Post-fill experience

twiggysmiff · March 29, 2009

Well, I had my first fill on Thursday afternoon and 2 days later, I can feel NO DIFFERENCE. I had 1.5 ccs in a 10cc band. I had gone from January 14 to beginning of March with great restriction from just the band and lost 25 pounds. I lost restriction, started eating more and gained back a few pounds.

I know that most people get several fills before they get restriction, but I was hoping since I had restriction and lost it, it wouldn't take much to get it back.

Here are my questions...once you lose restriction, how many fills does it take to get it back again? Do you usually feel the restriction right after the fill or does it take a while to "kick in"? I've tried doing a search for old posts, I get hundreds of seemingly random posts that have nothing to do with my search! Thanks for your help!

dawn70586 · March 29, 2009

they say everyone is different. I think that each fill is different too. I have felt restriction immediately and then not at all until several weeks later. Normally, I determin when I need a fill between a notice in inchs lost and an increase of food intake. In a 10 cc band i am currently at 5 cc's and a loss of 70 lbs.

try going back to your liquid protiens to help with the weight loss. and call your doctor if still no change is seen.

CapitolChick · March 29, 2009

Well..as you lose wt your body changes and apparently that can make our restriction go south. So you have a double whammy on your hands: hardly anything in your band plus losing wt at a good pace.

Can't you ask for more?

mbacherfhd · March 29, 2009

I also received my first fill last week. I did liquids for 48 hours and then after that I felt alot of restriction. Currently, I eat about 3 - 4 oz's of food before I feel full. My doc's office says I will loosen up alittle over the next couple of weeks and to be patient, there goal is to get me to the point where I can eat 4 - 6 oz's and feel completely satisfied. I do agree with the other posts as well that each person is different and may take a different number of fills before you feel restriction. Hang in there it will come for you.

twiggysmiff · March 29, 2009

Well..as you lose wt your body changes and apparently that can make our restriction go south. So you have a double whammy on your hands: hardly anything in your band plus losing wt at a good pace.
Can't you ask for more?

I can go back to the doctor again in 2 weeks for another fill, so that is what I'm planning on doing. I'm allowing them to decide who much fill to put in because, after all, they are the experts and that's why they get paid the big bucks, right?? LOL

bandlover2009 · March 29, 2009

I got banded 1/19/09 and got my first fill about a month later, 3cc. I really felt no restriction. Then 2wks later they added 1.5cc for 4.5cc total. still no restriction, I did have to eat slower and chew longer however or things would get stuck. Then on Friday I got 1.2 cc more for a total of 5.7cc in a 10cc band. OMG! now I get the restriction thing. Things go down but much much slower than before. also I can only eat about a 1/4c total at any one time or I get that pain and struck feeling. I can even feel the Water I drink going down slowly. I am just starting to understand the whole thing. Prior to Friday I really did not understand restriction etc. So hang in there, you will need more fills to get to a point of restriction. Once you're there you will know it!!!!

Edited March 29, 2009 by bandlover2009
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twiggysmiff · March 29, 2009

I got banded 1/19/09 and got my first fill about a month later, 3cc. I really felt no restriction. Then 2wks later they added 1.5cc for 4.5cc total. still no restriction, I did have to eat slower and chew longer however or things would get stuck. Then on Friday I got 1.2 cc more for a total of 5.7cc in a 10cc band. OMG! now I get the restriction thing. Things go down but much much slower than before. also I can only eat about a 1/4c total at any one time or I get that pain and struck feeling. I can even feel the Water I drink going down slowly. I am just starting to understand the whole thing. Prior to Friday I really did not understand restriction etc. So hang in there, you will need more fills to get to a point of restriction. Once you're there you will know it!!!!

I know what restriction feels like because the band by itself was tight. It wasn't surgery swelling, etc that was causing it. I know that most people need several fills to get to their first real restriction point. I expected that for myself, but was surprised when I actually got real restriction from the band. Since I have had restriction since day 1, I was hoping it wouldn't take much to get it back again. My analogy would be the difference between buying pants that were 6 sizes too big and getting it altered vs buying pants that are just a bit roomy and cinching the waist. My band should just be roomy now and should need the cinching of a little Fluid. Oh well....We'll see what happens when I go back in another week! :thumbup: