I Had my first fill appointment scheduled for tomorrow. I called to reschedule and the lady seemed annoyed that i was rescheduling and made it clear that she wouldn't be able to get me in for a couple of weeks. The truth is, is that i'm just not ready for a fill so a couple of weeks is fine. I'm going to be 4 weeks post op this friday and my incisions are still a little sore. I'm experiencing no problems with hunger so it put me off a little why she seemed frustrated that i was rescheduling. My surgeon specifically told me to only get a fill if i absolutely need one. He said the less fills i have, the less chance for any complications. He prefers that i lose my weight without a fill. I lost 10 pounds pre op 5 pounds the 1st week after surgery, the 2nd week i didn't lose or gain anything, and last week i consistently have lost 1.5 to 2 pounds a day. I'm down almost 30 pounds so i'm not going to be forced into getting a fill. Just wanted to vent because it confused me as to why she seemed annoyed. It is my choice, isn't it?

You are the only person who can decide when you need or want a fill. don't let the staff bully you into doing something you don't want to do. My surgery was in May and I have never had a fill. As long as I am losing the weight that they tell me I should be losing, and as long as I feel that my appetite is under control (i.e. i don't want to eat everything in sight) i feel for myself that a fill is unnecessary. My doctor agrees with me at this time. If that changes, I will reassess, but for now, I am fill free and enjoying it.

You are the only person who can decide when you need or want a fill. don't let the staff bully you into doing something you don't want to do. My surgery was in May and I have never had a fill. As long as I am losing the weight that they tell me I should be losing, and as long as I feel that my appetite is under control (i.e. i don't want to eat everything in sight) i feel for myself that a fill is unnecessary. My doctor agrees with me at this time. If that changes, I will reassess, but for now, I am fill free and enjoying it.

Thanks!! It's nice to hear from someone who has yet to have a fill. Even people i know personally who have lap band keep telling me, Oh you have to get a fill. I'm going to follow my surgeons advice and listen to my body. Congratulations on your success thus far. That's awesome.

Thanks. yeah, I have a support group at the hospital and everybody was like "OMG, i had surgery 3 weeks ago, I can't wait for my fill" and I'm thinking "gosh, I am losing weight the way I'm supposed to be, right on track and I'm not munching or eating or feeling the need to eat all the time, I don't think I need a fill quite yet" and they are all telling me "well, that'll change" but even at 4 months out, it still hasn't.

I know that chances are it will and I will need a fill, but right now, I'm in a good place for me. If they need a fill, then hooray for them, i'm glad they can go and get one, but I just don't need it right now. it took me 3 follow up visits with the nurse practitioner before she said "look, don't let me sway you. if you want a fill, just ask and i will give you one, but if you don't think you need one, then you know your body best and you don't need one."

anyway, like i said, i feel great and i can eat any type of food i want. being a foodie, this makes me happy. however, instead of having a whole slab of ribs, i'm happy with just 1 or 2. that was my main goal, just stop binging and stuffing my face. so far, the band has kept me from eating everything in sight and it's working the way it's supposed to for me, so i'm gonna see how far i can go with it before i get a fill.

good luck to you in your journey and do what is best for you. you will be alright.

I Its completely your choice whether or not to get a fill but just because you decide against it doesn't mean you shouldn't go to a post op appointment. After care is important.

I Its completely your choice whether or not to get a fill but just because you decide against it doesn't mean you shouldn't go to a post op appointment. After care is important.

I agree. I've already had 1 post op appt. with my surgeon. I'm going to go my rescheduled after care appt. in 2 weeks even if i walk out without a fill. The lady i spoke to today told me that the only purpose of this appt was to get a fill so if i decide against a fill in 2 weeks, i will make another appt to see my surgeon just to make sure that everything is good.

my doc wants to see me every month for the first year regardless of fill or not. I'm 9 months post op and I've only had one tiny one. Definitely a fill is up to you. My doc wanted to give me one earlier this month, due to slow weight loss. I declined it because I had a feeling what was wrong and I wanted to try to adjust before I got one. Changed things up (started eating more) and I started losing again.

Hi,

I think it is your choice to not get a fill and I congratulate you on your weight loss. However, that four week post op appt is important. I don't think that waiting two weeks will do any harm but you need to see the surgeon for your post op.

All the best to you on your journey to good health,

Melinda

I suspect that the person giving you trouble has had lots of people turn down the appointment and then, two weeks later, change their mind and harass her about why they have to wait several more weeks for an appointment because they NEED THAT FILL NOW! Her annoyance probably wasn't directed at you really, which makes it unfair that you had to deal with it but also not something you should take personally.

