So I went to my Dr. today 5 weeks after surgery for my first fill if needed. I had lost 14 lbs since surgery and was told I didn't need a fill. The Dr. also said that they noticed that patients who worked with their bands more, needed less fills. I have been doing this (eating healthy and working out a lot) in order to produce results. At this time I can eat whatever I want, and have had a bite of pretty much anything (pizza, bread, ect.). I have also read a lot of success stories on this site, and noticed that some people who have been really successful went for long periods of time before they got their first fill and those same people don't complain about getting stuck. So I guess what I am asking is from those of you who have been successful, do you feel like you tried to avoid getting filled until you needed it, or did you just get one whenever. I could have probably done with a fill today because I could go out and eat whatever I want and probably not have any repercussions, but I like knowing that I can eat anything I would like and not having to worry about it making me PB or anything. I don't want to criticize anyone, I feel like whatever it takes to make the lap band work for you then go for it! I am just curious what others have experienced in their journeys... Thank you for the feedback!

I was always hungry and requested to come in a week early for my first fill. And the same for my next 2 fills. My doctor isn't really confrontational and he had no prob with my requests. Maybe there's more to why your doc wants to wait but it sounds like you could use a fill. I'd give it a couple of weeks and if you can continue to eat anything and if you are very hungry all the time, tell him you are struggling to stay on a diet and that you are not feeling any restriction.

Some docs like to sneak up on restriction and maybe that works best, but I would prefer getting there a little faster. I agree that working with your band is best but if you lost most of your weight through the liquid and pureed phase I would disagree with him. If you are gaining weight or staying the same, he really should allow you a fill.

But if you can feel restriction and continue to lose weight, why rock the boat?

tmf

that's a very interesting question.

I believe I was a very compliant and conservative patient as a new post-op, and after my first fill I realized how important it is to fill the band gradually, because it took a lot of effort for me to adjust my eating to the new level of restriction. I also felt that I NEEDED every single fill I got, but several times I asked for small unfills because eating had become too difficult. So I think it all balanced out OK for me.

I still like to eat and still enjoy cooking and eating. For the most part I can eat anything and not get stuck. I have had my share of fills, but I did go for over 1 year without one. I don't want to rely on protien shakes and soup. Still like my chicken, steak and pasta.

Even before surgery I knew that I was in this for the long haul and I wanted to have fills as gradually as I could. I didn't want to be so aggressive and filled at the beginning and then have this "not work" and wonder, "ok, i'm filled to capacity and it's not working, where to I go from here".

that might be flawed thinking, but that's where i was mentally.

so, after my first follow up visit, i had lost enough weight and we decided that i didn't NEED a fill, so i didn't get one. It's been over a year, I've still had no fills and I've lost just over 100 pounds without one.

I had a follow up visit about a month ago due to my port flipping and asked about the need to have a fill and the doctor said if i haven't had a fill in over a year, chances are I would never need one. as long as i'm still losing and not gaining or looking for food, the band is doing it's job as far as i'm concerned.

I eat much less than pre-banding, even with no restriction, i've had 1 stuck episode featuring the devil food called Peanut Butter ....(i love peanut butter but now i'm more careful with it before swallowing), i eat foods that i love and i can eat ANY kind of food, just much less of it.

it has really worked for me. i'm not saying i will never need a fill, anything can happen, but right now i'm happy where i am and i feel the band is doing it's job perfectly.

I was faced with a similar problem last month and seeked the advise of our fellow bansters....their wisdom is always welcomed.

I have been doing well with sticking to a low carb/high Protein and loosing about 1.5-2.0 pounds a week....so I didn't know if I should get a second fill..............but I did recognise it was "me" doing all the work and not the band...but I didn't want to risk getting a fill then having to give up some food (like chicken) that has been a key element in my success.On the other hand, I can eat anything I want...in just about any quantity....so one bad week could do a lot of damage.

I discussed it with my doctor and we decided to do small fills 1cc at a time...that way when it begins to get harder to loose and I "need" to find resctriction I won't be 7cc and 4 or 5 fills a way. so now I only have 2.5 cc in a 10cc band. he said when I get a fill that I actually notice...we will slow down. (he thought that would be at least 2 more fills)....then when I need help....I will only be 1 or 2 fills away to restriction and won't have to start with an empty band.

Seeks to be working for me.

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I was faced with a similar problem last month and seeked the advise of our fellow bansters....their wisdom is always welcomed.

I have been doing well with sticking to a low carb/high Protein and loosing about 1.5-2.0 pounds a week....so I didn't know if I should get a second fill..............but I did recognise it was "me" doing all the work and not the band...but I didn't want to risk getting a fill then having to give up some food (like chicken) that has been a key element in my success.On the other hand, I can eat anything I want...in just about any quantity....so one bad week could do a lot of damage.

I discussed it with my doctor and we decided to do small fills 1cc at a time...that way when it begins to get harder to loose and I "need" to find resctriction I won't be 7cc and 4 or 5 fills a way. so now I only have 2.5 cc in a 10cc band. he said when I get a fill that I actually notice...we will slow down. (he thought that would be at least 2 more fills)....then when I need help....I will only be 1 or 2 fills away to restriction and won't have to start with an empty band.

Seeks to be working for me.

This sounds great to me, that was kind of my fear as well, what happens if I get to the point where I can't do it myself anymore and need the band to do its job a little more. This sounds like a great plan. I am really glad I'm not the only one on here who is experiencing this. I have only been on it for 5 weeks, but the weight is dropping pretty rapidly. I am down about 60lbs including the 3 weeks presurgery diet. So the band is working well, but this will be the 4th time in my life I've had a significant weight loss and the hard part for me has always been keeping it off. I have definately changed my eating habits, but eventually if I go on vacation or "have a bad week" I don't want to put on 10 lbs because my band doesn't stop me from eating.

