I keep reading others that have fills every 2-4 weeks. My surgery date was March 14th of this year. I have only received 1 fill and getting very very discouraged.I called my Dr around the 3rd week and said it was not working. They said it may take the full 6 weeks to work. Hmm. I think the amount of fluid they put in should be felt that day. I wouldn't think it would all of a sudden tighten on its own. I am going to see her on Monday. Yes I have lost quit a bit but that was all preop and post op dieting NOT the band working or helping me. I am not sure if I should ask her why she is the minority and only gives fills every 6 weeks. One of my theories is that cause the fills are part of the surgery she don't get paid for them like a insurance new patient or other procedures that need to be done. So she don't like to have the fills take alot of time in her schedule. In the beginning of all this after the surgery I saw some issues starting with the office I go too. I saw her preop then never saw her again till 2 weeks later. I called the office with some problems and all I was told is to go to the emergency room. She would not see me or even talk to me on phone. I was left in the dark with it.

Doesn't sound right that he Dr said it would take up to 6 weeks to work. Usually you know what kind of restriction you'll have within a week at the most. Was it the Dr that told you that? Sometimes there's too many "cooks in the kitchen" when it comes to giving out info. Is the dr the only one there giving fills? Patients at my center don't ever see the Dr after surgery we only see the NP in the office. & the policy with fills is every 4 to 6 weeks. Not so unusual to have to wait some for fills. Maybe you'd feel better with another Dr office with fills & that have more support for the patients. You don't have to see the dr to have support & the Dr doesn't have to be the one who does the fill.

i was banded on april 21st and had my first fill on may 19th. i couldn't keep missing work so i had to make a saturday appointment on july 12th since they are only open 1 saturday a month.... that would be a little over 6 weeks between fills.

after my first fill i actually gained weight and got pissed because i've been following the diet carefully and the fill didn't leave me with any more restriction. if anything i felt MORE hungry.

so i emailed my doc and asked him if i could come in on june 6th (which is a little over 2 weeks after my 1st fill) and he said okay. i was a little upset that he didn't mention i could come back sooner than the 6 weeks when i made my july appointment!

just keep pushing... you paid so insist on your fills!

This does not sound normal to me. Usually you are tight in the first few days (from swelling, etc) and loosen as time goes on. I'm not an expert since only having one fill (getting my 2nd tomorrow) but from what i read that's how is works. Your doc is to be working for you not the other way around. Is there another doc you can go to since she seems to be all about the money???

P.S. Way to go on the weight loss despite not having restriction!!!

I was banded on May 15 and, aside from my post-surgery follow up, I am not due for another followup or fill until July 2. This was to allow me plenty of time to heal, move slowly into solids, and take my time getting used to everything.

That said, they did say that once I was into solids (3-5 weeks depending on how I feel), if 4oz of a high Protein meal didn't make me feel full or if I was hungry again very soon, to call them for an earlier appointment.

After the 1st fill, whenever that is, it will be based on my ability to eat my 4oz and remain full. If I am not getting full, then I go back, regardless of when my appointment is actually scheduled.

My point is that everyone is different; it's going to be hard for anyone, including the doctors, to tell you for certain what schedules of fills will work for you simply based on their own experience.

You should listen to your body first, then discuss that with your doctor.

I hope that I'm wrong, but here goes.

I was banded in Monterrey, Mexico in 2006. I had a lot of problems right off the bat. Pnemmonia and so fourth. After 6 months I started getting fills. Each time there was no restriction. Finally a endoscopy showed that the band had "eroded" all the way through my stomach and was blocking my intestines.

I had to go back to Mexico because no surgeon here in the USA would touch me. Dr. Arturo Rodriguez ( the doctor that put the band on ) cut out the port and used a endoscopy to pull the band right out through my mouth.

The point of that story is that if you don't feel any restriction, "Be very suspicious". Just from the sound of it, I think I'd get an endscopy if I were you.

I wish you the best.

6-8 weeks is common to wait for the first fill. After that I can go in every 2 weeks if I need it that often. I would call the office and say you need another fill and try to schedule it. 6 weeks might be common practice, but if you really need another and express it . . . perhaps they will see you.

It will not take 6 weeks for it to work. You will immediately feel a change and it may even tighten up a little bit more a few days later.

This is what my doctor does. I waited 6 weeks for my first fill and he actually says wait 6-8 weeks between fills. I was kind of bugged about this but to his credit, he didn't mess around with giving me small amounts and got to my sweet spot on the second fill. Good luck with getting what you are looking for!

I got my 6th fill today. It is not unusual to have a fill kick in up to 2 weeks after the procedure. It varies with everyone of course, but this is the longest amount of time I have heard people say it took to feel the full effect.