Still, you are completely right that only you get to decide when you need one

It's your Body, and you know how you feel.

When you feel like your starving, and can't stand it.

There's a slight hint that it's getting time for a fill.

If your not near that, then don't even give it a thought.

If your not ready ! Then your not ready.

Good job on sticking up for you and your Band.

Thanks!! It's nice to hear from someone who has yet to have a fill. Even people i know personally who have lap band keep telling me, Oh you have to get a fill. I'm going to follow my surgeons advice and listen to my body. Congratulations on your success thus far. That's awesome.

I am to goal with losing 90 pds and it will be 3 yrs this christmas. I NEVER had any fill from day one. I lost off and on some days the scale moved and others it did not and every Dr. appt. they asked do you want a fill and I told them as long as I was losing I choose not to get filled. I believe it prevents a lot of complications down the road but that is just my thought. I believe that from reading these forums for the last 3 years, a lot of people get overfilled and suffer to get the weight off and I choose not to live like that. I am a size 10 at 58 yrs old and off all meds and feel like a kid again. you should do what you feel comfortable with, do not let anybody tell you that you have to get filled, there are quite a few people in las vegas that had the same Dr. that I did and have lost well over 100 pounds with NO FILLS. Good luck and keep focused and you will be fine.

I also had my surgery in May and have not had any fills. You will have this piece of plastic inside of you for a long time. There is plenty of time for fills. I look at the lap band helping you lose weight in either 1 of 2 ways. For most people it is restriction. It is all about limiting what you can take in and it being somewhat forced by having a tight band. For some (myself included) the band really helped with habit modification. The lap band was my rock bottom in my food addiction and getting surgery flipped a switch in my head that I need to make better choices in life. Restriction cannot change the way you behave and look at food. Only a good long look in the mirror can do that. Restriction cannot force you into the gym. Only you can do that. So far I lost nearly 40lbs and I feel great but most of the weight loss has been through good old fashioned hard work and that is how I want it.

To me, that is the way you are going to truly keep it off. Plus my doc is fine with it as long as I am losing.

My father saw me recently and commented on my weight loss and all the hard work I am doing and then suggested I didn't need to have the surgery then, I disagreed because it was because of the surgery that I made these changes. The lap band is a tool and like all tools, can be used in various ways to suit your purpose. Good luck with your journey.

I am to goal with losing 90 pds and it will be 3 yrs this christmas. I NEVER had any fill from day one. I lost off and on some days the scale moved and others it did not and every Dr. appt. they asked do you want a fill and I told them as long as I was losing I choose not to get filled. I believe it prevents a lot of complications down the road but that is just my thought. I believe that from reading these forums for the last 3 years, a lot of people get overfilled and suffer to get the weight off and I choose not to live like that. I am a size 10 at 58 yrs old and off all meds and feel like a kid again. you should do what you feel comfortable with, do not let anybody tell you that you have to get filled, there are quite a few people in las vegas that had the same Dr. that I did and have lost well over 100 pounds with NO FILLS. Good luck and keep focused and you will be fine.

Wow!! Congratulations on your weight loss. That's awesome!! Thanks for the advice

I Had my first fill appointment scheduled for tomorrow. I called to reschedule and the lady seemed annoyed that i was rescheduling and made it clear that she wouldn't be able to get me in for a couple of weeks. The truth is, is that i'm just not ready for a fill so a couple of weeks is fine. I'm going to be 4 weeks post op this friday and my incisions are still a little sore. I'm experiencing no problems with hunger so it put me off a little why she seemed frustrated that i was rescheduling. My surgeon specifically told me to only get a fill if i absolutely need one. He said the less fills i have, the less chance for any complications. He prefers that i lose my weight without a fill. I lost 10 pounds pre op 5 pounds the 1st week after surgery, the 2nd week i didn't lose or gain anything, and last week i consistently have lost 1.5 to 2 pounds a day. I'm down almost 30 pounds so i'm not going to be forced into getting a fill. Just wanted to vent because it confused me as to why she seemed annoyed. It is my choice, isn't it?

I was nervous the first time too but it was over so fast I barely felt anything. I wanted to know if he was gonna numb the area and he said no that medicine hurt worse than what he was gonna do and he was right.

Better to be a little too loose than too tight. I'm really tight and have to be careful what I eat or I PB all over the place. Upside, I'm more satisfied with protein shakes.