Found this great article in a newletter on liquid every day for at least several days before the fill.

(You really need this amount at all times anyway).

Drink especially well the morning of the fill. If you're flying in, it can be much harder to stay hydrated, so take a drink bottle and drink very often! Those little "to-go" packs of Crystal Lite are ideal - ask the flight attendants for a refill of your Water bottle, pop one in, and then you will have plenty to drink. Those little 4-oz cups of liquid they give you during flight are useless.

(Hint - While you're on the plane, also take a couple of those white barf bags –

good to keep one in your purse or car, both now and later for emergencies.)

2. Be sure not to have any solid foods for at least 6 hours before the fill. Don't eat a huge or late dinner the night before. If you're having any trouble (reflux, possible slip, etc)

please have nothing but fluids after dinner the night before.

In some cases, food can still be in the pouch for 12 or more hours.

3. Don't drink COLD fluids for an hour before the fill. That will shrink your stoma and give a false fluoro reading. Room temp fluids are fine. Let the ice in your drink bottle melt,

and then you'll have room-temp fluids to drink right up to the fill time.

4. Avoid getting a fill during a menstrual period or a few days before an expected one. During this time, we are usually retaining water, and the fluoro will not be as accurate.

5. If at all possible, hang around for at least a few hours after a fill. Don't run right back to the plane. It takes the normal swelling after a fill 1-2 hours to develop,

and by that time you might be too tight.

6. If at all possible, stay overnight and catch a plane out the following late afternoon or evening. If you are too tight, this will allow time to get a small unfill before you leave. This is not very convenient, but sure beats having to possibly return to TJ in a few days, on short notice, in pain, and at high last-minute plane fares! This is "prevention!" Overfills are not common, but they DO happen, even under the best of conditions. Be prepared, and think about this overnight stay.

7. After a fill, please have liquids only for at least 24 hrs. This allows the stoma to rest and heal. Then, a day of soft foods, then back to regular foods.

8. Review the eating and food guidelines again before every fill. You’ll need to refine your eating more and more with higher fill levels, and there will be less and less room for goofs.

9. Please don't get a fill if you are having ANY trouble with the current level of fill. This means ANY regular pain, PB or barfing more than maybe once a week at the most, not able to get enough

calories in, not able to drink enough, able to eat only soft foods or fluids.

More fill will NOT help, and will make things worse.

10. First fills are not routinely given at 6-8 weeks - but only as you need them. Many people do, some do not. We'll help you decide if you need a fill - just ask. There is no rush for fills. Too much can get you in trouble, and you end up further "behind" than if you had gone slower with fills.

Please remember that good fills are very elusive, even with highly- experienced people like The Kuri Team. There are just too many individual factors involved that the docs cannot control. Even the fluoro is only a clue, and not entirely accurate - for some of the reasons above. It usually takes 3- 5 fills to slowly and safely creep up on a good level, and they can be safely given a month apart.

Trying to go faster with a bigger fill is not the solution, and the stomach rebels at big sudden fills.

SLOW and GRADUAL is the key!

This can be frustrating, but is well worth the wait to avoid problems.

Good Post!

oh my gosh that is sooo helpful - gread advice. I just had my 3rd fill and am sitting here thinking it wasn't enough! I ate a big breakfast 2.5 hours before - my doc says two hours before no liquids or food and i took it too the limit. now i'm thinking i had too much food in me and i'll need more - oh well, live and learn but i'm getting so discouraged trying to find that sweet spot - discouraged and broke but as usual, my own darn fault. thanks again for posting that.

I'm glad to see the post-fill food diet is what my surgeon currently advises. Thank you for sharing that article.

I am so glad I read all this info.. I have gone down for an unfill and I think that the same thing applies,, Now I am thinking of going down for fill and this info is real important..Thank

Diane

That is an excellent article. Thanx for posting it. I am a newbie and am going to have the band installed the day after tomorrow. This site is fabulous - lots of support and lots of information. I had become very, very curious about the fills process and have learned a lot. This site is the greatest!

Great info. Wish I had known about it before.

Had my surgery Mar-8 and the Dr was going on vacation so they rushed me in about 3 weeks later for 1st fill. Had JUST gotten off liquids!

They gave me 1.2cc fill and needless to say I think it was too early.

Had gone in after the fill (beginning of May) and told them I thought it was too tight but they sent me for barrium swallow and said to just see how it goes but didn't take any out due to being such a small amount. :eek:

Went back last week and told them what was going on *not able to keep anything down, reflux, acid, etc* they immediately said "oh , you are too full, we must unfill" DUH!

Gonna wait a while til I get filled again but will be sure to take this advice before going.

Weight came off quickly for sure though. 58 pounds in almost 6 months.

Found this great article in a newletter on http://www.beliteweight.com/

Increase Your Chances of a Good Fill

The following suggestions are good rules of thumb and will increase your chances of getting a good fill.

1. Be sure you are very well hydrated when you come in for your fill appointment. That means at least 8-10 full glasses of liquid every day for at least several days before the fill.

(You really need this amount at all times anyway).

Drink especially well the morning of the fill. If you're flying in, it can be much harder to stay hydrated, so take a drink bottle and drink very often! Those little "to-go" packs of Crystal Lite are ideal - ask the flight attendants for a refill of your Water bottle, pop one in, and then you will have plenty to drink. Those little 4-oz cups of liquid they give you during flight are useless.

