So I am in a horrible mood right now and need to vent... Just had my third fill this afternoon. It was my first time actually seeing my surgeon since surgery in January. The other fills were done by the doctor at the clinic.

I should preface this by saying I've been feeling NO restriction and haven't had good weight loss since my surgery nearly 5 months ago. I'm down like a total of 10 lbs.

Anyway, he looks at my chart, sees that I have 3cc in my band, and says he will give me 2cc. So I lie down, he finds the port, he sticks me and and says, "hmmm, have you had any fills since the last time you were here?" (((Yeah, I went to my guy down at the corner of 2nd and Harris... Just HAD to have my fix, man!!!))) well, turns out the last fill wasn't charted so I actually already had 5cc. So he says he will only give me 1cc and that will be a significant difference.

I get that they don't want to rush it, but I get charged $40 co-pay when I walk in, then after the fill I get charged $75 as I walk out. They LITERALLY get you coming and going.

Just getting sick of all this time and money for hardly any help from my band.... Or maybe my doctors? Ugh. Okay, I'm done ranting... Lol

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Wow that sucks! I have not had the procedure yet so I don't have much advice to follow. Are you following the diet plan? I wonder why you would not feel restricted as most people say they don't feel hungry and cannot eat much. Where did u go and who are your physicians? It seems pretty bad if they didn't chart information and makes u wonder how many ccs you really have.

I've been doing my best following my doctors rules but if I only eat a half cup of food, I'll be hungry in like two hours. I'm exercising more and not drinking during meals and not having soda... I'm just not getting restriction. I'm just frustrated right now. I have an awesome surgeon, I'm trying to trust him and his judgment.

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I know it's frustrating, but trust me, it's so much better to ease into the Green Zone than to blow past it into the Red Zone. Then you are miserable trying to "back into" the Green Zone usually going back and forth repeatedly.

Plus, don't get hung up on the amount of the fill or the amount in your band. Those numbers are totally irrelevant. All that matters is how you feel and the closer you get to the Green Zone even a very tiny fill can make a world of difference.

Hang in there, it's good your doctor is being cautious. You'll be glad in the long run.

Missy is right. It is very frustrating but worth it in the long run.

You said "if I only eat a half cup of food, I'll be hungry in like two hours", don't let your mind manipulate what will happen. If you think that then yes you will be hungry in two hours. When I was going through 'bandster hell" I focused on changing the type of foods I ate as well as the amount. In between meals I drank a bunch of Water and kept myself busy so I wouldn't think about food.

I still drink a lot of water (about 80 ozs a day) and I keep myself busy (I'm a boredom eater).

The frustration will be worth it in the end.

I totally agree with Mis.....

Keep in mind, the more Fluid you have in your band, the less it takes to tighten it. If you're already at 5cc's, 1 cc can make a huge difference. If you pass green and go straight to red, you will regret it. It sounds like you DO have a good surgeon; one who has your best interest in mind. Try & let the money issue go. You're already deeply invested in this, and if you jump quickly, it will cost you, too.

Good luck.....

Thanks for the encouragement, ladies. I have been making better choices of food, especially lately.

I just wanted to get the band to help me with quantity while I improve quality and it feels like the band isn't keeping up its end of the deal lol I think it'll get there eventually, but now I know what you mean by bandster hell.

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My band experience is non-existent, as my first info session is tomorrow night.

However, my experience with doctors (for myself and several family members) is extensive. My opinion is always to seek the very best doctor available, no matter how minor the condition is, and I don't tolerate sub-standard care. If a doctor isn't cutting it, I find a better one.

My point is that there isn't any excuse for sloppy record-keeping when it comes to health care procedures. For me, all it would take is one incident of not charting a procedure and I would be out the door. Sloppiness like that could result in someone getting hurt. Just my opinion....

Andrew

I should clarify about the fill that was not charted...

At my second fill in april, the doctor was unable to "get" my port despite stabbing me three times. So she called one of the surgeons and he was able to fit me in quickly between patients. However, I had to leave my clinic/office and go down the road to the surgery center where the surgeon was.

