First Fill Experiences

[mcb2009 0]

I just had my first fill today! No numbing assistance, she just had me do an ab crunch and hold it while she poked twice and bullseye! No pain at all, really...just discomfort/needle-anxiety. I am 8 weeks post-op. I got 4cc's into my empty band and she just had me drink some Water and hang out to make sure I didn't get nausea. Feeling good but she advised liquids for 3 days just to be "Very Careful" with it...and then mushies. Don't know if I'll wait 3 days, but will be careful. Instant mashed potatoes are my fav! :-)

Really though...it was so much easier than I thought. This forum can sometimes cloud your brain and heighten your anxiety with stories of worst-case-scenarios. Just take it all in perspective... And good luck! I hope yours is delightfully no-big-deal the way mine was.

Hey Texas Mommy:

I had a very similar experience. I was banded on July 6 and had my first fill on Aug. 24. I have a 14cc band and got 4cc. No zylocaine and only one puncture - she too had my lie down flat, put my hands above my head, do a crunch and voila - it was all done. She didn't think I would have any restriction and I didn't. I was instructed to go on a 2 days of liquid followed by one day of pureed food. I had my second fill this Wednesday (Sep 2) and got another 1.5cc - still no restriction. The surgeon and the nutritionist at the clinic said that it may take 3-4 fills before I feel a restriction. The surgeon at our clinic likes to go very slowly and give patients the time to adjust to the new way of eating.

I think I may have a slight restriction because I am eating less and in less than 2 weeks I've finally started to lose again. I'm down 6 lbs in less than 2 weeks so I'm happy!

I'm scheduled for my next fill in 2 weeks.

Mary

[Unforgettable 0]

You know, it's strange for me. I had my first fill done on 8/21, 6 cc's. I can definitely tell a difference when I go to eat things like, bread, white meat chicken, most beef, or if I take too big of a bite. And I definitely do fill up quicker and can tell right away if I've eaten too much.. But. I'm having cravings lately, and nighttime is a bear, I just want to snack.. :/

I go back on the 21st for my second "fill" and I'm reluctant to say "yes! add more!" and then suffer because stuff won't go down, but I also don't want to stagnate and eat too much, or at least too frequently, and not move forward... I'm kind of in a weird spot right now. Anyone else having that problem or had that problem? Ideas to move past it?

Even if you were tight as can be and couldn't swallow your own spit, those cravings and that desire to snack would still be there. Unfortunately! I have the same problem. It's a mental issue no matter how much restriction you have. I'd trust the doctor to fill it in appropriate amount to where you can still eat normal foods, just in smaller portions. I personally am seeing a therapist to help me with the mental cravings so they don't drag me down.

As far as the cravings themselves, I do indulge in them occasionally or else they will get too bad. I don't believe in cutting anything out of my diet, because I don't want it to be a diet. But I do believe that moderation (and Portion Control from restriction) is the key to a happy balance. So if I'm craving chocolate, I'm going to have it. But I'm going to have a fun-size bar. If I don't allow myself that, then I will eventually cave and end up eating a few hundred candy bars. Ok that's exaggerated but you get the point

Good luck!

Edited September 6, 2009 by Unforgettable
typo

[HolliJ 24]

Ok, so I had my first fill two days ago.

First thing, the doctor starts pressing into my stomach, trying to find the port. That hurt like a bitch. I swear, it must have been like 6 inches down or something, lol.

So he gets the needle and sticks it in. I didn't even feel that. Kind of a weird feeling... Then I felt liquid burst into my insides. You know how if you squeeze on a bottle that's clogged and then it suddenly gets unclogged and squirts everywhere? That's how it felt inside of me because he missed! Twice.

So he finally gets it into the port and has me take a drink. Everything felt fine. He says, "Ok, I'm going to have you sit up while the needle is still in." Oh, great. So I sit up with this huge needle sticking inside of me, haha. Take another drink. All good.

So I ended up with 3 needle sticks. I really didn't feel any pain from it at all. The only thing that hurt was him pressing on my stomach.

I thought my port was underneath my main surgery incision, but it's not. It's like 3 inches below it. Basically, I have no idea where my port is. Seems like it's pretty deep, though.

Also.... still don't really feel any restriction. I was filled 2cc during surgery. And then for my fill, another 2cc.

[HolliJ 24]

I go in for my first fill tomorrow!! Im sooo happy to get this going. I have only lost three pounds since my surgery. Sometimes I totally forget I have my band because I have zero restriction and feel like I dont have one at all. I got sick with a kidney infection and my doc gave me gell caps to take and I forgot to take the powder out of the pill one day and it went through without any pain or discomfort. Thats a wide open pouch!

Tracy, I agree with you about the no drinking being the worst part. Sometimes I forget, but most of the time I remember. Its so natural for me to want to have a drink with dinner. I always have to remind DH when he sets the table not to put a glass of Water out for me.

I took anti-biotics for 10 days and took the powder out of the capsule. Most disgusting tasting thing ever.

I took a pain reliever the other day that was pretty big.... went down just fine. So I could have taken all of those capsules.

:thumbup:

[micnat 0]

I had my first fill this morning..they filled me with 3cc's, not sure how much I had to begin with though. It was a pretty simple process, in and out in 10 min :mad:

Problem is, that was at 9am. By 10:30 I was pretty hungry and sipped all of my slimfast. Now it's 12:30 and I am hungry again! Do you think I need more in my band or should I give it some time?

[micnat 0]

So I can definitely tell now that I need to slow down while eating! Even the liquid/cottage cheese gets hung up in my chest! So glad I have my restriction now. I am eating graham cracker submersed in milk right now. I have taken 3 bites and my tummy is making really loud creaking noises. Anyone know what that is about? It doesn't hurt, it is just loud!

[barbie1978 22]

lol mine makes funky noises sometimes too and I noticed it more so after my first fill (aug 28th). I also didn't feel much of anything the day i was filled until about 12 hours later...i noticed i could USUALLY feel my band more at night the first few days after the fill...now i just eat less and stay satisified (not full) longer, but dealing with that mental hunger can "f" a person up! I've caught myself eating sometimes when i'm not truly hungry but i THINK i am...i'm working on that...and i'm thankful that when it does happen, not only do i realize it but i won't really eat much because the band wont' let me...i feel it right away...

i'm going to give my band 2 more weeks of me really really working hard, and if i still dont; see a loss and can eat more than i need, i'm going to get another fill...

Right now I have 5cc's in my 14cc band..