Fills Forever?

freedom0702 · September 2, 2009

I have a question for those of you who have had their bands for years and reached their goal weight. Do you ever get to a point where you never have to get another fill? Or do you need to get them occasionally forever?

Jachut · September 2, 2009

Well, I think you need to be realistic that you will be in partnership with your doc or another medical professional for as long as you have a band.

I've had about 3 fills since hitting goal because I decided to take a bit out of my band. Thought I probably didnt need it to maintain after a couple of hard weeks where I was very very tight. In hindsight I was very very tight becuase i was training to do my first half marathon and running MAKES me really tight, cant eat for hours afterwards. With the loooooong runs I was probably rather dehydrated on a constant basis, another thing that makes me tight.

anyway, i digress, i had 0.2 cc removed from my 4cc band. Made me feel much more open. Promptly gained about 5 lb and noticed I was really peckish all the time. Didnt gain any more than 5, could have easily have just lived with it, but went back in twice more to have 0.1cc at a time put back. Have now been ticking along nicely for about a year with 3cc in my 4cc band. Feel a bit looser these days but not significantly so, and certainly not enough to show on the scales.

I envisage that over time, you do loosen off and I *may* need another fill but it would only be teeny tiny adjustments very far apart from hereon in. Or it will be for stuff like at the moment I tend to graze a bit, five small meals more so than three meals a day. When i return to full time teaching next year, it will be back to a 3 meal a day routine, no opportunity to graze. Will I be able to eat enough at each meal to get me through? Not sure. Might need a small unfill for that reason - because I run so much my energy needs are high and I do need to eat up around 2000 calories a day to maintain my weight.

GracieBelle · September 2, 2009

My surgeon comments on the long time between seeing him, but if all's well, why make the 186 mile trip to the city & pay $50 for nothing? He now visits my area every few months. I'm 7yrs banded. 2 times I found I was struggling getting things down & the Fluid had increased. I have a mix of saline & xray compound in mind. This can happen & it's no concern; they just take a little out & put you back where you were.

ParrotheadCathy · September 2, 2009

My doc told me that once I hit goal, I would need to come back about every six months to have the Fluid "topped off" since the level can go down.

freedom0702 · September 5, 2009

Thanks everyone. That doesn't sound so bad considering I've been getting a fill every month for over a year now. They found a hole and did a revision this week though, so hopefully I won't have to get a fill as often now.