Don't get my wrong, I am not complaining, but I posted something about this on my blog and found that it is not common among my followers. So I thought I would ask here...

Since hitting my sweet spot somewhere in October, every time I get a fill, I experience a pretty dramatic weight drop in the week following. I have averaged 2.35 lbs per week since surgery - but this is mostly because of these drops. I got .15 ccs last Thursday and have lost 7 lbs in the week following. In January, I got .15 ccs and lost 6 lbs in the week after. I asked my fill nurse about this and he said that I am just in my sweet spot and I get a fill and it is tight and I drop weight and lose some of the fat around my organs and it gets loose again and I am diligent about getting these little fills so I keep going. But honestly, that doesn't make sense to me... I do the liquid 2 days after (but my calorie intake stays the same as when I am eating food) and then I do the 2 days mushy (but again, my calorie intake is the same). So why does this happen? I AM NOT COMPLAINING - I am just trying to understand the science of it. Any input?

I always lose 7lbs or even 9 after a fill the first week. I dont know I guess liquids and food are different in how it makes you lose weight. I wouldnt keep getting fills though if you are constantly losing. I want as much room as I can so when its two or three years out I will still be able to get fills. I am 15 months out and still only have 3 and 1/2 ccs in my band in a 10 cc band. but I do lose major after a fill for sure.

I usually lose about 3-4 lbs after a fill. So not as large of a loss as yours, but still losing. I only do liquids the day of then switch to soft foods for maybe 2 days after, then back to regular food. So, it sounds like your liquid diet has something to do with it. My doctor said the same about losing fat around my organs and the band losening over time, even after hitting my sweet spot. Great weight loss for you though....continued good luck!

I always lose 7lbs or even 9 after a fill the first week. I dont know I guess liquids and food are different in how it makes you lose weight. I wouldnt keep getting fills though if you are constantly losing. I want as much room as I can so when its two or three years out I will still be able to get fills. I am 15 months out and still only have 3 and 1/2 ccs in my band in a 10 cc band. but I do lose major after a fill for sure.

Yes - I have wondered about what happens when we get to goal. My nurse has had the band for 10 years and he doesn't really get fills anymore. He said they made an adjustment when he got to goal so that he would stop losing weight - and he said he has had one small fill in the last 5 years. I try to force myself to think past goal - but it is so hard. I have about 6.5 or 6.75 ccs now and I only get these little .15 cc bumps every 6-8 weeks just to keep me in my sweet spot. At that rate, I will only have about 7 ccs by the time I get to goal (if everything goes as planned). That leaves plenty of room I hope. My nurse says that these .10-.20 cc bumps are more than sufficient once you get to your sweet spot. But I am also envious of people like you who really can make it work with less fill. I had 4ccs put in at my one month checkup post op so I started out with more than you have even now. That's really amazing and impressive Thanks for your response though, it makes me feel like less of a freak

not common? Wow, that surprises me. That's how my weight loss went in the first year. Big, fast dramatic loss for three or four weeks after a fill, then petered out to losing miniscule amounts, less and less each week until the next fill. After that, my weight loss was very slow, like less than a pound a week, and the fills didnt make a difference. But I still lost 100lb in the first 2 years and about 130lb overall - I was losing weight as late as last year and that was FIVE years out. Just every couple of months, a pound or two would disappear.

Dont try to figure out the why's of it. The people on here that I notice get the most frustrated and bash the band the most are the ones who want it all to work out with military precision - you know, eat this, count that, eat THIS many calories, make sure you burn EXACTLY that many, check it all on the body bugg, log it, add it up, etc, those are the ones that then end up bashing their heads against the brick wall because the number on the scale just doesnt say what it should. Your body will do what your body will do and all that really matters is eat less, move more and in a year you will weigh less. That's about as much control as you truly have.

Well I am still somewhat swollen even after almost two weeks. I think I will be okay with this fill for a while I usually wait about 3 to 4 months before I decide on another fill. Thats the good thing about my dr he doesnt push fills and tells me to come in when Im ready. I get about a half to one cc at each fill and my stomach is super sensitive. I can feel it tighten when he puts the Water in so I know he is definitely in the right spot. Im kind of glad I have restriction at such little fills it makes me believe that I will be successful in my weight loss because Im not filling it up so quickly like some I see on here that want a fill ever other week. They dont even give their fill a chance to work and if they dont lose right away they want another fill. I guess they dont know what slow but steady means. If I lose on to 2lbs a month I am losing and Im not going to have my stomach strangled to 10cc's if I can get to goal with less. Im only 15 months post op and 70lbs lighter so I am happy with that for now.

