Were you unfilled before your PS?

Frangipani · 05-05-2008, 04:56 AM

Hi everyone!

Congratulations to all of you who have successfully completed your PS journey. I am an avid reader of all of your threads, and the information and pics you have so generously shared have helped to take a lot of the fear and uncertainty out of this whole process for me -- thanks so much to all of you!!!!

I will be starting my PS journey soon, (hopefully in early June) and will post more details in this section once I have them all worked out, but I had a quick question for you in the meantime -- did your Dr. require you to be unfilled prior to surgery?

Since I still have some more weight to lose and because (as we all know) it is often tough and time consuming to get just the right fill, I would prefer not to be unfilled, and I was just wondering what most of you ended up doing.

Thanks again -- you ladies are awesome!!!

juliegeraci · 05-05-2008, 10:34 AM

My doctor recommends an unfill of .5. I went from 3.2 to 2.7. I did gain about 7 or 8 lbs within a 2 week period. I have taken that off now since my surgery on 4/21. The only advice I would give you is if you do get an unfill wait until the very last minute before surgery. That way you will not gain any weight. Best of luck to you.

Frangipani · 05-05-2008, 12:00 PM

Julie,

Thank you so much for the feedback -- you are always so helpful!!!!

I've been following your PS thread and I'm so glad to hear that things are progressing so well with your recovery. I'm looking forward to seeing the pics if/when you decide to put them up.

Thanks again!

StephC · 05-06-2008, 11:04 AM

I had an "almost" complete unfill. I had 8.5 and he took out all he could find and got 7 out- so I guess theres 1.5 floating around in there. I was worried about gaining prior to surgery so I didnt' get my unfill until 4pm the night before my surgery. Since surgery I havent' had much of an appetite, hardly anything the first 3 days and the last 2 days I've been eating very small portions. I was determined I was going to eat a cheeseburger when I got my unfill so yesterday we went to eat at a local little dive and I was able to eat 1/2 my cheeseburger with everything and a couple zucchini fries. I enjoyed it and was pleased that I was able to stop when I was full.

Frangipani · 05-06-2008, 11:18 AM

Thanks for the feedback Steph! These responses are very helpful guidance for me.

Dr.JLo · 05-06-2008, 02:37 PM

Hi. Every bariatric surgeon will have their own preference here, but for the larger PS procedures like LBL I prefer them left open (unfilled) as patients need the extra nutrition after surgery.

John LoMonaco, F.A.C.S.
Plastic Surgery
Houston, Texas

www.BodyLiftHouston.com
www.DrLoMonaco.com

salsa1877 · 05-06-2008, 02:46 PM

My lap band doc did not require an unfill, but my PS did. Because I was too tight to begin with I have been unfilled for the last 2 weeks. I have lost a total of 2 pounds since being unfilled. However I am in training for a half marathon so that helps keeps the pounds down. I am in maintenance phase though so I can have increased calories. Typically I consume 1500 calories a day which if you choose your foods right is actually a LOT of food! My TT is not until July 3 so I will have been unfilled for a total of 2.5 months before I even get my TT. After that we will see when I go in and get another fill. My PS said not until at least 4 weeks after so that there were no nutritional issues.

Frangipani · 05-06-2008, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.JLo

Hi. Every bariatric surgeon will have their own preference here, but for the larger PS procedures like LBL I prefer them left open (unfilled) as patients need the extra nutrition after surgery.

John LoMonaco, F.A.C.S.
Plastic Surgery
Houston, Texas

www.BodyLiftHouston.com
www.DrLoMonaco.com

Thank you so much for sharing this information with me, Dr. JLo. It's very helpful to have feedback on this issue from a plastic surgeon.

I have visited your website and looked at your before and after photos and your work is excellent! I had actually considered traveling out your way and consulting with you, but for logistical reasons I decided that it was easier for me to have my LBL and BL procedures done in the Miami area, which is much easier to travel back and forth from where I live (USVI).

Salsa, thanks for letting me know that even if I'm unfilled, I might not have anything to worry about as long as I keep up with my exercise

!

lexy · 05-08-2008, 10:25 AM

My Plastic Surgeon did not require that I get an unfill, but I choose to do so. I am so happy I did. I was almost too tight prior to surgery and I tend to vomit following any kind of operation. I woke up from surgery feeling very sore, sick too my stomach - basically like I had been hit by a truck.

It was very re-assuring to know I didn't have to think about my band while I focused on recovery from my Breast Lift. I did not gain any weight and got a fill once I was feeling well.

I would highly recommend a de-fill before any kind of surgery if your have post surgery nausea, so you can take oral pain medication easily and so you can eat lots of good healthy food to help your body heal!!

Best of Luck

Frangipani · 05-08-2008, 10:48 AM

Hi Lexy,

Thank you for the excellent and insightful feedback. I do tend to vomit after surgery. In fact, I vomited just before and immediately after my Lap Band surgery -- which couldn't have been a good thing, but apparently didn't cause any problems. (Sorry if this is a little gross talking about this.)

Anyhow, you brought up a really good point that I had not considered. Thank you!!!!

JSIL · 05-09-2008, 10:16 AM

My doctor so far has not said anything about an unfill. Surgery on 5/14, will let you know for sure!

Frangipani · 05-09-2008, 10:46 AM

Thank you so much JSIL!

Wow, surgery next Wednesday!!! Good luck with that and keep us posted -- what are you having done?

Esmeralda · 05-09-2008, 11:47 AM

My surgeon didn't require and unfill so i didnt get on and I did great, how ever I was afraid of getting to tight after my surgery but everything went great. I went from 158 before my surgery to 165 after and I am back to 158 I am maintaining but I have really had a hard time getting myself motivated to start lossing the last 13 pounds that I want to lose.

JSIL · 05-09-2008, 11:07 PM

I am having a tt done on 5/14, sorry I didn't say that in the original post. My Lap Band doctor is coming to surgery to change my port to a lowprofile and then move the port over. He hasn't said anything about an unfill, but as I said I will let you know after surgery. Jenny

Frangipani · 05-10-2008, 01:08 PM

Thanks Esmerelda

!

I really appreciate all of the helpful feedback I have gotten in this thread.

I just received an email from my bariatric surgeon and he told me that if I don't want an unfill, I might want to consider going on liquids for a few days before the surgery to reduce the risk (very slight according to him) of aspiration while under general anesthesia. But I also think I recall my other surgeon telling me that the anesthesiologist will usually suction out the pouch of his banded patients prior to surgery (???).

JSIL, good luck with all of this. It sounds like you've attended to every last detail. Please keep us updated with your progress. I'll be thinking of you on Wednesday.

Thanks again everyone!