Hey all,

I was banded 1/8 and had my first fill today! Doctor put 4 and overall was a quick easy procedure. I told my surgeon I wanted to be 60 pounds lighter by December and if it was possible to get my fills quicker. He didn't hesitate or show any concern so I've been booked in to have my second fill next week then the third the week after and so on. So I'm getting a fill each week. Is this normal? Should I be concerned or happy that they'll be consecutive. Has anyone had their fills done in this way?? I've lost 20 pounds so far. I'm hoping the fills will keep my weight loss consistent

My concern is that your doctor actually supported the idea of being 60 pounds lighter by December. The average weight loss with the band is 1-2 pounds a week. December is only 14 weeks away. That means you could lose maybe 14-28 pounds by then. Thinking you're going to lose 60 pounds by then, or over 4 pounds a week, is totally unrealistic.

The other issue is the idea fills make you lose weight- they don't. Eating less calories than you burn is what makes you lose weight. Fills help by increasing the tightness of your band and dimming your hunger, making it easier to eat less. But the band itself doesn't make you lose weight any more than a bracelet around your wrist does. So, rapidly getting fills may get you into the Green Zone faster so your hunger is well controlled but it doesn't mean you'll lose weight any faster.

I'm not trying to be a buzzkill, I just think it's important to have realistic expectations so you don't set yourself up for failure.

Best wishes.

Mis73 thanks you so much for the reply. Everything you said makes perfect sense. I completely forgot about the green zone concept. My doctor did mention that once I stop craving snacks in between meals I've found my green zone. How did you find this? What indicator did you follow as to what fill is your ideal green zone?

Hey all,

I was banded 1/8 and had my first fill today! Doctor put 4 and overall was a quick easy procedure. I told my surgeon I wanted to be 60 pounds lighter by December and if it was possible to get my fills quicker. He didn't hesitate or show any concern so I've been booked in to have my second fill next week then the third the week after and so on. So I'm getting a fill each week. Is this normal? Should I be concerned or happy that they'll be consecutive. Has anyone had their fills done in this way?? I've lost 20 pounds so far. I'm hoping the fills will keep my weight loss consistent

I remember a girl done the exact same thing, and sadly she lost her lap band. The problem with this approach is that fills can sometimes take 2-3 weeks before they settle in and you don't want to piggy back fills and get too tight.

Sometimes unfilling the band and refilling constantly can damage the band, your stomach needs rest between fills, fills are nothing to take lightly, they are the cause of most lap band complications, you have to be very careful with fills.

You can't tighten the band so tight to speed up weight loss without risking complications.

But again, it's your band and your body, if things work out that is great, but please do not bash the band if you have any issues down the road because this is not how aftercare and fill adjustments should be with the band.

Ideally fills should be every 4-6 weeks in the beginning to prevent complications and you and your surgeon are going against the band manufacturer recommendations.

Good luck

I wouldn't suggest trying to get a fill every week, at least once your close to the green zone.

My experience, it took AT LEAST two to three weeks for me to learn the new restriction level. I had to adjust, once I got close. I was EATING too much...too fast. But the band DOES help with this.

As far as the band providing restriction.....

You'll hear differing OPINIONS about restriction, as should be expected.

So here's my experience, after I got to the GREEN ZONE, very similar to what you will find on this site ( http://www.lapband.c...-about-lapband/ )...from the maker of the LAPBAND.

1. The LAP-BAND^® System reduces your stomach's capacity, restricting the amount of food you are able to eat at one time.

"Restricting the amount of food you are ABLE to eat at one time."

BUT, it was not that way until I had adequate restriction...for me. Once I got close, it was a VERY small tweak in adjustment that made a BIG difference.

And I've never had an unfill, due to being too tight.

Best wishes for your continued success.

I'm concerned that your doctor agreed to set you up for weekly fills. IMO, it's way too fast, and doesn't give you or your body time to register the FIRST fill. If you pass green, going straight to red so quickly, you will have undesirable issues.

Please keep in mind that the band is for life; not the quick fix that so many of us sought in past attempts at weight loss. To set such an unrealistic December goal, I fear that you're setting yourself up for a major disappointment. What's the rush? I'm guessing that you didn't gain 60 pounds in three months, so it's highly unlikely that you will lose it in 3 months. I don't know what you've got planned at year end, but just try and relax with this. As mentioned by posters above, if you rush the fills, trying to force rapid weight loss, you can have serious complications.

I wouldn't want to get fills every week because I have had bad experiences with fills but everyone is different. since the average weight loss that the band suggest us losing is 1-2 pounds per week. you might be able to lose about half of that. I would also suggest seeking a second opinion from another doctor to see if that would be something they would recommend because you don't want to end up hurting yourself or the band. also, you might want to consider the amount of extra skin you will have with rapid weight loss. slow and steady is the key, especially since the band is meant to be for life.

my doctor won't give fills less than 4 weeks apart. every week sounds very aggressive and could be dangerous. please be careful and if you ever starting not being able to keep things down then time to back off.