I go for my first fill on March 27th. My surgery was Feb. 8th. I do feel considerable restriction left over from the surgery. When I eat (sloooooowly, tiny bites, Protein first, no liquids with meals, etc) after between 1/4 and 1/2 c. food I get a painful lump in my throat and must stop eating immediately! Sometimes I have to take a Gas-X pill, which relieves the lump in my throat within seconds. So, my question is, at the first fill will they first deflate the band (to verify if saline was in there restricting me), and then proceed to fill it with however much they are using, or just add in the fill? I do not think it is normal to have restriction after the surgery but before the first fill. Sometimes I get frantic because I am hungry, yet can only consume a very small amount of food. I try so hard to stop before the lump in my throat appears, because it is rather painful.

Has anyone had a similar experience? What advice can you give me?

Thanks in advance,

Marianna

Hi Marianna, My surgery was the same day as yours and I get my first fill this Thursday. I was glad you asked that question because I wondered about it too. I was able to watch the dr. give my daughter a fill one time (she had surgery last March) and I did notice that he did extract the saline first to see how much was in it before putting it back and adding more. Not sure if every dr. does that but he did. Sorry you are having problems eating. I don't feel much restriction anymore but I have been able to eat small portions without any problems or hunger in between. For some reason though, I often get the hiccups after I eat and I also have a pain in my left abdomen when I eat sometimes. I will ask the dr. about it on Thursday. Anxious to hear some of the responses you get about the first fill. Congratulations on your weight loss so far!

Debbie.

Marianna, i have had two doctors, my first doctor would take out the Fluid everytime i would get a fill and it felt gross! the following day i would be too tight and not able to keep anything down. I would end up back and he would take out fluid. I could not get past 3.5 cc. which turned out to be costly each visit since i paid cash for my band.

it was also drive to see him to, add to the issue!

i finally gave up and started looking for a new doctor. i was able to find a new doctor in the same building i work in.

My first fill with my new doctor: he added 1.5cc which pushed me up to 4.5.

I did well and did not get sick and had more restrictions.

But one thing i did notice was that this doctor did not take out ALL the fluid out. He only took out a little to make sure he was in the port...

i did not feel sick!!! and since then i have had 2 more fills.

i am Feeling more restrictions and now at 5.2cc.

im schedule for another fill tomorrow. See how it goes!!!

:wub:

When I had my fill. They look to see how much was in there. And decided how much to give me on my answers to the questions they ask.

My Dr's don't take out what's there before re-filling (that sounds kinda strange). They hook me up to a monitor so they can see my band and how much is in it. They add some, then I drink a contrasting fluid (so they can see what's where and how it's doing). They do this same way when they remove any (had to have a little removed yesterday - am much better now). If you are feeling such severe restriction (with eating), you most likely DO NOT need a fill so, be sure to tell your Dr/lapband staff how you're feeling and if you're having any problems! They are there to give advice and/or answer questions - use them!!!

Joni Breedlove

banded 5-24-2010

Just had a fills with my new doctor! awesome! im at 6cc now... and feeling where i wanna be.. i have restrictions now.

I had my fill Monday. I was so sick monday and tuesday. I call the dr.s office this morning and they told me to come in. they took half of what they put in monday. I feel so much better. I now can keep liquids down. and I ate a little something for supper. I hope this is where it should be.

Im keeping all my liquids down. i feel the tightness. i hope i feel better tomorrow??