sherrye22

I think it is important to note that many people may not know if they have any 'primer' Fluid in their band in addition to the fills they have had. My doctor never told me (or the other people I know who were banded with him) that he puts in anywhere between .5 cc and 3cc for priming. I found out 2 weeks post op when I told them i was so tight I was choking on Water. I have 7.25 cc in my 10 cc band and am about 6 months post-op. Blog: twosticksoralighter.blogspot.com

My doctor is very conservative as well and it is frustrating. I often remind them that I have to pay for each fill and I need restriction to make the band work. I think they often 'forget' that the whole point of a lap-band is to get to a good fill level! Remind them that you are committed to making this work but need restriction for that to happen. If you had loads of willpower to work off of, you wouldn't need the band in the first place, right? Sherry Two Sticks or a Lighter

All my fills are done under flouro too. It is very frustrating IMO because the doctors tend to think they 'see' your restriction and want to go off of that instead of what you feel. I routinely have to push my P.A.s to give me the fills because they think they 'see' me as having restriction. If you don't feel restriction in a week or so, I would recommend going back in and asking for more. It took me 7.25 cc in a 10cc band before I felt any real restriction but when I got there, it was my sweet spot. Sherry 233/194/168 Two Sticks or a Lighter

I was actually told a cup of food, three times per day and depending on how you feel a small snack (piece of cheese, etc.) or two. 1/4 cup of food doesn't seem enough to me at all. I believe I am at my 'sweet spot' -- losing 1 -2 pounds per week and not hungry between meals and regularly eat 1 cup of food at a sitting.

http://twosticksoralighter.blogspot.com/

Hi. I'm Sherry and I'm a Turtle-paced loser. I'm over 4 months post op and have only lost 23 pounds. I can honestly say I'm following the 'rules' about 90% of the time and am exercising like a fiend & with a trainer 2-3 times per week. Yet, despite all of this, I barely manage a pound a week. As of today I FINALLY have some restriction. It only took 6 fills and 7.25 cc in a 10 cc band (read sarcasm here) but by George, I think I've found it! I'd love to hear success stories of SLOW LOSERS. Sometimes I feel discouraged and need to know that even if it takes me 2 years to get to my goal weight that it will be worth it.

I'm going to be the party pooper here and say that I have NOT been pleased with Dr. Enoch's office. He is a fantastic surgeon. There is no doubt of that. I was incredibly pleased with the surgery itself. That said, the follow up and fill appointments have left MUCH to be desired. I won't go into every issue I've had there (you can read about some of them on my blog though) but I can tell you that I know THREE other people who have recently been banded with him and we all have the exact same complaints. In fact, one of my friends went to speak with him directly and he admitted that his practice has grown too fast, they don't have enough space and therefore cannot hire more staff and thus, patients are getting lost in the dust. Wait times are awful. You have to book a minimum of 4 weeks in advance for a fill. They won't do fills unless under flouro which, in my case and others, has meant that we don't get very large fills and are having to go back frequently for them. The cost for fills b/c of the flouro is astronomical. My insurance pays for most, but not all. It is a virtual fill-factory in there -- and I NEVER see the doctor. Even when it is requested. He does the surgery and is done with you, unfortunately. Yes, he is a good surgeon but if you want a relationship with your doctor and his staff, this is NOT the place to go.

My opinion is that it is better to NOT have the flouro when getting a fill. Why? Because then the doctor, P.A. etc. tend to focus on what the flouro is telling them, not what the patient is telling them. Every time I go for a fill it is a battle with the P.A. They don't want to fill me because it 'looks' like I have great restriction and am losing weight. I'm telling them its all willpower and I feel nothing. Not to mention the cost involved! You don't need the flouro. Listen to your body and you'll do fine.

OMG YES! My doc's office won't do fills unless under floro (PITA b/c the P.A.s can do fewer fills per day thus, harder to get a fill appt.) THey keep telling me "Look! You have restriction! See, its smaller than last time!" And I keep telling them that I don't care what the x-ray says, I have no restriction. I can easily eat a cup of full Protein (even dry meat) at one sitting in 10 minutes and be hungry less than 3 hours later. They want to rely on the machine instead of listening to the patient. Yet another problem with today's health care system! I have 6.25 cc in my 10 cc band and it has taken me FIVE FILLS to get to this point because they see restriction and don't want to 'over fill' me. I've never been stuck, PB'd, slimed, nothing. It is so very frustrating!

I'm jealous! My doctor's office is always so busy that you have to book them AT LEAST a month in advance. Its very frustrating.

I'm sorry you are going through all this and hope I have better luck -- all my info will be submitted to my ins. company next week (Cigna). But I did want to interject that maybe you should consider switching PCP? Mine has been so supportive and is willing to do whatever it takes for me to get approved. Your doctor works for you, remember? Maybe find another one through this site, set up an appt. for a consulatation and let them know what's going on.

I am wondering about the 6 month physician supervised program requirement. The requirement says "6 consecutive months" with "no significant gaps". So does that mean I will not be approved if I went to my doc for this supervision in May, June, September, October, November, December? I missed July and August b/c of my doc's vacation and mine. I don't see that as a 'significant gap' but will Cigna? Thanks!