There is much ongoing discussion regarding fills...understandably, as for many Bandsters a fill can be a catalyst to increase progress towards achieving our weight loss goals. There is a great amount of mis-information regarding fills, what is considered a fill, and what it means when a band is "primed" at the time it is surgically placed.

"A BAND THAT IS "PRIMED" DURING PLACEMENT IS A BAND WITH A "FILL".

What is so important about this clarification? It is essential for us to understand that there are forum members who boast about their phenomenal amounts of lost weight and "brag" that they have done so without having fills is highly misleading. It may cause some forum members to question themselves about their own progress, and even ask themselves what they might be "doing wrong".

Another consideration in the rate of weight loss and success with managing hunger is the presence of stomach "plication". The surgeon who does a plication is actually making it easier for the patient post op to manage their hunger, as the existing stomach has some additional stitching done which does seem to assist with staving off hunger for some time after meals. So it ultimately the stomach has the benefit of being smaller and emptying over a longer amount of time.

The most important aspect of understanding that a primed band has Fluid in it is that bands with fill DO help with the management of hunger post op, therefore in theory making it a bit easier for the patient to manage hunger and use their band as the weight loss tool it was designed to be from day one. It is surgeon preference as to whether they prime the bands they place. My surgeon left bands totally empty when placed as he felt it helped with long term positive outcomes when the newly banded patient adjusted to the presence of the new band only, without the additional restriction provided by a primed band.

The patient who has a primed band and plication actually has 2 tools to use in their efforts to have a successful weight loss journey. The plication assists with hunger management, and a primed and filled band provides a level of increased restriction and assistance with hunger management post op from Day 1.

It is misleading and potentially discouraging to forum members who do not have a clear understanding of the head start Bandsters with either both or one of the additional "tools" of a primed band and/or plication have from day 1.

It is human nature for us to compare our rates of weight loss with others, and that is something which may create an unnecessary negative belief about one's progress towards achieving their weight loss goals, it is especially harmful when others who actually have filled bands repetitiously tell others they are doing so well WITHOUT fills actually DO HAVE A FILLED BAND.

Each of us are unique individuals, and we will all have a unique weight loss journey. Do your best to feel good and positive about the progress you have made towards achieving your goals. A loss is a loss...if it comes with the scale moving in the desired direction or if your clothes are getting looser.

It was long overdue to clarify the language and terminology of fills and what a primed band really means.

Others mileage may vary...and if you just want to post negative language, please move on. I no longer visit this forum on a regular basis, and won't be reading the negatives anyway. j/s...

There are many who seek accurate information, and those are the individuals who my post is directed to.

Best wishes to all for a successful weight loss journey...

Very good post Carole. Accurate and straightforward. Now one with a band should feel like a failure if they need a fill to help them along. I know I did.

I have never seen any bandster brag or boast that they have no fills and have lost a lot of weight. Js

I have seen bandster's make a comment they have no fills and have lost weight. But no bragging/boasting as long as we're posting accurate information!

tmf

Edited December 24, 201312 yr by 2muchfun

Great topic Carole with good information

Edited December 24, 201312 yr by cheryl2586

I think that most people who visit this site regularly read enough threads to understand how individualized this surgery and weight loss can be. The people who don't understand are probably the people who just aren't going to "get" the process anyway. In the last month or so since I have joined, I have not experienced any braggery. I think we should all remember that with the written word, tone of voice is left up to the reader and it is the reader who takes away what they want from the words.

Oh yes, the Christmas Spirit is alive and well in this thread Merry Christmas!

Carole,

I don't believe anyone "brags" about their weight loss, we all tell our story as we know it. Everyone on this forum has the opportunity to read all the stories and come to their own conclusion.

I lost 80 pounds in 10 months, am I "bragging" because i say that? No. Does it make some bandster feel like they are doing something wrong? Maybe. Is that my intent? NO. I tell my story, I offer encouragement and support.

Last, some patients do not know if they have a "primed" band or not.....their doctor doesn't tell them the amount in their band (if any). Where to they fall in your theory?

The band is a tool and getting fills is one way to keep the tool tuned up. Some bands need tuning up more than others, so what. We all struggle with all elements of this journey. Let's focus on encouragement and support and not the 'technicality of fills'.

Happy holidays to all!

Again as I keep saying everyone takes out of a post what they want and hound on it. The only thing that you all are hounding on or have taken from this post is "someone is bragging" three words that is all. The point of the whole thread was that when a band is primed it has a fill. That was the education that this post was trying to make known. I clearly can never understand why some of you take what you want from a post and begin to hound on it like that is all she was saying.

