctuations, but come on, bod, don't tease me like that when I finally see ONE-derland!!! That's just a cruel joke. :hurray:

[SpideyMom 1]

Oh, and this weekend I hit ONE-derland! :sneaky: For one day. :thumbup: Got on the scale and I'm up 2 lbs. just like that *snap*! Grrr... how frustrating! The next day, I'm up another pound! :seeya: What the??? I know it's all body fluctuations, but come on, bod, don't tease me like that when I finally see ONE-derland!!! That's just a cruel joke. :ohmy:

Ok, so my body heard me complaining about it -- lol -- and this morning I was back down in ONE-derland! Hooray! :crying: Just goes to show you how one day you're up, the next day you're down. LOL I hope I just stay down from now on.

[Jennifer75 0]

CONGRATULATIONS SpideyMom!!! ONE-derland is my dream world!! I have 46 lbs. to go. I'm so happy for you!!

Is it amazing?

So just to update - I fee like this is my blog and If I don't post it here I won't remember later. (lol)

I had my 3rd fill appointment on 8/31.

I have been too tight ever since my surgery and on my last 2 fill appts. my surgeon actually removed small amounts of 'air' from my band. I was losing 3.3 lbs. per week and was happy with my results, but worried because I could not take in liquids. So I agreed to have the 2nd 'unfill.' Well I wish I wouldn't have because immediately I noticed a difference. I could drink finally but I could also eat more and would be STARVING after 2 hours. I had finally entered the dreaded 'Bandster Hell' and I wanted out!

My appt. was scheduled for 9/14 but I knew I wouldn't make it......I moved it up to 8/31 which was actually exactly 4 weeks out from the 2nd unfill.

Sure enough...I hadn't lost anything and had gained 3 pounds! UGH!

I am happy to report I have had a 2 CC fill and I'm doing great now! I can still drink my liquids but I'm full for 4-5 hours after eating 1/2 c. of food. It is WONDERFUL!! I think this would be described as my 'sweet spot!' I lost 6 lbs. the first week. (which was mostly Water weight I'm sure I was retaining water) The best part for me was that I had none of the flu like symptoms I had gotten with the 'unfill'. That was a relief!

So, long story short - Finally - after 15 1/2 weeks, my body was ready for a fill. I 'get it' now. I fell like I've had the full range of lap band...too tight, too lose, and finally...JUST RIGHT!

My only advice for anyone not in the 'green zone' yet - be patient, you will get there!

[SpideyMom 1]

Thanks, Jennifer! It does feel good, but I'm a little nervous about One-derland still because I'm only one pound into it (199) LOL! Don't worry, it's just around the corner for you! You have done so well -- 60 lbs lost!! WOW! I'm so glad you have found the sweet spot. I really want to find that. I can't even imagine how 1/2 a cup of food would keep me full for 4 - 5 hours. I know it can be done, though!

Keep up the great work, Jennifer! And keep checking in! :thumbup:

[Jennifer75 0]

Thanks Spidey Mom -

Hey I just thought of something! Do you realize that you are

199 on 9/9/09? How cool is that??

:-)

[SpideyMom 1]

Thanks Spidey Mom -

Hey I just thought of something! Do you realize that you are

199 on 9/9/09? How cool is that??

:-)

Whoa -- that is cool!!!! I love it! :thumbup: And it happens to be my son's birthday, which makes it even cooler. He's five, though, not nine, which would be really cool and almost freaky! lol

[rguay 0]

Ok. I must have missed something. Excuse my ignorance but what is onederland everyone keeps talking about. Obviously I am not there.

[Minxz 0]

Its when you break 199 lbs and under. You left the three and two hundreds behind and are now in onederland :blushing:.

I had my third fill yesterday. I finally feel some restriction. I HOPE it lasts. I am at 6.5 cc in the 14cc band.

[OnTheWay to Thin 0]

Thank you all for the encouragement, I go for fill # 6 today, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will be close to sweet spot finally! Funny though, last weekend I was wearing a pair of jeans that used to be too small, now they are too big, my husband says we have to get you some new clothes. I said why? He says because you cant keep those up and your butt is showing. Not a problem I have ever had... LOL

Edited September 9, 2009 by OnTheWay to Thin
typos

[rguay 0]

Thanks Minxz. Duh. I guess I'm a little slow sometimes. I was 212 when I started so I guess I missed a celebration.

Is there one for 150. That will be my next biggie.