Slate2633

Usually you don't get much, if any, restriction after your first fill. After you have your second and third, you will definitely feel a difference. I was able to eat everything and anything after my first fill but not after my second - it was a whole different ball game. Enjoy what you can eat now, because after the second or third fill, you will be saying "if only I could have a slice of pizza"

Hello,

I had my band put in on January 15th. I had my first fill on March 8th (1.5cc). I could still eat a lot of food and anything I wanted. I was very disappointed and discouraged. I kept saying....I hope I didn't waste $15,000 for nothing. I was actually putting on some weight because I could eat anything I wanted - and I did.

I just had another fill this past Tuesday (1.0cc). This one has seemed to work wonders. I was on liquids Wednesday and Thursday and today I am adding some mushy foods (apple sauce). I haven't had any overwhelming hunger pains and when I do feel hungry, I grab a Protein drink or heat up a can of V8. It's amazing the difference between my first fill and my second.

I'm telling you this because everyone has their own special fill point. My doctor said it's usually between 2.75 and 3.75. Well if she gave me more than 1cc this past time, I know I would definitely be overfilled because it's still a little hard to get down some mushy foods. So I'm at 2.5 and this is a good spot for me. You will probably feel much more restricted next time you get a fill. Ask your doctor if he/she will give you another fill if it's two weeks past your prior one and you still don't feel a restriction. I know most doctors will do that.

Good luck.

Stacy

Reading these posts has helped me too. I have been really frustrated because I have had the band for 3 months now and haven't lost anything except for what I lost the first 4 weeks on the liquid diet. My dr. took a vacation and rescheduled my 2nd fill from 3-26 to 4-9 so Monday I will have my 2nd fill. I hope the heck I start losing from this one.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Please don't get discouraged by this one incident. Getting a fill should be very easy and NOT painfull. I had my first one on March 8th and my second just this past Tuesday. My doctor has be lay back and then do a stomach crunch. She puts in the needle and I am to relax. The whole process takes just a couple of minutes.

I would suggest going to a doctor that performs the lap band procedure or at least going to someone in his/her office. I live in Connecticut and had my surgery done in Houston. I go to a doctor in NY for my fills.

Do you have any insurance? I was a self pay but my fills are being paid except for $115.00. The visit itself without insurance is $350.

The only way the band is going to work is if you keep up with your fills. Again, please don't let this one bad experience hinder what the band can do for you.

Stacy

My fill was horrific. The "Fill Center USA" location (Tampa, FL) was in a nasty ratty strip mall in a ghetto area. When I pulled in I literally looked at the address twice to make sure I was in the right place. I decided to go in to see if it was clean inside (since I drove 2 hours to get there). It was an old place, did not really look clean...it looked kind of third world.

I was given three pages of information which basically said that they would not be held liable for anything going wrong during the fill. The thing is...had I read these three pages of negative statements before I had the surgery I probably never would have had it. It was very negative about the band, complications, and expectations. It was disturbing to say the least. I told the receptionist that I felt uncomfortable signing the papers because it referred to written information being given to me about possible complications when it had not been given to me. I admitted to him that I was very weary of the surroundings and told him it made me wonder about the sterility of the place. He stated that the nurse administering the fill was his Mom and that she was very clean. There were two other people in the waiting room so I asked them if either of them had been there before. One had and one had not - the one that had said that she hadn't had any bad experiences there. By this point I was in tears...I really didn't want to stay, but where else was I going to get a fill with fluro?

Ultimately, I stayed. I spoke to the nurse when she came in and she assured me everything was going to be ok. Once I was called back she couldn't really determine where my port was by hand. I literally said, "It's right here." I was glad that I had chosen to do the fluro because she could not find it. She numbed it slightly with some sprayable substance (I think it was lidocaine) and stuck the needle in. The initial needle prick wasn't bad, however, once she was in there she wasn't hitting the port. She proceeded to dig and scrape around inside trying to find the port. This went on for probably five minutes. Sweat started to roll down my back because it was making me very nervous. It hurt and at one point I think she might have scraped a portion that hasn't completely healed because I had to call out in pain, "It's hurting, IT'S HURTING!" By this point I was crying profusely and even said, "I think I made a big mistake! (Getting the band.)"

She took the needle out and said she would have to get a longer needle but that she would numb me up by injecting lidocaine in the area surrounding the port. I thought it would mean one additional shot, but she actually poked me several times all around my port. She was finally able to get it into the port after some more scraping around. At this point I must have been as white as a sheet because she kept asking me if I was ok. I just told her to please hurry. I was a mess - crying, sweating, and almost shaking.

When it was finally over she gave me a glass of Water to drink. She said she had put 2 cc's in, which she said was the max she could put in during an initial visit. I drank the Water and felt no difference. She said, "Does it feel like it is going down slower?" I said, "No, it feels normal." She had me drink more and I still didn't feel any change. 2 cc's is a lot - I would think I would have been able to feel that immediately. I believe that with all of her scraping around she probably punctured my tubing. Why else would I feel no difference? I am very upset.

