Hi,

I am due to be banded on 31st October, so I am asking this really early, but I was curious to know...

The nurse says that when I get my first fill (no earlier than 9 wks post op) they will probably fill my band with 4.5 (it is a 9 capacity). This sounds quite full compared to other posts I've read - not that I'm complaining - fill me up, so I don't eat!!! Just wondering what kind of restriction people felt with 4.5 fill, and what people's first fill was.

Thanks

I have a 10cc band. My 1st fill was 2 cc's. I do not have any restriction (yet--I'm told sometimes it can take a week or two after the fill). Maybe your doctor is more aggressive with the 1st. Also, as you will read, a lot of bandsters don't get good restriction until after the 2nd, 3rd or later fills. Hopefully you will have really good restriction from the start.

I have a 10cc band and my first fill was 6ccs's. Still waiting for the resriction to kick in. Sometimes I feel it, but not always. I am still limiting my intake though, so maybe I am not eating as much as I should to feel it....Dave

I have a 10cc band. My first fill was 5cc. I feel no restriction.

My band holes 4 ccs. I had about 1 cc my first fill. It took me 5 fills to get to 3 ccs.

Thanks for all the info, guys -guess it really does vary a lot!!!

I have a 10cc band. I received 5cc in surgery, and then 4 weeks later went for my first fill where they added 1cc. I really can't tell a difference yet with 6cc.

Hi there. I too had many questions regarding the fill level of a band... What's cool about the band is that it can be custom adjusted to YOUR body. No two people have the same restriction or fill success, etc.

My doctor takes a different approach when it comes to fills. She only goes by what she can see visibly on the flouroscopy screen. She says she can tell me how many cc's she's injected, but it doesn't mean squat! She explained that your perfect fill level is when there's a thin stream of liquid (from the barium swallow) flowing through nicely and at a certain rate... not to fast, not too slow.

Something else that happened during my fill was that while I was drinking my barium swallow, she pointed out that my esophagus (spelling?) has a tendancy to 'reflux', so she did not fill anymore at that point. She said if she did, I would be vomitting... and as you read on this forum, a lot of people have that problem. This is why you should always have your fills done under flouroscopy. I don't know why a doctor would do otherwise... I want the biggest bang for my buck, and I wont play the guessing game... I want to see it with my own two eyes!

So, just take it easy and you'll be just fine. I'm sure your doctor will explain all of this to you as well.

So, bottom line, it doesn't matter what other people's fills are, they have nothing to do with what your fill will be like. Just make sure its done under flouro, and educate yourself on this process... as you already are!

Thx.

My first fill I had 1 cc and felt it for a week. My wife had 2.5 cc on her fill and felt the same but after a week it was the restriction was gone.

Thanks for the additional information want2beme. This answers a lot of questions.

Chris

I dont get why everyone gets these huge fills compared to it taking me a whole year to get a bit below 4cc in a 10cc band. My doctor says I am filled to the max that they like to fill but I dont have restriction yet. I have to pay 200 per fill so it frusterates me that all these people get up to 4cc right away and my doctor doesnt want to even fill me anymore when I havent lost in over 6 months. =/ sigh

Gummiebear: Have you looked into getting a new fill doctor. For $200 a fill I think I would. You only have 4cc and it's been a year??!! Gosh were you getting filled everytime you the doc would let you?

Yes I got filled every time the doctors let me I actually dont even have 4cc I have 3.9. And I have been wondering why I havent lost any weight in the last 6 months although I have pretty much maintained. I struggle with a 10 pound difference going up and down but thats all will power. They have never filled me above .4 at one time. Thats why I feel so frusterated when I see that others are filled to 7.9 or so. They told me I am about maxed out for my fills which doesnt make any sence when u look at how much everyone else with a 10cc band has. I can eat anything I want I just choose to try not to but sometimes I am not perfect which makes it harder.

I have some frustration about my fill, any advice etc would be appricated. I got banded on Aug 30th, first fill Oct 15th. (2CC) Have only lost 18 lbs. Just feel like I can eat too much even though I don't usually. Have only lost like 6lbs sence the fill. Haven't lost any this past week, exercising and everything. I don't ever fill really full. Is this because my pouch is too big? Or not enough fill? Suggestions?? Thanks

I dont get why everyone gets these huge fills compared to it taking me a whole year to get a bit below 4cc in a 10cc band. My doctor says I am filled to the max that they like to fill but I dont have restriction yet. I have to pay 200 per fill so it frusterates me that all these people get up to 4cc right away and my doctor doesnt want to even fill me anymore when I havent lost in over 6 months. =/ sigh

I also have a 10cc band and I just had a fill last week of 2cc. I don't feel any restriction but I get evaluated every 2 weeks, so I go back on the 15th and if I have not lost 4lbs I get another fill. I understand starting with a low fill, but in a year's time you should be better restricted than you are. As 4leafclover said, maybe you should look into getting another fill doctor. Good luck and hope you get some restriction soon.