I am 2 weeks post op and my incisions are not 100% healed. I have my first fill scheduled for September 29th. Is this too soon? I hate needles and I'm concerned about the pain and the amount of time it takes? I'm not tryin to be poked and poked like I've seen others. I'm just not havin it. Please help me understand the fill process. :tt1:

I am the BIGGEST baby there is with needles. So I understand completely!

My first was 7 1/2 weeks - was suppose to be at 6 but due to scheduling it wasn't.

Mine are done with xray - so it is minimal pokes - and quick. The first shot is like a bee sting - it numbs the area so no pain then I feel just a pressure from the doctor keeping pressure on the needle while it is in the port while he extracts the old Fluid - and refills the new amount, just so he pushing (the needle) so he doesn't get out of the port.

Think of me poking my finger in where your port is located.

Hope this helps!

Gina

Why don't you wait until a few days before and see how your surgical sites are healing? You do realize not everyone is poked and poked. We are all different...don't borrow trouble, as my mom would say!

Ouch!!! It still sounds like it hurts. Thanks for explaining it to me. Mine is scheduled at 4 weeks. Does that sound too soon?

I am the BIGGEST baby there is with needles. So I understand completely!

My first was 7 1/2 weeks - was suppose to be at 6 but due to scheduling it wasn't.

Mine are done with xray - so it is minimal pokes - and quick. The first shot is like a bee sting - it numbs the area so no pain then I feel just a pressure from the doctor keeping pressure on the needle while it is in the port while he extracts the old Fluid - and refills the new amount, just so he pushing (the needle) so he doesn't get out of the port.

Think of me poking my finger in where your port is located.

Hope this helps!

Gina

Health4life...you surely knew when you got the band that it would need to be filled! Don't let other people's bad experiences scare you now! The band is almost useless without some restriction! You made it through surgery; that was the most painful part! You can make it through the fills too! And odds are high you WONT have issues; most don't!

Yeah, I think I will wait and see. I know not everyone is poked and poked, but I don't want to be. Thanks RM, I won't borrow trouble

Why don't you wait until a few days before and see how your surgical sites are healing? You do realize not everyone is poked and poked. We are all different...don't borrow trouble, as my mom would say!

I had my first fill 6 weeks post op. The needle was huge, but to my surprise I felt almost nothing.

I had my 2nd fill this past Thursday. He had to stick me and poke pretty hard quite a few times & I still had no pain! My doc is so sweet and felt so badly, but I kept telling him it was OK. :tt1:

I'd say see how your port incision feels at 4 weeks post-op. I am pretty sure I would have been healed plenty by then for a fill.

Thanks RM! I'm such a wuss (sp) when it comes to needles. I swear I must not have heard that part about the fill with needles. I'll just close my eyes and bite my lip. If they stick me like my Anesthesiologist did, that'll be great. He was wonderful.

Health4life...you surely knew when you got the band that it would need to be filled! Don't let other people's bad experiences scare you now! The band is almost useless without some restriction! You made it through surgery; that was the most painful part! You can make it through the fills too! And odds are high you WONT have issues; most don't!

I don't want to be probed with a needle either! But I'm sure OUR fills will be smooth wonderful ones like AliNSandiego! :tt1: Otherwise I'll run screaming from the office! LOL ok not really but I'm with you; they better not hurt me. I'm just sure they won't! Fills are what makes the lap band work!

I am 2 weeks post op and my incisions are not 100% healed. I have my first fill scheduled for September 29th. Is this too soon? I hate needles and I'm concerned about the pain and the amount of time it takes? I'm not tryin to be poked and poked like I've seen others. I'm just not havin it. Please help me understand the fill process. :tt2:

Just had my first fill last Thursday (banded 7-28)! He numbed the port area first, and from then on I never felt one thing. Seriously! Even the tiny shot to numb was pain free. For some reason, there is less pain in the gut anyway. I had to lay back on the table and raise my feet. This was the most difficult part of the whole process - LOL He then drew out the saline from surgery to measure it (2 cc) and put it back in, plus 2.4 cc more. Then we went next door to an xray type machine to watch the white chalky stuff go down and I got to see the band. Way cool!

The reason he had to keep trying during my second fill was because he was not able to get the blue dye flashback when he retracted the needle.

He puts blue dye in the band fluid during surgery for the purpose of seeing the flashbacks during fills.

He thinks I may have kinked tubing. When it kinks, he said you can get fluid in, but not out. He wants to see me in a month and if he can't get that blue flashback, he will send me to X-ray & if it’s kinked, back to surgery to fix it. Thankfully he gave me enough fluid to feel some new restriction!

Anyways…I don’t want to scare anyone here. I had no pain and felt almost nothing when he poked me with the needle & I am a whiny baby when it comes to pain!

WOW! Okay, I'm with the program. I got the band now I need to have restriction in it. I'll keep my appointment. I was sure tryin to weasel out of it...as if you couldn't tell. Thanks.

Just had my first fill last Thursday (banded 7-28)! He numbed the port area first, and from then on I never felt one thing. Seriously! Even the tiny shot to numb was pain free. For some reason, there is less pain in the gut anyway. I had to lay back on the table and raise my feet. This was the most difficult part of the whole process - LOL He then drew out the saline from surgery to measure it (2 cc) and put it back in, plus 2.4 cc more. Then we went next door to an xray type machine to watch the white chalky stuff go down and I got to see the band. Way cool!

Thanks everybody! I'm feeling a little more at ease with this whole fill thing.

I had my first fill 4 weeks ago and it wasn't bad at all. I felt a little pressure but not any pain. You will be fine. I am going tomorrow for my second fill, as I feel that I don't have much restriction since my first fill. And believe it or not, I am looking forward to it! I didn't come this far to stay fat! I'm more afraid of staying fat than a little poke in the stomach! LOL!!!

I want a fill! WAH!!!! ok

crying jag over. I have to wait until 10/9 but then...YAY!

I had my first fill today at 4 weeks post-op. They did it under x-ray and I hardly felt anything. I'm a big baby about needles also but it was really easy!