This sounds great to me, that was kind of my fear as well, what happens if I get to the point where I can't do it myself anymore and need the band to do its job a little more. This sounds like a great plan. I am really glad I'm not the only one on here who is experiencing this. I have only been on it for 5 weeks, but the weight is dropping pretty rapidly. I am down about 60lbs including the 3 weeks presurgery diet. So the band is working well, but this will be the 4th time in my life I've had a significant weight loss and the hard part for me has always been keeping it off. I have definately changed my eating habits, but eventually if I go on vacation or "have a bad week" I don't want to put on 10 lbs because my band doesn't stop me from eating.

Think "Bad Day" not bad week. I've had a few bad days but I let myself enjoy it knowing I would get back on the wagon the very next day. Of course, I'd never schedule a cruise vacation as I understand those are ungodly bad for diets.

I went on a cruise this past January (after 6 months of being banded) and had a fantastic time, ate like I was on vacation and managed to lose 10 pounds that week.

anything in moderation is ok. i wouldn't take a cruise or vacation every week, but once in a while it's ok...

I went on a cruise this past January (after 6 months of being banded) and had a fantastic time, ate like I was on vacation and managed to lose 10 pounds that week.

anything in moderation is ok. i wouldn't take a cruise or vacation every week, but once in a while it's ok...

Ok I am impressed if you managed to go on a cruise and still lose weight if you say you ate like you were on vacation. I used to go on vacation just to eat, so I could gain 10 or 15 lbs in a week on a cruise ship. Are you excercising a lot or something? What's your secret for losing 10 lbs while on vacation, especially one that has a lot do do with eating?

I want to go on one at least once in my life but was waiting until I "looked the part" haha so I'm cracking up that you say never 2much

I was banded 4/6/12. I didn't think I needed a fill but got one to see what the difference was.I went for my 2nd fill and refused it.I got a good "Kudos" from my doctor for me " working" the band and not letting it work me.he said if I don't lose weight for 6-8 weeks then he would fill me.although my weight has slowed it's still 1-2 lbs a week.:-)

Interesting feed I am only 2 weeks post op and saw the doc yesterday and he told me to make my next appt for 5 weeks. I am losing weight slowly without fills why rock the boat do what works and take it slowly as long as we get to where we're going enjoy the scenery I know that sounds corny right?

We all have to find our own way and what works in our lives. It's a learning process and what we learn along the way is different sometimes. Here are my thoughts on the subject:

I did not avoid fills. I wanted this band to start working ASAP! I dropped weight rapidly before my first fill, but the fill was needed because the swelling from surgery had gone down. I reached my sweet spot on fill number 2 and it was smooth sailing from there. I dropped a whopping 100 pounds in the first year with very little effort. That is why I took such drastic measures and got WLS in the first place. Life is so good now! I don't diet. I don't exercise like I'm in competition with The Biggest Loser. I just live my life

From day one I have not counted, journaled, or tracked anything. The band has worked very well because I had it adjusted properly. I just went in for a maintenance fill yesterday. It is very important to keep up with this. I can stay the exact same weight every day with very little effort for about 10-12 months and then I can feel when things change and I need a little bump fill.

It is so sad when I read posts that say the band doesn't work and the bandster has put back on a large amount of weight. In the same post they say they didn't go back in for a fill in several years.

IMHO they should have gone in for maintenance fills and not let the weight creep back on.

The concept of filling the band to capacity does not register in my mind at all. If the band is filled to capacity there is one of three things happening. 1) The wrong size band was used for that person's anatomy. If a large band is used on a stomach that should have had a small band, much Fluid will have to be added to squeeze the band/stomach to a level of restriction. Or 2) The port has been missed and the fill that is believed to be in the band is not really there. Or 3) There is a leak someplace and the fluid is not staying in the band.

After goal/ maintenance. There are very long periods of time when the person just stays at the same restriction level and it's smooth sailing. In that 10-12 month period some of the fluid disapates .... goes away. It's not a leak. It's like osmosis. For example, I stayed with my fill of 5.3cc for about a year. When I went in for a maint. fill the doc removed all the fluid to measure. It was at 4. something. My fill at that time brought me back to about 5.7........ another 10 months passed....... another maint. fill ..... we didn't measure, but I'm betting I'm now at about 5.5cc again.

My band is 10cc. If it were filled to capacity I would not be able to even sip Water. It will never be filled to capicity.

geez.... long post for me. I consider myself a success story and I give 80-90% credit to the band and proper fills, not my "work".

Ok I am impressed if you managed to go on a cruise and still lose weight if you say you ate like you were on vacation. I used to go on vacation just to eat, so I could gain 10 or 15 lbs in a week on a cruise ship. Are you excercising a lot or something? What's your secret for losing 10 lbs while on vacation, especially one that has a lot do do with eating?

I really didn't do anything special. I did a lot of walking (hiking on some excursions), tried to take the stairs instead of elevators, swam a lot and stayed hydrated. I drank probably twice the amount of Water each day than I do at home since i tend to retain water when i eat foods that are heavy in salt (which cruise line food is heavy in).

i didn't actively try to lose weight on my vacation...i just relaxed and figured i'd get back to working on it when i got back on land.

i have another cruise coming up in September and i'm going to be enjoying myself again. i will eat normally, but i will also be very active and have a good time without worrying about having too many calories. life is for living, and i'm going to enjoy every minute of it.