(Hint - While you're on the plane, also take a couple of those white barf bags –

good to keep one in your purse or car, both now and later for emergencies.)

2. Be sure not to have any solid foods for at least 6 hours before the fill. Don't eat a huge or late dinner the night before. If you're having any trouble (reflux, possible slip, etc)

please have nothing but fluids after dinner the night before.

In some cases, food can still be in the pouch for 12 or more hours.

3. Don't drink COLD fluids for an hour before the fill. That will shrink your stoma and give a false fluoro reading. Room temp fluids are fine. Let the ice in your drink bottle melt,

and then you'll have room-temp fluids to drink right up to the fill time.

4. Avoid getting a fill during a menstrual period or a few days before an expected one. During this time, we are usually retaining water, and the fluoro will not be as accurate.

5. If at all possible, hang around for at least a few hours after a fill. Don't run right back to the plane. It takes the normal swelling after a fill 1-2 hours to develop,

and by that time you might be too tight.

6. If at all possible, stay overnight and catch a plane out the following late afternoon or evening. If you are too tight, this will allow time to get a small unfill before you leave. This is not very convenient, but sure beats having to possibly return to TJ in a few days, on short notice, in pain, and at high last-minute plane fares! This is "prevention!" Overfills are not common, but they DO happen, even under the best of conditions. Be prepared, and think about this overnight stay.

7. After a fill, please have liquids only for at least 24 hrs. This allows the stoma to rest and heal. Then, a day of soft foods, then back to regular foods.

8. Review the eating and food guidelines again before every fill. You’ll need to refine your eating more and more with higher fill levels, and there will be less and less room for goofs.

9. Please don't get a fill if you are having ANY trouble with the current level of fill. This means ANY regular pain, PB or barfing more than maybe once a week at the most, not able to get enough

calories in, not able to drink enough, able to eat only soft foods or fluids.

More fill will NOT help, and will make things worse.

10. First fills are not routinely given at 6-8 weeks - but only as you need them. Many people do, some do not. We'll help you decide if you need a fill - just ask. There is no rush for fills. Too much can get you in trouble, and you end up further "behind" than if you had gone slower with fills.

Please remember that good fills are very elusive, even with highly- experienced people like The Kuri Team. There are just too many individual factors involved that the docs cannot control. Even the fluoro is only a clue, and not entirely accurate - for some of the reasons above. It usually takes 3- 5 fills to slowly and safely creep up on a good level, and they can be safely given a month apart.

Trying to go faster with a bigger fill is not the solution, and the stomach rebels at big sudden fills.

SLOW and GRADUAL is the key!

This can be frustrating, but is well worth the wait to avoid problems.

Wonderful information thanks a bunch! Your a doll will definately try this on my 4th fill:clap2:

I was banded 7/18/06 and got my first fill yesterday (9/13/06). I don't notice much difference. Is this normal?

Yes it is from what I've experienced and read very normal. Mine wasn't that great either. Of course everyone is different, but from what I've been reading for months now it is normal.

Thanks for bumping this post! I have my first fill on Monday.

I was banded 7/18/06 and got my first fill yesterday (9/13/06). I don't notice much difference. Is this normal?

I was banded there on 8/1/06. I also got my fill this week, on the 12th, I feel no different. Dr. Farhan was my surgeon, but Dr Obedi did the fill. He only gave me .5 ccs. I called back and there is not much that can be done. I am going to go back to see Dr. Farhan. Some surgeons are very conservative for the first few fills I was told.

PM me if you want to talk. We can chat to see how to get through this!

My first fill, like the surgery itself, gave me some restriction for about a month and now I am right back to lots of hunger and eating more. I go for my 2nd fill on Tuesday and am hoping for some better restriction.

Right now I have only 3 cc in an 11 cc band.

This is very helpful for me, since I am having my banding done this Monday 9/16/06 at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital, Long Island by Dr. Brackmen.

Thanks,

Alwaysleo

I am in a delema with my band, things get stuck but I am not getting feeling full. So I am eating very slowly and if it does not feel bad I will eat to much (or what I think is too much) maybe a cup and half of food. Not losing weight or feeling full. I don't know if a fill is in order or what? I know when I first got this fill I was full with very little food eaten. Anyone else like this? In other words feeling tight but not full?

I am in a delema with my band, things get stuck but I am not getting feeling full. So I am eating very slowly and if it does not feel bad I will eat to much (or what I think is too much) maybe a cup and half of food. Not losing weight or feeling full. I don't know if a fill is in order or what? I know when I first got this fill I was full with very little food eaten. Anyone else like this? In other words feeling tight but not full?

Carol...it may be that you are trying to eat things that your band just isn't into - to paraphrase a popular book on relationships. I realize that the ideal is to be able to eat ANYTHING, just in smaller quantities. That, unfortunately, is not the reality for most people.

A cup and a half of food is not too much. I would say it's just about perfect. I can eat about 6 oz of really solid Protein - prime rib or fish, for example, but I can eat about 3 times that much of chili, chunky stew, etc. I can't eat bread, cake/cookies, Pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit with skin or Fiber, many veggies, and some other stuff.