How the Lap-Band® actually works, fills and refills

DrWatkins · 12-19-2007, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coolmikey8

New to the site. Banded Sept 1. Have had two fills currently at 6.5 cc in the VG band. Have trouble getting anything but soup and liquids down right now. But my last fill was only a few days ago. Do any of you find that even though you are losing weight that you have trouble making time to get to the gym or do any excersise at all.

Sometimes it is a bit tight for a few days after a fill, but if this persists, I would have some saline taken out. The band should be perfect all of the time and perfect is when you get full on small meals, aren't hungry and easily lose 1-2 pounds per week.

tweety63 · 12-19-2007, 11:29 PM

Dr. Watkins,
How many bands have you done?
Colleen

Oregondaisy · 12-20-2007, 03:42 AM

[quote=DrWatkins; Also, sometimes we think we add fluid to the port but it doesn't get into the port, etc. Sometimes we think there's a leak but over time we determine that there isn't one. I've seen everything. brad[/quote]

Okay, I have had that happen. That's what started the whole question of whether I have a leak. When you think you are adding fluid to the port, but it doesn't go in, where in the heck does it go???

Presently, I don't think I do have a leak. It's been over a week now, and I tested it out today at a salad bar. I got stuck pretty quickly. Not stuck enough to pb, but I immediately quit eating. I really do wonder though, where the saline goes when you get a fill, and it doesn't go into the port like you stated above.

Thank you so much, Denise

DrWatkins · 12-20-2007, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweety63

Dr. Watkins,
How many bands have you done?
Colleen

Over 1,000 as primary surgeon and many, many more assisting and teaching other surgeons.

DrWatkins · 12-20-2007, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denise822

Okay, I have had that happen. That's what started the whole question of whether I have a leak. When you think you are adding fluid to the port, but it doesn't go in, where in the heck does it go???

Presently, I don't think I do have a leak. It's been over a week now, and I tested it out today at a salad bar. I got stuck pretty quickly. Not stuck enough to pb, but I immediately quit eating. I really do wonder though, where the saline goes when you get a fill, and it doesn't go into the port like you stated above.

Thank you so much, Denise

If the saline is injected into the surrounding tissues the body simply absorbs it and uses it.

The majority of our blood is saline and interestingly it has the same salt content as the ocean.

If you go into the emergency room dehydrated they will pump thousands of milliliters of saline into you (I.V. fluid). If a fill misses the port you get 0.5 to 4 milliliters (whatever the volume of the fill).

tweety63 · 12-20-2007, 08:29 AM

I wish I lived in your city, I would definately want to go to you. You seen to make people feel at ease and aren't condesending like so doctors could be.

DrWatkins · 12-20-2007, 09:13 AM

What city are you near?

I have lots of great band surgeon friends.

NM Sunshine · 12-20-2007, 12:00 PM

Still jumping for joy about my last fill working so well. For so long the scale stood still. I lost another pound today. I've been losing at the rate of a pound a day this last week. ( I know they are not all true pounds as some are water.)
Xmas dinner is going to be tough for all of us. I'm spending mine with family, who would totaly freak out if I started PBing.

dandydeb · 12-20-2007, 12:35 PM

Thank you for the concise description of what happens.

tweety63 · 12-20-2007, 11:30 PM

Hi again Dr. Watkins,
I live in a surburb of Chicago, guess what happened today? I have hmo bcbc of il. I did all the requirements they had me do 12 mths. supervised diet seeinf a dietition, never missed an appt. finished up 12-12 07 . Just today got the denial letter from the hmo dept. they said i didnt loose enough weight in the 12 months. I'm so sad right now. because we can't afford to be a self pay. Now I will have to start fighting with them. I also forgot to mention I broke my tibia Oct.31 lost weight with cast on and they denied me I'm so fustrated at this point.

DrWatkins · 12-21-2007, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweety63

Hi again Dr. Watkins,
I live in a surburb of Chicago, guess what happened today? I have hmo bcbc of il. I did all the requirements they had me do 12 mths. supervised diet seeinf a dietition, never missed an appt. finished up 12-12 07 . Just today got the denial letter from the hmo dept. they said i didnt loose enough weight in the 12 months. I'm so sad right now. because we can't afford to be a self pay. Now I will have to start fighting with them. I also forgot to mention I broke my tibia Oct.31 lost weight with cast on and they denied me I'm so fustrated at this point.

Insurance companies don't specialize in your health.
They specialize in denying things.
They collect money every month in insurance premiums.
Their business is figuring out ways to keep as much of the money as possible.
They do this by denying things for stupid reasons and ratcheting down payments to doctors and hospitals.
Don't torture yourself thinking insurance companies make sense.
There are thousands of ways (other than evil insurance companies) that people have band surgery.
Never give up hope.

Dimples68 · 12-21-2007, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjrugby

thanks every one for the tips and info.. does anyone experience what i have.. banded in may,, 3 fills under fluoro, and i have been told the band is totally full up. and my restriction isn't very much.. its seems that if teh band is full up.. that it !! the band has nothing left to offer me

regards
paula

I am in your boat and I don't know what to do either. I have had 4 fills and am totyally full. I never felt the first restriction until the fourth fill. I feel like to have enough restriction to lose weight properly I would need one more fill and that doesn't exist. My nurse acts like I am the only person that the LAP-BAND® doesn't work on properly. She tries to find excuses of why it is my fault that it isn't working. I know what restriction is and I don't have enough of it. I had my surgery in Aug. and I have lost a total of 7 pounds.

Pamela

tweety63 · 12-21-2007, 08:33 AM

Thanks for the advice Dr. Watkins if I dont get anywhere with my primary dodc I will have to be thinking of going elsewhere, my husband is so mad we pay around 1400.00 a month for that stupid ins. to be denied!!!!!
Colleen

tweety63 · 12-21-2007, 08:35 AM

I feel like I just waisted a year for nothing!!!!!!

Dimples68 · 12-21-2007, 12:01 PM

How Much Weight Have You Lost So Far? What Does Your Doctor Or Nurse Tell You?