BabyGotBack

I got this from another thread I belong to. The woman who wrote this is extremely knowledgable. Increase Your Chances of a Good Fill > > The following suggestions are good rules of thumb and will greatly > increase your chances of getting a good fill. > > 1. Be sure you are very well hydrated when you come in for your fill > appointment. That means at least 8-10 full glasses of liquid every > day for at least several days before the fill. > (You really need this amount at all times anyway). > > Drink especially well the morning of the fill. If you're flying in, > it can be much harder to stay hydrated, so take a drink bottle and > drink very often! Those little "to-go" packs of Crystal Lite are > ideal - ask the flight attendants for a refill of your Water bottle, > pop one in, and then you will have plenty to drink. Those little 4- oz > cups of liquid they give you during flight are useless. > > (Hint - While you're on the plane, also take home a couple of those > white barf bags – > good to keep one in your purse or car, both now and later, > for "emergencies".) > > 2. Be sure not to have any solid foods for at least 6 hours before > the fill. Don't eat a huge or late dinner the night before. If you're > having any trouble (reflux, possible slip, etc) > please have nothing but fluids after dinner the night before. > In some cases, food can still be in the pouch for 12 or more hours. > ANY food in the pouch will make it impossible to give a good fill, or > get a good fluoro > > 3. Don't drink COLD fluids for an hour before the fill. That will > shrink your stoma and give a false fluoro reading, and a poor fill. > Room temp fluids are fine. Let the ice in your drink bottle melt and > hour before a fill, > and then you'll have room-temp fluids to drink right up to the fill > time. > > 4. Avoid getting a fill during a menstrual period or a few days > before an expected one. During this time, we are usually retaining > water, and the fluoro will not be as accurate, and the fill will not > be either. > > 5. If at all possible, hang around for at least a few hours after a > fill. Don't run right back home or to the plane. It takes the normal > swelling after a fill 1-2 hours to develop, and by that time you > might be too tight and need to come right back. > > 6. If at all possible, stay overnight and catch a plane out the > following late afternoon or evening. If you are too tight, this will > allow time to get a small unfill before you leave. This is not very > convenient, but sure beats having to possibly return to TJ in a few > days, on short notice, in pain, and at high last-minute plane fares! > This is "prevention!" Overfills are not common, but they DO happen, > even under the best of conditions. Be prepared, and think about this > overnight stay. > > 7. After a fill, please have liquids only for at least 24 hrs. This > allows the stoma to rest and heal. Then, a day of soft foods, then > back to regular foods. > > 8. Review the eating and food guidelines again before every fill. > You'll need to refine your eating more and more with higher fill > levels, and there will be less and less room for goofs. As you reach > a higher fill level, you'll no longer be able to "get away" with > things you might have before! > > 9. Please don't get a fill if you are having ANY trouble with the > current level of fill. This means ANY regular pain, PB or barfing > more than maybe once a week at the VERY most, not able to get enough > calories in, not able to drink enough, able to eat only soft foods or > fluids. > More fill will NOT help, and will make things worse. Discuss all > this carefully with your doc. You may even need an UNFILL, to keep > your band and stomach safe. > > 10. First fills are not routinely given at 6-8 weeks - but only as > you need them. Many people do, some do not. We'll help you decide if > you need a fill - just ask. There is no rush for fills. Too much can > very easily get you in trouble, and you end up further "behind" than > if you had gone slower with fills. > > 11. Give a fill at least 2-3 weeks to test it. Some fills > don't "settle in" for a week or two, and sometimes more. Your weigth > loss is what determines how a fill is - not any feeling of > restriction, necessarily. > > 12. One of the most impt things in determining if a fill is good is > choosing proper band foods. Soft foods, liquids, junk foods, sweets, > etc will NEVER be well-resticted, and will never tell a thing about > having a good fill or not. Only solid foods give useful info. > A good test meal is 2-4 oz of solid meat or chicken - be sure it's > soft and moist - and about 1/2 cup veggies. You should be able to eat > about a cup of food (no less) and this should keep you satisfied > (NOT "FULL", but simply "satisfied, not physically hungry". for about > 3-4 hrs. > > 13. Plan regular meals. A good fill will keep you satisfied for 3-4 > hrs, but no longer. If you are hungry 5 hrs after kunch, it is not > becuase you have an inadequate fill! Reular meals aty planned times > are important for a number of reasons, including avoiding snacking, > maximizing calorie burn 9which = wt loss) and normalizing metabolism, > which is essential for wt maintanace later on. > > Please remember that good fills are very elusive, even with highly- > experienced docs and fill people. There are just too many individual > factors involved that the docs cannot control. Even the fluoro is > only a clue, and not entirely accurate - for some of the reasons > above. > > It usually takes 3- 5 fills to slowly and safely creep up on a good > level, and they can be safely given a month apart. > Trying to go faster with a bigger fill is not the solution, and the > stomach rebels at big sudden fills. The goal of th first few fills > is NOT to achieve a good resticrion, but to gradually get your > stomach used to some pressure so you can tolerate a GOOD fill later. > > SLOW and GRADUAL is the key! > Going slowly with fills can be frustrating, but is well worth the > wait to avoid problems. > > Sandy R > at goal x 3+ yrs

I know it has been said here and there, but I was just wondering how long it took for you to feel your fill or if you felt it right away. I was filled 9 days ago and feel it more these last couple of days. Anyone know why it takes 2 weeks to feel it? Thanks,Audree

I had my first fill 9 days ago and didn't feel restriction until a couple days ago. I have seen it on the boards many times that people don't feel restriction for 1-2 weeks sometimes for reasons unknown. Also, sometimes it takes a few fills to feel restriction. We are all so different.