Thanks so much for this great post! Despite extensive research and following so many posts ahead of my surgery, I did not really know about the whole primed band thing until after my surgery. I had to ask my surgeon in my first follow-up visit whether there was any Fluid in my band at the time of surgery (in my case, no). It's a very important point to clarify! I am three fills in and could so easily wonder why it is that I'm not "getting there yet."

Again as I keep saying everyone takes out of a post what they want and hound on it. The only thing that you all are hounding on or have taken from this post is "someone is bragging" three words that is all. The point of the whole thread was that when a band is primed it has a fill. That was the education that this post was trying to make known. I clearly can never understand why some of you take what you want from a post and begin to hound on it like that is all she was saying.

Yes, it's true some of the post was great information but why litter a good point with petty, snarky barbs. Take out the accusations as you did in your edited first post on this thread and this would have been a clean educational topic.

As most all of us have said repeatedly, the forum is an opportunity to offer support and anecdotal education to all who come here. Why try to discredit other members?

Here's hoping your Holiday season is a happier one?

tmf

I have Lapband with plication. I do hope I mentioned that enough for people to know. For me I do think it's made a difference. I don't feel like I experienced bandster hell.

And I do understand the OP's thoughts on clarifying. It is easy to compare yourself to others even when you know you shouldn't. And that comparison is even worse when you don't know of all the details.

But I don't think bragging should be mentioned. This is the one place we can Celebrate the loss of one pound or the loss of one hundred pounds and people truly understand what that means. I would hate for that aspect to go away.

Best of luck in your journey!

Tara

This site has become so unpleasant to be on lately....i try to follow the few who have been there to support me from LBT...and find I always let myself get sucked in to these kinds of things.

I am only 3 months out and have lost 64lbs. My band was NOT primed and YES I DO HAVE PLICATION. And triple YES I HAVE NOT HAD A FILL. I eat my 3 meals and a snack and am happy and content!

Am I bragging....ummmm yes maybe...but after so many, many, many years of dieting failure and feeling so bad about myself I am going to brag and sing to anyone who will listen. And if you dont like that then feel free to block me!

Everyone hear talks about educating themselves about the different types of WLS that is available...and I did just that. I could have had just the band but chose to research more and was offered the opportunity for plication. With that, I am happy with my decision and I will brag or not brag to whomever would like to listen! Since everyone makes their own educated choice then they should know that bandster hell exists and some people dont have it....and I will not crawl under a rock and disappear because I am not as miserable as some else. Do I feel badly for those....absolutely.

TMF said it perfectly....what kind of holiday cheer goes on here....Merry Christmas to all those supportive friends I have made and hoping for a Happy AND Healthy New Year to all.....

Brag on! We are all proud of you -- and of ourselves (is that bragging?). Oh for crying out loud I have been living in a shadow of my joy because of being overweight. Time to start bragging! I am very proud of myself for making the decision for a band, going through with surgery and now figuring out my new mode. I am quite wonderful.

Thank you for that post. Every band I feel has it's own personality and everyone is going to have a different reaction. I do not have plication and still suffer from head hunger. However after 9 fills I do believe I've hit the zone. I'm leaving food on the plate because my stomach says I'm full. I don't eat because it's there. That's a huge victory with me!

I have Lapband with plication. I do hope I mentioned that enough for people to know. For me I do think it's made a difference. I don't feel like I experienced bandster hell.

And I do understand the OP's thoughts on clarifying. It is easy to compare yourself to others even when you know you shouldn't. And that comparison is even worse when you don't know of all the details.

But I don't think bragging should be mentioned. This is the one place we can celebrate the loss of one pound or the loss of one hundred pounds and people truly understand what that means. I would hate for that aspect to go away.

Best of luck in your journey!

Tara

I absolutely agree that the plication helped me avoid bandster hell.

It interests me when a member posts something potentially controversial or inflammatory and then states that he/she "won't be reading the negatives anyway." This is like setting a pot of Soup on a stove burner on a high setting, then leaving the pot to boil over and burn someone, while announcing that "It's too hot in the kitchen so I'm getting out of it."

Although the OP (original poster) states that this thread is directed at "many who seek accurate information", 99.9% of the thread appears to be directed at a single, unnamed individual. If the OP has a problem with that individual, I believe it should be dealt with in a private conversation with that individual. In my own not-so-humble opinion, making a personal problem the topic of a public discussion that invites the victim to defend him/herself, and others to join the mob mentality the thread fosters, is the passive-aggressive antithesis of the "best wishes" the OP expresses at the close of the thread.

I will now close the kitchen door and depart this thread with the hope that the fire burns itself out so we can all go back to helping and supporting other.

Jean