He was able to give me my fill painlessly and with ease. He said he put in my records that he was giving me 1.5cc instead of the .5 cc that the inept doctor wanted to give me.... But apparently not....

It doesn't excuse the lack of charting, but he did say he was recording it. Maybe there was a technical problem. I don't know... But after almost passing out from the multiple stabs and digging by that doctor, I didn't care what the surgeon did besides a quick and painless fill!

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my doctor pulls it all out and then adds what I need so the records keep suent and the band doesnt have a leak you might ask him to do that. I have to pay $150 for a fill insurance had 3 mos after care.

It's better to go slow!!! Take it from me! I got a fill once and pay $35 copayment and was sooo tight that night I couldn't swallow spit so next morning I was in there paying $35 more dollars to get some takin out! Hang in there it will get better!

For the most part you will do most of the work, the band will do some but not all. Its up to you and changing your eating habits that is the key to success. Everyone is different in how many fills it takes to help. The band will never stop you from eating it will keep you from being hungry for 4 or 5 hours on smaller amounts of food. People get restriction messed up. For some it stops the amount that you can eat but in all reality the food doesnt stay in your pouch long enough to make a difference. Even at my green zone if I want I can still eat a large plate of food. Its up to me to control that I wouldnt do that. I really think people are so misinformed about the way the band works.

For the most part you will do most of the work, the band will do some but not all. Its up to you and changing your eating habits that is the key to success. Everyone is different in how many fills it takes to help. The band will never stop you from eating it will keep you from being hungry for 4 or 5 hours on smaller amounts of food. People get restriction messed up. For some it stops the amount that you can eat but in all reality the food doesnt stay in your pouch long enough to make a difference. Even at my green zone if I want I can still eat a large plate of food. Its up to me to control that I wouldnt do that. I really think people are so misinformed about the way the band works.

I completely agree with you Cheryl....I too only have 1 fill and 3 cc's in my band...if I didn't control myself I could eat a lot more than I do and I wouldn't have lost the weight I have. I understand that everyone is different and we all have to do what works for us...

I had my first fill today. I don't like needles, so the idea of getting a needle in my belly really freaked me out before I got there.

My doctor always does the first fill in the radiology department of the hospital in front of the fluroscope....he puts a little in, I drink the shake, he checks out how it flows. Not enough, here's a little more. Drink some more, another check of the fluroscope, looks good. You are finished.

"Ah, doc, you going to take that needle out of my gut now?"

"Relax there buddy, I'm getting you a Band-Aid"

After he was done, I asked how much saline he put in. His answer was simple, "enough"

When I asked him again, he told me that I am losing weight just fine, the amount we put in doesn't really matter......you are progressing just perfectly. Everyone is different, we cannot compare your fill to another person's fill. But if you must know, 4cc.

I think his answer was just right. We each have our own body type, and we trust the doctor to know better than us. He did the easy part, a little stick of a needle today, the rest is up to me for the next 40 years.

For the most part you will do most of the work, the band will do some but not all. Its up to you and changing your eating habits that is the key to success. Everyone is different in how many fills it takes to help. The band will never stop you from eating it will keep you from being hungry for 4 or 5 hours on smaller amounts of food. People get restriction messed up. For some it stops the amount that you can eat but in all reality the food doesnt stay in your pouch long enough to make a difference. Even at my green zone if I want I can still eat a large plate of food. Its up to me to control that I wouldnt do that. I really think people are so misinformed about the way the band works.

I attended my info session tonight, so I'm in the very early stages of getting banded. I keep reading things similar to what you've stated and what confuses me is that if it's completely up to me to control my volume of food and I'm still able to eat a large plate of food with the band, why get the surgery? I was hoping the band would control the amount I could eat and that it would be up to me to choose healthier foods ...

I attended my info session tonight' date=' so I'm in the very early stages of getting banded. I keep reading things similar to what you've stated and what confuses me is that if it's completely up to me to control my volume of food and I'm still able to eat a large plate of food with the band, why get the surgery? I was hoping the band would control the amount I could eat and that it would be up to me to choose healthier foods ...[/quote']

Because the band will control your hunger and allow you to be satisfied on much less food for much longer periods of time.

There is a link in my signature, have a look I think it will help you considerably.