To Fill or Not to Fill?

abeaher · 03-11-2008, 10:52 AM

I am almost 3 weeks out and I called the doctors office to see if it was time to schedule a fill. The girl said " If you are not filling restriction anymore then it is time, but if you are still eating less then you need to wait".

Ok, so I have been able to stay on 1000 cals more or less a day for three weeks. I was starving the first week and a half and have since adjusted to the limited food intake. I am not satisfied by any means but my stomach is not having intense hunger pangs. I notice in the last few days I am more hungry and able to eat more before i am full so I think I need a fill.

Question: If my tummy is not ready yet will the fill cause harm?

**Wheetsin** · 03-11-2008, 10:54 AM

I am almost 3 weeks out and I called the doctors office to see if it was time to schedule a fill. The girl said " If you are not filling restriction anymore then it is time, but if you are still eating less then you need to wait". That's weird advice. "Less than" what? Pre-op?

Ok, so I have been able to stay on 1000 cals more or less a day for three weeks. I was starving the first week and a half and have since adjusted to the limited food intake. I am not satisfied by any means but my stomach is not having intense hunger pangs. I notice in the last few days I am more hungry and able to eat more before i am full so I think I need a fill. Sounds like you might.

Question: If my tummy is not ready yet will the fill cause harm? The fill has nothing to do with your tummy.

abeaher · 03-11-2008, 10:58 AM

1. Less than pre-op
2. If there is still swelling then it seems to me that filling the band might interfere with the healing process.

azchick · 03-11-2008, 12:15 PM

I am 3 wks post op today and I am going through the same hunger etc. as you. My dr will not do the first fill for atleast 6 wks out. I think every dr is different. I can eat about half of what I used to but haven't lost any more weight since I got off the liquid portion of the diet. I am looking forward to a little fill but at the same time I certainly don't think about food all the time or feel hungry like I used to!!

**Wheetsin** · 03-11-2008, 12:19 PM

The band is placed around your esophagus. It has nothing to do with your tummy. Having a fill will not bother your stomach. :)

Most surgeons require an initial wait of 5+ weeks before they will fill, and some surgeons fill at the time of surgery (bad idea IMO). There is a healing stage where you should not worry about weightloss. Some people call this "bandster hell" (IMO people who haven't yet been convulsing over a public toitty trying to yak up the last bite of the day).

I don't think you've gotten great advice from your medical staff. They should know that the band cannot do its job until it is filled enough to give restriction.

(I missed that you were only 3 weeks out when I first read your post)

lee41 · 03-11-2008, 06:40 PM

Wheetsin: You might want to check Lap Band material that explains where the band is placed. Unless I'm mistaken, I think the band is placed around the upper part of the STOMACH (which creates the pouch), NOT around the esophagus. Also, from my understanding, although the Realize band and the older Inamed bands do NOT have a fill at the time of surgery, the newer, larger Inamed band does get a fill at the time of surgery. If you find out otherwise, please let me know.