So i was banded not too long ago .. the 8th of April .. woo hoo. So far everything seems to be going well i am scheduled for my first fill on the 10th of May *nervous and excited*. I just don't know about the amount i am eating. It seems like at first i could only eat a very small amount and now i can eat a considerable amount .. I mean i'm certainly not eating huge meals or anything but more than i should i think and then about an hour or two later i am hungry again .. so this definetly cannot be good. But i hope the filling will solve this problem?! I was just wondering if this was normal or if my band has slipped or what?! Thanks!! This site is so awesome and helpful!!

<3 always, Brooke

Hi Brooke,

Congratulations on getting banded!! Rest assured, what you're feeling is perfectly normal and nothing to panic about. As your stomach heals and swelling goes down, whatever post-op restriction you felt is going to naturally disappear, and when that happens hunger returns. From this point on you probably won't feel restriction until after a fill, and possibly not even until after an adjustment or two.

DON'T WORRY!! You're on your way and this is just the first step of the learning curve. Welcome to bandland! :mad:

oh my goodness, thank goodness!! I was so worried that i was doing something wrong!! That is so wonderful to hear!! Thank you so much for the info, i feel much better now that i know what's going on.

:mad: Brooke!!

Shoot, now I'm confused. I thought my initial band would be good for at least a year or so before needing a fill. Are you saying I'll need a fill a month later?

Where did you get the impression that the band would work for a year without a fill?

It is the rare person who can utilize the band effectively without a fill, once the healing stage is over (6 weeks minimum). You may be one of those lucky people that don't need a fill right away, but I certainly wouldn't count on it. I had four fills my first year.

Does this mean I have to fly to Mexico every few months for a fill? I doubt any local doctors would fill me due to malpractice issues. What do fills cost? That plus airfare? Eeek.

Originally posted by DeLarla

Does this mean I have to fly to Mexico every few months for a fill? I doubt any local doctors would fill me due to malpractice issues. What do fills cost? That plus airfare? Eeek.

I dont know where your from but more and more doctors and doing the banding.

Fills cost anywhere from 100$ to 350$ depending on the type of fill. Doctors office vs. a radiology visit.

I just looked up and saw your from san diego. I believe there is a doctor there that does the banding.

Dr. rumBaut from Monterray mexico worked with him on a patient that had something go wrong. I'll try to find his name for you.

DeLarla, there are many people banded in Mexico who have managed to find US doctors for fill and followups. I hope someone will be able to point you in the direction of one, or maybe Inamed might have some ideas for you. But the bottom line is yes, you will need a fill or even several if you want your band to be its most effective.

I too wonder where you heard that the band is "good for a year" without a fill?

Ok, it was in san fransico.

The name Dr. Peterson came up in the report but it did not say what his actual roll was in it.

It was Dr Yuri that Dr Rumbaut worked with to re insert a band.

So, try finding on in san fran sisco,, Cheaper to drive then to fly.

The money-hungry Vegas doctors said you might not need a fill for a year! I recently inquired locally (Vegas) about weight reduction surgery. The doctors here require you to first attend their seminar. About 200 people showed up, and we learned the two techniques they offer: LapBand vs. surgical bypass. They gave the pros & cons on both surgeries. They didn't try selling one surgery over the other, but as far as fills, they said some people need them while others can go as long as a year. They never mentioned you might need one 6 weeks post surgery. Meanwhile, my friend had her band placed in October. She's lost 60 pounds and is just now wanting a fill. That's a good five months for her, while I've heard others needing them after only 6 weeks.

Also, she told me there's a P.A. that flies to Vegas and does fills here. But he doesn't do the fluoroscopy because he goes right to your hotel room (or my house, I suppose.) He charges $200. I guess it's worth the trip to Mexico. Thanks for the info.

May I ask.... how much has everyone lost? And when were your bands placed? Thanks!

All of my research pointed to the NORM being at least one fill about 6 - 8 weeks post-surgery. The band is designed to work when it is at least partially inflated with saline; without the saline there's no guarantee at all of any restriction.

I've had two fills since surgery, the first about two months post and the most recent in February. I'll probably get another one in May or June. They're painless; the worst part indeed would be paying for them.

I haven't read every word, because I'm trying to get to an appointment, but...

If there is a doctor ANYWHERE who says that it takes a year until you need a fill, I'd avoid him. First because he's wrong. And second, because he sounds like he has an imagined "ideal schedule" and won't be too fliexible.

Rumbaut is wonderful (and about $10,000), but you will have to get adjustments (fills and UNfills). To get to Rumbaut from Las Vegas, Aviacsa (not Avianca) Airlines has (had?) a non-stop flight and was very reasonable.

ALSO, Rumbaut suggested that Cirangel in San Francisco might do my adjustments. I haven't been there, but...last I read anything about him, Cirangle was about $12,500, for the surgery and a fill or two.

Finally, there are many cities in Mexico. And many surgeons, many of whom do adjustments on the patients of other doctors, both US and Mexican. So, you can get adjustments in Tijuana. Many patients drive to the border and cross into Tijuana for adjustments.

There are options.

Also, you wrote "original band." Unless something goes wrong, we each have only one band.

I had my surgery in August and have had 2 fills 1 unfill and then 1 fill again. But, my friend that had the surgery the day after me had a fill and then had to have the whole thing taken out. Her band is empty and her food still gets stuck. So there is that 1 in a million chance that you may not need a fill.

Hi,

Don Mills at INAMED told me to go to www.lap-band.com to find surgeons and fill doctors. I can't imagine you will have to go too far to find someone since lots of doctors seem to be jumping on the WLS band wagon.

Good luck with your search. My first fill is next week, 10 weeks post-op, and I desperately need it. I'm eating almost as I used to - how sad. My sister was banded when I was, and she's going for her second fill, 10 weeks post-op. We're both so ready to begin losing weight with our bands. We attend monthly support group meetings where most of the attendees are bypass patients. At 8 weeks post-op, they're usually about 50 pounds down. As we go around the room introducing ourselves, it's hard to say, "I have an empty band; so, I haven't really started losing weight yet." The people who run the meeting don't really get the fact that the two processes are different. The fills are EVERYTHING! Can't wait!

Good luck to us all, Candy

Thanks for the response. Here's some happy informtion for you: I attended a seminar on LapBand vs. Gastric Bypass. They explained all the pros and cons in detail. Yes, bypass people lose tons of weight really fast. But they showed charts with long-term process. Bypass people stop losing weight while banded people lose more weight over a year or so. Can I ask how much you need to lose? Did you lose any at all? How can that be possible? I weigh 309 at 5' 10" and need to lose over 100 pounds. Are you saying you have lost nothing at all in 10 weeks? What about your sister, how much has she lost? Wow, now I'm worried. Flying to Mexico, handing them so much money, going through major surgery, the pain, suffering, etc., then not losing some weight? EEK.