I Had my most recent fill last Thursday. Before that fill, it had been about 9 months ago since I've had one. In those 9 months I've never really felt much restriction and have gained about 10 pounds. I blamed it on the awful winter we had which led to a decrease in exercise and poor food choices. I know it's my fault. I didn't really think much about the restriction. I've been banded almost 3 years and have lost about 70 pounds. This was my first gain. I had an appointment in April but cancelled it, silly I know, but I was hoping to lose some of the weight before I went. So I was rescheduled for this past Thursday.

This where I have some questions.

The Dr. always asks some questions he commented about the gain and when did I start to feel less restriction, and the thing is I don't know if I ever really did feel any from that last fill.

Then he goes to access my port. He always draws out the Fluid in there to measure then adds more. This time he kept moving the needle around, I asked what was up. He said it's not all coming out it must be stuck. He finally put what was in there back in with a little more. But it seemed I've lost some saline since the last time I was there. He said it's not back up to where you were 9 months ago, but he wants me to come back in 1 months to give me another fill Or see if there is a leak. Ugh ! Not what I wanted to have happen.

So it has me concerned about some things. What happened to the saline that's supposed to be in there. At first I was thinking maybe he missed the spot last time, but wouldn't he know that since he draws it all out first ? And what if I do have a leak, what would I do ?

Just curious if anyone else had this kind of situation with their band. I am really hoping when I go back in 4 weeks I am where I should be and I can get another fill and finally get the rest of this weight off.

Thank you !

I cannot answer your question about where it went or what to do.

What I do know, is that not all patient records are completely accurate. Someone may have forgotten to write or enter a number, then guessed at the number when doing the final recording. Human error. I would wait that month out and see how it goes. There are days when my weight fluctuates 3-4 pounds from water retention etc., try not to get too caught up in the what ifs..

Good luck, hope you are now back on track!

Thank you, Kitt3000.

I hope I am too.

He does always write in my file right after he does a fill, while I am drinking my Water.

Not sure if someone else rewrites it after he is done.

I was hopefully the day after my fill. I was finally feeling some restriction again but, today 3 days later and I've been starving all day. Trying to keep drinking water and get my Proteins in.

Hoping I feel some restriction soon.

Sometimes it takes time for the fill to settle in -- I don't notice at first but then 4-5 days later I do. I've now had seven small fills. The surgeon doesn't share fill amounts so I have no idea how much, etc. If it starts to wear off and I'm hungry again too soon, I go back. We are all different and have find what works for our bodies. It's great that you are seeing your surgeon again and regrouping. Keep listening to your body, noticing patterns for hunger, time until you feel hunger again, what is satiety versus "full" which is not what we are trying to achieve. Also the slow eating of real food with lots of chewing is what gives those esophogeal signals to the brain. Go slow, no sliders, listen in -- it may be that fill is just taking a little time to work.

Sometimes the needle will get a little airlock or something and all of the fluid won't come out. I had all of my fluid removed 3 days after surgery (2ccs I believe). When I got my first real fill a few months later, I still had a cc in there. It happens.

Edited June 30, 201412 yr by SandyM