"Restarting" weight loss by restarting fills.

rcorn60035 · 05-21-2008, 07:26 PM

Maybe this question has already been answered but if so, I couldn't find it. I'm coming up on my one year bandiversary. I've lost 65 lbs but I had lost that 5 months ago. I'm very happy with my weight loss. I said it the beginning that slow was ok with me.

My situation is a little different. About 5 months ago, my surgeon told me he was leaving. He was the only one at this particular hospital doing the band. He followed by telling me the the hospital was actively searching for another doc. There were other docs in his group doing bypass but oh, by the way they're leaving too. What the heck? I couldn't believe this hospital (a state university hopital) would let this happen. They gave me a list of other surgeons in the area ( the closest of which was two hours away). I choose this hopital because of the very fact they were close if I had a problem. And I trusted them. I was 6 months post op and had only had 3 fills.

Ok, I said my situation was a little different. Here's the thing...about the same time as my doc said he was leaving, I found out that I had to have a hysterectomy. In diagnosing my need for the hysterectomy, they found two hernias (ventral and umbilical) that needed repair. My point in telling this personal stuff is the fact that my doctor leaving really didn't matter to me because I was sort of on hold due to my upcoming surgeries. About a week before my hysterectomy, I had read on lapbandtalk.com that I would need to have a complete unfill before my surgery. I called my dietician who said she would call my surgeon and find out. Long story short, she didn't do that. I called her back on the Friday before my surgery. By this time, I'm quite aggravated with her. He finally called back on Monday, while I was the operating table to advise me to have a complete unfill. Well...I didn't and I'm fine. Thankfully.

I'm sorry this is so long. Here's my question. Now that I've recuperated from the hysterectomy/hernia repair, can I jump back into the fills and get my weight loss started again? Can the band be used like this? As I said before, I've lost 65 lbs. but could easily loose that much more.

Any help would greatly be appreciated.
Renee

**coltonwade** · 05-21-2008, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcorn60035

Maybe this question has already been answered but if so, I couldn't find it. I'm coming up on my one year bandiversary. I've lost 65 lbs but I had lost that 5 months ago. I'm very happy with my weight loss. I said it the beginning that slow was ok with me.

My situation is a little different. About 5 months ago, my surgeon told me he was leaving. He was the only one at this particular hospital doing the band. He followed by telling me the the hospital was actively searching for another doc. There were other docs in his group doing bypass but oh, by the way they're leaving too. What the heck? I couldn't believe this hospital (a state university hopital) would let this happen. They gave me a list of other surgeons in the area ( the closest of which was two hours away). I choose this hopital because of the very fact they were close if I had a problem. And I trusted them. I was 6 months post op and had only had 3 fills.

Ok, I said my situation was a little different. Here's the thing...about the same time as my doc said he was leaving, I found out that I had to have a hysterectomy. In diagnosing my need for the hysterectomy, they found two hernias (ventral and umbilical) that needed repair. My point in telling this personal stuff is the fact that my doctor leaving really didn't matter to me because I was sort of on hold due to my upcoming surgeries. About a week before my hysterectomy, I had read on lapbandtalk.com that I would need to have a complete unfill before my surgery. I called my dietician who said she would call my surgeon and find out. Long story short, she didn't do that. I called her back on the Friday before my surgery. By this time, I'm quite aggravated with her. He finally called back on Monday, while I was the operating table to advise me to have a complete unfill. Well...I didn't and I'm fine. Thankfully.

I'm sorry this is so long. Here's my question. Now that I've recuperated from the hysterectomy/hernia repair, can I jump back into the fills and get my weight loss started again? Can the band be used like this? As I said before, I've lost 65 lbs. but could easily loose that much more.

Any help would greatly be appreciated.
Renee

Ok just so i make sure im understanding you . YOu want to make sure that you can start getting fills after not having them from a certain amount of time ?
If that is what your asking YES of course ! BY all means GO GET A FILL my dear !!!
If you still have more weight to lose ( Great job by the way) . That is what the band is for . Use the tool you were given . Do you have a doc now that will contiue your after care ?
MIndy

rcorn60035 · 05-21-2008, 08:12 PM

Mindy

Thanks so much for the quick reply! The new doctor is coming in July. He's not new to LAP-BAND^®, just new to my hospital. He's actually from Yale. I've already told the office that I want to be one of his first patients.

And I think you've answered my question. I guess I was asking if there's any problem with being stalled for a while (six months by the time the new doc arrives) and then restarting the process. I didn't go to another doctor due to the fact that I wouldn't be able to get fills for a while after my surgery and by the time I would be ready, the new doc would be in place.

Just curious...why did you have to have a couple unfills? I've wondered about that from other peoples posts.

Thanks again!
Renee

gkeyt · 05-21-2008, 09:29 PM

That is exactly what is so great about the band. Unlike any of the other weight loss surgeries, which work best in the first 18 months or so then sort of stop, the band can always work for you if you want to work it. And you do! So no problem, just get your fills and get back in the game. Do it carefully though--you don't want to rush through getting big fills too fast, that is a set up for getting overfilled and starting that vicious cycle.

I hope you are all healed up and feeling better now! What an ordeal. Good luck to you.

**coltonwade** · 05-21-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcorn60035

Mindy

Thanks so much for the quick reply! The new doctor is coming in July. He's not new to LAP-BAND^®, just new to my hospital. He's actually from Yale. I've already told the office that I want to be one of his first patients.

And I think you've answered my question. I guess I was asking if there's any problem with being stalled for a while (six months by the time the new doc arrives) and then restarting the process. I didn't go to another doctor due to the fact that I wouldn't be able to get fills for a while after my surgery and by the time I would be ready, the new doc would be in place.

Just curious...why did you have to have a couple unfills? I've wondered about that from other peoples posts.

Thanks again!
Renee

Your Welcome . Is there any problem being stalled ? No not that im aware . I would think the only issue would be struggling to maintain on your part .
Just do your best in that area. I think you will be fine , just get the fill when you can and essentially start a new with the new doc. Sounds like a great plan you have already .
As for whY I have had some unfills. I had my first fill and it went fine, my second fill I was too tight. SO i got a slight unfill, i was just fine . Then my third fill again i was too tight. So i had to get another slight unfill , was fine again . My doc and I discovered that I can not tolerate " large "fills. I have a 4cc band so 1cc is a large fill. So now i get .5 or less fills at a time .
Recently I had to get a slight unfill because i was having issues keeping food down after not having a fill for nearly 3 months. What we found out is my esphogus may be damaged from yrs and yrs of throwing up from migraines so my "im full " Button does not kick in until its too late and im TOO full so I throw up after I have eaten too much . SO I got the unfill to let my stomach heal. Im fine now I just eat smaller portions more often .
Its working great now .

Anyway . Good luck and You will be fine your weight loss should pick back up where you left off.

HTH
Mindy

juliegeraci · 05-23-2008, 06:52 PM

Renee, my doctor had me wait 3 weeks after my plastic surgery to have another fill. I would wait a few weeks and go for it. Sounds like you have a positive outlook which is most important. Good luck finding a new surgeon.