Todays checkin Breakfast: Gano coffee with soymilk Lunch: 3/4 cup of carnitas (baked pork) Liquids: 32 ounces of crystal light Supplements: liquid Vitamins, 1 QuickSlim30, 1 Biotin Exercise: still need to do it I feel more restriction today. I can tell the Protein is sitting there and going down. I feel tightness in my stomach area and full feeling in my throat. I weighed in today(offical day) and am the same. I am also premenstrual.

I think it is just what ever works for you. We are all so different. I myslef like that the South Beach takes away my cravings for the most part and helps me feel full. I like having some sort of plan to follow. I also do give in to cravings sometimes and don't gain back. It is also the most convenient thing for me to do.

Where do you live??? I think the law is changing soon here in CA about the cell phones.

Are you feeling restriction?

I have been remembering my dreams too!

I have more restriction one week out. Some get restriction after 2 weeks. I have no pain and the fill was a breeze. Dr. Romero who did my fill had me laughing. It was great. Dr. Ortiz has done 4000 lapbands and assisted with 3000 before that. He is one of the most experienced lapband doctors and I had an awesome experience.

I have been getting a sweet tooth too. The thing that has helped me the most is having sugar Free fudgsicles. It really hits the spot. I also need to make the ricotta cheese cake. That really hits the spot and keeps me full.

South Beach is by far the easiest and falls right in line with our bandster rules. I love it!!!! I know it has helped me lose the weight I have lost! I started on an exercise challenge yesterday and it helped. We have to check in to let them know we did it. Accountability is everything to me. Even having just a couple of you for South Beach support helps me immensely. More than you know. I stay on plan when I touch base with you guys. Thanks for being there for me and I will be there for you!:clap2:

You will love Dr. Ortiz and his staff. They are awesome!!! Our stats sound about the same! Glad to have you here!

I am hoping the exercise will help me too.:nervous Lou Gerrigs is such a horrible disease. I would not wish it on my worst enemy.

My prayers are with you as I see you are right about to go into surgury. Let us know how you are doing!!!

Thanks! I am glad to see you are doing well after surgery!!! You are a bandster now!

I was a self payer. Are you trying to go through insurance? I am really happy with my band. :clap2:

I myself, was just wondering the same thing. Does anyone else find they didn't get restriction until 2 weeks later? I am 8 days from my first fill and feel a bit more restriction today than I did. I am eating less, and staying full I also noticed I go a stomach ache a couple of times. Is that restriction?

I stopped drinking them for a while, but I think I will start adding one a day!!! I bought a sampler pack. Thanks for reminding me!

I am envious of you, losing 42 pounds!!!! That is so awesome!!!!! I am up for a kick some butt challenge!!!

I am glad to know I am not alone! So maybe we do have some restriction.

Welcome!!! I was a self pay and I am soooo happy!!!!

Bandiva!!! I have missed you! My grandma has ALS (Lou Gerrigs Diesese). It has been a long hard road, 7 years going down hill. My mother has taken care of her at home all those years. It started getting too hard and we had to put her in a convalescent home. But we got nurses that would come to my moms house and we brought her back home. When they left her the respiratory therapist didn't get the machines going, she is on life support. She started turning blue and I had to call 911 twice! It was such a stressful day. I thought she was going to die for sure that day. She is stable now. It is such a horrible diesese. All your nerves die. She is completely paralyzed now. Thanks for asking Bandiva. How are you doing? I lost 3 pounds after my fill and I am feeling a little more restriction.

I did, but when I got into the creamy Soups I almost PB'd when I drank water with it. That was the only time I felt like that. So, I drank before but not during or after. It will help too to learn it for when you add mushies and solids.

I live in sunny California, Rancho Cucamonga! I will definitely be going one day. I just have to start saving!

I didn't feel any restriction in the beginning. Now, 9 days after I am feeling a little bit more restriction. Some people dont feel it for 2 weeks. I am eating a lot less, feel satisfied and stay full longer. I took my quickslim30 today and felt it helped a lot. It is supposed to aid in weight loss too and I really think it has for me. I also alternate my calories between low and high days, always keep it guessing. It really seems to get the weight coming off. I lost 3 pounds after my fill too. I also exercised 30 minutes on the elyptical today!!!! YEAH:clap2: Breakfast: 1 coffee with soymilk Lunch: 3 oz chicken sauteed with mushrooms, mozerella cheese and marinera sauce Snack: 15 almonds Dinner: 5 oz pork Liquids: 64 ounces of watered down crystal light Supplements: 1 tbsp. liquid Vitamin, 1 QuickSlim30 and 1 Biotin