I had my first fill today at NYUMC, with Dr Ren. It was nothing with nothing. She told me to lay down, put my hands behind my head, and contract my abdominal muscles as if I were doing crunches. She was in an out in seconds. Even during that relatively brief period of time when I could sense the needle, I asked her, "That's IT? It's nothing!"

I got 3ccs, by the way, in an APS (10cc) band.

Afterward, I was instructed to drink a cup of Water, which I did. I could definitely feel it going down. What they were looking for were signs of the water "sitting" there -- which I would feel in the center of my chest -- which would indicate too much restriction. Although I could definitely feel the water, it did go down. I was also told to start off the mornings with warm liquid, which relaxes the band (like tea, I suppose, or coffee).

I was told to stay on liquids for the next two days, then pureed foods for the third and fourth days -- and was cautioned that I may begin to feel considerably more restriction within a few days. If the restriction turns out to be too much (such as being unable to swallow anything, at worst including my own saliva), I would then have to come in and be unfilled a bit before my next scheduled appointment, which is three weeks from now.

In the 3 weeks since my post-op visit, I have lost 6 pounds. However, I really haven't lost anything in the past week, and have been getting kind of hungry -- so this fill has come in the nick of time!

Another thing: The small mass beneath my port incision, which I assumed was merely scar tissue, is actually my port. So it turns out that my port can be VERY easily felt. (And all this time I've been probing in the general vicinity, wondering where it was!)

I had my first fill yesterday and I too was surprised at how painless it was. My doc however will not tell me how much he put in. He wants his patients to judge how they actually feel and has seen people psychologically decide they need a fill because someone else got more than they did. It makes sense I suppose but I was still a little frustrated. I mean, it's my body right. I also have gone two weeks with no weight loss to all of a sudden losing three pounds almost over night. I guess it will come off when it's ready to come off.

Thanks for sharing your first fill stories. I go on Tuesday for my 1st I can only hope it goes as well as ya'lls have.

Thank you for this info...My first fill will be on Tuesday. Can't wait!

Hi, I wanted to thank you for sharing this. My first fill is scheduled for May 19th and I have been a little nervous. Now I feel a little better about it. I keep hearing that the fill may not be immediate and I guess I am anticipating not being able to swallow anything :> But I will stay postive and hopefully it will go like the surgery...without a problem.

I had my first fill last night. I felt it to be very uncomfortable. I really thought I wouldn't feel anything. My Dr. put in 3.6cc's and then had me drink. I was hoping it would go down so I did not have to have any taken out. That however, was not the case. Not only would the sip of water not go down but saliva started to back up. I then started to feel like I couldn't breath. It was all very scarey. The Dr. took out one cc and I instantly felt better. The problem I feel today except for being very sore is I feel like I don't have much restriction. I of course have been on liquids, but I really feel hungry. Is this normal with 2.6 cc's?

I got my band 3/11/08 from Dr. Michael Wood From ABMI at detroit medical center. I was going to get my first fill today 6 weeks post op and my Dr called and told me he has a new policy and will only be doing fills once a month and so don't come in till may 31. I will be 10 weeks post op this dosn't sound right. I've lost 38 pounds since I was banded but I'm getting hungry and eating more. I called my Dr. and he told me to have will power:cursing::party::cursing:. My surgury was $27000.00 since he got paid I feel he is blowing me off what should I do. I don't want to take a step backward

Wow, I've got my first visit on May 16th. I was rweally hoping for a fill because I am sooo hungry. I still haven't gotten off liquid though and won't until May 6th. Might be pure torture to go back on liquids that soon -lol. I'm glad it has been painless for so many. I made my husband take off work to go with me for some hand holding. can't wait to feel restriction!!!

Good idea! I told my dr. while he was digging around that I think this is a hand holding situation!

Update: I've only had liquids today, and they seem to go down rather easily, without feeling liquid going down as I did this afternoon right after the fill.

I do feel kind of nauseous now, though. Not sure if it's because I haven't had enough to eat (drink) today, or if it's part of the process.

Thanks for the info.. I have an appt on 5/5/08 and I was starting to stress thinking it might be really painful.

I was nervous about the whole thing, too. Since the only needles I've ever experienced in my stomach were for the amnios I had when I was pregnant with my children, those were my points of reference -- and boy, was I ever (thankfully) wrong!

Dr. Ren explained that since the port is sub-dermal only, and not sub-muscular, there's little or no pain involved. However, since the placement of ports seems to vary so much (according to what I read here), and people's anatomies differ (as well as change individually as weight is lost), I would imagine these things account for different experiences as well.

I do wonder, though, if some of this may lie with who is administering the fill. I will find out in three weeks, when someone else in Dr. Ren's office will be filling me.

Also, since subsequent fills consist of unfills (to check saline volume), and then refills, then I would imagine whatever pain is involved is doubled. Not a pleasant thought, I know!

I hope everyone's first fill goes as well as mine. I hope I have allayed some fears!

I had my first fill last week and after I got over the anxiety I did good. I had one heck of a bruise afterwords. Does your body get used to it or do you always bruise like heck? It was black it was so bruised!

Tracy

Had my first fill today...and it was painless!

My next appt is 6/4/08.

I have lost 28.75 lbs since surgery day 4/1/08