Ray in NC

Lots of good info from the posters before me! I'd add a couple things.

#1. WHEN your doc did your fill using Fluoro, you lost 50#'s in four months....pretty darn awesome! Thats above the norm.

#2. Now that you have lost weight, you state your doc is now only adding .3cc's per fill, and you can't feel ANY difference/restriction.

You didn't say if your doc is still doing your fills using fluoro, but considering you state he won't add more than .3cc's, I suppose he's not.

Seems like a great idea to me, if you get your fills done like you did when you lost 50#'s in four months....with fluoro. There are other benefits to it besides getting you to adequate restriction. I would have NEVER got to restriction without fluoro...read my story, or PM me for details.

I didn't / wouldn't / couldn't ( take your pick ) control my portions WITHOUT restriction. Thats why I chose the lapband. Its adjustable. And its working for me, now that I have to really slow down and chew, chew, chew. And I have absolutely NO heartburn/reflux..

I'm not advocating being in the red zone...just very good restriction. It works for me. Hopefully, you'll find that same zone soon. Best wishes for your continued success!

Heres a link to my surgeons Fluoro page and the benefits of it. http://www.hoab.org/...louis-missouri/

Thanks David,

I think the reason I lost so much weight initally was because I was totally obstructed fo several days. As he could not find the port on the first fill we had to do flouro to hit it. As I was already there he "optimized" my band. As I can't ever seem to tell the difference after a fill I am concerned that the band is either, 1. leaking, or, un-buckling. I am beginning to now see that the band is different for everyone. Some apparantly feel restriction, and some do not. I think I would feel that everything was normal if I had at least SOME restriction.

Thanks Guys!

It helps to know I am not the only one. I have to remind myself that this is a marathon and not a sprint.

I guess I should consider myself lucky that I CAN eat anything I want. The only thing that I have had stick was a baked chicken breast that I ate too fast.. I really think that band is working in that I eat three pretty small meals, Greek Yogurt and a little chicken salad for Breakfast, two reasonable veggie dishes such as Beans for lunch. dinner is the hardest. That's when I usually eat too much. I do feel full and really don't snack and have eliminated sugar totally.

No, I do not excercise. No excuses! If I did I am sure I would losing 5 to 6 pounds a month. I think I will ask for a more aggresive fill next month. Funny thing is that I don't feel any difference after the fillls. As for any food I want, I can eat bread, chips, steak, although I try to minimize those foods.

Hi All,

I had my surgery October 2012 and had a complication. I was totally occluded and could not eat or drink for a few days and had to go to the ER for fluids and to have all Fluid removed from the band. For my first fill the doc could not hit the port and had to access using flouroscope. He also adjusted the fill using flouro as I swallowed contrast. Between October and January 2013 I lost 50 pounds. Since then I had had three fills, and only lost 6 pounds in two months. I have never had much restriction. I can pretty much eat anything. The Doc says I am doing OK and will only inject .3 cc per fill. I just had another fill yesterday and still can't tell a difference. I have to pay $100 out of pocket for each fill. My wife and I are beginning to question if I am being used as a cash cow. My surgeon has a great reputation, so I do not want to believe this. Everyone I seem to talk with has had one or two fills, or none at all.

Have any of you had the same experience as me? How many fills have you had?

Thanks!