First Fill... Should I Even Get It?

[StormRoyale 2]

Howdy y'all,

I'm scheduled to get my first fill this Friday. My band was installed EMPTY of July 1st and I've lost just over 30lbs since my surgery.

I'm eating 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of food 4 times a days... which adds up to 1000 Calories.

The good news is that the portion size that I'm eating right now leaves me FULL.

The bad news is that it only last an hour and a half; 2 hours at the most. I'm then hungry for the next 2 hours until I can eat again.

My concern is that if I get a fill, my portion size that I can eat will get smaller. I'm very happy with my portions right now and I'm afraid that if they got smaller, I'll have trouble getting 1000 Calories in each day. (Any less than 1000 puts me into starvation mode.)

I know I have no restriction right now. (I've accidentally swallowed very large pieces of food on several occasions and have had no discomfort or issues.) And I like having that safety net of having a loose band just in case I forget to chew... But I'm tried for being hungry half the time.

There's also the knowledge that most people don't fill restriction until their 4th fill swimming around in my head. If I DO pass on getting a fill and get it later when I feel like I desperately need it... That first fill probably won't do anything for me and I'll then be waiting for the next 3 fills before I feel restriction! Aurgh! What to do?!

[Phranp 46]

"There's also the knowledge that most people don't fill restriction until their 4th fill swimming around in my head. If I DO pass on getting a fill and get it later when I feel like I desperately need it... That first fill probably won't do anything for me and I'll then be waiting for the next 3 fills before I feel restriction!"

I think you hit the nail on the head. You should get your 1st fill as scheduled because it will likely not give you restriction. As a result, you can continue to eat the way you have been eating (only chewing better) and maybe with this fill your hunger will be at bay a little longer, then with the next fill a little longer than before, etc. By the time you get to your sweet spot it should be smooth sailing all the way to your goal weight. You sound like a success story waiting to be told! Congratulations, you are doing great!

[msdv 5]

"There's also the knowledge that most people don't fill restriction until their 4th fill swimming around in my head. If I DO pass on getting a fill and get it later when I feel like I desperately need it... That first fill probably won't do anything for me and I'll then be waiting for the next 3 fills before I feel restriction!"

I think you hit the nail on the head. You should get your 1st fill as scheduled because it will likely not give you restriction. As a result, you can continue to eat the way you have been eating (only chewing better) and maybe with this fill your hunger will be at bay a little longer, then with the next fill a little longer than before, etc. By the time you get to your sweet spot it should be smooth sailing all the way to your goal weight. You sound like a success story waiting to be told! Congratulations, you are doing great!

This is exactly what I was going to say. sounds like you are bare-knuckling it right now (bummer) Your 1st fill will probably leave you feeling just as you do now perhaps leave you satisfied a little longer.

It will also give you time to work on that chewing better thing .

I know I have to I just got banded and I still gulp sometimes and today I was so hungry I wolfed down some broth w/ mashed veggies 'til I caught myself.

Now all I've had today was that 1 can of light Soup and a 1/2 diet Snapple and I'm uncomfortably full.

[NurseSophie 0]

For me, the fills have caused me to not be hungry as soon...the amount of food hasn't really changed as much as the amount of time in between. I'm able to go around 4 hours on the average for my next food and at times up to 6 hours, depending on what I ate. I don't see me getting another fill (I've had two which gives me 5cc) because I cannot eat fast and there are foods I can't eat but I've never slimed nor thrown up. I feel like I'm at a perfect place FOR ME.

[robertk 0]

I'm on day 9 and I'm bleeding a little still is this normal?

[jenn2481 0]

Getting fills does not shrink your pouch, it just shrinks the hole between your pouch and the lower stomach. You should still be able to eat the same amount. You will just be full a little longer with each fill.

[msdv 5]

I'm on day 9 and I'm bleeding a little still is this normal?

Bleeding from where? if your incisions you should call your surgeons office.

Are you feeling feverish? Is the place your bleeding from swollen , inflamed, looking infected?

Call your Dr.

Dee

[BetsyB 9]

I would go ahead and get the fill. For me, portion size is never really affected by fills; rather, the duration of satisfaction is changed.

If you're getting hungry quickly, your pouch is emptying too rapidly. A fill will address that. The size of your pouch will remain the same--so if you're not eating sliders (which would go through a bit more slowly with more restriction), then you should not notice much of a difference in capacity.