I experience the same thing. The PA who does my fills said that it is normal but that eventually the "fill would stick" and I would continue to lose weight after the initial week. I loose like 5-7 lbs the first week after a fill and then like a pound a week after.

Yes - thats right. I have a 4cc band so a bit different experience probably but I never had to work for a "sweet spot". Every fill was right for me, it was just a matter of how long they stuck.

Same thing happens to me; I just got a fill on Wednesday and I'm already down 5-6lbs. Granted, in my case, because I had a significant gain over the past week due to various circumstances, I am actually only down 2lbs from my previous "normal" weight. I definately lost a lot quickly when I first got banded, and decent amount following the first fill, but it took a few weeks for my 2nd one to kick in. The whole process is so weird; there seems to be no norm. I look forward to getting back into the gym; my dr confirmed for me last week that I injured my tailbone so I took a week off but know I don't lose much weight without working out. Nice to see that some of the things I experience are not as odd as I think...

I got my first fill wednesday and I dropped like 4 lb. I was contributing to just doing liquids for 2 days. I figured once I started eating (ate mushies today) a little bit would come back. I hope it's not the case. I will see come Tuesday my official weigh day and see how much I lost.

I get my first fill tomorrow and I am super nervous! But I am hoping it will help jumpstart my weight loss. I haven't lost anything for 2 weeks now.

How often is the normal time between fills? I had one acouple weeks ago but feel like I need to go back for a small fill.... this normal?

Yes - I have wondered about what happens when we get to goal. My nurse has had the band for 10 years and he doesn't really get fills anymore. He said they made an adjustment when he got to goal so that he would stop losing weight - and he said he has had one small fill in the last 5 years. I try to force myself to think past goal - but it is so hard. I have about 6.5 or 6.75 ccs now and I only get these little .15 cc bumps every 6-8 weeks just to keep me in my sweet spot. At that rate, I will only have about 7 ccs by the time I get to goal (if everything goes as planned). That leaves plenty of room I hope. My nurse says that these .10-.20 cc bumps are more than sufficient once you get to your sweet spot. But I am also envious of people like you who really can make it work with less fill. I had 4ccs put in at my one month checkup post op so I started out with more than you have even now. That's really amazing and impressive Thanks for your response though, it makes me feel like less of a freak

Molly,

I just wanted to ask, i started at the same weight you did...How long has it taken to lose your weight...How are you feeling? Did you have many ups and downs and times that you didn't lose? I had my band 3/23 and I'm at 250 or so right now. I started of course at 286. I can't seem to get past the 250s for the life of me. Any advice would be wonderful!

Thank you very much..

Jamie

A friend of mine that got her band about year and 1/2 ago says that is how her band works as well. Thats why she said to try and get a fill about every 6 weeks or so. I am suppose to go and get my 2nd fill tomorrow, but I dont think I need to. I still have to force myself to eat and get in my calories for the day. So I am going to wait until the 24th. That is two days before I leave for a scrapbook retreat, so I am hoping that I wont eat all day while I am scrapbooking. Uggg.

Molly,

I just wanted to ask, i started at the same weight you did...How long has it taken to lose your weight...How are you feeling? Did you have many ups and downs and times that you didn't lose? I had my band 3/23 and I'm at 250 or so right now. I started of course at 286. I can't seem to get past the 250s for the life of me. Any advice would be wonderful!

Thank you very much..

Jamie

I hit 180 by my 10th month - so 106 lbs in 10 months. I have been very consistent though - between 8-12 lbs per month. Early on, where you are, most of loss would come post fill so keep nudging it until the fill sticks and the weight loss stays more consistent. I worked out consistently too.

How often is the normal time between fills? I had one acouple weeks ago but feel like I need to go back for a small fill.... this normal?

I go to dr every 8 weeks or so and I get a fill if needed. I'm @ 7cc now and losing well, so may not get another fill for awhile. I like to check in even if I don't get a fill. Thanks.