I just assumed I had a 4cc band, but found out today that that is not the case.

I had my first fill 9/26 and the doctor told me he put in 5 cc....well, I thought he meant .5cc!!

Today during my second fill he tells me that I have the larger band (can squeeze up to 14 cc in it!!) and that he did in fact put in 5 cc the first time. BUT, when he pulled out the saline he got only 2 cc out....so, where did the other 3 cc go? He said that the first fill may have been miscalucated or I could have a LEAK!!?? Then he put a total of 3 cc back in......so, it is less then the first fill!!

Well, I am confused to say the least....and I was praying as I drove home that I do not have a leak.

Please send me a little prayer if you have a moment.....

Has anyone experienced this type of thing?

Margo I have seen a number of posts on this but I don't understand it either. If they fut 5cc in, then 5cc should come out in my opinion. I have not had a fill yet but my dr. did put in 3cc in my 10 cc band at the time of surgery. I go se him on the 22 of this month for my first post-op appointment so I will ask him and see what he says about this also.

Maybe more people will post on this that have more experience than me and we can both learn something.

But, I will pray for you that it is not a leak. Did he check you to make sure you were not leaking or just send you home?

-

He just sent me home....I guess next fill if he does not get 3 ccs out he will check under flouro....

You have another prayer coming from Texas. I will be hoping that it was just a miscalculation on the last fill. By the way, you are doing excellent with 41 lbs already!!!!

Margo,

My doctor said that on the first fill some of it does go away.

Sherri

Prayers from South Dakota. I have the larger VG band too. I had my first fill September 14 (3ccs). My second fill was October 26 (1cc) total of 4ccs. MY doc draws out into the syringe what saline is in the band before adding the new, to be sure there is no leak or problems. I wish I could answer your question and I wish I was feeling some restriction , I hate doing this all on my own.

One of the things my Dr. does during the fisrt fill is to remove all of the air and air pockets from the tubing,it is a quite interesting feeling in your chest. he says if you do not do this it will give you a false read for your next fill and those thereafter . ...Since having the air removed from my tubing during the first fill I have always had the exact same ammount he put in when he pulled it out. Lets hope in your case it is just from not removing all of the air during the first fill and next time you go in you will have the same ammount as you think you do today...

Thanks so much everyone for your support once again.....you guys are the best! I swear if it weren't for you guys I would be out in "leftfield" half the time.

If next time I get a fill and we find "missing" saline I am going to talk to him about that blowing out the air! Can that be done only on the first fill or can a doctor take all the saline out at anytime and then blow the air out of the tubing???? I wonder....does anyone know?

There can also be a bit of a vacuum effect. When withdrawing, the band can only collapse so far before the vacuum or suction would "lock" the remaining saline in the band. We find this to be the case when withdrawing liquid medicine from bottles with a syringe. We first have to inject some air to prevent this. It seems sensible to me that the bands would behave similarly.

prayers from Europe hey Margo i know you have some emotional difficulties

but you must know that we love ya! and your weight loss is great so far!

(((Margo))) this one shall pass too!

yes, they can take the fill in and out at anytime during your fill appoiuntment

mine was always sucked out to be sure it was the amount it was surpose to be and then filled back in with alittle more...

soemthing like that

mine was always on the nose