I took a picture (attached) because I am going to complain to Dr.Ortiz. Frankly I feel like I went to a butcher today. While her bedside manner seemed fine, she obviously doesn't know what she is doing. All of the poking and scraping were what made it horrendous. At this point I never want to have another fill again.

I hope that you all will have a much better experience than I did.

Slate,

You're right - so I called back. I told them I want something. So, they're going to call the doctor. Sometimes the Nurses 'play' like doctors and give the commands. But they're so not wanting us to vomit; I would think they'd be all over it,giving me any RX for it that I want!

So I'm waiting for him to call me. We'll see.

Good for you. Never let the nurses tell you what you should be doing. The docs are paid a lot of money and they need to be there when you have a question.

My understanding is that at this point, many of us don't actually have that "upper stomach" or pouch since we don't have any restriction yet. We won't have a pouch until we get a fill. So if there isn't a pouch, there's nothing to stretch out. The food is going straight through to the regular stomach, and hence we are not feeling full. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to get your doctor's opinion on this.

Thanks for the reply. I hear so much about stretching the pouch that I'm so nervous. I can't wait for my first fill (March 8th). I want to feel like I did the first week I had the band. Oh well, it's a precess.

Me, not feeling so well today. Has nothing to do with surgical feeling bad; I feel cold/flu like. Yesterday I went to the supermarket - that was horrible! But stupid me decided to go to Sam's club with my Mom for a couple of things - another dumb move. I feel horrible today. Not even a desire for food today, everything tastes horrible to me - all the Soups just seems nasty or spoiled; though I know they're not. AND...I took a 4 hour nap in the middle of the day; I never do that! I feel a bit naseous, called the surgeons nurse, and she told me that there was nothing that she could do for me - no Rx to call in or anything. I'm not happy with that - there should be a pill or suppository or something. She told me to just 'hang in there'. I feel like calling back, but don't have the strength to be honest.

Sorry to be Debbie Downer. I just didn't expect to feel like crap on top of the surgery stuff. And that is doing well. Steri Strips are still on - almost a week later; how long do they stay on???

You should call them back. There is a suppository they can give you. My doctor ordered it before I even had the surgery so in case I did become naseous.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for the check in. I need Help!!!! I was banded on January 15th so I was banded 3 weeks ago. First week I did liquids, second week I did heavy liquids and the third week I did a half of week of mushy and then by Thursday I needed some real food because I was starving so I had beef brisket.

At this point, I can eat anything and everything and not feel full. I know a lot of people are having the same issue but my question is is it possible to stretch your stomach at this point? I try to only eat when I am hungry but when I do, I can eat a lot. Last night I had two pieces of Bertuccis pizza and I still wasn't full.

I am not too concerned about not taking off the weight right now because I know I am healing. I just want to make sure I am not going to damage anything by eating too much. I never get sick to my stomach or feel like throwing up, which is what I heard happens if you do eat to much.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Stacy

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Help!!!! I was banded on January 15th so I was banded 3 weeks ago. First week I did liquids, second week I did heavy liquids and the third week I did a half of week of mushy and then by Thursday I needed some real food because I was starving so I had beef brisket.

At this point, I can eat anything and everything and not feel full. I know a lot of people are having the same issue but my question is is it possible to stretch your stomach at this point? I try to only eat when I am hungry but when I do, I can eat a lot. Last night I had two pieces of Bertuccis pizza and I still wasn't full.

I am not too concerned about not taking off the weight right now because I know I am healing. I just want to make sure I am not going to damage anything by eating too much. I never get sick to my stomach or feel like throwing up, which is what I heard happens if you do eat to much.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Stacy

We were both banded on the 15th right? I also have some pain in my back but it isn't bad. My thighs are sore too, I know it's strange. It started all at once yesterday afternoon, if it had been from riding my bike I think it would have started sooner. So far I haven't had any of the shoulder pain that other people talk about, thank God! All and all I think I'm doing pretty good as far as pain goes. Not able to take in much in my little pouch tho. It really is a learning experience. As far the pain in the back did you get an insentive spirometor from the hospital? Use it, you need to expand your lungs and it really will help with getting the pain to go away. If you didn't just take some REALLY deep slow breaths, about 10 of them and see if it helps.

Thanks for the reply. Sorry I'm not getting back to you until now. I did get a spirometor and after about 4 days the pain started getting better. I also used a heating pad all night for three nights and that made a big difference. In addition, starting on Weds, I was out and about all day long doing errands with my sister and walking.

How is your food going? I'm on creamy Soups and Protein Shakes and I'm feeling very hungry. The first week, I couldn't even get a full Protein Shake down until the third day and I wasn't hungry at all.

i was just banded on Monday. I am feeling pretty good except for having back pain on both sides (mid to lower region). Has anyone else had this problem. Also, tightness in my chest.

:dance:Congratulations!!!!:clap2: :clap2: How are you feeling? Sending good thoughts and prayers your way!!! :scared:

Thanks for the prayers. I am not sore but I do have a lot of pain in both sides of my back when I take a big breath in. Has anyone else had that?

I just had my band place on January 15th.