My first fill story

blondiebandie · 06-09-2008, 11:09 PM

I am posting this with the thought that my experience may be helpful to folks....This morning I went in for my first fill (I was banded on May 2nd). I was pretty nervous at first, but everyone (True Results in Richardson) was so nice, I calmed down right away. After weighing in, a blood pressure test, and the nurse listening to my breathing and such, I signed some papers acknowledging that I essentially know what's going on.

Then, the nurse injected my tummy with a shot of lidocaine (she said she usually does that for us first-timers). She poked around on me a little, then found the port. The nurse inserted the needle in my port and added .8 cc of saline. Afterwards, I sipped water for 30 minutes to make sure it would go down. During that time, I visited with a "patient educator". She is a really kind lady who has been banded for several years now. For the first time in my life, I had someone with whom I could actually talk and ask questions -- nice. Anyways...I am now on full liquids for 2 days. After that, I move up to soft foods for another 2 days. Then, I start solids...I am pretty antsy about that, to be sure. Well, that is about it. Pretty uneventful. I'm a bit sore from the injection, but that is about all. I go back in 2 weeks to see if I need more/less fill. Good luck to all of you with your first fill - I hope y'all's go as smoothly as mine!

Enigma13 · 06-10-2008, 12:46 PM

Thanks....did you start with any fluid in your band? I was banded by Dr. Felts at True Results in Richardson too!! I don't get a fill until 6/26 but I'm getting less nervous the more stories I read.

timandi · 06-10-2008, 08:29 PM

Hey all of you May Bandsters!!!! I was banded on the 13th of May

and go for my first fill on the 20th

. I am new to this forum and hoping for support because their is no one I know that has had this done that I can talk to. My mom and sister had Gastric Bypass done about 3 years ago and my sister done real good and my mom is now bigger than she was before. They are NO help. Any suggestions about getting hungry in between meals? What are yalls diet? It seems that everyones is different. HELP!!!!!@

blondiebandie · 06-10-2008, 11:22 PM

Hey Enigma13!!! Dr. Felts was my surgeon too! When I went in for the fill, the nurse told me I had 5 cc already in the band (that was the first time I found out). She then proceeded to extract a certain amount of fluid with the syringe before pushing it back in with the extra 0.8 ccs. That may sound kind of creepy, but it was fine, really! Good luck with your fill. Please let me know how it goes!

blondiebandie · 06-10-2008, 11:41 PM

Timandi, Hi there! I am pretty new to this forum too but during the time I've been here, everyone has been very kind and supportive. I too have been getting very hungry between meals -- according to the nurse, that is a sure sign you need a fill. I understand that when we are filled to the right amount we won't be hungry between meals IF we make sure we're getting enough protein. Since breakfast is often made up of "bready" food we can no longer have, my patient educator suggested that I eat 2 large eggs or 3-4 Morningstar veggie sausage links for my first meal. She said that only by eating enough protein will we stay full for 4 hours --- until our next meal. Another suggestion was that I only eat food with a fork (food eaten with a spoon will slip easily through the band, defeating its purpose for being there in the first place). And we need to make sure that we're drinking lots of water (I flavor mine with Crystal Lite). Sometimes we feel we're hungry when we're actually just thirsty! Good luck with your journey with the band...we'll all be there right beside you!

justmel1957 · 06-13-2008, 09:03 AM

Had my first fill yesterday. Surgery was 5/7. The fill was a breeze. Didn't feel a thing, and no "deadener" applied. I have a 4cc band and he inserted 1.5cc. Am on liquids today, then am to eat til I'm full (and keep an accurate measurement of how much that is) and report back on my next visit. He said that will help him know how much to fill next month.
Doing pretty well. Have lost 13 pounds in 5 weeks. Weighing at 210 now. Can't wait to get below 200. Gotta up the exercise!!