i have had band for 5 weeks ,the food portions i eat are 1/3 of what i ate before the band ,with pre op diet i lost 17 lbs and have shook 10 or so more since. i always ate good foods not pizza and sweets but i ate tons.now i eat normal,feel great and every week i loose 2 or 3 lbs,i have never been stuck as they say and eat grilled asparagus and chicken breast,all the things that people say they have trouble with.and i feel restriction and full after a normal plate. the question is do you have to get a fill?if its all working why take the chance of having things get stuck? also the doctor said with the rapid weight loss i may loose my gallbladder ! i would rather go slower and keep it. hell who knows you might need it someday !are there people out in lap band world that never got a fill?

Some people never get a fill, and lose all the weight from the restriction of an empty band. I would say, as long as you are losing the 1-2lbs a week that is considered healthy, then don't get a fill. Eventually you may lose some restriction because you will lose fat around the stomach so you may need a fill. But then again, you may not!

I wouldnt fill just now either.

I'm also worried about getting a fill...granted I'm only 6 days post op - but I feel so extremely tight, I'm scared to even start on mushies in 8 days!....I don't think I will get a fill unless I stop losing weight.

Yes the choice is totally yours if you want to get a fill or not. If you do opt to get a fill at some point you also have the option to tell them to not be aggressive with the fill amount.

You are entering the phase, where the swelling that came from putting the band on, is probably going to start going down, plus you are going to be losing fat, both of which are going to cause a loss of restriction. Eventually, you will probably need a fill, but I think everyone can agree, that the longer you can go and the less aggressive the fills, the less potential trouble.

Of course it is your choice. Always!

You are the keeper of your body. And it sounds like you are doing great exactly where you are.

Your doctor will make recommendations based on how much you are losing, how much you can eat, how your body is adjusting to the band, and how you feel. He is the expert. Listen to him (or her), but the bottom line is: every decision is ultimately yours.

thank you all for throwing in, i hope the doctor will listen to what i am saying ,sometimes i have felt through this that the goal is to make you take it off fast as you can ! i'm sure that sells more tickets on the ride ! i'm good with whats now ,but dont want to be foolish