Hello,

I have finally chosen my doctor for my surgery! I have one question that maybe you guys and gals can help me answer. The price that I am paying includes aftercare and fills for one year. But if I need an "aggressive fill" it will cost me $400 extra each fill. Do you know the difference and why I would need an " aggressive fill" as opposed to the normal fill?

Thanks!

Cari

hun???

ok - that a new one to me. my self pay program also provided for fills for a yr ; but as described to me "aggressive" meant i could go as early as every 2wks. i've yet to hear of a charge for aggressive, however your dr determines that. i would ask & then question...??

btw - $400 is a LOT even when aftercare has been exhausted. mine are now $100 after the yr anniversary.

Yea. I thought that seemed weird....Everything else about the program I love, except that I might have to pay $400 for an aggressive fill! The doctor said that an aggressive fill is when they do it under an xray and have me drink water and they can watch on a tv to see how fast/slow it travels to my stomach to see how much of a fill they need to give me....I dunno. Now I am confused. Thanks tho!

Ah, well that would explain the higher charge. If the fills are not normally done under fluoroscopy (x-ray), then having one done that way is going to cost more. My doctor does not use fluoro. If I were to need a fill done that way, we would have to do it at a hospital - thus more expense.

that does explain some - fills under fluro will be more.

$400 is still high - i've never had one under fluro, but if i wanted one it's $250.

Now this is hard...I really like the doctor in every other aspect....except that I want the best care possible, and if that includes an aggressive fill...I will have to pay $400 out of pocket PER fill. I guess I need to do some thinking...

Now this is hard...I really like the doctor in every other aspect....except that I want the best care possible, and if that includes an aggressive fill...I will have to pay $400 out of pocket PER fill. I guess I need to do some thinking...

something to consider - your aftercare is extremely important.

and considering the cost of self pay ... i had to have 8 fills for restriction. that's on the high side - but that would have cost $3200 additional dollars. i also had to have 2 unfills .... what will that cost you? you could easily rack up another 2-4k on top of what your self pay surgery price is.

your smart to be asking these questions up front - i wish you all the best!!

Did your doctor recommend the aggressive fills? Mine said that almost every time he has done a more aggressive fill (at the request of the patient), the results are not good. Even if you have a fill done under fluoro, and everything seems to be passing through the band just fine, from what I've read here, most people find that it can take several weeks to really feel the effects of the fill. By that time, what seemed like just the right amount of restriction becomes too much, and you can't eat without PBing. I would rather take the slow route than face the risk of hurting myself by rushing the trek to the "sweet spot".

that sounds really strange. for one thing the floro (xray) is not healthy to expose your self too often. a normal fill is fine, and only use the xray if there are problems. what kind of band will you have?

a 10cc or a 4cc. one thing I have learned is that you don't want an aggressive fill, as it can tighen after a few days and then you will be sick. a little at a time is good and better than risking your band or having an unfill. I have 2cc in my 4cc band, and so far have been doing really good.

good luck

fills take about 30 secs saline and needles are cheap 4.00 dollars seems like way too much

Hello, I had my surgery done in Mexico and I went back to my doctor for my first fill and he used the flouroscopy (sp?). It was a very good experience because he didn't have to look for my port and he was able to watch liquids go through the band while I was there. My 2nd fill was at a local doctor that didn't use the flouroscopy. He had to move the needle around a little more to get it into the port correctly which was a little uncomfortable but he had deadened the skin first so it wasn't painful. The 2nd doctor I used told me that with the kind of band that I have they usually put in 1.5 cc in at the first fill (which the doctor did) and put in .5 cc each fill after that. The 2nd doctor chraged me $175. When I went to Mexico, he charged me $100. Hope that helps. ;0)

If you have small fills (0.5-1.5cc) you probably will not need fluro. When you get closer to your sweet spot and you're thinking you may need a 'wee bit more' they may do a fluro just to make sure they're not over-filling and to make sure Fluid is still getting thru.

As others have said, smaller more frequent fills are far better than one big one...which tends to result in going back for an UNfill!

BTW, my doc charges $100 for a fill; $150 for a fill w/ fluro.

wow!!!! That is a great price for fills!!! I live close to Amarillo, too bad we are so far apart, I'd try your doctor!!!!

wow!!!! That is a great price for fills!!! I live close to Amarillo, too bad we are so far apart, I'd try your doctor!!!!

I :thumbup: my doctor!!! Dr. Spivak is the best there is!

I had my surgery in Tijuana and they do their fills with fluoroscopy. I just had my first fill of 2.6 last Saturday after having my surgery on 8/15. It doesn't feel tight enough to me as I still get pretty hungry and I think it takes too much to make me feel satisfied. I don't want to go back so soon for another fill though. They charge $100 for fills with fluoroscopy during the first year.